Author name: Brenda O'Farrell The 1510 West

The following are descriptions of five possible scenarios on the future of the annex building at 12 Dahlia, presented on Nov. 26 by Dorval city officials.

Scenario 1: Status quo – The annex would be left as is. However, the building could not be occupied in its current state. The city calculates that the combined annual cost for energy and maintenance of the annex would be around $95,000, with costs expected to vary year by year.

Scenario 2: Partial demolition – Brick cladding would be removed at certain locations of the annex’s exterior and replaced with fibreglass panelling to overcome structural deficiencies. The building’s windows would be replaced. The estimated cost of this option would be just over $9.5 million. This plan does not, however, include the cost of refitting the interior to bring it up to code.

Scenario 3: Full demolition of exterior walls – The annex’s exterior envelope would be demolished and rebuilt. All brick cladding and windows would be replaced. The estimated cost of this option would be around $9.9 million. Like Scenario 2, this plan does not include the cost of refitting the interior of the annex.

Scenario 4: Complete demolition for green space – The annex would be torn down and turned into a community green space. The estimated cost for this scenario would be around $1.2 million. This includes the cost of relocating materials within the annex, like the heating system. It does not, however, include the cost for sealing the wall of the adjoining Quatre Vents building, which would be exposed following the annex’s demolition.

Scenario 5: Complete demolition of the annex to be rebuilt for different uses – Like in Scenario 4, the annex would be completely demolished. Unlike in Scenario 4, however, a new building would be constructed attached to the Quatre Vents residence. The use of the building will depend on public desire. Examples provided include the conversions of historic religious buildings into cultural centres in Bromont, Granby and St. Hyacinthe. Presenters said it would be impossible to determine an exact cost for such a project at this time but noted that the approximate costs could range between $5.4 million and $20.6 million.

JOSHUA ALLAN
The 1510 West

Earlier this fall, opposition to plans to demolish a former convent in Dorval prompted city officials to reconsider proposed plans. But now, continued pushback from residents has pushed officials to put all discussions of the future of the four-storey building on hold.

That was the decision announced by Dorval Mayor Marc Doret earlier this month.

The move came after the city held a public consultation meeting on the future of the building known as 12 Dahlia, a 40,000 square-foot annex building on Dahlia Avenue, at the site of the former Congrégation de Notre Dame.

Doret cited the Nov. 26 public presentation on the future of the building that had seen pushback from several attendees as one of the reasons to postpone a decision on the building’s fate until 2025. He added at the beginning of the meeting that he would not be answering questions on this topic.

This, however, did not have the intended effect, as the meeting saw more than an hour of questions and debate about the future of the building from both residents and councillors.

“Citizens clearly expressed their concerns on how the city has not given serious study to alternative use of (the annex) and the entire site,” said Fernando Pellicer, a retired architect with a specialization in the restoration of heritage buildings, during the question-and-answer period at the Dec. 9 council meeting.

Animated public presentation

The Nov. 26 presentation offered residents a look at five possible scenarios on the future of the building and their approximate costs.

Two scenarios would see the annex building demolished, two would see restoration work done to the exterior of the building, while one would have the building left as is.

Participants took turns voicing their disapproval with each of the scenarios. Many lamented the fact that they had no decision-making power over the future of the annex, as the presentation did not constitute a public consultation.

“I want to just remind the audience that they’re here to listen to the scenarios, but that we don’t have a vote on these scenarios,” resident Bruno Fournier told attendees.

“I want to see the city solicit proposals from the community, that the community can think about, research and come together,” said resident Rachelle Cournoyer.

Doret and the councillors had attended the Nov. 26 presentation, but did not participate in discussions. Questions from attendees were addressed by Benoît Lévesque and Jad Kadi, Dorval’s directors of urban planning and engineering, respectively.

“I think what came out of the presentation is that everybody wants a public debate with all the real costs on the table,” said councillor Pascal Brault at Monday’s council meeting.

A building with potential

“There are many potential uses,” said Pellicer at the Nov. 26 presentation. He is opposed to demolishing the building.

“The commercial kitchen has fantastic potential,” he said. The annex “could be a music centre. It could be an arts centre (. . .) the usage can be multiple.”

Speaking with The 1510 West, Pellicer said he had voluntarily inspected the annex and had drawn up a mock budget for the building’s restoration. His budget sets the price tag for restoration at around $7 million.

“Total restoration, complete upgrade to code – envelope, roof, windows, everything new,” Pellicer explained.

The two scenarios presented by the city that would see the annex’s exterior restored had an estimated cost of just under $10 million. However, Pellicer maintained that the figures that had been presented “are totally arbitrary.”

Given the public pushback, Doret said council will not rush to a decision on the future of 12 Dahlia. Instead, he said city officials will reflect on the subject “through January and possibly even February,” and that the file will be reopened “maybe as late as March.”

The City of Dorval purchased the former Congrégation de Notre Dame site in 2022 for $8 million. It has two adjoining buildings: the “Quatre Vents” section, and the annex section. The Quatre Vents manor was built in 1873 and was the home of Dorval’s first mayor, Désiré Girouard. It currently is the site that hosts city council meetings.

The four-storey annex is a brick building that was added to the Quatre Vents manor in 1965. The structure served as a residence for the nuns of the congregation and contains a large commercial kitchen, a dining room, two floors of meeting rooms and two floors of bedrooms.

In April, council adopted a resolution of intent to demolish the annex, citing an architectural report stating that the building had no heritage value and did not meet the requirements in the Quebec Construction Code to be used in its current state.

An ongoing petition, organized by residents looking to preserve the annex from demolition, has collected just over 600 signatures.

JOSHUA ALLAN
The 1510 West

The Cinema Des Sources in Dollard des Ormeaux closed its doors Monday after 26 years. With some residents saying they’re sad to part with their local neighbourhood cinema.

“Of course, it’s always sad to see such a business having to close up shop,” said West Island resident Katherine Pottier in a message to The 1510 West. Though she explained that her trips to the cinema were few and far between, “it was a convenience to have Guzzo so close by (. . .) Beats going downtown or other areas so far from me.”

“I was shocked when I heard it would be closing because I grew up living near it,” said Hassan Danab, adding that he had “always felt a sense of it being part of the community.”

