Jimmy Zoubris

By Joel Goldenberg and Beryl Wajsman,Editor
The Suburban

Jimmy Zoubris, Mayor Valérie Plante’s special counsel, responded Sunday on CJAD’s The Suburban Radio Hour to questions from The Suburban’s editor-in-chief Beryl Wajsman on the long-delayed plan to build a “city within a city” in the Hippodrome area and the plan’s lack of a Cavendish link from Côte St. Luc northward.

CSL Mayor Mitchell Brownstein and councillor Dida Berku told The Suburban last week that the extension is left out completely from the plan, even though a link was a condition of the sale of the land from Quebec to Montreal for $1.

Wajsman pointed out that without a west of Décarie access and egress, horrible traffic congestion will continue and intensify when the Hippodrome project is completed and, even sooner, when the Royalmount megamall is completed late this summer. There are also plans for a redevelopment of Décarie Square, which is in close proximity to the Hippodrome site; a 268-unit rental project is currently being built at Décarie and De La Savane, and a new commercial-residential building has been completed at the Westbury development. “There’s a feeling that what the west end is concerned about doesn’t necessarily get the attention of city hall — what about the Cavendish link?” Wajsman asked.

Zoubris replied that the city is moving quickly, calling the site of the former Blue Bonnets raceway “not only one of the last big untouched sites in the City of Montreal, but it’s also very important for the development of that area. “When the Mayor and my colleagues mentioned that we’re going through with this project, she did mention Cavendish, she did say for us, it’s necessary that Cavendish be done as well. But we can’t stop the whole progress of the area to complete Cavendish, which is a very difficult project.”

Zoubris said the first phase of the Hippodrome project could involve Cavendish going to Jean Talon because it does not require BAPE approval. “There are many factors involved in [the extension], including dealing with the rail company (CP), which has never been easy. People have been talking about Cavendish for as long as I can remember.” Wajsman insisted, especially in light of the Royalmount project, that the Cavendish link is needed to ease traffic, and that all the municipalities involved — CSL, TMR and St. Laurent — want the extension done. Zoubris said many options are being considered, and added that Montreal has worked with TMR to alleviate traffic around the Royalmount site, including the new pedestrian bridge over Décarie north of the Royalmount-De La Savane overpass.”For us, [Cavendish] is a priority, people are working on this, it hasn’t been left behind.”

Does the city understand the Cavendish link is important to ease traffic and would make the Hippodrome project a viable one? Zoubris replied that with the planned amount of houses and existing and future businesses on Décarie, Cavendish “has to be a priority, something we have to work on all together, which I think we are as much as possible with the [island-wide agglomeration] and different levels. There’s a lot of factors and it’s a very technical thing.”

Wajsman emphasized that it is important for a political leader to speak about doing the link.”Can we hope to hear the Mayor say more on the subject as time goes on?”Zoubris replied that much will be heard about the link. “I expect there’s going to be a lot of announcements in the next while concerning development in the area. It was the first time in a long time where everyone was at the table — federal, provincial, municipal — and even the committee we created with some of the major players from the city of Montreal.”

Wajsman said some of thse major players are frustrated they are not hearing more on Cavendish.”What I’m hoping to see in the coming weeks and months is that the Mayor will underscore this, because the words of the highest elected official in the city count.” n