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District Meeting 2013: Monday, June 3 Flyer

McDonald's Restaurant coming to the CSL Shopping Centre

Côte Saint-Luc City Council adopted a minor exemption at our May 13, 2013 meeting which paves the way for a new McDonald`s Restaurant, with a drive-through (or drive thru), to be constructed at the Côte Saint-Luc Shopping Centre.

We are proud to note that we successfully requested to McDonald`s that its drive-through signs be bilingual.

Presently, our community has one food court McDonald`s at the Quartier Cavendish Mall. For many years, folks with a Big Mac fix were able to fill that need at a location on Côte Saint-Luc Road and Walkley. Technically, that was situated in N.D.G.

Personally, I do not go to McDonald`s that often. However, when I am between meetings I often lament that the closest drive-throughs to CSL are a Wendy`s on Decarie and a McDonald`son  St. Jacques.

The shopping centre came to us many months ago with their wish for a zoning change to allow for a fast food restaurant with a drive-through. I hoped for a Wendy`s-Tim Horton combo or a Harvey`s. We studied the proposal and made several recommendations. I expect the   Golden Arches to be warmly welcomed here.

 

 

A living history lesson about Jackie Robinson

I finally saw the motion picture 42, the true story of how Jackie Robinson broke the colour barrier in Major League Baseball. When the film was over, some of those in the audience at the Quartier Cavendish Mall Theatre applauded. The movie was extraordinary and while I knew about the racism Robinson and others suffered, it was nonetheless disturbing  to see it portrayed so vividly on the large screen. Could this have really happened in our lifetime?

Well before I even knew the movie 42 was coming out, I had proposed to  my colleagues on Côte Saint-Luc City Council that we honour Jackie Robinson in our 2013 Human Rights Walkway Ceremony during Canada Day festivities. We will indeed be doing so. However, as prelude to this event, I felt it was vitally important that we incorporate  an educational component. My co-chair, Councillor Allan J. Levine, agreed. As a former school teacher of 35 years, mostly at Wagar High School, Allan knows that the story of Jackie Robinson needs to be in the classroom.

So I got to  work on a lecture, which we ended up holding on May 10 at City Hall. My good friend Jack Jedwab, the executive director of the Association of Canadian Studies and a Robinson historian agreed to join us. I timed the event specifically to coincide with a visit to town by former Expos star Warren Cromartie, now head of the Montreal Baseball Project. And then there was Kirmit Kitman. For many years my late father Larry would tell me stories about Kitman, an American who came here to play for the old Montreal Royals. From the pressbox we'd see Kitman in his box seats behind the Expos dugout. "He played with Jackie Robinson," Larry would say.

I tracked Kitman down and a 90 years of age he is still as sharp as can be. He also agreed to join the panel. It was now time to pick the students and I wanted cross-section from the public sector and the Jewish day school system. From the English Montreal School Board, representatives from Merton, Hampstead, Elizabeth Ballantyne and Coronation attended. They were joined by pupils from Hebrew Academy, United Talmud Torahs, Herzliah and Bialik's baseball team. Some members of the public attended, making for a packed house of some 200 people. I am pictured above with Jedwab, Cromartie, Kitman and some students.

This was a one hour living history lesson. Jedwab has always been interested in the Robinson story and organized many events about the trailblazing  sports icon. Immediately, Jedwab made such a powerful point. How could a country like the United States, which had fought the Nazis in Europe, practice racial segregation in their own land? As the son of a concentration camp survivor, Jedwab said he was motivated to speak about Robinson.

Kitman played two years for the Royals. He spent one entire training camp in Daytona Beach getting to know Robinson and seeing for himself the type of disturbing racism which existed. Cromartie was literally brought to tears after hearing Kitman's words. "If it was not for Jackie Robinson, there would be no athlete of colour playing any sport," he declared.

Mayor Anthony Housefather gave a stirring account of just what Robinson's debut in the majors did for blacks in sports while Councillor Levine later lashed out at our Quebec government for its own brand of targeting minorities, specifically proposed language legislation Bill 14.

I was thoroughly inspired by our lecture and so were the students and educators in the audience. It was why I asked my wife to join me at the theatre the following day to see 42. This is a film every student should see and when it comes out on DVD I will make such a push at the EMSB. Ideally, Black History Month 2014, would represent an excellent opportunity.

Cromatie, by the way, will be back here this summer giving a four week baseball school at our own Trudeau Park, with an additional two weeks added at another park in Ahuntsic. At our lecture, kids expressed a lot of interest in attending. Here is the flyer.

John Kenney of the  Montreal Gazette did this terrific video of the event:

  

 

 

 

 

VE Day ceremony in CSL: a wonderful tribute to our veterans

Members of the Brigadier Frederick Kisch Branch 97 of the Royal Canadian Legion, Mayor Anthony Housefather, the Côte Saint-Luc city council, dignitaries, veterans and residents  commemorated Victory in Europe (V-E) Day on Sunday, May 5 at Veterans Park. Weather conditions could not  have been more beautiful.

 

“My generation and those of my children and grandchildren will never be able to fully pay back the Canadian soldiers who fought to defeat tyranny during the Second World War,” said Ruth Kovac, who was   the co-chairperson of this event with Councillor Allan J. Levine. “By liberating Europe our veterans also ended the genocide against the Jewish population of Europe and others targeted by the Nazis.” 

 

Councillor Levine said we must continue to honour those who have served and those families who lost loved ones for our country. 

 

Victory in Europe (V-E) Day was May 8, 1945, the date when the Second World War Allies formally accepted the unconditional surrender of the armed forces of Nazi Germany. The cenotaph at Veterans Park honours the memory of those who gave their lives in the First World War, the Second World War and the Korean War. 

