In memoriam - Jean Décarie (1937-2020)

It is with deep sadness that we learned of the death, on July 21, of Jean Décarie, geographer, urban planner, professor, professional and committed citizen.

This Montrealer, a man of pioneering ideas, of voluntary convictions that he defended ardently, and of a vast knowledge acquired in the field over nearly 60 years of action, was a great friend to Montreal, its territory and its heritage. In leaving us, he leaves a great void, but also leaves many legacies that the people of Montreal will benefit from for a long time to come, without always being aware that Jean was the source of these legacies.

Think of the Mount Royal Protection and Enhancement Plan, for which he was responsible for the first version. Think also of the Green Network, the transformation of railway rights-of-way into "podocyclic" promenades lined with ruderal vegetation, which he imagined over 30 years ago and which, little by little, Ville de Montréal is bringing to fruition. Think of the Archipel project and its work on open spaces and metropolitan parks, which can be linked to contemporary concerns about flooding or the preservation of natural environments and landscapes. Think of the initial work to transform the former Miron quarry into what was to become Frédéric-Back Park, with a surface area comparable to that of Mont-Royal Park, which Jean Décarie called "la montagne en creux".

Not to mention his many contributions to committees and campaigns; for example, for the redevelopment of the Parc et Pins interchange, for the preservation of the Agora by sculptor Charles Daudelin in Square Viger and for the installation of level crossings to link the Plateau and Rosemont neighbourhoods now separated by railroad tracks.

His visionary action and exceptional contributions to public institutions, teaching, the profession and civic action have earned Jean Décarie many honours, including the Prix du Mont-Royal awarded by Ville de Montréal and Les amis de la montagne, the Prix Blanche-Lemco-van-Ginkel from the Ordre des urbanistes du Québec and the Prix Frederick-Todd from the Association des architectes paysagistes.

Members and friends ofHéritage Montréal members and friends remember his numerous, enlightened and generous contributions to the French language, which he cherished and to which the few texts and articles below bear witness. Many took part in some of his activities; for example, the memorable train ride he organized in May 1992 to mark the ^350th anniversary of Montreal and the congress of the Association québécoise pour le patrimoine industriel, an unparalleled feat in showcasing Montreal's heritage through a great loop linking Windsor Station to Central Station around Mount Royal, with the agreement of the railway companies.

And his conference on Montreal's Missing Creeks, on October 3, 2012, the very first of the Urban Exchanges that we are organizing with the McCord Museum and in which he has been a regular participant ever since. Volunteer guides also benefited from his knowledge during training sessions for the Architectours, who enlightened them on the distinctive geography of the city and the very cultural and voluntary vision he had of it.

Héritage Montréal offers its condolences to his family and loved ones, as well as to all the organizations who, like us, had the privilege of collaborating with him on planning, heritage or environmental projects in Montreal and the metropolitan region. He is leaving us a giant and a friend, but the ideas he planted remain and will continue to grow for the collective good. We are deeply grateful to him, and we hope that institutions will do the same.    

In the name ofHéritage Montréal, thank you Jean Décarie!

To learn a little more about Jean's work and reflections, here are some articles and letters of opinion that might be of interest to you.