MikeCohen.ca

CSL adopts anti-smoking by-law dealing with the outdoors

I am very proud that my colleagues and I on  Côte Saint-Luc city council have adopted a by-law to expand our  smoking ban to certain outdoor areas.  District 4 Councillor Steven Erdelyi (pictured) sponsored this piece of legislation, which passed unanimously.The new by-law will ban smoking within 20 meters of children's outdoor playgrounds and near municipal sports fields.   We will also ban smoking in our public parks during special events like Canada Day. For those who break the law, a fine of $50 will be issued for the first offence and $100 if you do so again.

A lot of people will tell you that this by-law will not be easy to enforce. However,  I like the fact that a citizen can now approach a person who is blowing smoke at Pierre Elliott Trudeau Park with young children close by and tell him or her to butt out.

Our city took a leadership role many years ago when the late Eric Helfield sponsored the first anti-smoking by-law. I was a reporter for The Suburban Newspaper  at that time, covering City Hall.

I do not smoke and I have a low tolerance for those who do so around me. I know it is an addiction, but  I do hope that actions like this might prompt some more people to kick the habit.

 

City Councillor for CSL District 2: my 2011 look back

As the year 2011 draws to a close, I would like to take a look back in my capacity as the Côte Saint-Luc city councillor for District 2. 

In November 2009 I was acclaimed for my second term in office. The electorate, in fact, returned Mayor Anthony Housefather and the same eight councillors who were voted in after the demergers with Montreal in 2005. I think we make a good team.  One of Mayor Housefather’s first acts was to assign portfolios to each councillor. This is a system that works well as we are all responsible for different aspects of how the city functions. In my case I handle communications, corporate identity, intercommunity relations, sponsorship and now the Trap, Neuter Release (TNR) program for cats.

Here is my look back at some 2011 highlights.

Rembrandt Park

Plans to construct new tennis courts at Rembrandt Park and move the basketball courts to another section were put on hold after the city came to an agreement with the English Montreal School Board for a long term lease of the tennis courts at the Giovanni Palatucci Facility (former Wagar High School). They had not been operational for the previous two years and could only be brought back to life with a total makeover. Council decided to allocate funds to rebuild those courts since they are centrally located. That will be completed next May. 

I am very pleased to say that since my election, there have been many positive developments at Rembrandt Park. We flattened the former soccer pit there. For years we had problems with youth rolling benches down the hill and using the area as a kind of hideout. Incidents of people throwing rocks late at night under the cover of dark were plentiful.  

We have added new park equipment and introduced a much appreciated water spray system. This winter we are introducing something completely new: a synthetic ice surface. It will be enclosed within the gates of one of the tennis courts. Synthetic ice is a solid polymer material designed for skating using normal metal-bladed ice skates. Rinks are constructed by interlocking panels. District 2 resident Steve Stein is the man behind the concept and we will have a formal opening of the facility in early 2012.

Rembrandt Park will be back on the agenda for some changes in 2012.  I know that we must deal with the lighting system there and we will determine if there is sufficient funding to do something. I will be consulting with residents before that happens.   At the Tennis Committee we came up with some new proposals regarding Rembrandt. My hope is to have a special placemaking session, whereby some area residents will be invited to be part of the process.  Placemaking is a multi-faceted approach to the planning, design and management of public spaces. Put simply, it involves looking at, listening to, and asking questions of the people who live, work and play in a particular space, to discover their needs and aspirations. This information is then used to create a common vision for that place. The vision can evolve quickly into an implementation strategy, beginning with small-scale, do-able improvements that can immediately bring benefits to public spaces and the people who use them. Stay tuned for more information.

Graffiti Issues

Residents of Les Villas Merrimac, a small town house development located at the corner of Merrimac and Rembrandt (with some units fronting on Cavendish), contacted me regarding a rash of graffiti appearing on their property. I arranged a meeting with the residents and had three officers from Police Station 9 and Councillor Glenn J. Nashen (responsible for the public safety portfolio) join me. We surveyed the area and gave them tips on how to help us identify the perpetrators. Some residents believe they actually caught the culprit, a young teen, but when he was apprehended no spray paint could be found.  The main message here is that we hope the perpetrators know that people are on the lookout.