Danab had even been part of a group studying the business operations of the Cinema Des Sources as part of a market research course at LaSalle College earlier this fall.

“Part of our project was to choose a business that has seen some decline in sales,” Danab explained. “We thought (Cinema Des Sources) would be the perfect candidate for the project.”

The movie theatre’s final screening was of the highly anticipated Hollywood musical Wicked, which occurred at 9:45 p.m. on Sunday.

Cinema Des Sources was the smallest among the Cinémas Guzzo outlets, with nine digital screens and one IMAX screen. With its closure, Cinémas Guzzo is down to nine movie theatres – three in Montreal, two in Longueuil and one each in Laval, Deux Montagnes, Terrebonne and St. Jean sur Richelieu.

The closure came amid financial struggles for Cinémas Guzzo. A Quebec Superior Court judge placed the company under interim receivership in November, citing the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act, following a legal motion by CIBC claiming that the Guzzo Group owed the bank more than $38 million.

Cinémas Guzzo president Vincenzo Guzzo had cited the COVID-19 pandemic as a contributing factor to the company’s financial difficulties. Movie theatres across Quebec had been completely shut down in March 2020. Despite being permitted to reopen in February 2021, Guzzo announced that his theatres would continue to remain closed, protesting the Quebec government’s restrictions on selling snacks. The company reopened its theatres in June 2021.

With the closure of Cinema Des Sources, the sole remaining movie theatre in the West Island now is the Cinéma Cineplex Kirkland.

JOSHUA ALLAN
The 1510 West

Could the launch of the REM light rail service in the West Island trigger cuts to the Exo train services – including to the Vaudreuil-Hudson commuter line that also serves the West Island?

It’s a question that needs to be considered seriously, says Vaudreuil-Dorion Mayor Guy Pilon.

The approaching launch of the REM light rail service in the West Island could trigger cuts to the Exo train services, with officials currently studying the impacts.

Earlier this fall, reports surfaced that highlighted officials at both Exo and the Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain (ARTM) have expressed concern over the potential for reduced train ridership on the existing commuter train lines once the REM light rail service to the West Island begins.

According to Radio-Canada, which obtained one of the ARTM’s reports in September, the commuter service is examining the possibility of making cuts to several lines, including the Vaudreuil-Hudson line that makes stops along the West Island’s lakeshore.

In a statement soon after, the ARTM attempted to assuage fears of cuts, stating that “all stones are being turned over to analyze the performance of all public transit services (. . . ) At this stage, the avenues studied are preliminary. They are not for decision or implementation, particularly in the case of trains.”

This offered no satisfaction to Pilon, who says many in the off-island area depend on the train. He described how the CAQ government has doled out well over a billion dollars to fund the REM network, while also putting hundreds of millions in funding toward the Exo train service – two forms of public transit which, due to the close proximity of their stations in the West Island, are likely to compete for ridership.

“It’s so hard to understand the final goal of the government,” Pilon added. “Promote (public) transportation? Or cut (public) transportation?”

The Vaudreuil-Hudson line stretches to the Lucien-L’Alier station in downtown Montreal. Starting in Hudson, the line makes stops in Vaudreuil-Dorion and Île Perrot. The line also makes nine stops in the West Island en route to the city centre. If the number of commuters who access the Exo train in the West Island drops – with users opting to take the REM instead once it is in service – the drop in fare revenue could put the financial viability of the Vaudreuil-Hudson train in question.

If a significant loss of ridership and revenue for the ARTM in the West Island potentially leads to cuts for some Vaudreuil-Hudson services, that could mean hundreds more cars on the roads attempting to cross the Île aux Tourtes Bridge along Highway 40 or the Taschereau Bridge, which links Vaudrueil to Île Perrot along Highway 20.

Data provided to The 1510 West by Exo shows that more than 1,300 commuters in Vaudreuil-Soulanges took the train daily on average this fall. The Vaudreuil station saw the highest ridership on average, with 778 commuters daily, while the Hudson station had the lowest on average, with 62.

Maintain line to Ste. Anne de Bellevue

Pilon added that if cuts need to be made, he would encourage the ARTM to at least maintain the line connecting Vaudreuil-Soulanges to the West Island.

“When the REM is there, (they should) at least keep the train between Vaudreuil-Dorion and Ste. Anne de Bellevue. And then (passengers) transfer onto the REM. I think that would be OK,” he said, adding that this would at least save his citizens from having to take cars across the bridge into the city.

He pointed out that driving to the Anse à l’Orme REM station in Ste. Anne would not be an option for most Vaudreuil-Soulanges residents, as the station is being constructed to accommodate only 200 parking spaces – not enough for the more than 900 train commuters from Vaudreuil-Dorion alone.

The REM began running test trips between the Anse à l’Orme station and the Des Sources station in Pointe Claire in September. The West Island portion of the REM network – comprised of four stations, with one in Ste. Anne, one in Kirkland and two in Pointe Claire – is expected to be in service by the fall of 2025.

JOSHUA ALLAN
The 1510 West

Île Bizard residents will not see the benefits of significant increases in spending for the Montreal police service in 2025, says the borough’s mayor.

Spending to bolster public security, including police and fire emergency services, will jump 18 per cent next year, according to Montreal’s 2025 $7.28-billion budget approved last week. That will see spending for the police force hit $824 million, an increase of $3 million.

However, residents of Île Bizard will see little improvement in police service despite the increase in spending, said Mayor Doug Hurley.

“Police on the island here are relatively rare,” Hurley said.

A former police commander who is also the program coordinator of John Abbott College’s police technology department, Hurley said that he supports the city providing added support for emergency services. But he does not expect to see any improvement in service in Île Bizard.

The island is served by Station 3 of the Service de Police de la Ville de Montréal. Located in Pierrefonds, the station is responsible for serving the boroughs of Île-Bizard-Sainte-Geneviève and Pierrefonds-Roxboro.

Having to cover two boroughs can sometimes be a challenge for the police department, Hurley explained.

The Service de sécurité publique de L’Île-Bizard–Sainte-Geneviève was created “so that we can give our citizens an immediate response” to minor issues, he said. The service is tasked with such duties as enforcing municipal bylaws, managing traffic and monitoring streets on the island.

That has meant added cost for residents.

