Coliseum Cinema

By Chelsey St-Pierre
The Suburban

A Kirkland resident living in the Timberlea sector behind the wooded area near the Coliseum Cinema complex has a growing concern for his safety and the safety for others in his neighbourhood as car meets with young drivers in the Rio Can parking lot are a regular occurrence that is both disruptive and dangerous.

The Suburban visited the parking lot after the resident shared photos with this journalist of a recent crash and clear tire marks forming circles clearly produced by drivers doing “donuts” in the lot. Tire marks throughout the back and sides of the lot also indicate speeding around the corners of the retail store buildings.

Last Sunday evening, a car with a young driver and passenger crashed in the wooded area located behind one of the retail complexes at the Rio Can parking lot. Fresh marks leading to the crash site were evident the following day in daylight as it had rained just a day prior creating a contrast with earlier tire markings on the asphalt. No injuries were reported. According to the resident, when he went to check on the “teens”, as he described them, to offer his assistance in calling emergency services, they refused his assistance and became angry as he snapped some photos and dialed 911.

“Cars race down the back end. We hear the tires screeching on a regular basis. I walk my dog on this road, it is so dangerous,” The Timberlea resident told The Suburban.

With an elementary school situated nearby, the surrounding roads are also subject to school zone regulations. Though the racing generally takes place after dark, pedestrians of all ages can be seen outdoors at all times.

The Suburban reached out to the local police department’s (SPVM) spokespeople for more information on the regularity of police interventions as a result of the car meets witnessed by residents and visitors to the lot, particularly the cinema and gym that are open at night. The results of the full inquiry were not made available on time for publication, however the 911 call regarding the most recent crash on April 28 at 9:05 p.m. was confirmed.

“They may have received a ticket, but no arrests have been made,” SPVM spokesperson Véronique Dubuc told The Suburban on Monday morning.

The resident says he would like to see patrols on the evenings and weekends. “Police can’t be there all the time. By the time they get there after we call, they could also be gone.” n