Published July 18, 2024

By Joel Goldenberg
The Suburban

Côte St. Luc is holding meetings in July, August and September in connection with its master plan for the future of the city, including the potential redevelopment of Quartier Cavendish, the CSL Shopping Centre and Décarie Square.

The news was announced by Councillor Mike Cohen at his District 2 virtual meeting and guest speaker Councillor Dida Berku. The master plan process began in 2022 with public information meetings and other meetings with stakeholders. Cohen said there will be an opportunity for developers to build a “lot of high rises” for redevelopments.

“On Wednesday, July 10 [at 7 p.m], there will be an information session about our master plan at city hall, and on Monday Aug. 12 [at 8 p.m.], all the details will be available that night, and that’s when the consultation will begin,” he explained. “It will go on until we vote on Sept. 16 on the proposed zoning.”

Berku said that the meetings “will deal with the master plan and the special planning program for the Town Centre, including Cavendish Mall, the new zoning bylaws and all the new rules that will be adopted to make way for these new developments not only in the malls, but along the commercial corridors like Westminster and Caldwell.

“We will also introduce new rules regarding home-based businesses and other changes that will make it easier for homeowners to renew the housing stock,” she added. Berku said that “there’s no such things as status quo. We have to prepare for the future and it’s best when we plan and design our future the way we want it….We cannot leave the malls the way they are. There’s no two ways about it. CSL has the same challenges as all the other cities.”

A brief power point presented by Berku described the vision of the Town Centre, which includes Trudeau Park and Cavendish Blvd. between Kildare and Mackle Roads, as a “vibrant and dynamic mixed-use area with lively and inviting public spaces and thriving commerce, which fosters community, promotes well-being and resilience and provides residents with viable housing and mobility options.”

The councillor also said that density is essential, especially in light of the housing crisis, and “if we want to increase the housing stock of all types from rental apartments to condos, from affordable to high end luxury, we will need to think about a city where we can all live and play and even work. We all know what a lively town centre looks like — families living in good housing, viable places to shop and eat and entertain yourself and you need the parks and public spaces that will allow our residents to thrive and maintain a good quality of life at a reasonable price, a fair tax rate. For that, we need more revenue. That is the winning formula.” n

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