This year’s commemoration was conducted by Brigadier Frederick Kisch Branch 97 President, Frank Levine.  Among those participating in the laying of wreaths were Mayor Housefather, TMR Mayor Phillipe Roy, Hampstead Mayor William Steinberg, D'Arcy McGee Liberal MNA Lawrence Bergman, District 2 resident  Howard Liebman (representing Mount Royal Liberal MP Irwin Cotler), Israeli Deputy Consul Alon Melchior, Netherlands Honourary Consul Michael Polak, United States Consul Ian Sheridan, CSL Councillor Glenn J. Nashen (pictured), Public Safety Director Jordy Reichson, Police Station 9 Commander Sylvain Bissonnette.

 

"For those present who have not experienced war I am glad you were spared that sorrow," said Frank Levine (pictured with me and Veteran Solomon Susser). "Unfortunately the world has not divested itself of dictators."

 

Bergman quite appropriately took a shot at the PQ government for the disrespect it has shown for our present-day military via Bill 14, proposed hardline amendments to our language law. Bergman reminded us how the PQ wants to prevent the children of Canadian soldiers based in Quebec from attending English schools.

For nine years  Liebman has run Cotler's riding office as chief of staff. Cotler was in Jerusalem to celebrate the Bat Mitzvah of his grand-daughter and also to receive a prestigious human rights award at the World Union of Progressive Judaism this morning. 

 "As Professor Cotler has signalled time and again over the past two years, an unspeakable battle rages today in Syria with close to 100,000 killed – before our very eyes," Liebman stated. " In Ahmadinejad`s Iran we continue to witness a four-fold threat – genocidal incitement; nuclear; global terrorism  -and we saw just this weekend a shipment of missiles from Iran to Hezbollah - and massive domestic repression against the peoples and publics of Iran.Professor Cotler rose again in Parliament last week to ask how the government of Canada could rise in Canadian Courts to invoke State Immunity to immunize Iran from the claims for redress of Canadian victims of Iranian state terror and torture thanks to a new law he has promoted for these victims. We can all be proud of the global leadership of our local MP – who was the driving force behind a unanimous report of the Foreign Affairs Committee adopted by our House of Commons on Iran – as he continues to work tirelessly to address this greatest of threats to international peace and security."

 

CSL Kosher owners become CJAD radio stars

There are always firsts for Marianna Roth and her son-in-law Avi Brook. The dynamic duo operate Côte Saint-Luc Kosher at the Westminster Avenue Shopping Plaza. This is paradise for folks looking for good home cooked meals you can take home and warm up for dinner, as well as a popular butcher shop.

Check out there menu on their website.

In recent years they have been profiled in The Montreal Gazette, on CTV News and most recently on Today's Entrepreneurs, a fantastic radio show broadcast Monday evenings at 7 p.m. on CJAD. Dan Delmar and Josh Miller host the program, which is sponsored by the accounting firm Fuller Landau and produced by their marketing and communications manager  Stephanie Darwish.

Personally I am a huge fan of their chicken schnitzel, chicken burgers and Chinese food. But now there is a new creation. Good, old fashioned salmon patties.  I brought home my first order last week and they were absolutely out of this world!

If you did not hear the show, click on the direct link below. If you experience any difficulty accessing the mp3, then right click on the link and then click Open in a New Window:

Csl_koshercjad_04_22_2013

CSL to host public lecture on Jackie Robinson featuring Warren Cromartie

I am pleased to share this press release with readers. I have been working on this event for some time and we are now making space available for the public to attend as well.

  

A discussion about how Jackie Robinson (below) broke the major league baseball colour barrier and how his achievements advanced tolerance and understanding takes place on Friday, May 10, 2013 at 10 am at Côte Saint-Luc City Hall, 5801 Cavendish Blvd.

 

Guest speakers include former Montreal Expos star and head of the Montreal Baseball Project Warren Cromartie; Jack Jedwab (below), executive  director of the Association of Canadian Studies; and Kermit Kitman, who was part of the Brooklyn Dodgers organization with Robinson 67 years ago and spent four weeks getting to know him during the 1946 spring training. 

The event is hosted by the City of Côte Saint-Luc and the English Montreal School Board. Students from local schools will attend the event. The public is also welcome to attend this free event.

 

Although there had been African American baseball players as early as the 1880s in the professional leagues, the teams that made up professional baseball eventually agreed unofficially to stop using black players. In November 1945, Brooklyn Dodgers General Manager Branch Rickey broke with convention and signed Robinson to a contract. Robinson played for Dodgers triple-A team, the Montreal Royals in 1946. He debuted with the Dodgers in 1947 and was selected as the Rookie of the Year. Robinson was the National League’s Most Valuable player in 1949, and helped the Dodgers win the World Series in 1955. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962.

 

“Having been involved in the sports world all of my life I cannot remember a time when black athletes did not make up a high percentage of major leaguers,” said Councillor Mike Cohen, who will co-chair the event with Councillor Allan J. Levine. “But you only need to go back 60 years to know a time when there were no black players in Major League Baseball. Jackie Robinson changed history in a tangible way.”

 

Councillor Levine said that this event is part of ensuring that local schools find a way to bring Robinson’s inspiring life story part of the classroom curriculum. The Eleanor London Côte Saint-Luc Public Library will present a formal display of books about Jackie Robinson.

 

On July 1, 2013, Côte Saint-Luc will unveil a plaque honouring Robinson on the city’s Human Rights Walkway at Pierre Elliott Trudeau Park.

Cromartie (left) will also be running a baseball school in CSL this summer.