Traffic

I held my annual June District 2 Information Meeting. This is a concept I campaigned on whereby residents can sit down with their elected official with the focus on specific concerns in the immediate neighbourhood. Representatives from Public Works and Engineering joined me. We engaged in discussion and dialogue regarding the Cavendish/Kildare intersection, traffic issues, construction at the Cavendish Mall and Marc Chagall and the municipal snow dump.

Beth Chabad

Beth Chabad finally moved into its new community centre on Kildare Road and Marc Chagall. The facility is not completely ready. While much work needs to be done over the winter months, when Rabbi Mendel Raskin (pictured with me here) gave me a personal tour of the sprawling facility I was incredibly impressed. This facility was almost two decades in the making. Beth Chabad operated out of the Côte Saint-Luc Shopping Centre, the Cavendish Mall, Bialik High School and trailers in their parking lot. Our Building Inspection Division  devoted a lot of time and energy to ensure the facility was up to code and all safety measures were adhered to, enabling them to move in for the high holidays. Rabbi Raskin remains a golden ambassador to our community. He remains active year-round, with his wonderful wife Sarah,  organizing high profile events and inviting the community at large to take part. It is this type of attitude which will no doubt contribute to a healthy membership at his shul.

New Town  Houses

Les Cours Marc Chagall, the 21 unit town house complex on Marc Chagall Avenue, began to take shape. New developers Gerald Issenman (pictured) and David Brown enlisted real estate dynamo Anita Benabou Rozenblat and most of the units are already sold, with occupancy expected  for next summer.

Quartier Cavendish

The Cavendish Mall was renamed Quartier Cavendish. Developer Joe Levine moved forward with his new development, Centrepoint Homes, http://centrepointehomes.com/go/  which when completed will be a thing of beauty. A number of the homes will be in District 2. It has been very exciting to see the progress made since half of the Mall was demolished. New roads were constructed in recent months and we will introduce new street names – The Avenue, Jubilee and Park Place.

Bialik High School

I continue to work with Bialik High School, specifically in regard to ensuring that parents dropping off their kids abide by traffic bylaws and not block local driveways. When I welcomed new principal Ken Scott to the community last summer, that is the first subject we addressed.

Aquatic and Community Centre

In the city at large our gorgeous $18 million Aquatic and Community Centre (ACC) opened in September, only 10 months after construction began. Two thirds of the funding came from the provincial and federal governments. We had an exciting opening ceremony and a few months later Minister of Municipal Affairs Laurent Lessard came for a tour. There is an indoor competition pool, an indoor recreation pool, a fitness room, a teen lounge, a games rooms, a kids room and babysitting service, a large rentable space for parties and conferences (something which community organizations were particularly interested in), a dance and aerobic studio, senior lounges, a library branch, an art studio and more. We are also now open for business in regard to  naming rights. If a family or company wishes to have their name associated with any part of the complex, they should approach me.

When I was first elected and received the Intercommunity Relations portfolio I decided to develop a data base of every community organization operating within the confines of Côte Saint-Luc. Once that was in place I began holding meetings, where representatives from these organizations would come together and report on their activities. This turned out to be an excellent networking opportunity to begin with. In between meetings, we started to email them information about activities we thought they should know about.  Each meeting is, in fact, hosted by a different organization. This past fall we convened at the ACC, recognizing that many groups will probably want to use/rent this facility.

Canada Day

I co-chaired 2011 Canada Day festivities with Councillor Allan J Levine. It was a perfect day in terms of the weather and by the time the fireworks display began there were thousands of people in Pierre Elliott Trudeau Park. During the evening we had a citizenship ceremony, a human rights walkway installation, music and dancing from Fresh Entertainment and The Directors Showband, games for kids and much more. The fireworks were dedicated to our Canadian troops overseas and a member of the Canadian Forces  joined us as a special guest. At the left we handed out Canada Day cupcakes.

Seniors Programming

Councillor Sam Goldbloom and I co-chaired the annual Seniors Golf Open at Meadowbrook. I also emceed the event’sd awards banquet. This is an event I always enjoy. The same goes for the Senior Men’s Club Gala Dance, which took place in November in the ACC’s new multipurpose room.   Dynamic Men’s Club president Sidney Margles, with an assist from D’Arcy McGee Liberal MNA Lawrence Bergman, arranged for Quebec Finance Minister  Raymond Bachand to come address the group. (Bergman also brought Premier Jean Charest to CSL for the annual Yom Hashoah commemoration at the Tifereth Beth David Jerusalem Congregation).

