Beginning Oct. 9, the McTavish Reservoir on Rutherford Park behind McGill University will undergo major renovations, including an overhaul of the surrounding tank and water mains. The repairs, which will cost $16.4 million, are scheduled for the period of 2013-2014 ,and will be conducted by the City of Montreal.

The reservoir on Pine Avenue and Doctor Penfield Avenue provides drinking water to 500,000 Montrealers in seven boroughs in the city. Leaks in the pipes, which are over a hundred years old, have caused damages to McGill property in the past few years. Last fall, a leak in a 16-inch main pipe at the entrance of the pumping station in the reservoir sent thousands of gallons of water down McTavish Street, flooding Service Point, McLennan Library, and Wilson Hall.

According to Doug Sweet, director of media relations at McGill, both McGill and the Royal Victoria Hospital have seats at the stakeholders’ table and will be working with the City of Montreal to ensure that services continue to be delivered despite potential disruptions in access and high noise levels.

“We have been disseminating information to our community as it is received through our Building Directors,” Sweet said. “The City has also been advised of McGill activities or events that will have to be considered in their planning. This includes residence access, athletics activities, exams, etc.”

Sweet noted that the university will remain informed if there are changes in access or parking in the area.

“A project of this size and scope is bound to be disruptive to some at some point,” Sweet said. “Our goal, of course, is to try to do what we can to minimize the disruption. It’s important, overdue work, and needs to be completed as soon as possible.”

Project Phases

Phase 1: From October to December, Pine Avenue will be closed between McTavish Street and Doctor Penfield Avenue. The entrance to the Hospital’s third parking lot will be blocked. Two-way traffic will be allowed on McTavish and Doctor Penfield.

Phase 2: From December to March, Doctor Penfield will be closed between McTavish and Pine. Two-way traffic will be allowed on Pine Avenue.

Phase 3: From April until next August, the eastbound part of Pine will be closed from Doctor Penfield to Durocher.