Work at Beaudry station
From 2018 to 2020, Beaudry station underwent a major renovation and was closed for eight months. Check out the station’s new look and find out more about all the work that went into this major project!
Project in images
Inside the entrance building, you’ll notice the new flooring and wall finishing. We also updated the lighting and added a wider, motorized door.
At the mezzanine level, the new walls give the space a brand new look and recall the station’s original design.
The station’s pedestrian tunnel is the only one in our network. It’s looking stylish with new lighting, a fresh coat of paint and a colourful, contemporary tile design.
The random tile pattern is an homage to the “op art” (optical art) that decorated the station’s walls when it first opened in 1966.
Ceramic tiles, granite steps and stainless steel panelling breathe new life into the staircase alongside the moving sidewalks.
Notice the new signage? Beaudry’s signs include pictograms found nowhere else in the network, as the station has moving sidewalks.
The original benches were still in good shape, so we repainted them in a similar shade to the orange colour used when the station opened in the 1960s.
The new steps made of black granite from Quebec are durable, and the catch basins at the bottom make them much easier to maintain.
The station’s bright new look extends all the way to the platforms.
Without a doubt, Beaudry station has been restored to its former lustre and will continue to shine for decades to come. Check it out for yourself!
Worksite in numbers
- 302 granite steps installed
- 602 new lighting fixtures
- 13,401 ft2 of wall finishing
- 17,706 ft2 of floor finishing
- 141 ft3 of rock excavated to create a technical service room
Behind the scenes
Worksite
- Design coherent with original architecture
- Brighter and more welcoming station
- Improved ventilation
- Improved layout in public traffic areas
- Moving sidewalk versatility
- Integration of universal accessibility features
- Increased sense of safety
- Prolonged useful life of the station’s infrastructure
- Installation of architectural finishes (walls, ceilings and floors)
- Roll-out of the new signage
- Improved lighting
- Underpinning repairs on the building
- Refurbishment of the structural slab of the mezzanine
- Demolition and reconstruction of staircases
- Structural repairs on the roof of the pedestrian tunnel and the roof over the tracks
- Concrete crack injection and sealing
- Installation of a drainage gutter to redirect water from infiltrations
- Replacement of butterfly doors and addition of a wider, motorized door
- Reversal of moving sidewalk motors so both sidewalks can operate upwards in case one breaks down
- Upgrading of mechanical rooms
- New exterior design
Project advancement
Reopening of the station on June 3, 2019
After eight months of closure, the station reopened to customers. As planned, however, it will take until winter 2020 for all of the work to be completed.
During the closure, we carried out critical structural work that would not have been possible with customers present. We planned the work so that customers would be able to return to the station at the start of tourist season. The architectural finishes will be completed gradually and mostly at night so as not to interfere with customers’ trips.
A few days before the reopening, the winners of our social media contest got to have a sneak peek at the station.
The lucky customers went on a guided tour with construction managers. It was a unique opportunity!
The station is undergoing a huge transformation, but its new look will only start to be revealed in the coming months.
We will soon be installing wall finishes and floor coverings, which will highlight the station’s original colours while adding a modern touch.
We will also be replacing the waterproofing membrane that covers the station’s underground roof. This work will continue into the fall.
Here's a behind-the-scenes tour of the construction site!
Project planning
Our architects have created a modern-day version of the original architectural design, while preserving the spirit of the station. The new design marks a return to the original colours, removing all traces of the blue ceramic tile that was installed during a station upgrade in the early 2000s.
Seeing as some of the original finishes were no longer available to be used as samples, our architects delved into archival photos to choose their colour scheme.
When customers enter the new station, they will be met with a haphazard pattern of off-white and red tiles — a nod to the optical art (Op Art) style originally used. The pattern will intensify along the walkway towards the mezzanine, with the red taking over in the pedestrian tunnel. The same pattern will also appear on the walls in the middle of the platforms.
The remaining spaces will bear the same patterns as the current ones but in more modern shades of white, ivory and warm grey. More black granite will also be added, as it will be used in all the staircases and floor coverings right down to the bottom of the moving sidewalks. Even the seats will be revamped with a colour similar to the one used in the 1960s. Say “goodbye” to the brown!
The pedestrian tunnel will be stripped of its stainless-steel covering and returned to the original painted concrete. It will also include a suspended metal ceiling which will house the new lighting fixtures and hide cables and pipes.
You will love the new design!
The refurbishment work planned for this project includes only the upgrading of the station’s structural and architectural elements. Beaudry station is not part of the first two phases of the Accessibility program. Due to its unique design, the station has been labelled as “problematic.” Its low ridership (60th busiest station out of 68) also means that it is not a priority in the medium term.
Originally, the métro stations were not designed to accommodate elevators. To integrate them, we sometimes have to acquire new land, modify zoning, expand existing buildings, refit equipment, and more. The fact that Beaudry is the deepest station in the original métro network poses an even greater challenge. Its platforms lie 30 metres under De Maisonneuve Boulevard, and its 75-metre-long pedestrian tunnel (where the moving sidewalks are located) gives it a unique shape.
In spring 2020, Beaudry’s neighbouring station, Berri-UQAM, will have elevators installed on its Green line platforms. Berri-UQAM station is located 550 metres from Beaudry station.
A number of criteria influence the order in which stations undergo accessibility work. Transfer and terminus stations are prioritized. The proximity of schools or healthcare institutions are other factors that are considered.
For more information, visit the page on the elevators coming to the métro network by 2022.
About Beaudry station
- Beaudry station was not included in the original métro network plans. Instead, a station was planned at the intersection of Amherst Street. This plan was later scrapped and supposed to be replaced by a passageway from Berri-UQAM station. However, this left too great of a distance between Berri-UQAM and Papineau stations, and decision-makers at the time ordered the construction of Beaudry station in 1963.
- By this time, the Green line tunnel was already under construction. It was decided that the access ramp used by the trucks transporting the excavated rock would be used to create the access to the new station. The ramp’s low incline made it impossible to install standard escalators, resulting in the famous moving sidewalks, unique in the network.
- Beaudry station’s platforms are the deepest in the network, sitting 30 metres under De Maisonneuve Boulevard. Customers, however, travel only 26 metres between the platforms and the station’s exit, since Sainte-Catherine Street is lower than De Maisonneuve Boulevard.
- It wasn’t until the early 2000s that Beaudry station’s temporary concrete block entrance building was finally replaced by the glass building sporting gay pride colours that we know today.
This work is made possible through funding from the Ministère des Transports du Québec.