Cats Committee

The city’s Trap, Neuter and Release (TNR) program for cats officially got started. City council provided $5,000 in funding and Canadian Pacific Railway added another $2,000. I decided to establish an actual Côte Saint-Luc Cats Committee (CSLCC). We have a small, but dedicated, committee which had a busy year of trapping.  Our mandate will expand to a lot of education in the community. I represented the city at a major animal welfare conference in November. We need more people to work with us so please give us a call. The provincial government and the City of Montreal finally appear to be taking some important initiatives where animal welfare is concerned and we will follow this closely.

Dance Championships

Côte Saint-Luc’s Gymnasium was chosen as the venue for a major provincial Dance Championship. It was an absolutely fabulous event to attend. Celebrity television judge Jean-Marc Genereux was on hand to watch. His son was among the competitors.

In Passing

Rabbi Reuben J. Poupko of Beth Israel Beth Aaron Congregation walked down the aisle with prominent makeup artist Mindy Shear…The  Israeli Consul General of Israel, Joel Lion, moved to Côte Saint-Luc with his family…Star singer Ranee Lee came to our annual Blood Donor Clinic in May as a special celebrity guest….Côte Saint-Luc remained  a leader in social media, via our CSL TV and Facebook pages and a new app for smart phones. We produced a monthly calendar of events, mailed to each home, produced a special e-newsletter and our Côte Saint-Luc Courier tabloid newspaper twice during the year….The annual Maisons Fleuries contest  showcased the wonderful work our residents do with their gardens. An awards ceremony was held at City Hall in November…Finally, in December we adopted our 2012 budget, with an average 2.87 percent  

There are a lot of good things going on in Côte Saint-Luc. It is why I chose to live here for most of my life! Please subscribe to my blog at www.mikecohen.ca. Read me in The Suburban Newspaper, The Jewish  Tribune, The Montrealer, The Montreal Jewish Magazine, Sandboxworld.com and others

CSL to honour our Forces at Canada Day Fireworks

As co-chairs of Canada Day this Friday in Côte Saint-Luc, Councillor Allan J. Levine and I are pleased to announce that our grand fireworks presentation at 9:40 p.m. willl honour our Canadian troops serving in Afghanistan.

From the time this council was elected in  2005, we adopted a practice of paying tribute at the start of each public meeting to any of our troops who have lost their lives in Afghanistan.

It should be a very emotional rendition of O Canada as we introduce Lieutenant-Colonel Pierre Sasseville to an audience which will be in the thousands.

We take this opportunity to warmly thank the Hon. Irwin Cotler, MP from Mount Royal and Howard Liebman from the Mount Royal Riding Office and Mervyn Frame, Special Assistant (Acting MP Liaison) Office of the Minister of National Defence/National Defence Headquarters for assisting us in this endeavor.

Watch this tribute to our troops:

 

 

CSL Players enjoy successful first event

The newly formed Côte Saint-Luc Dramatic Society   presented  its first show last Sunday  at the City Hall Auditorium before a capacity crowd of more than 200 people. Dining Out included an evening of scenes, sketches and songs and a cast of more than 30 people, including Mayor Anthony Housefather and Councillor Mitchell Brownstein.

“We got together a group of youth, seniors, residents, city staff and even elected officials to all participate as one family in a truly enjoyable experience,” commented Brownstein.  “One of the ladies in our cast told me this was the best activity she has participated in, for as long as she can remember.”

Brownstein credited director Anisa Cameron for allowing people to express their creative talents, “but teach each one of us how to work together as one family. The values you teach our youth in the many productions you have directed helps them become good human beings.”
Noted West End physician Jerold  Rappaport performed and acted as an assistant to Cameron. 

Here is a scene involving Brownstein from  the Little Shop of Horrors "Be a Dentist."

