It always happens: You finally come to terms with how things ended with a questionably-motivated ex, you think you’ve moved on—then you see them again post-break up—and all you can think is, “Damn, they look good.”
The McTavish Street $56.6 million glow up is a case in point of this cliched response. Merely months ago, the street was the cause of so much grief among McGill students, especially after the announcement of construction delays. But now, stepping onto the newly refurbished walkway after years of construction is to have the chasm in your heart filled, just as Grand Canyon McTavish has finally been repleted. Its evident facelift and upped contour game are at a level Montreal Instagram models wish they could achieve, and looking out at the pedestrian activity brings a reminder of why students fell in love with McT in the first place. The new and improved McTavish has won back the hearts of Montrealers and McGillians alike, but it’s hard to forget the emotional rollercoaster of this relationship over the past couple of years.
The end of everyone’s romance with McTavish can be traced back to the beginning of construction in 2016. The last year clawed an ugly scar across McGill’s downtown campus and the hearts of its students. The street became void of the ‘girl next door’ comfort it brought in navigating campus and instead became the cold hearted femme fatale in a film noir—broken and unattainable.
But now, McTavish looks so good it makes people want to slide into its DM’s like Flood Girl slid down the very same street four years ago. The view of the new-and-improved walkway from Dr. Penfield Avenue is stunning, with the rose gold Scotiabank building capturing the late afternoon sun. The warm tones it casts over the scene almost erase the memories of the hideous construction site. The McGill Farmer’s Market breathes even more life into this unfeeling and apathetic former lover every Thursday.
The glow up of an ex is equal parts entrancing and infuriating. The iconic phrase “beauty is only skin deep” rings true of this fickle promenade. This collective McGill ex still hasn’t resolved its financial issues either. The original cost of this project was estimated to be around $42.4 million, but as is usually the case with a petty quondam sweetheart, it went way over budget.
Yes, McTavish is looking more fine, and trying to tell you that even the most toxic people (and streets) can change with time. It’s scary to give an ex a second chance, but it seems like McTavish is attempting a healthy relationship again. It looks as though this boulevard of broken dreams could become the street of everyone’s fantasies once again.
