Montreal public health reports that administrative obstacles are preventing the full opening of the Pierre‑Bédard sponge park in the Mercier‑Hochelaga‑Maisonneuve borough, raising concerns about contamination.
The $16 million facility, the city’s only sponge park linked to a combined sewer system, was built to manage flood water. Officials caution that when the park’s cap is removed, flood water could mix with sewer water, creating contamination risks.