Lag B'Omer Parade and Festival a big success in CSL

As the city with the highest per capita Jewish population in the province, Côte Saint-Luc is proud to host high profile events like the annual Lag B’Omer Parade . On Sunday, April 28, blessed with picture perfect weather, the festive parade began its  route in the Snowdon area and made its way to our community via police escort.  Many thanks to Police Station 9 Commander Sylvain Bissonnette, CSL Public Safety Director Jordy Reichson, the Department of Public Security and our Volunteer Citizens on Patrol (VCOPs).

I was pleased to join Mayor Anthony Housefather and Côte des Neiges - NDG Borough Mayor Lionel Perez for the formal opening ceremonies, hosted by Rabbi David Cohen from the Chabad Lubavitch Organization.  As I arrived so did a bus full of men dressed as clowns. They filed into the parking lot of Pierre Elliott Trudeau Park and began a celebratory dance. Rabbi Cohen welcomed three young children on stage to say some prayers. The parade then continued, leading to a big festival in the central part of the park featuring games, jugglers, horse rides, a petting zoo and much more.

Bravo to all involved!

 

 

 



 

Lag Ba'omer in CSL

The big  Lag Ba'omer Parade is coming to Côte Saint-Luc on Sunday, April 28.

 

Here is an excellent preview by my good friend Menachem Posner.

Irwin Cotler takes to YouTube

Like a fine wine, Mount Royal Liberal Member of Parliament Irwin Cotler seems to get better with age. He recently started Tweeting and now he has taken to You Tube. Watch these two impressive performances from April 23 in the House of Commons. How nice of him to do so on YouTube's eighth anniversary!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CSL unveils new food charter and action plan

I was at  Côte Saint-Luc City Hall April 18 where we unveiled our food charter and action plan to transform our mostly residential suburb into an urban agriculture leader in Quebec.

 

Pictured above: Councillor Dida Berku, City Manager Tanya Abramovitch, Mayor Housefather and myself.

In addition to the action plan, we also unveiled our food charter, which is a statement of values and principles to guide the food policy. The goals of the food charter are wellness, the creation of great places, community building, food security, the joy of growing food, sustainability and more. 

The action plan and food charter are available at CSLGrown.org.

We will start two community gardens this year. District 2 is not part of the initial pilot project, but plans call for all eight districts to be included in the not too distant future.

Here is a recording of  Mayor Housefather's announcement to the media.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Proposed rezoning on Marc Chagall Avenue

Côte Saint-Luc city council has given a second reading to a proposed zoning change for the portion of snow dump land on Marc Chagall Avenue. On April 7, we held a mandatory public question period and some people came out, asking us what type of project we expect for this land.

As Mayor Anthony Housefather explained, the city recently conducted an evaluation of this land located right at the corner of Kildare Road next door to Beth Chabad.  It was determined that we do not have any practical use for it. Putting it up for sale, with a very clear set of zoning guidelines, would bring in some valuable revenue and perhaps add something worthwhile to this growing neighbourhood.

The next step is to approve the final resolution approving the zoning for commercial use. Soon after there will be a call for offers, in which case council will either accept the highest bidder (as long as it meets the criteria set out) or decide to hold off on permitting any development there at the present time.

As the councillor for the area, I have agreed to the zoning change. However, I have no idea what type of proposals we may receive. I worked very hard a number of years ago to have zoning changed across the street on Marc Chagall from commercial to residential. There was a very real possibility that a strip shopping centre would be built there.  Nobody wanted that. This new proposal calls for a very small building, which would have a tenant on the lower level and some offices (possibly medical) on the second floor.

I will wait to see what proposals we receive and if the winning bid is in the interest of local residents, only then will I support it. For example, we will not allow a sit down restaurant, but a convenience store or bakery is permitted under the by-law. A pharmacy is also a possibility.
Some residents have expressed concern about parking on Marc Chagall and the new Beth Chabad. Well we have met with the latter group and discussed options for them to build a new parking lot. We will see how that progresses.

As for a new park on Marc Chagall, we wish to eventually relocate Isadore Goldberg Park, which is squeezed between a few apartment buildings on Sir Walter Scott Avenue, on the lot next to the new town house condominiums. What we need to do is put this in one of our upcoming Capital Works budgets. In the interim, we have asked our Public Works Department to sod the vacant land and perhaps even install some park benches. There is debris from the construction which we have asked the developers to remove.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CSL Pooper scooper patrol will be out in force

I heard from one of my newest District 2 constituents Dawn Papiernik the other day. We had crossed paths through business many years ago and I am happy to welcome her to my area.

Well Dawn is a dog owner and resides on Sir Walter Scott Avenue, a block of apartment buildings, where it seems folks are not picking up the waste of their canines.

"I just moved into an apartment building on Sir Walter Scott," says Dawn. " All along the street and along the path to Cavendish, there is dog poop everywhere on the grass. Some of it is clearly old  as it’s white already  and lest you think the mess is due to spring thaw and lazy winter dog walkers, let me assure you that some of it is fresh. It’s clearly being left there by various dog owners, because some of it is obviously from large dogs and some from quite small pups -- you can tell.

"I have a dog and always, always, always pick up his poop. When I lived in a single-family home with a fenced-in yard -- which was only used by my dog -- even then I picked up his poop. It’s not just an issue of laziness,  it’s an issue of bacteria. Whether my dog is stepping in it or whether I’m stepping in it, it’s vile. It’s vile and it’s  everywhere. I can’t walk five feet without seeing a pile. It’s that  bad.

