The demolition of the Mont-Laurier station planned

In 2021, the engineering firm JOKINEN had carried out a study of the structure of the station and judged in its report that the foundations required rehabilitation work. The MRCAL then hired the firm C2V Architecture to produce a health record for the building. Recently, the WSP firm submitted a report which revealed that because of the deplorable state of the building’s structure, it had to be closed to the public for an indefinite period.

On August 24, the MRCAL added that the firm WSP had noted significant cracks on several walls, in particular the foundation wall located on the north side of the building, but also near the support over the entire height of a beam. in the basement. This indicates that the capacity of the beam to support the weight of the building is exceeded and that failure of this beam could cause the building to collapse.

The firm also reports that the wall on the west side is tilted 8 degrees, which makes the entire building unstable.

To top it off, the firm also mentions the presence of water and efflorescence, or the entry of water into a dry material, which contributes to the degradation of the structure.

Finally, it is also estimated that the electrical circuits, plumbing, floor structure, roof, windows and insulation need to be redone.

The proposed solutions

Three options are currently being studied by an MRCAL committee, made up of the prefect and mayor of Mont-Laurier, Daniel Bourdon, as well as the mayor of Lac-des-Écorces, Pierre Flamand, the mayor of Notre-Dame-du-Laus, David Cyr, the Mayor of Nominingue, Francine Létourneau and the Mayor of Ferme-Neuve, Diane Sirard.

The first option would be to renovate the building first, but according to Daniel Bourdon, the costs of this work would be expensive. Temporary measures must first be carried out, which consist of the installation of support beams, the cost of which is estimated at $40,000. However, this option is not prioritized by the MRCAL, because it is a temporary intervention.

Another option mentioned would be the destruction of the building within the next 6 months. The analyzes of the firm C2V Architecture revealed that the complete restoration of the building would be a possible scenario, but which could turn out to be very difficult because of the numerous problems detected.

The prefect mentions, however, that one option would be to rebuild a new station in the image of the old one.
Daniel Bourdon also underlines that the complete restoration of the station is estimated at a cost of 6 to 7 M$ according to the specialists, whereas the construction of a new building could represent expenses rising to approximately 1,5 M$.

“If we restore the building, it will have to be lifted, the foundation will have to be changed, not to mention the water infiltration and the chances of rotting,” he explains.

The prefect, however, underlines the importance of the heritage value of the building: “We must not forget that this is the end of the linear park and that our region has developed with the P’tit train du Nord”. He also mentions the recent beautification works that were carried out all around the station.

Local actors speak out on the subject

The Société d’histoire et de généalogie des Hautes-Laurentides (SHGHL), for its part, stresses that conservation efforts at the station should be a priority. The director and historian of the SHGHL, Yohan Desmarais, speaks on the subject: “More than an aesthetic element of urban heritage, a building of this type bears witness to the materials used at the time, construction techniques, tools wielded by our ancestors, etc. A modern reproduction would represent a loss of all this intangible heritage hidden in the walls and floors of the Mont-Laurier station, a situation avoided, especially considering the disappearance of the vast majority of P’tit Train du Nord stations in over time”.

As for the Ligue d’improvisation de Mont-Laurier (LIMOL), its spokesperson, Claude Boisvert, explains that the league was already planning to find a new location to carry out its activities, even before the announcement concerning the state from the station. It is therefore in Le Chapeau, where the former William pub was located, that the new season of LIMOL will take place, which will begin on October 5th. Claude Boisvert thanks the Café de la gare for having hosted the last season of LIMOL and adds: “We are obviously sorry that the Lyse-Beauchamp house has to live through these difficult times and we hope that the situation will recover for them as soon as possible. quickly as possible”.

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