Pointe-Saint-Charles residents celebrate as community group gets keys to Btiment 7

Residents of Pointe-Saint-Charlesin Montreal's Southwest borough celebrated Friday as a community organization officially took possession of a building known as Btiment 7.

The ceremony capped a 15-year campaign spearheaded by a community collective called 7 Nous to win possession of the abandoned, 8,300 square-metre warehouse at the old CN railyards.

• Preserving the memory of life in 'The Point'

A community garden, a bistro, a co-op grocery store and other initiatives are planned for the space, organizers say.

Community challenged casino plan

Gabrielle Grin, chair of 7 Nous, said the celebration was a moment to cherish.

"We decided to go up against this huge developer and to [stand our ground] and not let go and say loud and strong that we have a vision and we have needs," she said.

"The project that was planned here by this developer had no place in this neighbourhood and that we had a much much better idea."

In 2002, it was learned that Loto-Qubec was considering buying the property and turning it into a casino.

Residents and organizations opposed to that plan got together and came up with a counter-proposal for a space that they said would benefit the whole community.

• Pointe-St-Charles residents plan to turn empty building into community space

7 Nous secured $1 million to develop the property, which will house services and businesses that are needed in the neighbourhood, which is one of most disadvantaged in Montreal.

"Now that we have the keys we're renovating, putting the building back into shape, we're actively putting together projects in the first phase of development," Grin said.

The first phase is set to be completed by January 2018.