"I noticed that there’s a box at the start of the path, a box that’s supposed to hold dog waste bags. I always have my own bags but I thought, 'Wow! That’s a great idea for other dog owners.'  Sadly, though, the box is empty. But honestly, I can’t imagine that having bags available would solve the problem,  the poops are everywhere,  blocks and blocks of poop, far away from the empty box. It’s really a sad state of affairs when “responsible” dog owners don’t clean up after their dogs and I have to ask that something be done about it."

I turned to our Public Safety Director Jordy Reichson for a response.  "It is illegal and we do ticket for this infraction," he told me. "But we need to catch the culprit."

Public Safety now has a blitz on dogs for the next month - for both the poop and canines caught off the leash,

As a cat lover and owner, I can only say how easy adorable felines are to take care of. Those of the indoor persuasion do their business in a litter box. You never have to walk them. They bathe themselves. What a pleasure! That being said, I love dogs too and wish to salute the many, many responsible dog owners like my neighbours Chaim and Annette who always pick up after their Farfalle.

 

 

 

An emotional Yom Hashoah ceremony in CSL

The annual Yom Hashoah commemoration was held  April 7 at  Congregation Tifereth Beth David Jerusalem on Baily Rd in  Côte-Saint-Luc). The ceremony helps to perpetuate the memory of all those who were murdered during the Holocaust, to honour the survivors. It reminds us of our collective responsibility to remember the Holocaust and to protect individuals and communities from oppression, hate, racism and discriminatory policies. This community-wide commemoration is  organized by the Montreal Holocaust Memorial Centre.

As usual, the sanctuary at the TBDJ was filled to capacity. Quebec Liberal MNA for D'Arcy McGee Lawrence Bergman was accompanied by his party's new leader, Philippe Couillard (pictured above). Mount Royal Liberal MP Irwin Cotler and Montreal Mayor Michael Applebaum were there, as was Projet Montréal leader Richard Bergeron and several members of council.  Other municipal politicians, including yours truly, were on hand as well

This year’s theme, 1943, the Year of Uprisings, honoured the courage of the many thousands of men and women who stood up against deportation and mass murder, risking their lives to initiate uprisings in ghettos (Warsaw, Bialystok, Lvov and others) and death camps (Treblinka and Sobibor, and others). Despite these acts of bravery, 1943 was a year of mass deportation and vast destruction of Jewish communities.

Six Montreal Holocaust survivors lit memorial candles, symbolizing the six million Jews murdered during World War II. They shared their memories of 1943 through short video testimonies.Jacob Lev (picture at the left)  broke down as he watched video testimony  about his life in the Warsaw Ghetto, how he smuggled food for his family as a young boy and about his life in a labour camp. Child survivor Yehudi Lindeman described how he was saved by his mother and other rescuers from deportation, living in hiding until liberation by Canadian soldiers.Leon Calderon shared the story of his deportation to Auschwitz-Birkenau from his native Salonika and how he was forced to clean up the Warsaw ghetto, with 100 Greek camp inmates, after the uprising.Musia Schwartz talked about her survival in Warsaw under a false identity as a Christian maid. Fela Ross described her life in the Lodz ghetto until her deportation to Auschwitz, from there to slave labour in Hamburg and finally to Bergen-Belsen where she was liberated.Baruch Spiegel, the last Montreal survivor involved in the Warsaw ghetto uprising, shared his memories of the fighters and his involvement in the uprising. He was  represented by his daughter, Mindy Spiegel, who lit the memorial candle on his behalf.

Joel Lion, the Consul General of Israel, spoke about his late grandfather who died in the Sobibor death camp."It is our duty to make sure that Jews will never be killed again because they are Jewish," he remarked. "The antisemitic beast is still alive."

It was a powerful experience to be part of. We are fortunate to have many survivors still with us, willing and able to tell their stories. At the conclusion of the evening all Holocaust survivors present were asked to rise. The numbers have dropped naturally over the years, but there was still a strong presence. Then the second generation were asked to rise and the numbers increased dramatically.

The Bialik High School Choir and soprano Sharon Azrieli Perez provided music and song.

CSL leads the way in speaking out against Bill 14

Côte Saint-Luc, in particular our mayor Anthony Housefather, has taken a leadership role against the minority PQ government's mean spirited Bill 14. Among other things, it threatens to remove bilingual status from cities and towns like ours. Mayor Housefather wrote the script for this impressive video, with our valuable Public Affairs and Communications Director Darryl Levine working ever so carefully behind the scenes.

This video really explains the situation as Bill 14 impacts upon bilingual municipalities magnificently.

 

 

A tribute to a special CSL resident: John Watson "Babe" Learie

Funeral services were held on April 1 for John Watson "Babe" Learie, who passed away at the age of 84 after battling numerous illnesses. Anyone who ever ventured in the area of  Côte Saint-Luc's KIrwan Park or either walked or drove by the corner of Wentworth Avenue and KIldare Road knew Babe. If the man had ever decided to run for political office, he would have won hands down.

Babe was my neighbour growing up. I last saw him in September at my father Larry's  funeral. The day before he came to the house to talk to my mom and I, with tears in his eyes. How ironic it was that he and Larry should pass away during the same time period  - friends for 50 years.

Babe was the youngest of 10 children, raised in Verdun. Four of the siblings did not marry and they decided to buy a house together on Wentworth Avenue.  Babe was a mechanic while Bob, Kay and Jen had office jobs.  When their mom fell ill, it was decided to move her into the house. A family meeting took place and  Babe agreed to give up his career and become the caregiver and homemaker. So besides taking care of the mom, he did the groceries, made the meals and did the laundry without any complaints. Babe was also a master handyman. He made the garage his workshop. When mom passed on, my brother, sister and I were still very young, The family decided to maintain the arrangement and Babe continued to handle the  basic duties of the house. Even though he was more than 30 years our senior, he actually became part of our network of friends.

