Parc Jeanne-Mance – Montreal

“I lived right across from Parc Jeanne-Mance when I was pursuing my undergraduate degree at McGill University. During most of the year when Montreal is covered under thick layers of snow, I would use the park as a more straightforward path from home to campus, but during summer days in the park have provided me some of my favourite memories living in the city. The park is mainly an open field with a variety of sports amenities, including a football field, a baseball diamond, a playground, and a volleyball field. As I did not play any of these sports, what I enjoyed the most was Parc Jeanne-Mance’s open lawn filled with picnic tables and under plenty of shade. I would often visit the park with my roommate to enjoy the sun, gather here with a group of friends for a picnic, and by myself for a relaxing stroll in the evening. I’d often observe many different types of people of all ethnicity and ages frequenting the park through various time of day, enjoying the park in their very own ways. The park has a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere with people of all ages and backgrounds coming together to enjoy the music and space.

Parc Jeanne-Mance isn’t strictly an “award-winning” or a famous tourist destination, it doesn’t have highly designed circulation or was built with the best quality of materials. It merely provides some of the most basic facilities such as washrooms, drinking fountains, shade, and clean picnic benches. The success of Parc Jeanne-Mance in creating positive experiences of quality lays in its diversity of recreational activities, cultural events, natural beauty, and most importantly, its community engagement. The many events that take place within the park promotes a sense of connection and belonging that encourages a collective sense of responsibility for the well-being of the park and its surrounding community. As a woman of colour without any real connection to the neighbourhood other than my very temporary occupancy for less than a year, I always felt comfortable and safe using this park because of the freedom and diversity of activities, and also because it’s always filled with laughter.” (Booklet Positive Lived Experiences of Quality in the Built Environment 2023, p.192).

Google map link: https://goo.gl/maps/n4c8i3ubLeCT4NmE9