bike path

Contract awarded for plans to extend bike path to Douglastown

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Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

GASPÉ – The Town of Gaspé has awarded a nearly $35,000 contract to develop plans for the extension of the bike path between Haldimand Beach and Douglastown via the railway right-of-way.
The town is moving forward even though no timeline has been announced for the repair of the rail line to Gaspé.

“Financial assistance has already been provided to the Côte-de-Gaspé MRC by the federal authorities. Since we have the financial assistance, we might as well do the preliminary studies. The good news is that it is subsidized at nearly 90%. Whether the railway is ready in two, three, or four years, the studies will be in hand and can be implemented anyway,” says the Mayor of Gaspé Daniel Côté.

Last fall, a management agreement was signed between Quebec City and Gaspé, in which the town will maintain the footbridge.

The new trail would offer a safer alternative to walking on the railroad tracks and crossing the Saint-Jean River on the railroad bridge.

When the project was first proposed in 2019, it was estimated at $2.3 million.

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Parc-Extension Borough Council Meeting Highlights Housing Concerns, Winter Pedestrianization, and Bike Path Disputes 

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By Dylan Adams Lemaçon, LJI Reporter

The first borough council meeting of the year in Parc-Extension saw residents voicing concerns over housing, traffic safety, and bike path implementations, while the council introduced initiatives to enhance community life. 

Borough Mayor Laurence Lavigne Lalonde, alongside councilors Mary Deros, Josué Corvil, Martine Musau Muele, and Sylvain Ouellet, greeted attendees and wished them happy New Year and quickly moved through the agenda.  

Celebrating Perseverance and Cultural Heritage  

The council donned green ribbons in honor of School Perseverance Day, with Mayor Lavigne Lalonde applauding local youth for their dedication, stating, “Bravo to all the kids who persevere!”. The council also took a moment to recognize Black History Month as an important time for the community.  

New Initiatives for Villeray  

The borough announced its first winter pedestrianization project, closing Rue Villeray between Rue St-Denis and Avenue Henri-Julien near Parc Jarry. Additionally, a new library is officially in the works for Villeray, with an architectural contest underway to design the facility. 

Public Concerns: Housing, Traffic, and Safety 

Housing Crisis and Rent Increases

As the public question period got off to a start, resident Wedley Jean Charles raised concerns about the recent 6% rent increase authorized by the Tribunal administratif du logement (TAL). He questioned the impact of this hike, to which Mayor Lavigne Lalonde responded, calling the increase “concerning” and acknowledging the ongoing housing crisis. She noted that while the council provides support, these decisions fall under provincial jurisdiction, urging residents to contact their provincial deputies.  

Traffic Safety on 15th Avenue  

Resident Guillaume Leclerc, representing residents of 15th Avenue, pressed for long-promised traffic calming measures, including a stop sign and speed bumps. Despite city approval, Leclerc expressed frustration over the delays, volunteering a group of locals to help install the speed bumps. Councilor Sylvain Ouellet sympathized, sharing his own struggles with municipal red tape, which delayed a traffic light installation for six years. The mayor assured that a plan would be revisited in the spring.  

Bike Path Dispute and Legal Tensions

As the question period continued, Marc Perez, president of the Coalition for Democracy in Montreal, accused the council of bypassing proper consultation for a new bike path, labeling it as dangerous. In response, Mayor Lavigne Lalonde inquired about his intent to sue the city. Perez confirmed the lawsuit plans, prompting the mayor to decline further discussion on the topic, stating, “I’m not gonna have an argument while you are suing me”  

Addressing Trade Concerns and Community Safety  

Resident Alain Antoine Courchaine questioned the potential local impact of U.S.-Canada trade tensions. While unable to provide a detailed response, the mayor noted that preparatory measures are in place.  

Katiana François requested a stop sign for a dangerous intersection in St-Michel. However, the mayor explained that legal restrictions prevent additional signage near traffic lights, though alternative safety measures would be explored.  

Participatory Budgeting and Online Engagement  

In an online question, Xavier Jacob inquired about adopting a participatory budget for the borough. Mayor Lavigne Lalonde acknowledged discussions on the topic, affirming the value of community involvement in project-specific funding, while maintaining traditional budgeting methods for broader fiscal planning.  

The meeting concluded with the approval of various agenda items, underscoring the council’s ongoing efforts to address community concerns while advancing new initiatives for 2025.  

The next borough council meeting is scheduled for March 11, 2025.

Parc-Extension Borough Council Meeting Highlights Housing Concerns, Winter Pedestrianization, and Bike Path Disputes  Read More »

NDG’s St.Monica’s endangered because of Terrebonne bicycle path

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By Dan Laxer
The Suburban

There have been no weddings or funerals at St. Monica’s Parish on Terrebonne in NDG for months. And the number of churchgoers has declined steadily since the summer. Blame the new bicycle paths installed on both sides of the street last July, say area residents, along with the new configuration of Terrebonne, formerly a two-way street, but now one way leading away from Cavendish Blvd in either direction.

