Place des Canotiers

CIMA+ & Tetra Tech

Quebec, QC

The Société québécoise des infrastructures wanted to create a prestigious public square on a heritage site on the banks of the St. Lawrence River. Formerly an open asphalt parking lot on contaminated soil, the Place des Canotiers is located in the heritage site of Old Quebec. CIMA+ and Tetra Tech developed innovative solutions to deal with a flood-prone area affected by tidal effects; the storm drainage system was designed with two zones (flood-proofed and not flood-proofed), the parking structure was sealed and covered, and a mechanical chamber was built below high-tide level in a flood-prone area, freeing up the space otherwise occupied by a service building. The construction of the Place des Canotiers also required off-site disposal of more than 12,000 tonnes of contaminated soil. This engineering success story was achieved through the integration and balanced combination of historical, archaeological, technical, practical, operational, sustainability and heritage development considerations. Moreover, the ten or so stakeholders involved made coordinating requirements a top priority. The jury was impressed with the site’s transformation, from the remediation of contaminated soil to the design’s approach to addressing tidal issues.