MikeCohen.ca

Multi-million dollar Intergenerational/Aquatic complex announced for CSL

Today I was proud to be in attendance at a press conference at Côte Saint-Luc City Hall where city council's wish to build an intergenerational/aquatic centre became a reality thanks to an investment of $11.5 million from the federal and provincial governments. We will make up the remainder of the cost.

Provincial Minister of Municipal Affairs Lauren Lessard made his first visit to our community. He was accompanied by D'Arcy McGee MNA Lawrence Bergman. Senator Judith Seidman represented the federal government. Côte Saint-Luc Mayor Anthony Housefather gave Mr. Bergman a lot of credit for pursuing this file. Councillors Allan J. Levine and Ruth Kovac were also on hand. Ms. Kovac will co-chair the new project with Councillor Mitchell Brownstein. Below is a group photo after the announcement and the full press release.

 

Senator Judith Seidman, acting on behalf of the Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of State for Canada Economic Development, today joined Laurent Lessard, Minister of Municipal Affairs, Regions and Land Occupancy, and Lawrence S. Bergman, Member of the National Assembly for D’Arcy-McGee and Chair of the Government Caucus, in announcing that the City of Côte Saint Luc will receive $11,571,880 in joint government financial assistance under the Communities Component of the Building Canada Fund – Quebec for the construction of an intergenerational/aquatic centre.　

The project involves the construction of an intergenerational/aquatic centre covering a total gross area of about 5,456 square metres in the City of Côte-Saint-Luc. This new complex will comprise a 25-metre swimming pool, a wading pool, an indoor terrace adjacent to the aquatic pools, portable bleachers for about 200 people, multifunctional community halls, a physical fitness room and dance and warm up studios.　

The new complex will bring sport and recreational facilities under one roof and boast modern equipment tailored to contemporary indoor leisure and fitness activities as well as suite of activities for persons aged 55 and over. Students from nearby schools and residents from surrounding cities and boroughs will also be able to benefit from the activities and services on offer at the new centre.　

"Côte-Saint-Luc’s construction of a new intergenerational/aquatic centre will serve the interests of its residents and businesses. In supporting this project, we are seeing to it that the population enjoys the high quality of life for which our country is famous. Indeed, the Government of Canada is committed to equipping every community with modern facilities and equipment to ensure citizens’ health and safety. The renewal of public infrastructure is part of a broad action plan that will enable us to thrive and prosper in a healthy environment," stated Senator Judith Seidman.　

"By participating in this project, the Government of Quebec is moving forward to ensure the province’s municipalities have infrastructure that meets their unique realities while fostering sustainable development. By injecting new capital into the Quebec Infrastructure Plan, our government is looking to accelerate the execution of numerous infrastructure projects throughout the province, like this one in Côte Saint Luc, in an effort to improve Quebecers’ well-being, create jobs and promote a high-performance economy. In this way, we are leaving the municipality a legacy of quality infrastructure with which to face the challenges of the future," said Minister Laurent Lessard.　

"Côte-Saint-Luc is the Island of Montréal’s third largest city and its population is growing faster than that of Quebec as a whole. It is important that the City have all the necessary infrastructure to meet the needs of its increasing number of residents," added MNA Lawrence S. Bergman.　

Completion of this project will necessitate an overall eligible investment of $17,357,821. The governments of Quebec and Canada will each contribute $5,785,940 toward the work, for a total of $11,571,880 in combined government funding, while the City of Côte Saint Luc will assume the remaining third, or $5,785,941, of the project’s costs.　

The Communities Component of the Building Canada Fund – Quebec is a cost-sharing initiative aimed at funding infrastructure projects in communities with fewer than 100,000 inhabitants. These communities are thus able to use this assistance to improve infrastructure that is in major need of revitalization, including water treatment plants, water supply systems and cultural and sports centres.　

For provinces, like Quebec, that have committed all of their funding under the Communities Component, the Government of Canada’s Economic Action Plan provides for up to $500 million in additional funding for projects that will be completed by March 31, 2011.　

In Quebec, a joint federal-provincial contribution of $232 million will be used to fund 106 infrastructure projects.　

The contribution from the Government of Canada has been awarded through Canada’s Economic Action Plan. To learn more about this plan, visit　

www.actionplan.gc.ca.　

For further information on the Government of Quebec’s Quebec Infrastructure Plan, see　www.infrastructures.gouv.qc.ca.　

Aussi disponible en français :　www.dec-ced.gc.ca.　

