The City of Montreal is gearing up for a new phase of work on the McTavish Reservoir and its water pumping station. The goal is to safeguard and improve the water supply of 1.25-million Montrealers. In order to undertake the work, a section of Doctor Penfield Avenue will be closed for about eight years.
On its west side, the McTavish Reservoir is bordered by McGill’s Faculty of Education and Thomson House. From that vantage-point, the main feature of the reservoir is Rutherford Park, which will remain accessible for sports and other activities throughout much of the work. However, partial closures are likely during certain phases of the project.
Drivers will be affected but not pedestrians
Pedestrian access to the northern part of McTavish Street will remain normal, though heavy machinery and work zones will be set up on the east side. People should respect work zones and safety barriers. Deliveries, local traffic – including to McGill parking lots – and STM buses will also be allowed on McTavish.
As for the section of Doctor Penfield between Peel and Pine, it will be accessible to pedestrians but completely closed to vehicular traffic, due to the extent of the work that will be undertaken on pumping station infrastructure and the heritage building in which the equipment is located.
Improving and securing Montreal’s water network
The McTavish pumping station is a vital part of Montreal’s water network. It has been in operation since 1932, including during a first phase of work, which began in 2020.
This new phase of work, which is more complex and requires a shutdown of operations, had to wait for a Rosemont pumping station to be fully operational to ensure continued supply of water to the Montreal core.
There are several reasons why the City must undertake the work, including:
- Making the building more earthquake-resistant,
- Replacing pumping equipment,
- Replacing and upgrading the water distribution pipes,
- Replacing and completely upgrading the power facilities, and
- Undertaking renovation on the pumping station building, while preserving its heritage character.
Traffic impacts during the work
In addition to buildings on McTavish, there are other McGill building with access points along Doctor Penfield. These include the Genome Centre, the M.H. Wong, the Ferrier and the Leacock. Pedestrian traffic in and out of those buildings will be unaffected, as will access to the southern sidewalk. However, McGill members who need vehicular access to those buildings will have to use their other doors.
To ease impacts on neighbouring streets, Pine will become a two-way street between Peel and Doctor Penfield.
The City has been communicating changes to drivers through signage and is asking that traffic reports and driving apps also indicate the temporary measures.
To ensure effective communication between McGill building managers and other stakeholders, a neighbourhood committee is being created. It will allow for exchanges on various types of impacts, including noise, vibrations and any other issue that comes up for those living and working around the work site.
More information
For the latest from the City of Montreal, please visit its dedicated project page. For McGill-specific issues, contact the Facilities Call Centre or visit the upcoming FAQ page.