 

A sneak peek of the CSL Aquatic and Community Centre

Your mayor and members of city council have had a number of opportunities already to see the progress of construction of the new  $18 million Côte Saint-Luc Aquatic and Community Centre  (the  ACC), which is expected to open its doors on Parkhaven Avenue by September.  We had our latest sneak preview a few days ago and I was just astonished at how much work has been done since they first broke ground last fall.

The complex will include a 10-lane competition pool (which I am standing by above), a recreational pool, the Senior Social Centre, multipurpose rooms for meetings and banquets, a satellite public library, a dance studio, an art studio, an exercise room with physical fitness equipment, a games room, a youth drop-in room, a kids gymnasium room, a babysitting service for parents using the facility, a coffee shop, and an exterior terrace.

Our ACC has been a project that community leaders have long dreamed of. As a former competitive swimmer, one of  Mayor Anthony Housefather’s  dreams has been to bring an indoor swimming pool to the city. Our competition pool will allow us to have a swim team, a master’s team, a synchronized swimming team, a water polo team, and other activities such as free swim, swimming lessons for older kids, and programs to prepare them to become lifeguards.”  The recreational pool will also provide games and fun for families, a beach area, swim lessons for younger children, aquasize classes and more.

The governments of Quebec and Canada have given Côte Saint-Luc grants totaling up to a maximum of $11.57 million, which equals two-thirds of the costs of building the facility. Mayor Housefather and councillors Mitchell Brownstein and Ruth Kovac (pictured above with Councillor Glenn J. Nashen) are overseeing the project. City Manager Tanya Abramovitch and Parks and Recreation Director David Taveroff are the key leaders among senior staff while we are very fortunate to have someone of the calibre of Anthony Palumbo to take care of the day-to-day operations of the work crew

I am very excited, as the Côte Saint-Luc City Councillor responsible for sponsorship, that we have engaged the services of   BNP Strategies Philanthropic Management (BNP) to conduct a feasibility study for a fundraising campaign for the ACC. When I was first elected and handed this portfolio I immediately set out to  establish a process where we could move towards the areas of event and program sponsorship and ultimately naming rights. Within two years of the start of our first mandate a series of guidelines were approved by council. Sponsorship agreements for events and of certain publications also started  to take shape. The coming of the ACC, I believe, provides really opportunities for naming rights.   I am anxious to see the case statement BNP presents to us in the early summer.

 
Councillor Sam Goldbloom likes what he sees.

 

More on CSL's placemaking experience

In a previous entry I described the very interesting exercise  senior staff, the mayor and members of council took part in related to placemaking. I know that for me it will be a big help in particular as we continue to look at possible changes to Rembrandt Park.  Read more here.

My CSL Year in Review for 2010

As the year 2010 draws to a close, I would like to take a look back in my capacity as the Côte Saint-Luc city councillor for District 2. 

Second Term In Office

In November 2009 I was acclaimed for my second term in office. The electorate, in fact, returned Mayor Anthony  Housefather and the same eight councillors who were voted in after the demergers with Montreal in 2005. I think we make a good team.  One of Mayor Housefather’s first acts was to assign portfolios to each councillor. This is a system that works well as we are all responsible for different aspects of how the city functions. In my case I handle communications, corporate identity, intercommunity relations, sponsorship and now the Trap, Neuter Release (TNR) program for cats.

Here is my look back at some 2010 highlights.

Rembrandt Park

There was a lot of discussion and activity related to Rembrandt Park. I am very proud of the fact we have made a number of improvements here over the last few years. The former soccer pit was filled, new play equipment added and a water spray area, which the young children enjoy immensely, introduced in 2009.  The park presently has two tennis courts and a lighting system which needs to be updated. Last June I hosted one of my District 2 information meetings, at which time I presented some of the options that were being considered.  This included adding three or four more tennis courts and relocating the basketball court to the side closer to Merrimac. In fact, a half court was being proposed. There was a great deal of feedback after the meeting and I brought that all back to council. Some residents even met with the staff from Parks and Recreation to bring their points home. We went out for tenders at the end of the summer.

The quotations we received were far above what was budgeted. While we will seek bidders again in 2011, due to the cost of the $18 million Aquatic and Community Centre going up on Parkhaven Avenue, we may have to hold back on this work a bit longer.  Our new city manager, Tanya Abramovitch, has also come forward with a new proposal for Rembrandt Park which I believe merits our attention. Stay tuned on that one.