There was nothing Babe would not do for us. When something went wrong in the house, my dad would shout loudly "Call Babe!" Sure enough Babe would race across the street and fix the problem.

In the glory days of Blue Bonnets Raceway, Babe and my dad shared a passion for the horses.  Babe would go there several days a week, sometimes with my dad, but always with some wagers from Larry. He had a whole circle of friends at the track and they would always convene at the Decarie McDonald's afterwards.

My brother Chuck and I were fortunate as youngsters. Larry covered the home games of the Montreal Canadiens for the United Press International wire service. He also worked at radio station CKVL. In those days he had access to season tickets. Every Saturday night  home game he promised that one of us could go. We were too young to go alone, so Babe became our companion. The games started at 8 p.m. and like clockwork we'd all pile into Babe's car at 6:30 p.m., park near the entrance to Westmount Square and walk through the tunnel. Babe always had some candy in his pocket for us before the game and bought us a hotdog, chips and drink at the first intermission. Since my dad did dressingroom interviews after each game, we would wait for him at Alexis Nihon Plaza at the Dairy Queen where Babe would buy me a delicious hot fudge Sundae and a coffee milkshake to take home to mom.

Our friends used to like getting lifts home from Babe. He had an incredible sense if humour and was a bit of a daredevil behind the wheel. One night  when we came home from a game Babe got out of the car to talk to my mom. His late Saturday night ritual was to head to one of his siblings in Verdun to watch TV. Well on this night Chuck, who was probably no more than nine, came out of the house and crawled into the backseat. Babe took off to Verdun and when he was almost half way there Chuck bounced up and screamed "Boo!" While Babe was  in a slight state of shock, he maintained control of the car, turned around and returned Chuckie home.

As we got older, Chuck and I were given the go ahead to sit together at the games. But every now and then one of us would agree to bring Babe, for he was more than a babysitter, but a friend. His commentaries on the game were hilarious and he would make up songs to the organ music and sing them out loud. He became familiar with the ushers, the vendors and a guy named Dutchie who stood near our seats yelling "Go Habs Go!" through a megaphone.

We lived right next to Kirwan Park. In the winter we'd meet our friends for pickup hockey and in the summer we did the same for baseball.  Babe was one of the boys and always came out to play with us. He was actually quite a skilled hockey player and often told us how he grew up in Verdun with coaching legend Scotty Bowman.  With absolutely no equipment, he insisted on playing goalie. Nobody could get a puck by him.

Except for the winter, when he'd be visible shovelling, working the snowblower or installing Christmas lights, Babe was always outside on his front lawn feeding the squirrels. "Hello Suzy," he would always say to the first of many to arrive in his midst.

For many years the 161 bus actually stopped and rested directly in front of our houses. Passengers were literally on Babe's front steps. The drivers all enjoyed, of course, stopping their vehicles to chat with him.  Fortunately the stop was moved just around the corner at one time and this was when Babe truly became the neighbourhood greeter. Everyone going in and out of the park got to know him. Cars passing by would always honk as he leaned on his rake or lawnmower. There was no repair job too difficult for him. He'd climb the roof if necessary.

As the years went by,  Bob, Kate and Jen passed away. His niece Priscilla, known to many as the super waitress from the Snowon Deli, Delly Boys and Pumperniks, moved in.  We had grown up seeing a lot of Priscilla's two wonderful sons, Gregory and Tony Dyson. I saw each of them at the funeral for the first time in what is probably decades. They were like sons to Babe and the emotion in Gregory's voice as he read the eulogy made that clear.

Tom Savage was there as well. For years Tom was a scout for the NHL's Winnipeg Jets. He actually knew Babe from the Kahnawake golf course. No, Babe was not a golfer, but through his close friend Kenny he was a regular visitor and of course a Mr. Fixit.

Babe Learie touched so many lives. He was a truly good person whom I was lucky to know. When my mom moved to an apartment a few months ago, I thought to myself that the one connection we had all lost was to Babe. He was not on email and did not have a cell phone. I made a promise to myself that I would make some regular visits or call him just to stay in touch. I loved to hear his favorite sayings like, "Things go better with coke," or "She's bananas." To my sister Lisa, Babe was like an uncle  and she thoroughly enjoyed his company as well.

Several weeks ago mom learned that Babe had been hospitalized. We had hoped for the best. Unfortunately that was not to be. I only hope that he runs into Larry up there and the two of them can talk about old times.

Rest in Peace Babe. There will never be another person like you.

 

 

Popular Yeh! yogurt franchise coming to the Quartier Cavendish (Mall)

Here is some encouraging news for the owners of the Quartier Cavendish, formerly known as the Cavendish Mall.

It has been a few years now since half of “the Mall” was demolished to make room for an attractive housing development which continues to take shape. I have learned that the extraordinarily popular Yeh! Yogurt    will set up shop in the Quartier in June.  I spent many a night at their Monkland Avenue location last summer and  I just love the self-serve frozen yogurt concept. What makes it particularly appetizing is the fact as customers we serve ourselves, choosing from a wide variety of flavors, toppings, and sauces. Yeh! Has amazing flavors of the highest quality non-fat frozen yogurt, over 40 toppings, ranging from fresh fruits to dried toppings like cranberries, organic raisins, flax seed, to candy, cereals and chocolates.  

The company was founded in  2008 by Jean-Daniel Nadeau and Grace Yeh. Twin brothers and mega-successful businessmen Jon and Marvin Gurman bought into the business a few years ago and last December acquired all of the remaining shares. Their vision will see this brand expand to new heights for sure. Oh yes, the Gurmans grew up in  Côte Saint-Luc and their mom still lives in the community. This makes the whole deal doubly sweet.

