As the Plante administration prepares to overhaul a stretch of Ste. Catherine St. in downtown Montreal, it unveiled plans Tuesday to expand and renovate Phillips Square.
The newly rebuilt square will be slightly larger and have better lighting, more trees, more park benches, and free WiFi, among other things.
However, the kiosks, which the administration ordered removed from the north end of the square last month, will not return under the plan, and about 60 street-level parking spots will be eliminated.
The idea, according to Mayor Valerie Plante, is to have a Victorian-style square adjacent to a more pedestrian-friendly Ste. Catherine St.
"We need to take advantage of the momentum brought by the redevelopment of Ste. Catherine St. to accelerate the metamorphosis of one of the most dynamic commercial arteries in North America," Plante said in a statement.
Work is expected to be complete by the end of 2021.