Snow Dump Parking Lot

Last summer the garage at  6555 Kildare Road was being fixed. The owner approached me to see what could be done for his many residents in terms of parking. Thanks to the assistance of Director of Public Safety Jordy Reichson, arrangements were made to convert the snow dump into a special parking lot. Some residents with specific medical conditions were given permission to park on the street. Fortunately the work was completed just before our first snow fall.

Piping on Kildare Road and New Stop Signs

Work was carried out on Kildare Road during the month of July and completed in early August to change the underground pipes in order to avoid the type of water main breaks we experienced in 2009. I gained the city council’s support to have this job moved up in the schedule at a cost of $426,000. Now that the work is completed the pipes shouldn't need to be repaired or replaced for approximately 50 years. There were some bonuses added to this project. An additional $26,000 was secured to finally fix the stretch of pavement from Rembrandt to Cavendish.  And, following a lot of feedback from residents of Rembrandt, Merrimac, Sir Walter Scott and most notably Ilan Ramon  Crescent, new stop signs were installed at the corner of Sir Walter Scott and Kildare Road. I have spoken to Police Commander Sylvain Bissonnette for his patrols to observe the spot closely as many motorists are not abiding by the rules there.

Digital Signage

In 2010 digital signage finally arrived in the city of Côte Saint-Luc.  This was an initiative I had been pushing since first being elected. An attractive four by seven full colour and weatherproof LED display now stands at the corner of Cavendish  Boulevard and Kildare Road. Kazoo Digital, which already provides digital signage solutions for retailers, medical and dental clinics, and corporate offices with the use of in house digital display systems, is our partner in this endeavor. Messages appearing on the sign represent a combination of city announcements and advisories and paid advertisements.  We hope to see a few more surface in 2011.

New Town Houses

A lot of people have asked me what is happening with the 21 unit town house complex on Marc Chagall. Many will recall that the land was originally zoned for a strip mall. Following several consultations with my constituents in that area, it was clear that a strip mall was not desirable. We changed the zoning and allowed a developer to start selling units.  He an option to buy the land. Because such a transaction has not yet occurred, no construction has been allowed to take place.

New Zoning for Highrises

Meanwhile, when the city adopted a new master plan earlier in the year we rezoned the parcel of land that sits between the Le Rothchild I building and the Marquise to accommodate a highrise of a maximum 12 storeys, compared to the original 17. A previous Council had given approval a number of years ago for two twin tower buildings. That never took off. The land is vacant and while we have no indication that someone else might be interested, residents of the condos there now appear very pleased with the turn of events.

Cavendish Mall

District 2 stands to grow as a result of the development of the Cavendish Mall property. After many years of negotiation, council came to an agreement with the owners of the Mall for them to demolish 40 percent of the facility. The father and son team of Joe and Jason Levine of Dubelle Investments now plan to construct an attractive housing development. Work should commence in March. Right now the demolition is complete and debris must be carted away.

Kildare Towers

I have heard from many residents of Kildare Towers, located on Honore de Balzac, regarding the construction. Recently we created a small walking path to make their route into the remaining part of the Mall easier. I believe that as a result of this development their building will become more desirable as well.  The owner of the property is Howard Szalavetz, who also has the  Manoir Camelia next to City Hall under his auspices. Howard is a pleasure to deal with.

Aquatic and Community Centre

In the city at large, I was excited to be at both the initial announcement and the groundbreaking for our Aquatic and Community Centre. I hope to be doing laps in the new indoor pool in the fall.

New Public High School

We may also have a new public high school in the city in September.  Our mayor has made it a priority to lobby the English Montreal School Board (where I work by day) to bring back a high school to the old Wagar building. The city hosted a public meeting on the issue with the EMSB in October and it was standing room only. We will watch and see what happens if the EMSB Council approves a new three year plan in February, which would include the Côte Saint-Luc high school option. If that occurs, registration would begin soon after for the launch of a Grade 7 only school with sports concentration and heritage language options.