"We signed the lease a few weeks ago, we finalized designs this week and signage is going up next week," Adam Coape-Arnold, JCorp's marketing and brand manager shared with me. "We will be located on the Avenue, a prime location facing the new condos to  Kildare and with a door also entering the Mall. We will bring back Cavendish as a destination for all ages to enjoy frozen yogurt in a cool setting with kosher ingredients!"

Yeh! now has a presence in Toronto, Nova Scotia and the United States. There is no question the Gurmans are now thinking internationally. ust as their clothing company, J Corp, has thrived, so will Yeh!

 “ We are prepared to execute our strategic plan,” the Gurmans state. “We will aggressively grow the chain in the next three years. We have a great brand with a proven record of success."

Yeh! will indeed give the Quartier/Mall a nice shot in the arm. It will be a great place to go after the movies and could keep a lot of youngsters hanging out in the community. Do any Mall trivia buffs remember Barton's?

Jewish Montreal in the 20’s: “The Main”

The ageless Joe King, 89 years young and among the most active seniors  I know, addressed our Côte Saint-Luc Senior Men`s Club this week. I asked him to provide a summary of his address.

The so-called “Main”—in essence, a Jewish ghetto transplanted from eastern Europe to downtown Montreal—was a largely bilingual (English and Yiddish) six- block wide swath of territory bisected by The Main—St. Lawrence Boulevard.

It was a strange, even foreign enclave, largely populated by colourfully-clad immigrants scrambling to make a living, as best they could, in this challenging new city.  To the west of The Main was the predominantly English world, to the east, the Francophones.

Life was a struggle for newcomers, even when they found work.  The biggest employer was the garment industry, where the working language often was Yiddish.   Even the foreman knew how to swear in Yiddish.  Newcomers would descend from vessels on the waterfront, be greeted by friends or family---walk up to what is now Chinatown—spend the night sleeping on the floor. (There were no guest rooms—or elevators—in the tenements.)  The next morning, with luck and connections, they would go to work in a factory.

For Montrealers, the most important Jew was Isaac Singer—but he never visited the city.  What he did was invent the popular Singer sewing machine—made a mint—and spent much of it on 19 wives.  The last one served as the model for the Lady with the Lamp in the Statue of Liberty.

 Jews dominated the manufacturing of clothing --in Montreal, Toronto, New York.  Even during the depths of the Great Depression, in 1931, 83% of the  Jewish work force were employed in manufacturing.

Many young people went to work at age ten or eleven—selling newspapers or peddling.  One of the companies supplying them was Ogilvy’s—today a ritzy department store, but then advertising in Yiddish!

(For a few years, Yiddish was an official language in Montreal thanks to Mayor Mederic Martin)

   Harry Hirschman had a great impact on the community.  In 1903, he gave the community its first Library—in the living room of his apartment.  The librarian was his wife—handling their few books and pamphlets after she returned home from work. 

In 1922, Hirschman was one of three Canadians who journeyed to the Ukraine where more than 100,000 Jewish children had been orphaned.  His team managed to rescue and find homes, mostly in Montreal, for 163.  He returned home one day and introduced one of the orphans to his astonished wife.  “This is our daughter,” he said.  The daughter, in later years known as Mrs. Arnold (Feiga) Fisher, became chair of the women’s division of Combined Jewish Appeal and lived into her nineties.

Stores of the twenties reflected the meagre living circumstances of the time.  Virtually nothing was thrown away. Used clothing was hung outside the shops.  Barrows could be rented for 25 cents a day and they sold everything from vegetables and fruit to used shoes. Hermann Reitmann—who founded the Reitmann chain of stores—started out like that. 

The scavenger for saleable items was the peddler with horse and wagon, making endless rounds crying out “any rags?”  Often the horses were old nags, treated with great kindness, but only months away from a glue factory.  During the bitter winters (much colder and longer than today), layers of old blankets and used overcoats adorned both horse and master.

The horse was also the family pet—the only one the family could afford.  It was a treat for younger children to be lifted onto the back of a bony old horse while father or grandfather fed the patient animal.  

 

In 1922, the Protestant School Board breathed a collective sigh of relief.  They opened the Baron Byng High School on St. Urbain Street—smack in the middle of a significant proportion of Montreal’s Jews.  Never comfortable with having Jews in its schools, the Protestant leaders cheerfully assured each other that they had established a Jewish educational ghetto, as it were, and the Jews would be sidelined.

It didn’t work out that way.  Instead, each year, Baron Byng High topped the lists of educational achievements.

The School’s alumni became a large segment of Canada’s who’s who—poets, politicians, authors, artists, business leaders.

One roughneck tamed in the system was Izzie Lazarovitch (who was ultimately expelled ) whose life changed forever when an English teacher named Saunders read to his class from Tennyson:

    “Sink me the ship, master gunner

     Sink her, split her in twain

     Fall into the hands of God

     Not into the hands of Spain”

At that moment, Izzie Lazarovitch was transformed into Irving Layton, one of Canada’s greatest poets.

Graduate Simon Reisman won international acclaim as the man who conceived of and negotiated the Free Trade Agreement—overpowering his American opposite number with his fierce determination.  (Once, it is claimed, Simon became so angry that he snubbed out his cigar on an 18^th century desk).  Reisman earned his high school tuition fees dishing out ice cream sodas.

Gerald Weiner became a cabinet minister.  Carl Goldenberg and Yoine Goldstein became senators.

