Gatineau calls for temporary user-friendly projects to revive city centre 

Sophie Demers 

“Ephemeral spaces” are back this summer, according to Gatineau. This means spaces that are temporary and removable but that can serve as gathering places for the public. These projects will contribute to revitalizing, beautifying and attracting traffic to the city centre. The spaces must be open to everyone and are led by community organizations. 

“The City wants to create a quality living environment for its residents and strengthen its tourist appeal for visitors,” said Steve Moran, councillor for the Hull-Wright district. “For our downtown core, we are determined to take concrete action to foster a sense of belonging and pride for everyone. In the development of these spaces, they will be embellished by adding furniture, colour and vegetation to create a pleasant meeting environment that allows you to rediscover the sector. I am therefore calling on all Gatineau organizations that wish to participate in the revitalization of our downtown to submit their ideas!” 

The deadline to submit an application for a project is May 15. The maximum funding a project can receive is $25,000. Organizations planning to apply must be either a legally constituted non-profit organization or be a solidarity cooperative. The organizations must also have their head office in Gatineau and be in good standing with the city. 

The project, including installation and disassembly, must be completed between June 15, 2022 and April 15, 2023. 

The applications will be analyzed by a committee that will include a representative from the Arts, Culture and Literature department, the Urban Planning and Sustainable Development department, and from the Hull service centre. They will evaluate the project based on the quality of the project, planned resources to complete it, relevance, project planning, partnerships, and the capacity for the organization to carry out the project. 

Photo 1: Map of the area where the projects can be realized. 

Photo 2: Example of an ephemeral space project 

All photo: Courtesy of Gatineau