If you’ve been near the intersection of Highway 20 and Sources Boulevard in the West Island of Montreal recently, you may have noticed a former Ultramar gas station and garage both totally dilapidated.
The company owning the land once had a grand vision for its revitalization, and a local business owner was even evicted to make way.
However, things have not gone as planned.
At his busy garage in Vaudreuil, Lorenzo Arena doesn’t dwell too much on the past, but it’s hard to forget the intensely stressful period he lived through just over three years ago.
“It was very, very stressful,” Arena recalls. “I was stressed for two years.”
In early 2020, L.A. Pneus et Mecanique was leasing the garage space next to the Ultramar gas station on Sources Boulevard in Dorval right by Highway 20.
Business was booming before Ultramar’s parent company, the Parkland Fuel Corporation, decided to revitalize the lot.
There were plans to replace the garage with a new depanneur and Starbucks. Arena was forced to move to a new location off the western tip of the island in Vaudreuil.
“I had to rebuild, but thank god for my loyal customers that came and keep coming from Dorval and Laval and Lasalle and everywhere,” he said.
At the Dorval location, however, nothing ever happened. Today, the gas station and former garage are boarded up and derelict.
“It looks like a like an apocalyptic scene,” said L.A. Pneus et Mecanique employee Alexandra Daigle, who still visits Dorval regularly.
“We used to really take care of that place really well, so seeing it go to that is heartbreaking.”
In an emailed statement, Parkland provided few details on why the grand plan never came to fruition.
“We closed this location Sept. 4th and will be listing it for sale,” said Parkland Corporation Corporate Communications Director Simon Scott.
“So they did that all for nothing. It’s sad,” said Arena.
Dorval Mayor Marc Doret predicts a sale will take a long time, and laments the sad state of the property.
“It doesn’t improve the neighbourhood in any way, shape or form,” he said in an interview.
Two Starbucks shops have opened in the area since Arena left. There is one on Sources near Hymus, and another on the Highway 20 service road. The former Ultramar location is seemingly now out of the coffee giant’s plans.
Doret says Parkland requested a demolition permit and the city approved it.
“It’s to dismantle the petroleum equipment and decontaminate the land and then leave it as is,” he explained.
People Global News spoke to in the area have varying opinions on what they hope the space should be when all is said and done.
“A grocery store would be good for sure,” said Samantha Ragusa.
“A fast food place would be good. Wendy’s would be good, Harvey’s would be even better,” said Roslyn Gilbert.
Arena’s opinion is somewhat predictable.
“They should build another garage there. Even if it’s not me, it’s a perfect spot for a garage,” he said, citing the many potholes in the area that brought people to him with flat tires.
He’s now thankful he had to move, because business is better than ever. It seems people in Dorval, however, will be looking at the unfortunate eyesore for the foreseeable future.