“Basically, we’re paying for police services, and we have to pay for public security for something that should have been (included) in our taxes before,” Hurley said.

Hurley added that he will be bringing this issue up with the City of Montreal in the coming months.

JOSHUA ALLAN
The 1510 West

Baie d’Urfé’s town hall is a big part of the town’s 113-year history.

First constructed as a farmhouse in 1875, 36 years before the town was granted  a charter, and just eight years after the British North America Act established Canada as a unified dominion of the British Empire, the property was purchased in 1909 by James Morgan II as a summer home.

Morgan came from the prominent Morgan merchant family, who had helped establish Montreal’s elite Golden Square Mile neighbourhood. He had been serving as president of the Henry Morgan & Company, which would later be purchased by The Hudson’s Bay Company in 1960, giving The Bay access to key markets in Montreal and Toronto.

Morgan was one of the founders of the town of Baie d’Urfé when the town charter was established in 1911. In 1912 he donated the building to the town to be used as a town hall, along with several other parcels of land that would be dedicated for public use.

It is at this time that town councillor and prominent architect Edward Maxwell volunteered to renovate the building.

Maxwell, alongside his brother, William Sutherland Maxwell, who had made a name for himself in Montreal and across Canada for his buildings designed in the beaux arts style, renovated the building for use as a town hall.

Some of William Sutherland Maxwell’s most notable works include designing the Michal and Renata Hornstein Pavilion of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, the Canadian Pacific Railway Station in Winnipeg and the Saskatchewan Legislative Building. The brothers were also responsible for two renovation projects for the Château Frontenac in Quebec City.

The renovation of the town hall was completed in 1914 and played host to the first Baie d’Urfé town council, which was presided over by Mayor Vivian de Vere Dowker.

That name may ring a bell for Baie d’Urfé residents, as each time they look out on the water, they see Dowker Island, named after the prominent family that helped develop their town, as well as neighbouring Ste. Anne de Bellevue.

JOSHUA ALLAN
The 1510 West

One of the reasons homeowners in Pierrefonds-Roxboro will see the largest percentage increase in municipal taxes next year compared with property owners in other areas of Montreal is that residential properties in the West Island borough have increased at a higher rate than the Montreal average, according to borough Mayor Jim Beis.

In fact, property values in Pierrefonds-Roxboro have jumped 40.8 per cent from 2020 to 2023, 9.4 points higher than the Montreal average.

The impact is a 4.4-per-cent tax increase next year, according to Montreal’s $7.28-billion budget unveiled last week.

This translates into the owners of an average house in Pierrefonds-Roxboro, valued at about $620,000, having to pay $165 more in taxes next year.

Another reason for the tax increase, Beis added, is the hike in spending by the Plante administration.

“They have been spending non-stop since the seven years that they’ve been there,” he said, referring to Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante’s Projet Montréal government, adding that any increase in taxes by the city has “an impact to the residents in my community.”

Meanwhile, homeowners in Île-Bizard-Sainte-Geneviève will see the second-largest percentage tax increase of all the Montreal boroughs – 3.5 per cent.

Property values in Île-Bizard-Sainte-Geneviève saw a 33.3-per-cent increase between 2020 and 2023, 1.9 points higher than the city average.

That means the owner of an average house in the borough, valued at $686,000, will pay $167 more in taxes next year compared with 2024.

Mayor Doug Hurley said that the property tax increase, while unfortunate, was “understandable” for his borough.

“Of all the 19 boroughs in Montreal, we are basically the only one with the smallest population and the vast majority of our tax base is residential,” Hurley said in an interview.

“We have very little commercial or industrial (properties),” he added. “We have a preference for parks and greenery. So, unfortunately, the borough has to put up with different increases.”

Non-residential commercial properties in Pierrefonds-Roxboro and Île-Bizard-Sainte-Geneviève will increase by 1.7 and 1.5 per cent, respectively, slightly lower than the Montreal average of 1.9 per cent.

Beis said accepting the increase is “difficult,” adding: “Any increase in taxes, we know, has an impact on many homeowners. There are folks that, under normal circumstances, would have a difficult time paying that increase.”

Montreal’s $7.28-billion budget for 2025 represents a $290-million increase over spending this year. Since first elected in 2017, the Plante administration has seen the city’s annual budget increase by 38 per cent, or more than $2 billion.

JOSHUA ALLAN
The 1510 West

It’s out with the old at Centennial Park in Dollard des Ormeaux. The park’s 50-year-old chalet was torn down last month to make room for a new $3.9-million structure.

The town is emphasizing that “accessibility” will be the keyword for the new and improved chalet.

“The new building will be adapted for access by people with reduced mobility (wheelchairs, walkers, etc.), which the old park chalet was not,” Natalia Correa, head of the city’s communications department, explained in an email to The 1510 West.

Since the 1970s, the chalet has been Centennial Park’s multi-purpose building, offering a space for park-goers to rest, use the washroom and fill up their water bottles on hot summer days, as well as a place to lace up their blades for a wintertime skate in the park.

Designed by Groupe Leclerc – architecture + design, conceptual images of the new multi-purpose chalet illustrate an exterior mirroring the previous design with its signature red roof. However, the new design includes additional windows for increased natural light. The interior features a mix of light wood slats and white walls with a stone accent wall, as well as several washrooms adapted for visitors with decreased mobility, and changing tables for parents with small children.

This new and improved chalet will offer a “more welcoming, safe and accessible space for our entire community,” the city says.

The project is expected to be completed by August 2025. Centennials Park’s trails, playgrounds and dog park will remain open throughout the construction period. Three portable toilets have been installed near the parking area in the meantime.

JOSHUA ALLAN
The 1510 West

The West Island Tenants Action Committee (CALODI) is inviting renters to one of four upcoming information sessions to learn about their rights when facing eviction.

“The reality is that there are a lot of protections in place for tenants, but the most important thing is to understand (their rights),” said Lily Martin, a community organizer for CALODI.

The aim of these information sessions, Martin explained, is to educate West Island tenants about new protections they have under legislation passed in the National Assembly this past summer.

Bill 65 declared a moratorium on the province’s landlords using renovation as a pretext for evicting residents for the next three years.

The issue of “reno-victions” – landlords renovating buildings, leading to raised rental costs and evicting existing tenants – has become a hot topic for renters across Quebec.

