A new 50,000 sq. ft. food retail centre on Route 117

The Développements Brookline company has revealed the details of its Faubourg Tremblant project, which is planned to counter some commercial leakage on the Mont-Tremblant territory. Located on Route 117, at the southern end of rue Vaillancourt on a seven-acre site, Faubourg Tremblant is planned to take advantage of the some 25,000 vehicles passing by there daily, according to the most recent tallies.

Some of the main lessors in this first phase of the project include a Shell service station (3000 sq. ft.) and a Super Soir general store close to it. Two restaurants, La Belle Province and Benny & Co., complete this first phase of the new development. For your information, the deforested area currently visible represents only a quarter of the surface area of the future commercial site.

When completed, the second phase will accommodate an Eggspress restaurant as well as specialty food stores (cheese shop, butcher), “that will contribute to making Faubourg Tremblant a gourmet destination,” says Développements Brookline. The company also anticipates including a recreational zone that will provide a children’s play area, a family area, and a parking area able to accommodate recreational vehicles (RVs).

“Strategically placed with respect to the highway’s traffic circle, the centre has easy access from Route 117, both northbound and southbound”, adds Développements Brookline.

A puzzled response from the community

The news gave rise to many reactions from the Mont-Tremblant community. With the current development of phase II of Rendez-Vous Ryan – another commercial centre located at an exit from town which will shortly accommodate other fast-food chains – some fear that the offer bordering the 117 will harm the downtown, principally the restaurateurs located on the rue de Saint-Jovite.

There are so many restaurants already,” emphatically states Marina Denis, owner of the restaurant Tacos Lolitas located in the heart of downtown. “And we’re having major problems with staffing,” she adds. “I don’t understand why the town would authorize the start-up of more restaurants when we are already having so much trouble.”

The labour force: a major challenge right now

“Municipal Council is very aware of the reality of businesspersons with regard to recruiting staff, a challenge we take very seriously,” indicated Mont-Tremblant mayor Luc Brisebois via press release following the hiring of Daniel Dicaire as director of the Department of Economic Development of the Ville. “Once again, as an organization and as a society, we must be creative and innovative to meet this challenge. Mr. Dicaire must also look into commercial recruitment that aims to combat the losses, while respecting the vocation of the various sectors of the territory so that the offer is complementary and not competitive, an objective which is very important to Municipal Council,” Mr. Brisebois added.

Is the nature of Mont-Tremblant being altered?

Among the questions raised since the construction began, many citizens are asking themselves whether, at this rate, Mont-Tremblant doesn’t risk looking like Blainville or any other suburb ten years from now. A document laying out the Ville’s vision concerning the sustainable economic development of Mont-Tremblant should be available soon. On this subject, the Ville assures us that, “In ten years, Mont-Tremblant will look like Mont-Tremblant.”

To be continued.…