 Canada Day and Human Rights

During Canada Day festivities I co-chaired with Councillor Glenn J. Nashen the Human Rights Walkway Ceremony. Based on our respective histories with the Canadian Jewish Congress we chose to honour those who spoke out and fought for Jews oppressed in the former Soviet Union, Syria, and Ethiopia. It was an emotional experience, particularly as we saluted Rabbi Martin Penn. He was not able to be there with us due to illness. I am proud to announce that on Friday, July 1, 2011 I will co-chair Canada Day festivities with Councillor Allan J. Levine.

Seniors Golf

Councillor Sam Goldbloom and I co-chaired the Seniors Golf Outing Outing at Meadowbrook. I also emceed the awards banquet. This is an event I always enjoy. The same goes for the Senior Men’s Club Gala Dance. District 2 resident Sidney Margles is now the president of the Club and is working with us on the new Aquatic and Community Centre, which will also become the headquarters for our seniors groups.

Trap, Neuter and Release

As a self confessed cat lover, I asked for and received a mandate from the mayor to look into the feasibility of implementing a Trap, Neuter and Release (TNR) program for cats. In August I hosted an unprecedented public information meeting at City Hall about what residents can do to help control our cat population. It exceeded my expectations in terms of interest. A standing room only crowd of more than 100 people stretched into the hallway. Media coverage in advance of the meeting and on this night was exceptional. Alanna Devine, the director of animal welfare at the local Canadian Society for the Prevention for Cruelty to Animals (CSPCA) and Dr. Marlene Kalin, the director of the Côte Saint-Luc   Hospital for animals, were special guest speakers.

Focus was placed on the Trap, Neuter, and Release (TNR) program, cat overpopulation, and responsible pet ownership. The TNR program humanely traps, sterilizes, then releases feral cats back into their original territory. Experts say that removing feral cats doesn't work because new cats simply move into the area. If the cat is adoptable, efforts are made to place it with a family. A cat can reproduce four times a year, beginning from six months old, and can give birth to from one to eight kittens each time.  We now have a committee in place and in the 2011 Côte Saint-Luc budget, a total of $5,000 has been allocated.  Our Director of Legal Services and City Clerk Jonathan Shecter got in touch with the head office of Canadian Pacific Railway, advising him that many of the feral cats are in the local CP Yards. The back and forth correspondence was very fruitful and CP has agreed to contribute $2,000 to the fund. Some committee members will assist me with fundraising and an education component. I am extremely pleased with these turn of events as our city is taking a leadership role which others should follow.

 Intercommunity Relations

When I was first elected and received the Intercommunity Relations portfolio I decided to develop a data base of every community organization operating within the confines of Côte Saint-Luc. Once that was in place I began holding meetings, where representatives from these organizations would come together and report on their activities. This turned out to be an excellent networking opportunity to begin with. In between meetings, we started to email them information about activities we thought they should know about.  Each meeting is, in fact, hosted by a different organization. In the fall we convened at Bialik High School where we were introduced to their new principal Shireen Butman. The dialogue was fruitful and I look forward to future gatherings. I continue to work with the Bialik administration in an effort  to have the parent motorists abide by the rules of the road. During the year I brought some students from Bialik to City Hall where our engineering manager Charles Senekal and Public Safety Director Jordy Reichson  spoke about ways in which they could make the area around the school safer.

New City Management

In 2010 the city council made an important move by promoting Director of Library Services Tanya Abramovitch and Director of Human Resources Nadia DiFurria to the posts of city manager and associate city manager. Tanya had impressed the entire council early on in this mandate when we chose her to head the library. She moved up even further on our list when she took charge of our strategic plan, a very exciting look into the future of our city which citizens will learn a lot more about in 2011.

2011 Budget

Finally, on December 20 council adopted the 2011 budget. We were faced with many challenges, starting with a seven percent increase in agglomeration expenses. Montreal has been taking advantage of the demerged suburbs from day one. Regrettably, the provincial government has not done enough to stop this injustice. I hate to think about what will occur in two years when the Parti Québecois is voted into office. That will happen, unless Premier Jean Charest resigns soon and is succeeded by a charismatic new leader.  We adopted a $59 million budget, with an average tax increase of 2.98 percent.