“That’s something that we’re really going to highlight to people,” said Martin. “If you get that specific type of eviction notice, it is completely illegal.”

Though only around 20 per cent of West Island residents rent rather than own their own homes, renters in these municipalities have not been immune to the trend of landlords wanting to repossess their properties.

A document from the Tribunal administratif du logement shows that applications for repossessions by landlords have been on the rise in the West Island in recent years. The number of applications gradually grew from just nine in 2017 to 33 by 2023.

“It’s a good indication of the desire for landlords to repossess,” Martin said.

CALODI will hold four information sessions – two in English and two in French. Participants are able to choose to attend either an in-person or online session in their language of choice. Participation in these sessions is free, but registration is required on CALODI’s website.

The first session in English is on Tuesday, Nov. 19, at 7 p.m. at the Pointe Claire Library.

JOSHUA ALLAN
The 1510 West

Transports Quebec’s plan to install photo radar detectors by 2026 in municipalities that request them has piqued the interest of some West Island mayors.

“There’s no doubt that speeding and respecting the stop signs is a major issue with many municipalities in the West Island,” said Beaconsfield Mayor Georges Bourelle in an interview. “We have been looking to use photo radar for quite a while.”

In August 2023, the Quebec government introduced its Plan d’action en sécurité routière 2023-2028. Part of the plan includes a new strategy focusing on the implementation of hundreds of fixed photo radar detectors across the province. Municipalities will have the chance to make an official request to have them installed within their boundaries.

But earlier this fall, Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante criticized the plan, saying the city would need 300 photo radar detection devices installed to regulate traffic, a number that exceeds the 250 units the Quebec government aims to purchase for the entire province.

Plante also chastised provincial Transport  Minister Geneviève Guilbault for taking too long to roll out the devices.

The photo radar units automatically take pictures of the licence plates of speeding vehicles, and of vehicles that fail to stop at red lights, automatically issuing a fine to the vehicle owner.

Dorval Mayor Marc Doret said that while it is too early for concrete discussions about installing these radars, he would be potentially interested should Transports Quebec allow municipalities increased control over these devices, including allowing them to be moved different locations, depending on need.

“It would be a benefit (if) we could deploy them on our territory in problematic areas,” Doret said. “Anything that helps us combat (traffic violations) is a good opportunity.”

Transport Quebec currently has 11 photo radars installed on the Island of Montreal, none of which are located in the West Island.

The first photo radars were introduced in the province in 2009. According to data provided in the government’s action plan, the percentage of vehicles exceeding the speed limit fell from 59 per cent to 13 per cent on roads with these photo radars, while the average driving speed was reduced by 11 kilometres and hour, and the number of accidents that caused bodily injury fell by 41 per cent.

In terms of location for these devices, Doret said school zones “would be a prime place to put a photo radar.”

Bourelle suggested that a photo radar on St. Charles Boulevard in Beaconsfield would be optimal for preventing dangerous driving. Indeed, several fatal car crashes have occurred on or approaching the north-south artery in recent years, caused by what some believe to be drag racing.

“We know that the SPVM cannot be there 24/7,” Bourelle said.

He is certain that there would be pushback from some residents about the installation of these devices in Beaconsfield and other West Island municipalities.

“My answer to that is don’t speed,” Bourelle said. “Respect the laws and respect the code of the road.”

It is still too early to determine how many photo radars could be installed in the West Island, Transports Quebec media relations officer Gilles Payer told The 1510 West.

“The deployment of new devices is in the planning stage,” Payer wrote in an email. He explained that the government will open an international call for tenders to produce the devices, followed by a provincial call for proposals by municipalities for potential installation sites by 2025.

The first of these photo radars are expected to come into service by 2026.

JOSHUA ALLAN
The 1510 West

The City of Montreal will not remove any of the 500 trees that were planted in a clearing in the riverside Parc des Rapides-du-Cheval-Blanc in Pierrefonds-Roxboro.

That is the latest word from the city’s executive committee, despite pleas from local residents that the decision earlier this summer to plant about 500 trees and 250 shrubs in the park will eliminate a much-used open green space in the community.

The news of the refusal to the residents’ request to move the trees was delivered by Montreal city councillor Alex Norris earlier this month during a meeting with bourough councillors.

Local residents say the decision is not only disappointing, but frustrating as they have failed at every turn to plead their case with city officials.

“It just seems like they’re doing everything they can to not face us,” said Pierrefonds-Roxboro resident D.J. El-Tayar, who has acted as spokesperson for the residents.

Since early July, El-Tayar and several other residents of Riviera St. have been speaking out after their neighbourhood park was roped off and about 500 trees and 250 shrubs were planted without consultation. The planting was conducted on behalf of the REM, as part of an effort to offset the environmental impact of constructing the new light rail transit network across Montreal.

The approximately 14,000 square metres of mostly open green space in the park had been enjoyed by residents as a locale for many barbecues, outdoor games and other social gatherings.

Now, the park will grow into a small, dense forest. This will not only eliminate the open green space but will also block much of the view of Rivière des Prairies from the neighbouring apartment complexes once the trees have grown.

El-Tayar pointed out the issues the neighbourhood has experienced with squatting in the more heavily forested areas. By expanding the forest into their section of the park, El-Tayar said some residents fear that it will bring vagrancy and drug use closer to their doorsteps.

Officials in Pierrefonds-Roxboro said they too had been caught off guard by the planting. Though they had named this portion of the Parc des Rapides-du-Cheval-Blanc as one of several potential planting spots for trees in the area, the borough had not been made aware of when the planting would take place, nor how many trees would be planted.

“The scope of and the quantity of trees was something that we had no idea about,” Pierrefonds-Roxboro Mayor Jim Beis said in an interview. The borough halted NouvLR from further planting in the park following the initial outcry from residents.

A ‘pattern’ by the city

Both Beis and the residents have been adamant that they are not “anti-tree.”

“Nobody is opposed to planting trees,” Beis explained: “We (have) one of the highest, if not the highest tree canopy on the Island of Montreal. We’re very proud of that.”

Indeed, each time the residents have spoken to The 1510 West about this issue, they have firmly stated their desire to see some, not all, of the trees removed and replanted elsewhere in Pierrefonds-Roxboro, even presenting possible locations.

