Falaise Saint-Jacques
Encyclopedia
The Saint-Jacques Escarpment is a green space
along an escarpment
in the city of Montreal
, west of downtown
Montreal
and adjacent to the neighbourhood of Notre-Dame-de-Grace
. The wooded area stretches 3 km (2 mi) long, covering over 20 ha (49 acre).
The escarpment's dense stands of poplar trees and its location between Mount Royal
and the Lachine Rapids
make it notable for a number of species of resident and migratory birds, and a large population of brown snake
s.
The escarpment had served as a dumping ground
before it was purchased by the City of Montreal for use as parkland, but it is not open to the public. Plans to allow public access have been delayed because parts of the slope are unstable and dangerous, and the city's desire to preserve the escarpment as a natural space conflicts with the Province of Quebec's plans for redevelopment of the Turcot Interchange
which include moving the Ville-Marie Expressway and Canadian National Railway
line next to the foot of the escarpment.
Open space reserve
Open space reserve, open space preserve, and open space reservation, are planning and conservation ethics terms used to describe areas of protected or conserved land or water on which development is indefinitely set aside...
along an escarpment
Escarpment
An escarpment is a steep slope or long cliff that occurs from erosion or faulting and separates two relatively level areas of differing elevations.-Description and variants:...
in the city of Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, west of downtown
Downtown Montreal
Downtown Montreal is the central business district of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is nearly enitirely located at the southern most slope of Mount Royal and is approximately bounded by Sherbrooke Street to the north, Papineau Avenue to the east, Guy Street or until Shaughnessy Village to the west,...
Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
and adjacent to the neighbourhood of Notre-Dame-de-Grace
Notre-Dame-de-Grâce
Notre-Dame-de-Grâce , also nicknamed NDG, is a residential neighbourhood of Montreal located in the city's west-end. It is one of five districts of the borough of Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce...
. The wooded area stretches 3 km (2 mi) long, covering over 20 ha (49 acre).
The escarpment's dense stands of poplar trees and its location between Mount Royal
Mount Royal
Mount Royal is a mountain in the city of Montreal, immediately west of downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada, the city to which it gave its name.The mountain is part of the Monteregian Hills situated between the Laurentians and the Appalachians...
and the Lachine Rapids
Lachine Rapids
The Lachine Rapids are a series of rapids on the Saint Lawrence River, between the Island of Montreal and the south shore. They are located near the former city of Lachine....
make it notable for a number of species of resident and migratory birds, and a large population of brown snake
Storeria dekayi
Storeria dekayi, commonly known as the brown snake or De Kay's snake, is a small species of colubrid snake.-Geographic range:...
s.
The escarpment had served as a dumping ground
Dump
Dump generally refers to a place for disposal of domestic waste. See articles at midden and landfill.-Other uses:The word has other uses alone or in combination and may refer to:* Dump , a Unix program for backing up file systems...
before it was purchased by the City of Montreal for use as parkland, but it is not open to the public. Plans to allow public access have been delayed because parts of the slope are unstable and dangerous, and the city's desire to preserve the escarpment as a natural space conflicts with the Province of Quebec's plans for redevelopment of the Turcot Interchange
Turcot Interchange
The Turcot Interchange is a freeway interchange within the city of Montreal, Quebec, Canada, that links Autoroutes 15, 20, and 720. It takes its name from the currently-abandoned Turcot rail yards over which it is built....
which include moving the Ville-Marie Expressway and Canadian National Railway
Canadian National Railway
The Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....
line next to the foot of the escarpment.