(As a student, Goldenberg once encountered Prime Minister MacKenzie King in Ottawa and immediately advised the P-M on how he could do a better job.  Impressed, MacKenzie King invited Carl to have dinner with him.  “We just received lobsters from Prince Edward Island.”  “Thank you, but no.  They are not kosher.”)

Sydney Shulemsohn became a highly-decorated pilot, using his twin-engined Beaufighter to cannonade and rocket German warships and merchant vessels.  His leadership was so impressive that he was assigned to teach his attack techniques to scores of other pilots and led massive aerial attacks on Nazi targets.

Herbert Marx became Quebec’s Justice Minister and later a Judge. Phil Gold washed bottles in a brewery to pay for his tuition and discovered an important marker for cancer.  Gerald Weiner became Canada’s multiculturalism minister.  Mordechai Richler became a major literary figure.

Despite their achievements, the Jewish community faced widespread anti-Semitism.  One of the leading figures was McGill University’s Dean of Arts, Professor MacKay, who insisted that Jews would have to have higher scores before being admitted, on a limited basis, to the university.

In a way, it was poetic justice when McGill University—during the depression—found it financially impossible to continue operating its School of Social Work.  But two people came to the rescue—Gerald and Marjorie Bronfman—came to the rescue with a $50,000 gift.

     

 

 

First Quebec Spay and Neuter Day is February 26

Quebec's first Spay and Neuter Day is set for Tuesday, February  26 and on behalf of the Côte Saint-Luc Cats Committee (CSLCC)  I sure do hope that anyone with a cat or dog in their home that is not sterilized will  take the necessary action.

Pet overpopulation is at a crisis level in Quebec. Currently there  are approximately 380,000 dogs and cats in Montreal, of which 30,000 are not spayed or neutered.

I am glad to see the City of Montreal backing this campaign. Needless to say, the small team of volunteers at the CSLCC continue to do our part.  Over the past three years, thanks in large part to our partner Shelley Schecter of Educhat, we have had countless number of cats trapped and either spayed or neutered. This is serious business, as the only way to reduce the homeless cat population is to prevent these kitties from reproducing. We have a great deal of work to do. There is absolutely no excuse for someone who has an outdoor cat in particular not to have the animal sterilized.

If you fall into this category, visit the Côte St. Luc Hospital for Animals on Baily Road next to the Famous Delly Boys Plaza.  You can also go to the local SPCA. “We have a vet working full-time, six days a week just doing spay/neuter surgeries,” said the SPCA’s Alanna Devine. “For cats we're still fighting an uphill battle. Our euthanasia rate is about 30 per cent.”

 

Talented CSL artist Michael Litvack's Library Exhibit

Hats off to the multi-talented Michael Litvack, a resident of Côte Saint-Luc's District 2. An exhibit of his amazing paintings has been extended until May 5   at the Eleanor London Côte Saint-Luc Public Library.

"Being a long time resident of Côte Saint-Luc, beginning in 1955, I have mentally recorded the passing scene around Montreal," Litvack explains. " My exhibit is entitled Memories of the Non-Distant Past, and highlights how things have changed with time, using naive little people as participants.   People who remember Plage Laval, Val Morin, and Lachine from the 40's onward will get a kick out of my style, as well as younger viewers.

 

SAQ is closing its doors at the Quartier Cavendish (Mall); new toilet facilities

According to reliable sources, the SAQ outlet at  the Quartier Cavendish (formerly the Cavendish Mall) will be  closing its  doors  around Passover time. Even though this seems to be the destination for kosher consumers, the SAQ has deemed their sales not high enough to warrant this store staying open. Furthermore, I am told that the SAQ will not be permitting the IGA to sell kosher wine. So the only place to get kosher wine (and liquor) will be the SAQ outlet at the  Côte Saint-Luc Shopping Centre, an inconvenience for most CSL residents to say the least.  

There is, though, some good news at the Quartier as renovations of the public restrooms are now complete. The renovations were indeed  inconvenient,  with only two individual public restrooms available. However the new ones offer much greater space and they are 100 percent  barrier free (automatic toilets, sinks, soap dispensers and no doors to get in). The new restrooms are aksi wheelchair accessible and they have also added a family restroom for parents with young children and a dedicated handicap restroom for visitors requiring assistance. This update certainly brings the facilities to the same level as any other modern shopping centre.

 

Dr. Marc Afilalo and Roy Salomon receive Diamond Jubilee Medals in CSL

The City of Côte Saint-Luc presented Dr. Marc Afilalo and Roy Salomon with Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medals at the start of the council meeting on February 11.

Dr. Marc Afilalo was nominated for this award for his contribution in the field of emergency medicine. Chief of the Emergency  Department at the Jewish General Hospital for the past 27 years, Dr.  Afilalo has become a reference in the field of overcrowding, use and  misuse of the Emergency Department, acute asthma management, pain  control, treatment of unstable angina and myocardial infarct. He is also largely credited for the recognition and development of emergency  medicine as a specialty in Quebec.

Roy Salomon was nominated for his long time involvement with  Maccabi Canada, from player to eight-term president of the organization. Mr. Salomon has received numerous awards for his volunteer contribution to the sports community. He is this year’s Honourary Co-President of
the Maccabiah Games in Israel. He has also been Vice-President and Honourary President of the YM-YWHA, received the Norah and Joe Rubin Leadership Award for 50 years of involvement with the organization, and  is a 2001 recipient of the prestigious Yakir Maccabi Award. In 1995, he  was inducted to the Montreal Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.

I have personally known Roy most of my life and a finer gentleman you will not find. On April 14 he will be the honouree at the prestigious annual Cummings Jewish Centre for Seniors Foundation Sports Celebrity Breakfast.

