Car Free Mile End: Who, Why and Where?

Who is car free Mile-end?

Well, for now, we are myself, Mathieu (or, Matt if you’re in a hurry), and Maclean (just Maclean). Year round Montreal inhabitants, and professional Mile-Enders, we felt that it was time to create a project that might unite our community while promoting awareness of issues that are threatening our well being. If you have to create a project, make it a big one, right?


Ideally this project would mobilize volunteers, artists, students, families, elderly, businesses, urban planners, architects, politicians, and this guy:

That is everybody, and more.

Why a car free Mile-end?

The reason is multifaceted, the question two pronged: Why cars, and why Mile End?

Here are some facts. Cars, and, to an extent, car culture, are a problem approaching ‘critical mass’ on three fronts: resource depletion, pollution and climate change.

1. Oil is definitely running out: oil production might have peaked last summer (other time estimates vary) but the overwhelming consensus is that the cheap, easy-flowing stuff is gone. What’s left is going to be much less plentiful, and therefore more expensive (the subject of a future post).

2. Breathable air quality everywhere is deteriorating, even more so in urban areas, and you can’t tell me that’s nothing to do with the clouds of exhaust gas coming from your chevy as you sit in traffic, then race away from the lights.

3. Global Warming: We know that these gases are contributing to the planet heating up (unfortunately this is not good like in NBA jam, ‘more heat’ in this context is more like gangsters getting pressure).

Also, did you know that 80% of a car's fuel consumption is lost through heat generation? That means only 20% actually moves the car, and only 1% actually moves the driver! We put people on the moon, and 7 year old kids can solve a rubik's cube in 70 seconds :
I think we can build more efficient modes of transportation.

With all this in mind doesn't it seem irrational that every morning in Montreal tens of thousands of cars slowly drive in the same direction just to flow in the opposite gridlocked direction 8 hours later?

What makes it even worse is that the world is quickly flattening, which means that despite the recession, more and more people in developing and emerging economies are able to adopt the North American way of life. Cell phones, stuffed crust pizza, electric can openers… and cars. In China and India, car sales are soaring. Experts predict that 19 million extra cars will cruise China’s roads next year (double that of this year). But to put things in perspective, this means that there will only be about 48 cars per 1000 people in China; there are 770 per 1000 people in the US. I don't know karate, but that's KARAZY! (http://www.stlyrics.com/lyrics/grandtheftautosanandreas/thepayback.htm)
More on this in a future post.

So what's to do? We propose to start in the proverbial backyard:

Make Mile End car free.

Therefore the primary reason for this project is to decrease the number of cars in our living area, not only by closing off a street to car traffic (or eventually multiple streets), but by creating an area which promotes awareness, sustainable living, public transport and green urban communities. This could be a perfect marriage with projects such as Bixi (http://montreal.bixi.com/accueil/accueil-info) and Compost Montreal (http://www.compostmontreal.com) which are pushing in the same direction. Let Montreal be a beacon of hope for urban communities across North America, and the world. We are already lagging behind many cities such as San Francisco, Portland, Vancouver…

Secondly, in this ever extending individualistic, virtual and fast paced world, a gaping disconnect is growing between people and a sense of ecology. We have to reconnect with place, and we have to reconnect with nature -- which shouldn't be perceived as driving a Pathfinder or a Tundra through the forest. We can learn to reconnect with nature, with community, and with place in our very own backyard by creating a hub for people to enjoy urban ecology, safe communal areas, and an increased sense of identity. This can be achieved by ensuring that there is no top down decision making, and that the project will be driven by grass roots efforts and participatory democracy.

Lastly, local businesses (the more they are involved) could benefit from extra foot and bicycle traffic which could be generated by transforming the street into even more of a specialized destination of choice. Various initiatives (events, spaces, projects) which will eventually colour our streets could include buskers, urban ecology, extended terraces, mini-festivals, side-walk art, etc.

Where?

The Mile-End is already populated by an important forward thinking and creative population. It is natural that it should lead the way in creating multiple green urban communities in Montreal. Furthermore, as St-Viateur Ouest is already strongly sustained by pedestrian traffic, it is an ideal area to initiate such a transition. This would be a great first step.

How?

That's the question. For that we need your feedback. And we need to gather some troops. Our plan is to send out some sort of press kit (in the works) to certain designated organizations and (of course) the City in order to make our intentions known, and to learn what methods might be used. Of course, before we can do this, we need to gather and define the intentions of the community through networking and building a dialogue among residents and other involved citizenry.

And we need help!

At this stage we are calling out for brainstorming ideas, and support in various forms (things to spice up the blog space). Lend us your talents! If you have ideas, or would like to help in any way at all, send us an e-mail (carfreemileend@gmail.com). And spread the word!

Thanks for reading,

Mathieu