In the city itself I would like to salute some businesses:

• Kosher Self Service and Côte St. Luc Kosher and the Famous Delly Boys, both operating in the same plaza on Westminster Avenue.  Heading home from work, anxious for a good home cooked meal, but hoping someone will do the chore for you? Go see Mrs. Roth, Avi Brook and their team at Kosher Self Service/Cote St. Luc Kosher on Westminster for a ready to eat chicken schnitzel meal with amazing roasted potatoes. The place has great Chinese food and a whole lot more. Avi,  the kosher butcher extraordinaire, has specials on minced meat, flanken steaks, rib roast, short ribs and beef stew to name a few.  In 2010, the Famous Delly Boys got new owners - Tahir and Kharson  Lifanov,  with their mom Fatima. Tahir and Kharson have rejuvenated the place and brought back original owner Sonny Broccoli to lend his steady hand behind the counter. There are new additions to the menu, a website and great customer service.
• George at Caldwell Provisions has a kitchen of his own on the premises. Here too you can stop by anytime and get good home cooked meals.  On Westminster, Infusion Catering makes some of the best burgers I have tasted. Owner and chef Derek Curzi will cater your meal with Italian dishes, schnitzel and a whole lot more.
• Hats off to Raffi Abikian, who always stays calm at his Shell Service Station on Westminster despite a very demanding clientele. In addition to his body shop  in N.D.G., he has now opened a second automobile repair  shop in that area and put ace mechanic Zack in charge.
• At the Côte Saint-Luc Shopping Centre, Constantine the Tailor is probably the most reliable person in the community with needle and thread.
•  The best bagels in the city? CSL Bagel on Caldwell wins hands down. In 2010 the place went kosher. Next door is the Pharmaprix with the best customer service  thanks to ace technicians Thomas Virta and Sheila Cohen and seasoned pharmacists like Saul Singer.
  There are a lot of good things going on in Côte Saint-Luc. It is why I chose to live here for most of my life!
•  Please subscribe to my blog at www.mikecohen.ca. Read me in The Suburban Newspaper, The Jewish  Tribune, The Montrealer, The Montreal Jewish Magazine, Sandboxworld.com, The Jewish Standard and others.
   

A lesson in "placemaking" for council

The mayor, members of city council and senior staff took part in a day-long workshop on placemaking recently. I must say it was a most interesting experience and I thank Mayor Anthony Housefather, Councillor Ruth Kovac and City  Manager Tanya Abramovitch for inspiring us to take part.
A few weeks ago the mayor, Councillor Kovac and Tanya attended a conference and met the people from  Project for Public Spaces (PPS),  a non-profit planning, design and educational organization dedicated to helping people create and sustain public spaces that build stronger communities.  Their pioneering “placemaking” approach helps citizens transform their public spaces into vital places that highlight local assets, spur rejuvenation and serve common needs.
PPS was founded in 1975 to expand on the work of William (Holly) Whyte, the author of The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces. Since then, they have completed projects in over 2,500 communities in 40 countries and all 50 US states. Partnering with public and private organizations, federal, state and municipal agencies, business improvement districts, neighborhood associations and other civic groups, we improve communities by fostering successful public spaces.
In addition to leading projects in their nine program areas, PPS also trains more than 10,000 people every year and reaches countless more through its websites and publications. PPS has become an internationally recognized center for resources, tools and inspiration about Placemaking.
Through research, conferences, and strategic partnerships, PPS promotes “placemaking” as a transformative agenda to address some of the most pressing issues of our time.  In its broadest application, “placemaking” is a catalyst for building healthy, sustainable and economically viable cities of the future.
In Côte Saint-Luc we are about to embark upon some exciting times. Our new $18 million Community and Aquatic Centre is under construction and expected to be completed by the summer. The Cavendish Mall development is also taking shape, with 40 percent of the shopping centre currently being demolished.
PPS President Fred Kent (right) and Senior Director (Downtowns and Streets)  Norman Mintz  showed us multiple examples of public spaces, in “before” and “after” shots. 
To say this inspired us is an understatement.   PPS split us up into small team and had us head outdoors. Our task was to examine the front of our  City Hall/Library complex from different vantage points. It was an eye opening  experience. We came back inside energized and full of ideas of how we could transform this area. I will save the details for another day when perhaps  citizens will rejoice over the exciting choices we make. But let me be clear. This council now has a brand new way of looking at the “public places” in our community and we are better for it.
Check out pps  for yourself here.

