Joel Goldenberg – The Suburban LJI Reporter
The City of Côte St. Luc is “all ears” to suggestions on how to push levels of government to move forward on extending Cavendish Blvd. to Jean Talon, Royalmount and eventually St. Laurent, Mayor Mitchell Brownstein told The Suburban. City council regulars Sharon Freedman and Norman Sabin have urged council to apply extra pressure, in light of last month’s news that the Plante administration had still not put forward a tender for an environmental impact study; that it is prioritizing the connection from CSL to Jean Talon, with no set date for the connection to Royalmount and then St. Laurent; and is looking at a bike path from the east end to Jean Talon.
The Suburban asked Brownstein about the possibility of a massive petition for the link from residents of CSL, Town of Mount Royal, St. Laurent and NDG, the areas most impacted by a Cavendish link. Brownstein replied that a petition from residents outside of the affected areas could have an impact on Mayor Valérie Plante. “It would be nice if City of Montreal residents could push for that, because it benefits NDG. I’m all ears, whatever we can do to push the file forward and have Madame Plante respect the agreement to do the environmental study, the next stage for the link.”
Freedman, who addressed the CSL meeting, wrote a letter to Quebec Transport Minister Geneviève Guilbault urging the province to address the issue of the link, which Freedman wrote is “nothing other than a routine infrastructure project” and added that when Montreal could not complete the Olympic Stadium in time for the 1976 Olympics, the Quebec Transport ministry stepped in.”I implore you to take the measures necessary to get this extension built, to remove all decisional powers from the municipalities involved and conduct consultations directly with the people most affected by this project — the people, not the politicians.”
During the meeting, in light of Beaconsfield suing Montreal for $15 million for a breach of agreement regarding expense sharing for island-wide services, Freedman suggested that council pass a motion asking Guibeault to take over the project, for the city to withhold the money it gives to Montreal, or to sue.”We are going nowhere,” Freedman told Brownstein. “Guibeault has taken over several projects and actually completed them. What are you prepared to do that’s a bit more aggressive? I would love nothing more than a lawsuit against Plante.”
The Mayor said he was meeting with his counterparts from St. Laurent, Town of Mount Royal and Hampstead on this and other issues, and people in various levels of government. Brownstein said the council would take passing a resolution “under advisement. I can assure you we’re pushing, we’re having a lot of strategy meetings and meeting people at higher levels than Mayor Plante,” Brownstein said.
The Mayor also told Freedman it is the obligation of the province to enforce an agreement, as with Cavendish, “where monies have been received by the City of Montreal, and they’re not doing what they’re supposed to be doing with that. Keep on moving after the province, as well as Madame Plante. We can’t just expect [Plante] to keep her word, can we?”
Sabin, who brings up traffic issues at various council meetings, said he was skeptical the City of Montreal wants the link and suggested CSL conduct a survey to determine support for the extension, to help the city make a decision whether to take any legal action.
“I think having a statement from the population is very important….Projét Montréal does their own thing. They don’t really care what CSL has to say.”
Brownstein said he liked the suggestion and he, and some members of council, pointed out that the support for the project from the public was indicated during the process for a new CSL master plan, from submissions from CSLers to the BAPE as part of the environmental study process, and from speaking to residents over several years. n