Beis and the residents point out a lack of communication on the part of Montreal city officials.

For Beis, this isn’t anything new from this city administration. He lamented that the city has shown a pattern of making unilateral decisions impacting boroughs, lacking proper communication and collaboration.

“If they would have communicated with us, we would have come up with a better solution, including the residents in that area,” he said.

El-Tayar and the other residents added that they will plan their next steps over the coming weeks and are not giving up on this issue.

JOSHUA ALLAN
The 1510 West

Residents of Dorval attempting to stop the city from demolishing a former convent building are demanding to be consulted before bulldozers are called in. But so far, municipal officials have only agreed to outline their plans for the site rather than debate whether the building should be torn down.

Dorval Mayor Marc Doret announced Monday that a public presentation by the city will be held next month on the future of the former convent of the Congrégation de Notre Dame. The presentation will give citizens a chance to hear about the possible options for the site following the likely demolition of a large section of the building.

But that is not good enough for a group of residents calling for the preservation of the building. They say nothing short of a proper public consultation should be required to determine the future of the site.

“There are public needs that can be used in that building,” said Fernando Pellicer, a member of the citizens’ group Save Residence 12 Dahlia. “The taxpayers bought that building, and now we can’t have a word of what to do with it? It’s unacceptable.”

The former convent, located at 12 Dahlia Ave., is made up of two sections: the Quatre Vents manor, which dates back to 1873, and served as the home of Dorval’s first mayor, Désiré Girouard; and an attached four-storey, 40,000-square-foot brick annex built in 1965. The annex was added by the previous owners of the property, the Congrégation de Notre Dame. It contains a large commercial kitchen, a dining room, two floors of meeting rooms, two floors of bedrooms and a chapel.

The City of Dorval purchased the entire property for $8 million in 2022. This past April, Dorval council adopted a resolution of intent to demolish the annex section of the building. No date for demolition has been set.

In its April 16 statement, the city pointed out that the annex “does not meet the requirements of the Quebec Construction Code, particularly in terms of wind bracing, fire protection, insulation and personal safety.”

At Monday’s city council meeting, Doret said the city would present citizens with four scenarios on the future of the site. Though citizens will not vote on which scenario they prefer, city councillors will be asked to take the input from the community into account.

This announcement did not satisfy the citizens’ group Save Residence 12 Dahlia. The group has been speaking out in recent months against the city’s intent to demolish the annex, arguing the building could serve a number of needs in the community. A petition organized by the group calling for a proper public consultation has collected more than 300 signatures.

Group member Mario Mammone told the council Monday that he had been in contact with food banks and other community groups providing meals to residents in need.

“They would love to use that space,” Mammone told council.

The group has also been advocating for residents to have a say in plans for the site.

 “The building is in good condition,” said Pellicer, a retired architect. “(It’s) a complete waste of a good building.”

The annex would need a new roof and other upgrades, he said, but that the restoration of the building for public use would best serve the community.

“I don’t think you need to demolish a 40,000-square-foot building that’s chockablock full of all kinds of spaces that could be adapted for any kind of community uses,” said Rachelle Cournoyer, another group member.

 “There’s a place that used to feed 75 nuns plus staff,” Cournoyer added. “They have two walk-in refrigerators, a walk-in freezer, (and) a huge storage space. It could be used for any number of purposes.”

Save Residence 12 Dahlia says it will continue collecting signatures for its petition until the city organizes true public consultations. The group is collecting signatures at various public locations across Dorval and via its Facebook page Sauvons/Save Résidence 12 Dahlia.

Cutline:

The city of Dorval is proposing to tear down the four-storey brick annex attached to the former convent’s Quatre Vents manor (left) on Dahlia Avenue.

JOSHUA ALLAN
The 1510 West

Adding fluoride to drinking water supplies  was first studied in Canada in 1947. The federal Department of National Health and Welfare launched a seven-year study on the effects of adding small amounts of fluoride to the drinking water supply of the town of Brantford, Ont., specifically with regards to the dental health of children.

By 1955, research results indicated that resistance to tooth decay and overall tooth health among children in Brantford had become far higher than that of children in the nearby town of Sarnia, whose water supply was not fluoridated.

The federal government began recommending the fluoridation of drinking water supplies to the provinces in 1968 at a target of 1.2 milligrams of fluoride per litre of water. This target was lowered to 1 milligram in the 1970s, and again to 0.7 milligrams by 2008, the amount still recommended by Health Canada today.

The most common side effect of the consumption of fluoridated water listed by Health Canada is dental fluorosis, resulting in small, often unnoticeable white spots on permanent teeth. Dental fluorosis can only develop as children’s permanent teeth are budding and is found in about 16 per cent of all children who consume fluoridated water.

A 2023 report by the U.S. National Institutes of Health National Toxicology Program indicates that children consuming over 1.5 milligrams of fluoride per litre of water showed signs of scoring lower on IQ tests than other children. However, a panel of experts commissioned by Health Canada found that there is not enough evidence to determine that smaller amounts of fluoridated water (0.7 milligrams/litre) had any negative neurocognitive effects on children.

Today, some 14 million Canadians access fluoridated drinking water. The provinces with the highest proportion of fluoridated water systems are Ontario (73%), Manitoba (68%) and Nova Scotia (50%).

In Quebec, however, just 1 per cent of water systems are fluoridated, a figure that will drop after the Pointe Claire and Dorval water treatment plants stop fluoridating by next year. St. Georges in the Beauce region will become the last municipality in the province that fluoridates its water supply.

JOSHUA ALLAN
The 1510 West

West Island officials are voicing disappointment with the City of Montreal’s lack of public consultation as it prepares to put an end to fluoridating drinking water at the Pointe Claire and Dorval water treatment plants by the end of 2024, claiming it is just another example of how the central city imposes its will on the demerged suburbs.

“The City of Montreal basically just decided without consulting the West Island or giving the West Island a chance to weigh in on it,” said Pointe Claire Mayor Tim Thomas, adding that this is not the first such instance.

“I was disheartened,” said Baie d’Urfé Mayor Heidi Ektvedt.

The decision “has pretty much been presented to us as ‘fait accompli’ (and) did not sit well with me,” Ektvedt added.