“We are proud that these two deserving individuals are Côte Saint-Luc residents,” Mayor Anthony Housefather said. “They are both  uncontestedly leaders in their respective fields who have realized  significant contributions and achievements.”

Côte Saint-Luc also acknowledged  Councillor Dida Berku, who  received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in recognition of her community service and her initiatives in helping preserve the  natural environment. Councillor Berku was nominated for this medal by  Senator Judith Seidman.

“I’ve known Dida since 1994 and she is a worthy recipient of this  medal,” said Mayor Anthony Housefather. “It is rare to find someone who  combines the precision of an attorney, the political smarts of an  elected representative, and the passion of an environmentalist.  She is someone whose advice and counsel I rely upon.”

The Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal was created to mark the  60th anniversary of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s accession to the Throne. The medal is intended to honour individuals who have given  selflessly in service of their communities. During the year of  celebrations, 60,000 deserving Canadians will be recognized. Côte  Saint-Luc was invited to nominate two recipients.

Perfect conditions for CSL Winter Carnival

Mother Nature has been pretty cruel to us these past two months. However, she was indeed quite charitable for the main attraction of the Côte Saint-Luc Winter Carnival  on  Sunday, February 10 at Pierre Elliott Trudeau Park. Hundreds of  people showed up, mainly those with young children, to enjoy a free pancake breakfast, horse drawn carriage rides,  inflatable games and more.

Other kid-friendly activities included taffy on snow, snowshoeing,  kicksledding, tobogganing on the hill, puppet show, face painting, a  Scouts presentation, and snow games. Councillors Mitchell Brownstein and Allan J. Levine once again co-chaired the event. There was also a figure skating presentation and an outdoor hockey tournament. Our Parks and Recreation staff, this year headed by Jessica Weiss, had all of the logistics well in control.

The Côte Saint-Luc Winter Carnival runs until Saturday, February 16. Still to come is a Valentine's Dance  and a movie screening for  seniors. 

All Winter Carnival events are free except for the Valentine's Dance. Tickets   are $25 in advance or  $28 at the door.

 

 

Mayor Housefather addresses constituents - in Florida

There is a sizeable community of Snowbirds from Côte Saint-Luc in Florida. Mayor Anthony Housefather recently had the opportunity to address many of them at Century Village in Deerfield Beach.

Here is the scoop from Glenn J. Nashen's blog.

Happy birthday Samuel Rappaport

A very happy 85th birthday to one of my favorite constituents Samuel Rappaport, who its the magic number on February 1.

From the moment I first began to campaign to become the city councillor for District 2 some eight years ago, Sam was in my corner. He went door to door with me at his condo and provided a great deal of insight into different traffic issues. 

Sam worked as a buyer for the former Cumberland Drugs chain for more than two decades. Even in retirement, he sells cemetery monuments, goes to synagogue each morning, bowls and volunteers at the CLSC René-Cassin, Maimonides Geriatric Centre and Combined Jewish Appeal. He exercises at least twice a week. 

Sam and his dynamic wife Doreen have been married for 29 years. They have four children and nine grandchildren, including Kim (pictured with Sam below).

 

 

 

CSL to honour Jackie Robinson on Human Rights Walkway

On the eve of Black History Month I was pleased to announce that the City of Côte Saint-Luc will induct Jackie Robinson to our Human Rights Walkway on July 1, 2013 during the Canada Day celebrations at Pierre Elliott Trudeau Park. Councillor Allan J. Levine will co-chair this program with me.

“Although the understanding of racial equality has advanced a great deal since Jackie Robinson broke the major league colour barrier, his achievements in advancing tolerance and understanding through the world of sport deserves to be honoured,” Mayor Anthony Housefather said.

Although there had been African American baseball players as late as the 1880s in the professional leagues, the teams that made up professional baseball eventually agreed unofficially to stop using black players. In November 1945, the Brooklyn Dodgers General Manager Branch Rickey broke with convention and signed Robinson to a contract. Robinson played for Dodger’s triple-A team, the Montreal Royals in 1946. He debuted with the Dodgers in 1947 and was selected as the Rookie of the Year. Robinson was the National League’s Most Valuable player in 1949, and helped the Dodgers win the World Series in 1955. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962.

Having been involved in the sports world all of my life I cannot remember a time when black athletes did not make up a high percentage of major leaguers, But you only need to go back 60 years to know a time when there were no black players in Major League Baseball. Jackie Robinson changed history in a tangible way.

Councillor Levine said he hopes that local schools will find a way to bring Robinson’s inspiring life story part of the classroom curriculum, beginning in February, which is Black History Month in Canada. The Eleanor London Côte Saint-Luc Public Library will present a formal display of books about Jackie Robinson during the month of February.

Hollywood will also pay homage to Robinson this year with the release in April of the motion picture “42”, starring Harrison Ford as Dodgers owner Branch Rickey and Chadwick Boseman as Robinson.

 

Former Montreal Expo Warren Cromartie, and president of the Montreal Baseball Project, will partner with us to honour Robinson. He is scheduled to attend the ceremony on July 1, 2013. More details on the event will be released as the event approaches.

Inaugurated in September 2000, the Côte Saint-Luc Human Rights Walkway is dedicated to those men and women who, by their steadfast commitment to mankind, have held high the torch of human rights and let it light the world. Previous inductees include René Cassin, John P. Humphrey, Raoul Wallenberg, Jules Deschênes, Maxwell Cohen, Mary Two-Axe Early, Helen Suzman, Antonio Lamer, Miep Gies, Human Rights Activists for Oppressed Jews in Foreign Lands, and Aung San Suu Kyi.