As city aims to develop Hippodrome site, gardeners continue producing Montreal melon

For a third consecutive year, the Blue Bonnets Micro-Farm is planting seedlings of the Montreal melon.

On Wednesday, a group of volunteers planted the latest batch. Organized by Multicaf, a Montreal food bank, the goal is to re-create the rare fruit that disappeared decades ago.

The sweet fruit will grow on the former Blue Bonnets racetrack.

“I think that it’s going to take a little while before we get to something that is really closer to what they used to have back then,” said Hermance Courchesne-Couturier, from the Blue Bonnets Micro-Farm.

It’s not easy to do. Pierre Cardinal says his grandfather produced Montreal melons a century ago.

He says there’s no one alive today who knew the melons of that era. All of this work is being done on the grounds of the Hippodrome, but the city and province have big plans for this land.

The Namur-Hippodrome project has been promised and the development would create 20,000 new homes.

Quebec even tabled Bill 22 to help the city develop the Hippodrome site.

In a statement to CTV News, a spokesperson from the mayor’s office said: “Namur–Hippodrome sector represents a major opportunity. We are following developments in Québec City very closely around Bill 22, as it could play an important role in helping accelerate the deployment of this project and provide greater flexibility in how it is delivered.”

The microfarm hopes it can have a space alongside some new neighbours.

“Our goal is to be considered by the city to be part of the project. And what the melon de Montreal does it’s also acting as a kind of mascot for that,” Courchesne-Couturier said.

The melons planted Wednesday will be harvested in late August. The volunteers hope they can produce the perfect Montreal melon.

“We have some indication. The colour, the taste, sugar taste so we’ll see. It’s an experience,” said Simon Welman, part of the group who planted the seedling.

“I want to taste one at the end of summer. It’s the reason I’m here.”