The drinking water for more than 100,000 West Island residents is expected to be fluoride-free by the end of the year. A recommendation by the City of Montreal’s water services department to end water fluoridation at the Pointe Claire and Dorval water treatment plants is expected to pass a vote by the Montreal Agglomeration council some time later this year.

Ektvedt explained that she had been invited to a presentation on the topic by the City of Montreal last month, where it was revealed that the city was going forward with its plan to end water fluoridation in the West Island.

“It didn’t feel like we were partners in anything,” Ektvedt said.

Demerged municipalities collectively have 13 per cent of the vote on the Montreal Agglomeration council. The City of Montreal holds the remaining 87 per cent.

“The people who are going to be making the decision for these plans are other borough mayors who sit around that table, who are not health experts, are not affected by the status quo, and will be voting without having supported a public consultation (. . .) I find that very, very concerning,” Ektvedt said.

Pointe Claire Mayor Thomas added that he believes the City of Montreal must, at the very least, hold information sessions with West Island residents about this topic to provide them with the opportunity to understand all the facts behind water fluoridation, as well as why the city is putting an end to it.

“I think Montreal is obliged to explain it to the citizens of the West Island why they’ve done this,” he said. “Whenever you remove a service from citizens who are paying taxes, you should probably explain it.”

Dorval Mayor Marc Doret says his municipality is investigating whether the move is a breach of contract.

But not everyone is upset with the move.

Pointe Claire resident Ray Coelho has been pushing for several years to see fluoridation ended.

“People didn’t like the fact that they were being medicated without their knowledge,” said Coelho, who has brought up the issue numerous times to elected officials in both Pointe Claire and the City of Montreal.

From 2021 to 2022 he collected around 6,000 signatures from residents in Pointe Claire and Dorval for a petition to put an end to water fluoridation.

He also pointed to recent news out of the U.S., where a federal judge ruled for stricter regulation of fluoridated water last month. The ruling noted that while studies on fluoridated water impacting children’s IQ levels are inconclusive, it presents an unreasonable risk to their health. This, Coelho said, should be a clear indication for Canadian municipalities to end the practice.

“My goal in all this is to give people closure,” he added. “Obviously (residents) have been drinking fluoridated water for years (. . .) I think people are entitled to some sort of apology.”

Since the 1960s, drinking water from the plants in Pointe Claire and Dorval, distribute to the towns of Beaconsfield, Kirkland, Baie d’Urfé and parts of Dollard des Ormeaux has been fluoridated. The City of Montreal has never fluoridated its water supply.

Health Canada, the Canadian Dental Association and Montreal’s Direction régionale de santé publique are some of the agencies and organization that support water fluoridation. Health Canada recommends that no more than 0.7 milligrams of fluoride be added per litre of drinking water.

The federal department also maintains that this practice serves to strengthen tooth enamel, as well as prevent cavities and tooth decay.

However, some studies have suggested that overconsumption of fluoridated water can lead to such effects as lowered IQ levels among youth – a topic that is disputed among health professionals.

In an email to The 1510 West, City of Montreal media spokesperson Hugo Bourgoin explained the city’s decision to end water fluoridation by the end of this year.

“Fluoride is a highly corrosive substance that can damage our water infrastructures over the long term,” he wrote, adding that wastewater treatment cannot remove the chemical from the water. “Fluoride is therefore ultimately discharged into the St. Lawrence River, with little documented impact on aquatic flora and fauna.”

When it comes to the documented benefits of fluoridated water, Bourgoin added: “There are other ways than water fluoridation to promote good dental health.”

In the statements by Baie d’Urfé and Pointe Claire, both municipalities encourage residents who are concerned about the lack of consultation to reach out to Maja Vodanovic, the City of Montreal’s executive committee member responsible for water.

JOSHUA ALLAN
The 1510 West

Construction of an 82-unit affordable housing project for seniors will begin construction next month in Dorval, according to Mayor Marc Doret, a project he describes as “hugely important” given the ongoing housing crisis in major urban centres across the country.

“This (project) is for the most vulnerable in our society,” Doret said in an interview, adding that there are currently 120 seniors registered in Dorval looking for subsidized housing.

The $32.6-million project is being led by the Office municipal d’habitation de Montréal and being financed in partnership with the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and the City of Dorval.

The project ­– dubbed “Habitations Les Îles Courcelles,”  referencing the three islands off Dorval’s shores – will be built at 750 Dawson Avenue and cater to autonomous individuals ages 55 and over. It will be three to four storeys and will be built using prefabricated wooden modules designed for on-site assembly. The modules will be provided by Les Industries Bonneville, a manufacturing and building design company that specializes in prefabricated homes.

The central location of the project offers the added bonus of being within walking distance to shops and restaurants, as well as to bus stops, Doret pointed out.

In the planning since 2018, Doret said the current housing crisis, which has been marked by increasing rents and evictions across Montreal and the province, underlines the importance of the project.

The median rental price for a two-bedroom apartment in Dorval is now $2,223, up 48 per cent from last year, according to rentals.ca.

Construction of the building is expected to take around 12 months to complete, Doret said.

JOSHUA ALLAN
The 1510 West

The city of Kirkland was named in honour of Charles-Aimé Kirkland, a former member of the National Assembly who represented the West Island riding of Jacques-Cartier from 1939 to 1961. But it was his daughter, Claire Kirkland-Casgrain, who was posthumously honoured by the city last month – very nearly a century after her birth – as a trailblazer who has left an enduring legacy.

“The City of Kirkland is very proud to be linked today to Claire Kirkland-Casgrain,” said Kirkland Mayor Michel Gibson, describing her as “a pioneer of women’s emancipation in Quebec politics and a symbol of the feminist cause in Canada,” as he unveiled a photo and plaque at city hall thatnow hang alongside her father’s.

A lawyer by training, Kirkland-Casgrain decided to follow in her father’s political footsteps, entering the by-election race for her father’s seat shortly after his death in 1961. Running under the Quebec Liberal Party banner, she won, becoming the first woman to sit in the National Assembly.

A push for equality

Being the first elected female representative in the province wasn’t the only glass ceiling Kirkland-Casgrain would break.

She went on to be named Minister Without Portfolio by Premier Jean Lesage, becoming the first female cabinet minister in Quebec’s history. Over her 12-year political career, Kirkland-Casgrain served as minister of Transportation and Communications, minister of Tourism, Game and Fishing, minister of Cultural Affairs and briefly sat as acting premier in 1972.