A news conference was called last week by former city councillor Marvin Rotrand on behalf of a local community association, and school representatives. St. Monica’s Elementary School, across the street from the church, has also been affected, as has the OMHM — Habitations De Terrebonne at the corner of Benny. Borough councillor Sonny Moroz said teachers who work at the school, many of whom are not from the area, now have no place to park and are concerned about how their jobs may be affected. Public transit is not prioritized in the area, says Moroz, so it’s not a viable option.

Moroz is not the councillor for the area. He is the opposition councillor (and Rotrand’s successor) in Snowdon. Peter McQueen is, in fact, the Projet Montréal — Équipe Valérie Plante councillor for Notre-Dame-de-Grâce. “Residents of the area feel, somehow, they can’t get their message across to their local councillor,” Rotrand said.

McQueen did not respond to an interview request from The Suburban.

Parish Warden Paul Wong pointed out that prior to the changes imposed by the city, there used to be five to eight weddings per season at St. Monica’s. But wedding parties and vehicles can no longer park in front of the church. Nor can funeral processions.

Regular church attendance is down by 30 to 50%, says Wong. “For a church that relies on collections and donations from its parishioners, it’s hurting.” The church is now at a financial deficit of $5,200. “If it continues this way, we could be easily $60,000 to $80,000 in debt by the end of the year.”

The church did reach out to the executive committee for help, to no avail.

Nora Kelly lives on Terrebonne near the corner of Cavendish. She talked about the detour that drivers now need to take to get around the reconfiguration of Terrebonne and rush hour congestion on Cavendish. “It has reduced the quality of life,” says Kelly. Valerie Keszey, a longtime Terrebonne resident, agrees, saying there is no longer ample parking. “I’m not against bike paths,” Keszey said, echoing Kelly and Moroz. “What we’re asking Projet Montréal to do is put in a bike path that works for everyone and maintains parking.”

Kelly says that the changes have increased safety risks for school students, despite the city’s contention to the contrary. Furthermore, Kelly says, suggestions from citizens as to how to better implement bike paths and decrease traffic on Terrebonne were ignored. Ironically, during the news conference, held outside the church, Moroz had to run out into the street to stop a motorist from turning right onto Terrebonne from Benny – the wrong way on a one-way street.

Moroz says there is no real or accurate information as to how many cyclists actually use the Terrebonne path. He has suggested to the borough that they remove the bike paths for the winter months and bring them back in the spring. They apparently have said they will only decide on that next month. But that, says Moroz, will be too late. n

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Terrebonne bike path gets rolling

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By Joel Ceausu

The long-debated Terrebonne redevelopment was approved by borough council in CDN-NDG, voting 3-2 to proceed. The $250,000 plan, paid for by the centre city, would install a 2.5-kilometer two-way path on Terrebonne, and turn the road into two-one way streets, heading west from Cavendish to Belmore and east from Cavendish to Girouard.

The borough will install bike lanes on both sides of the road; protected by bollards on the north side eliminating some 200 parking spaces and a lane on the south side protected by a buffer zone and the remaining parking lane.

The plan has divided the community and continues to do so, after opponents of the plan gathered more than 1,100 signatures on paper and electronic petitions demanding real consultation of affected residents. They cite numerous faults with the borough’s technical study, i.e., that observation was made on only a fraction of weekly traffic hours and not in winter, and that citizens were not consulted.

The administration, along with local cycling advocates, have long insisted that cyclists do not feel safe on Terrebonne, which has them sharing the roadway with vehicles with nothing other than some street markings indicating a bike route. The borough insists that installing a lane on Terrebonne will help more citizens adapt to active transit, protect vulnerable citizens — including many children attending schools in the area — and help fight climate change.

Borough documents also note the bike path will have a major impact on vehicle routes in the area, particularly the one-way redesigns, and suggests the plan is necessary to enforce existing laws: “The installation allows reinforcement of parking bans within five metres of intersections, in order to improve visibility” in addition to the number of parking spaces removed.

At council, Borough Mayor Gracia Kasoki Katahwa said the plan is not necessarily finalized, repeating what she told a crowd at Benny Library in December: “Even if we vote tonight there is still some time to make adjustments to this project” and noted there are several possible adjustments being considered. She added that here have been several discussions with the EMSB and Mackay school in particular and more discussions will be held to explore solutions for some particular challenges. “I know that change is scary,” she told the packed room, “but I’m listening to you and we’re going to do it together. The status quo,” she added, “is unbearable.”

Resident Nora Kelly, a member of the Residents against Terrebonne 2.0 group, stated before the meeting that “many people can’t believe that the Projet Montreal administration of the borough has brought back the bike path after it was removed in the summer of 2020 following a serious public outcry,” she said. “So many people have signed the petition and the anger is palpable. They are upset that there has been no consultation. They want the bike path plan cancelled immediately.”

Snowdon councillor Sonny Moroz, who along with Darlington councillor Stephanie Valenzuela voted against the plan, deplored the dismissal of recommendations from the original working committee on Terrebonne.

The work, consisting mostly of street marking and signage, will be completed in June. n

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