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Ceremony to remember Col. Ilan Ramon

Six years ago a new street was born in Côte Saint-Luc: Ilan Ramon Crescent. I am proud, as the city councillor for District 2, to have this street as part of my constituency. It is like a little shtetl. Virtually everyone knows their neighbours. There are lots of young families and the residents have a keen interest in municipal affairs.

While Côte Saint-Luc, then a borough of Montreal, did have a ceremony on June 26, 2005 with the family of the late Ilan Ramon on hand some residents contacted Councillor Dida Berku and myself about installing a plaque. I thought that was a great idea. In fact, as the city councillor responsible for toponymy, I have been working with our Public Affairs and Communications Department to develop a booklet providing the history of most of our street names.

On Nov. 15 we held a ceremony to unveil the plaque. Mayor Anthony Housefather was out of town on business, but I did have with me Councillors Berku, Allan J. Levine, Glenn J. Nashen and Steven Erdelyi. Avi Kimchi, a native of Israel, was on hand as were a few other residents of the street. Avi encouraged us to take this extra step with the installation of a plaque. I would like to thank Regine Banon and Darryl Levine from our Public Affairs and Communications Department. This plaque sits on a stand and has a photo of Ilan Ramon and the other astronauts who perished with him on February 1, 2003. There is a description of whom Ilan Ramon was, as well as his colleagues.

Councillor shared with us some inspiring words about Ilan Ramon, as did her husband Jacob Kincler (a native Israeli) and Councillors Levine and Nashen.

Ilan Ramon (1954-2003), colonel dans l’armée de l’air israélienne, et le premier astronaute israélien. Trouva la mort lorsque le vaisseau spatial Columbia s’écrasa lors de son retour sur terre le premier février 2003.

Ilan Ramon est né à Ramat-Hen et à grandi à Béersheva. En mille neuf cent quatra vingt quatre il acheva le cours de pilote, avec la mention "excellent" et commença son service actif dans l’armée de l’air comme pilote de combat. Au début de sa carrière dans l’armée de l’air, il pilota des avions "Mirage" et "Skyhook", et dans les années Quatra vingt dix, il fut parmi les premiers à partir aux Etats-Unis pour apprendre à piloter l’avion de combat F-Seize. En tant que pilote d’un F-Seize, il participa à de nombreuses opérations, parmi lesquelles l’attaque contre la centrale atomique en Irak.

Ilan Ramon took very seriously his role as the representative of Israel and the Jewish people in space. He carried with him a microfiche of the Bible given to him by president of Israel, a tiny Torah scroll given to a Holocaust survivor at a Nazi concentration camp and a small pencil drawing titled "Moon Landscape" by a boy killed at the Auschwitz concentration camp. Quite appropriately for our ceremony, two gentleman joined us with a Torah. Though Ramon was not particularly religious, he decided to eat kosher food in orbit, saying that he wanted "to respect all kinds of Jews all over the world." He died at the age of 48, when the space shuttle Columbia disintegrated upon descent after a 16-day flight in space. He was married and the father of four children.

Sadly, on this day, we also paid homage to the eldest son of Ilan Ramon. Only a few months ago, Captain Asaf Ramon of the Israeli Air Force – who always said he wanted to become an astronaut like his father - was killed when his F-16 jet crashed over South Mount Hebron.

 See a brief video of the ceremony by clicking here.

 

 

Ilan Ramon Residents Pleased

Traffic engineer Charles Senekal and I  received a very nice message from Boris  Myschokowski (pictured below) of Ilan Ramon Crescent, recognizing the measures we have taken to maintain  traffic safety there.

Dear Mike and Charles,

I would like, on behalf of Ilan Ramon residents, to thank you for your intervention to affix new traffic signs on our block. These signs together with "slow down" painted on both curves on our block will most certainly help with slowing down traffic and ensure more safety for the numerous young children living on our block. For some time now, myself with a majority of residents on Ilan Ramon, have asked Mike Cohen and the city of CSL to consider different measures to increase the safety of children on our block and reduce traffic speed. By taking such measures, you demonstrate that you pay close attention to the needs of your constituents and we thank you for doing so.

Once again thank you Mike and Charles.

By this same occasion I congratulate Mike Cohen for being recently acclaimed to a second mandate as our district representative. I wish Mike Cohen and Charles Senekal from the CSL Traffic Engineering Dept. much success in their endeavours.

Regards,

Boris

Note: On Sunday, November 15 at 11 a.m,. at the corner of Ilan Ramon and Sir Walter Scott Avenue, we will unveil a plaque honouring the memory of Colonel Ilan Ramon and the six other astronauts who perished aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia on February 1, 2003.