In 1964, Kirkland-Casgrain tabled Bill 16, which expanded the rights of married women, including the right to open a bank account or sign a lease without their husbands’ consent.

In 1973, she tabled legislation that would establish the Conseil du statut de la femme – a government agency tasked with consulting the provincial government on issues related to women’s rights and gender equality.

She remained the only female MNA in the National Assembly during her 12-year tenure. The province’s second female MNA, Lise Bacon, was elected in 1973 just after Kirkland-Casgrain resigned from politics after being appointed as a provincial court judge.

An ‘object of couriosity’

Being Quebec’s first female MNA and minister came with no shortage of speculation and scrutiny.

Speaking about her time in office to Radio-Canada’s Rachel Verdon in 1978, Kirkland-Casgrain explained that she was viewed by many as an “object of curiosity,” adding that observers were just as keen to critique her clothing as her politics.

She later recalled the glances she drew on her first day in office by not wearing a hat in the National Assembly, a requirement for women at the time.

“In the beginning, the focus was on the material perspective much more than the intellectual perspective, unfortunately,” Kirkland-Casgrain had said.

A woman who dared

She commented further about overcoming the gender barrier in a 2007 interview for the National Assembly’s archives: “Some people valued me. They knew I had progress in laws concerning women at heart. But a good number of people were curious to see this woman who dared to run for a party. It was so new to see a woman who dared.”

Regardless of the detractors, Kirkland-Casgrain went on to receive many accolades for her years of public service, including being named to the Ordre national du Québec in 1985 and to the Order of Canada in 1992.

In 2012, Kirkland-Casgrain, along with fellow pioneers of Quebec’s feminist movement Idola Saint-Jean, Marie Gérin-Lajoie and Thérèse Casgrain were honoured with statues outside of the National Assembly for their advocacy for women’s rights in the 20^th century.

Kirkland-Casgrain’s achievements in Quebec have blazed the trail for other women to take the plunge into provincial politics over the years. In the 2022 Quebec election, a record 58 women were elected – nearly half of the 125 seats in the province.

West Island MNA Brigitte Garceau was among the record number of women elected in 2022, and the first woman to represent the district of Robert-Baldwin since its creation in 1965. She attended the unveiling of the honour for Kirkland-Casgrain at Kirkland town hall on Sept. 6.

Kirkland-Casgrain “continues to be an inspirational figure for women who strive to advance women’s rights,” Garceau said in a statement to The 1510 West.

Kirkland-Casgrain died in 2016 at the age of 91.

JOSHUA ALLAN
The 1510 West

Pierrefonds-Roxboro residents upset about the surprise planting of hundreds of trees in a local park used as a community gathering space say they still have not received any answers from Montreal city councillors.

Again this month, residents of Riviera St. in Pierrefonds sought answers to questions as to why in July more than 500 trees and 250 shrubs were planted in the Parc-des-Rapides-du-Cheval-Blanc – a green space bordering Rivière des Prairies that is popular among locals of all ages for outdoor activities.

The planting was done by infrastructure company NouvLR on behalf of the firm behind the REM transit train line, as part of an initiative to offset the environmental impacts of the construction of the rail network.

If left as it is, the once open green space will be transformed into a small forest in a few years, robbing locals of communal gathering space, as well as blocking the view of the river for the surrounding apartment buildings.

No consultations were held locals prior to the planting. Officials from the borough of Pierrefonds-Roxboro also say they were blindsided by the planting.

Cookie-cutter answers

Last month, resident D.J. El-Tayar had told The 1510 West that she looked forward to speaking to Montreal executive committee Laurence Lavigne Lalonde, who is responsible for major parks.

However, El-Tayar and other residents in attendance were disappointed to learn that Lavigne Lalonde was not at the meeting, and that their questions would be addressed instead by Ville Marie Councillor Sophie Mauzerolle, head of transport and mobility.

Both El-Tayar and fellow Riviera St. resident Lise Trudel asked why the city had not required the REM to consult with citizens prior to the planting. They also requested to have most of these trees removed and planted elsewhere in Pierrefonds.

In her response to each question, Mauzerolle pointed out the role that tree planting plays in combating climate change and boosting “resilience” to the territory in instances of flooding. She also blamed a lack of communication with the residents on the REM and NouvLR.

Her answers left the residents unsatisfied.

Disconnected from community

In an email to The 1510 West, resident Olga Mora described Mauzerolle’s responses as “well-rehearsed” and “scripted.”

She added Mauzerolle failed to adequately address concerns.

For Trudel, a resident of Riviera St. since 2008, it was clear that neither she, nor the REM were aware of what the park meant to the local community.

Trudel explained that the park was used by locals for everything from having barbecues, to outdoor games, to reading a book in a lawn chair.

“It’s been used for decades as a municipal park,” she said in an interview. “Why would you wipe it out?”

El-Tayar and Trudel were adamant that the concerned residents are not against the REM’s reforestation efforts, and do not wish to be painted as being “anti-tree.”

Indeed, each time the group has spoken to the media or to municipal officials, they have recommended that the majority of the trees in the park be replanted elsewhere in Pierrefonds, even offering possible replacement locations.

Pierrefonds-Roxboro Mayor Jim Beis has been vocal in his support for the residents. He made it clear during the August meeting – and again earlier this month – that the borough had not been informed of when the planting would take place, nor how many trees were to be planted.

“Although we believe strongly in biodiversity and planting of trees,” he told the council, “the borough was never informed of the gravity of this plantation, to the point where we received the plan a month and a half after the planting was put in place.”

The residents confirmed that Beis has kept in contact and has been “extremely supportive” of the group. El-Tayar said that Beis and other borough councillors have encouraged the group to continue to press Montreal on this issue.

The group launched a phone-in petition last month, denouncing the planting of the trees.

Though the residents said they are frustrated with the situation, they are not planning to give up their park so easily. While they discuss next steps, they will be “peppering” Lavigne Lalonde with emails, Trudel confirmed.

JOSHUA ALLAN
The 1510 West

Beaconsfield has taken another key step forward in its long-awaited revitalization project for Centennial Park.