Meeting Canada's Governor General

I met Canada’s Governor General, Her Excellency The Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean,  for the very first time. It was on the occasion  of her visit to   Share the Warmth in Point St. Charles, the wonderful organization which assists people living below the poverty line. Among the volunteers on hand that day were a group of students from John Grant High School in Côte Saint-Luc.

A well-known journalist and broadcaster in Quebec,   Jean immigrated from Haiti with her family at an early age. Fluent in five languages - French, English, Italian, Spanish and Haitian Creole - she is the first black Governor General of Canada. A social activist for women and children at risk, she has always said that her  plans called for  to using the office of Governor General to help disadvantaged young people.

Jean has been in this prestigious post for nearly five years. She travels around the world representing our country. Ironically her visits in  Montreal are few and far between. It is no surprise then that given her background as a social acfivisit she chose Share the Warmth, which began in the winter of 1989 after three women were moved to collect warm clothing and food for the homeless. They put out a plea to the public via an article in The Gazette.  The response was overwhelming.  People called to volunteer, to donate clothes, to sort clothes, to donate food and to help with deliveries.
The group incorporated in February 1990 and moved into Point St. Charles in 1991. They continued to collect and distribute food and clothing and deliver to the homeless on the street, to drop in centres and to shelters. It was in 1992 social workers and individuals from the community were requesting that food be given out to individuals and families living below the poverty line. That was the start of the food bank. The first month 39 baskets were prepared. In the next year the first request from a school for food came. James Lyng High School had a teacher who recognized that students were coming to school hungry. He began to give them snacks from his classroom. He asked for   help and that was the start of the School Food Program. From that base Share the Warmth expanded its programs to answer many more needs of the community. Each step of the way has helped thousands of people.
The Governor General spent almost two hours at Share the Warmth, shaking hands and talking to the many clients, playing with children and talking to students about their future. She is a classy lady and I can see why former Prime Minister Paul  Martin decided to recommend  her appointment to the Queen. Michaëlle Jean is a distinguished head of state and we  are lucky to have her.

A successful 2010 CSL Winter Carnival

The 2010 Côte Saint-Luc Winter Carnival  was a big success,  featuring horse-drawn carriage rides, taffy on the snow, a pancake breakfast, outdoor hockey tournament and much more at Pierre Elliott Trudeau Park and the Samuel Moskovitch Arena over the Valentine’s Day Weekend. In fact, the fun continues on Saturday evening, February 20  (7:30 p.m.) at the Côte Saint-Luc Gymnasium (7500 Mackle Road) with the second annual “Dance to the Oldies But Goodies,” with music from the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s. Tickets are $18 (in advance only). Call 514-485-6806 for details.

Congratulations to our Parks and Recreation staff and event co-chairs, Councillors Mitchell Brownstein and Allan J. Levine.  

The fun all began on Friday, February 12 with the beginning of the Peewee ‘A' invitational outdoor hockey tournament. Eight teams from various communities  participated.   On Saturday, February 13, there was a  special public skating session at the Samuel Moskovitch Arena., with all proceeds from the entrance fees going to Manoir Ronald McDonald (

(www.rmhc.ca). The latter, located in Côte des Neiges,  offers an affordable and comforting home away from home for families who have a child hospitalized for a serious sickness in a Montreal hospital.  

On Sunday, February 14, a hot pancake breakfast was served in Chalet 1 of Pierre Elliott Trudeau Park.

The breakfast was sponsored by McDonald's franchisee Pierre Brunet.  I had a chance to chat with our most beautiful police officer, Station 9’s Marie Christine Nobert, who is always on hand for our events to lend a hand. Over the course of the afternoon children got to enjoy face painting, arts and crafts, balloons, hot chocolate, cider, taffy on snow, inflatable activities, horse-drawn carriage rides and skating on Centennial Lake.  Luc Carnival, the event mascot, was busy making the rounds.

I also had a chance to view the magnificent figure skating club exhibition and take part in the presentation of trophies.

Following this we had the pleasure of presenting a cheque of $3,000 to  Le Manoir Ronald McDonald de Montréal, increasing the figure of $2,500 from last year.

Public skating was free of charge from for one hour and that was followed by   the Youth Hockey all-star game...

 

Event sponsors included The Suburban, Domino's Pizza, IGA Pagano, Qualitifruits and Infusion Catering.

 

-

Mike Cohen"s video message to constituents: February 2010