 

 

Digital signage arrives in Côte Saint-Luc

I am very excited with the arrival of the first digital sign in the history of Côte Saint-Luc.

Digital signage has arrived in the city of Côte Saint-Luc. An attractive four by seven full colour and weatherproof LED display was installed last week at the corner of Cavendish  Boulevard and Kildare Road.

This is an initiative of Kazoo Digital, which already provides digital signage Solutions for retailers, medical and dental clinics, and corporate offices with the use of in house digital display systems. Company president Howard Szalavetz notes that this agreement reached with Côte Saint-Luc marks the first outdoor sign.

Messages appearing on the sign represent a combination of city announcements and advisories and paid advertisements. Szalavetz states that a number of inquiries from community organizations and businesses have already been received. “We chose Cavendish as the first location for many reasons,” says Szalavetz. “First and foremost, it is the gateway to Côte Saint-Luc.  The screen is also placed in such a manner that the messages are able to be read quite clearly while vehicles are stopped at the traffic lights.”

Szalavetz notes that plans call for at least two more digital signs to be installed in Côte Saint-Luc. As part of its agreement with the city, Côte Saint-Luc has the right to veto any advertiser they do not feel would be appropriate.  Messages will run on a continuous two minute and eight second loop – 16 ads per loop.
 
“Advertisements on digital signs are proven to have a higher consumer recall than those of static mediums such as billboards and bus shelters” says Szalavetz. “They help increase sales and customer satisfaction. Our advertisers find that a few strategically placed advertisements on digital signage displays pay for themselves in just a few months.”

For more information log on to www.kazoodigital.com, email info@kazoodigital.com or call 514-529-6655.

 

From Librarian to City Manager--the rise of Tanya Abramovitch

I must admit that I was immediately impressed with Tanya Abramovitch when we first met almost five years ago, after I was elected to Côte Saint-Luc City Council. I had an idea to do a special commemorative edition of our Courier newsletter and Tanya showed up at my office, volunteering to spearhead the project. That she did and soon after, when it came time for us to appoint a director of Library Services, she was promoted from the post of refererence librarian.

Tanya has taken the best public library in the province and done the impossible - make it even better.Mayor Anthony Housefather had so much confidence in her that  he recently asked her to oversee the game plan for our strategic plan. It was good timing. Not only did Tanya do an outstanding job, it came just a bit before Ken Lerner announced that he was stepping down as our city manager. I salute Ken for a lot of the innnovative ideas he brought to the table these past four years and wish him all the best in his future endeavors.

With Ken departing, the mayor and council were of the same opinion: Tanya Abramovitch was our runaway candidate to replace him.

At Monday evening’s monthly council meeting, we appointed Tanya as city manager and Nadia Di Furia as associate city manager. 

“Tanya and Nadia bring strategic vision, youth, and strong administrative abilities to their respective roles,” Mayor  Housefather said. “Each has shown outstanding initiative, sound judgment, and skills that make them ideal to lead our staff. They are also both in their 30s, which highlights the generational shift currently underway in our municipal government and across the city.” 

The city manager is the senior civil servant of the municipal government and works closely with the Mayor and City Council to establish the objectives of the city and to manage its daily operations. The Associate City Manager performs a similar function and works closely with the city manager and Mayor and City Council. 

Tanya began working in Côte Saint-Luc in 2001 as a reference librarian. She was appointed the Director of Library Services in May 2006. She has a Masters degree in history, and a Master of Library and Information Studies (MLIS) degree from McGill University. 

“I’m looking forward to this challenge,” Tanya said. “I loved modernizing our public library during almost five years and I cannot wait do the same across the entire city government with the help of our staff.” 

Nadia started her career in 2005 in Côte Saint-Luc as a payroll clerk and, later, payroll manager in the Finance Department. She was appointed the Director of Human Resources in April 2007. She has a background in commerce. 

“We have an excellent team around our senior management table and I’m looking forward to working with our team to implement the vision of the City Council,” Nadia said. 

As for Ken, the mayor said it best: “Ken helped re-build our municipal government when Côte Saint-Luc demerged from Montreal and was re-constituted as an independent city on January 1, 2006.”

Tanya becomes one of only a select few women in Quebec to serve as a city manager and at the age of 34 is probably the youngest at the job.