The IMAGINE Centennial project named the architecture group that will design the new multi-purpose cultural centre – the Montreal-based firm Lemay-Bouthillette Parizeau-Elema in July. And in doing so unveiled the look of a unique building that has never been seen before in the West Island.

The group’s concept, titled “A Landscape Reinvented,” blends “harmoniously into the picturesque landscape of Centennial Park,” according to a statement issued by Beaconsfield Mayor Georges Bourelle after council endorsed the design selection. He added that the estimated $18-million project, “will provide citizens with a unique experience in a bucolic setting.”

Among one of the most unique features of the design is a sod-covered slanted rooftop that will gradually rise from the ground, almost camouflaging the building into the landscape, and a waterfront boardwalk. Visitors will be able to walk along the graded roof, where at its edge, they will be able to take in a view of Lake St. Louis.

This serves “to blur that boundary between architecture and landscape,” said Eric Pelletier, a design principal and senior partner with the group, referring to the roof design.

Gavin Affleck, an architect and co-chair of the project’s selecting jury, praised the group’s ingenuity in an interview with The 1510 West. 

He pointed out that the park and the neighbouring Lord Reading Yacht Club currently occupy two separate spaces.

“A lot of the objective (was to) find a way to kind of join them together in a more comprehensive way, making a unified new Centennial Park,” Affleck said.

Affleck said he was also impressed by the fact that all four groups of finalists chose the same location in Centennial Park for the building within the park setting.

“It’s almost a scientific study by controlled experiment,” he explained. “That only could have happened in an architecture competition, because normally there are way more exchanges.”

Representatives of the winning group had pitched their vision for the park at a public consultation in July at Beaconsfield city hall.

“What we really want to preserve is the landscape, to retain its uniqueness,” Pelletier said.

He explained that their design sought to intertwine the cultural centre with the surrounding nature of the park.

The new single-storey centre will include a library, a bistro and meeting rooms, as well as several areas to accommodate groups.

The exterior will include footpaths connecting between the centre, a boardwalk that will run along the waterfront and the yacht club. An “events promenade” will also be featured for hosting larger events and outdoor activities.

The centre is modelled in the modern Scandinavian minimalist style – a design commonly used for structures that are intended to blend into forested settings and offer lots of natural light.

Pelletier also pointed out that the structure will be made almost entirely of wood.

“We are in an exceptional forest,” he explained. “We couldn’t imagine doing this project with steel or concrete.”

He added that the group is looking to achieve “nothing less” than a carbon-neutral project.

The next step is for the city to award the winning group with contracts to develop detailed plans and specifications. These will allow the project to go to tender hopefully by 2025, said Andrew Duffield, Beaconsfield’s director of Sustainable Development, who has been responsible for the project since 2019. The idea of re-imagining municipal facilities at Centennial Park was first made public in 2018.

When it comes to a specific timeline on when the project will be completed, Duffield said that it is too soon to tell. Factors he cited include a municipal election next year. “It remains to be seen what council will decide in terms of when to award the series of contracts that will come up, the biggest of which is the construction of the building,” he explained.

Once the contracts have been awarded and the start of work is confirmed, Duffield said it would take about two years until the project is finally completed.

Cutline:
A sod-covered slanted rooftop that gradually rises from the ground, which features walking paths, is one of the most unique features of the design for the planned Centennial Park centre.

Credit:
Courtesy City of Beaconsfield

JOSHUA ALLAN
The 1510 West

The woman who was known to many simply by her first name – Gerdy – and for her love and dedication to animals, was posthumously honoured in Kirkland earlier this month when a dog park at Parc des Bénévoles was named in her memory.

“It was a great event,” said Jayne Heitmeyer, a board member and long-time volunteer for Gerdy’s Rescues and Adoptions, a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering and finding homes for dogs and cats.

“Gerdy would have been very proud (and) very honoured,” Heitmeyer said.

Gerdy Cox-Gouron, who died in February 2023 at age 80, left a legacy in the community as someone who showed a passionate dedication when it came to caring for animals.

Having founded the rescue in 2004, Cox-Gouron and a team of volunteers have fostered, cared for and found new homes for thousands of dogs and cats – a mission that the rescue continues today.

The city of Kirkland decided to honour her legacy because many of Gerdy’s animals have found homes in the municipality, Heitmeyer said in an interview.

 “Many of her rescues were adopted by a large number of families throughout Kirkland over many years,” she said.

Cox-Gouron’s selflessness when it came to caring for these animals was a true example of altruism, said Kirkland councillor Karen Cliffe, who had known Cox-Gouron through her time volunteering and fundraising for Gerdy’s Rescues and Adoptions

“She basically dedicated her entire life to saving animals,” Cliffe explained: “Of course we did fundraisers, but she would use her own money to save cats and dogs. She was a very rare person.”

One of Cliffe’s fondest memories of Cox-Gouron was the dedication she showed to a Rottweiler named Enzo a few years back.

A bacterial disease had left the 12-week-old puppy’s back legs paralyzed, requiring him to use a wheelchair designed for dogs. Rising veterinary bills forced Enzo’s owners to surrender him to the rescue.

Cox-Gouron would not give up on Enzo, Cliffe explained. She saw to it that the pup received special veterinary treatment, medications and physical therapy.

The Rottweiler went on to regain his mobility and was adopted at the age of 1. Enzo was among “Gerdy dogs” at the ceremony at the dog park Sept. 15.

“She was a tough cookie,” Cliffe said of Cox-Gouron: “She would not give up on an animal. She would just say ‘Let’s do it. Let’s take him. Let’s fix him.’”

Cox-Gouron discovered her passion for caring for animals at a very young age.

“The first thing she remembered was trying to save a cat,” Heitmeyer explained. “And she never stopped.”

Today, Gerdy’s Rescue, through a dedicated team of volunteers, cares for between 25 to 30 animals at a time.

“It was Gerdy’s wish that the work continue,” said a member of the group’s board of directors, Larry Day. “And we felt that the best way to do that was to continue the rescue as she would like it to have been. So that’s what we’ve done.”

Cutline:

Marilyn Gelfand, a member of the board of directors of Gerdy’s Rescues, unveils plaque along with Kirkland Mayor Michel Gibson.

Credit:

Courtesy of Gerdy’s Rescue