In our continuing “Letters” series, here is a letter to Québec’s Commissaire au lobbyisme filed by Westmount’s Patrick Barnard. Barnard’s letter asks the Lobby Commissioner to investigate the possibility of two parties being involved in failing to register for lobbying: Mr. Bruce St-Louis and National Public Relations.
This is Part 1 of a two-part series to answer the question of how many parking spots a two-rink arena will require. In this part, we look at a typical executive hockey league evening where both rinks are being used simultaneously.
It’s time for an honest assessment of how many parking spots a two-rink arena complex needs. Isn’t it curious that the City hasn’t come forth with a clear and detailed analysis of the number of parking spots yet?
At the last council meeting on June 6, 2011, there was a conversation between a citizen and the Mayor about the mutual lack of trust that exists, a mistrust which first started when synthetic turf was to be placed in Westmount Park.
Westmount’s latest spin on the Arena/Pool Project, now called “The Westmount Recreation Centre”, was presented in an “information session” at Victoria Hall on the evening of June 21st, 2011. A crowd of approximately 200 gathered to ask their questions, and voice their opinions on the project. The session was by invitation, and the invitees were from an area within 1000m 1000ft of the proposed site.
It’s hard to even begin to enumerate the long list of awkward moments and misrepresentations offered by the City at this event. But let’s start with the fact that some residents living closest to the project — Ste-Catherine St W next to the train station, for example — were not invited. Some showed up anyway and were eager to speak openly about their anger over the project. These poor residents have had to listen to the MUHC construction from the comfort of their livingrooms for the past year. It’s clear that they are in no mood to listen to more noise coming from Lansdowne St..
Part of a continuing series covering Question Period at Westmount City Council, here are our notes from the 6 June 2011 Council Meeting. This question period was very dramatic, once again. Tensions between citizens and Council — particularly the Mayor — seem quite strained. Our own message to the Mayor is this: you reap the trust that you sow.
FIRST QUESTION PERIOD
Q1 Because the questioner had been told by the Director General that the city was responsible for all trees on its territory [not private territory], whether called private or public in the tree registry, she asked why all citizens were not advised of this information and suggested that the category private tree be eliminated.
In this installment of The Pimento Report, Patrick Barnard brings us coverage of the “Pour un Turcot Moins Rétro” walk that took place on June 4th, 2011. The demonstration was organised by Mobilisation Turcot.
The Westmount Walking and Cycling Association (WWCA) is grateful to the City of Westmount for bringing Bixi to our community.
Bixi appears to enjoy solid support amongst Westmount residents, so we hope it will be adopted here like it has been in Montreal and in other cities.
We see Bixi as just one component of a broader plan to reduce traffic and encourage active transportation in our city to help reduce the negative impact of cars on our health, the environment and our pocket-books (road building/maintenance and health care for respiratory disease and collision injuries). Less driving and more walking and cycling will improve the liveability of our community and the health of its residents.
To achieve that goal, the City recently awarded a contract to a consultant to prepare, over the next 6 months, a Master Traffic and Active Transportation Management Plan. Our association fully supports that process and, in particular, thinks the Plan should recommend safer intersections for pedestrians, since most collisions occur at intersections, and more bike paths, since many people will not cycle without the safe passage provided by bike paths.
In addition, we encourage the City to continue to advocate for reduced motor vehicle capacity and better public transit and cycling capacity on adjacent large infrastructure projects like the Turcot Interchange, the MUHC and the Champlain Bridge, since motor vehicle traffic on those installations will have an impact on Westmount residents.
Two years ago, who would have thought that we’d witness many of the local political actors of today flip-flopping like perch at the bottom of a rowboat. Indeed, if it wasn’t so damaging to our community it would be almost fun to watch their unabashed turnarounds concerning the Arena Project. Have they completely forgotten their 2009 pre-municipal election positions?
You see, back in 2009 many Council and WMA board members were seriously concerned about the inadequacy of the public consultation process shown by then Mayor Karin Marks. Today we have WMA members openly cheering and Council members banging on their desks in favour of an even poorer treatment of the public consultation process than Mayor Marks displayed. Do they not remember their own words from two years ago? What could possibly cause such collective and complete amnesia?
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