Traffic safety measures taken on Ilan Ramon Crescent

I have spent a lot of time working with residents of Ilan Ramon Crescent to try and come up with  different traffic  safety measures. Last May Traffic Engineer Charles Senekal joined  me for a walkabout with residents. A number of ideas were tossed around. I took my concerns to the city's Traffic Committee and while a request for a speed hump was not within the norm for streets of this nature, Charles and I put our heads together. A few days ago new "slow down" painted lettering and arrows were placed on both curves of Ilan Ramon. High visible signs will soon be added to the mix. Residents seem pleased with the initiative. In a few weeks we will be installing a special plaque to recognize the man whom this street was named after, the late Israeli astronaut Ilan Ramon.

Door to door begins on Ilan Ramon Crescent

Tonight I began my door to door campaign for the November 1, 2009 municipal elections. I chose to start on Ilan Ramon  Crescent. Resident Boris Myschkowski (pictured below welcoming me to his home)  was kind enough to join me, just as he did four years ago when overall I earned 92 percent of the vote in District 2. I have gotten to know most of the people who live on Ilan Ramon.  There are many young families.

Ilan Ramon, of course, was named after the late Israeli astrononaut who died tragically on the Space Shuttle Columbia. Only recently I took a walkabout on Ilan Ramon with city engineer Charles Senekal and some residents to discuss ways in which we might be able to improve traffic safety.

Congratulations to resident Carmela Lieberman on her very recent marriage to Jarrod Grover. Carmela has been a dedicated volunteer for the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in Côte Saint-Luc. When  I knocked on the door of what is now her "former" home there were still family members and friends over celebrating.

Sir Walter Scott Repaving Approved

The long awaited repaving of the street and sidewalks of Sir Walter Scott Avenue was approved last week by city council. For 2009 council allocated $1.2 million for work on four streets and accompanying sidewalks, with most of the funds going towards Cavendish Boulevard. But with the support of Mayor Anthony Housefather I was able to get Sir Walter Scott on the list at a cost of $201,692.35. We expect work to occur in October. Sir Walter Scott is the home to five apartment buildings. In addition, it is the entrance point to Ilan Ramon Crescent. The street and sidewalks are in urgent need of repair.

Ilan Ramon Crescent Traffic Concerns Given Special Look

Ilan Ramon Crescent in District 2 is a pleasure to represent. It was named after the late Israeli Astronaut Ilan Ramon in 2003 and winds around Sir Walter Scott Avenue like a "U."

This is a street of predominantly young families. In the spring, summer and fall it is so nice to see them out pushing strollers, accompanying their youngsters on bicycle or playing some kind of sports. For some residents, traffic concerns have been high on their agenda. In fact, even before I was elected some residents contacted me for my assistance in arranging a meeting with the local police commander.

 Left to right: Jason Levine, Councillor Cohen, Charles Senekal,  Boris Myschkowski , Elyse Rosen and Heather Leckner with two of her children.

I speak to my friends on Ilan Ramon frequently. Most of them are active members of our community. They are all pleased to learn that Sir Walter Scott Avenue (the street and sidewalks) will be completely repaved this summer while the piping will be repaired on Kildare Road so we do not have a repeat of any breaks, as was the case last winter.

Boris Myschkowski is one of the residents I communicate with very regularly. The father of five has a good eye for keeping Ilan Ramon safe. A few years ago, upon his request, I got signs installed at the corners warning motorists to be careful of Children at Pay. Boris has attended council and district meetings and written letters. He, like many others, has also spoken to Charles Senekal. Charles is the city's traffic engineer, a fabulous gentleman with patience to burn.

On June 15 I invited Boris and any other residents who were available to join Charles and I for the first ever formal "walkabout" of Ilan Ramon. We began as five, Charles, myself, Boris, Elyse Rosen and Jason Levine. Soon Heather Leckner and children and Rob Kovari with his young son joined in. This was a splendid exercise as we spent almost an hour walking every inch of Ilan Ramon. The residents had the unique opportunity of asking Charles questions right on the spot and making suggestions. They were pleased to learn about the planned repaving. What about the crossing at Sir Walter Scott and Kildare Road? For years there have been calls from Ilan Ramon residents for us to install a stop sign there. But the city is adverse to adding more stop signs. A recommendation will be coming to council from the traffic committee shortly which should improve the situation. How do we slow cars down as they go around the curb on Ilan Ramon? Are flexi bollards the answer? Should we eliminate some parking spots, look into speed bumps or paint a yellow line on the curb? All food for thought, While the residents appreciate the Children at Play signs, they feel a more visible version would be an improvement. This will be looked into.

Charles will be reviewing all of the suggestions, including some he received that day by email, and report back to me. Stay tuned to this blog!

 Completing the walkabout.