Montreal makes good on promise to save Notman Garden, moves to expropriate land

Residents of the Milton Park neighbourhoodcan breathe a sigh of relief, with the knowledge that NotmanGarden will not be developed.

The city has announced it is moving to expropriatethe 1,000-square-metre lot on the corner of Clark and Milton streets, north of Sherbrooke Avenue.

For more than a decade, Milton Park residentshave protested against the proposed development of what was the garden behind 172-year-oldNotmanHouse, named after famed photographer WilliamNotman, who lived there until the1890s.

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"This spectacular profusion of green space stands in stark contrast to everything that surrounds it," Montreal Coun. Alex Norris said on CBC Montreal'sDaybreakMonday.

"There's a lot of asphalt; there's very little green space in that area."

"We wanted it to be a place of respite from thehurly-burlyof downtown Montreal," Norris said, noting that saving the garden was one ofProjetMontral'scampaign promises.

Rare Kentucky coffeetrees

Norris saidthe garden is one of the last remnants of "the old ornamental gardens that used to line the mansions that were built on Sherbrooke Street, as Montreal was expanding north."

Some of the large trees in the garden are more than 130 years oldincluding Kentucky coffeetrees, a threatened species inCanada.

Norris says the decision to expropriate came after pleas from residents and fromPlateau-Mont-Royal borough mayor LucFerrandezto successive Quebec culture ministers to protect the land.

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He says a series of owners have asked for more than the city could afford to spend on the property. The expropriation process will allow it to buy the property at market value.

Expropriation can be a long process, however, sothe timeline for creating the park is still unclear, Norris said.