The first in-person annual Maisons Fleuries Contest Awards presentation in three years took place at City Hall on November 14, showcasing some of the beautiful work being done by our homeowners , be it in single family dwellings, town houses, duplexes or highrises.

This annual garden beautification initiative not only makes our city more beautiful, it also benefits the environment. By planting and maintaining trees, flowers and other plants, you help reduce air pollution, increase oxygen production, and contribute to saving the bees

Councillor Sidney Benizri and I co-chaired the program. 

Sonja, Edie and Viviane from Le Bellagio.

Some of the District 2 winners included: Under Single Family Homes, Gabriel Malca at 5777 Ilan Ramon Crescent, first place and Gerald Abitbol and Esther Attias at 6573 Mackle Road (Cambridge Courts), second;  Under Highrises,  5840 Marc Chagall (Le Bellagio), represented by Viviane Silver,  Edie Ojalvo and Sonja Langburt and 5845 Marc Chagall (La Marquise).

All of the winners with members of City Council.

Thanks to Cornelia Ziga, Irene Lehaie and Trish Mckenzie from Parks and Recreation for their assistance and John Kenney, formerly of the Montreal Gazette, for his excellent photography.

There was a nice reception organized for the winners in the multi-purpose room of the library, with refreshments and desserts. Gifts and certificates were presented. Everyone was then invited to the Council Chamber and at the beginning of our public meeting a video produced by our own Darryl Levine  showcased the winners and their properties. Everyone then joined us for a group photo.

See the video here.

Our sympathies go out to the family of Donald Goldberg, who passed away on November 12 at the age of 92,

Donald was the younger brother of former City Councillor Isadore Goldberg. He passed away almost three years ago and I remember sharing memories with the family at the shiva at Donald and Jeannie's condo.

Donald and Jeannie.

I was proud to serve as Donald’s councillor the past 17 years.  His  loving daughter Joy is also my constituent.  A few months ago I bumped into Donald and his wife of 65 years  Jeannie at a restaurant

Donald was the first of his family to go to university. He graduated from Sir George Williams in 1952, where he was the captain of the basketball team. His university education was the foundation for his financial career. He started his own business and served his clients with integrity.

In his obituary, Donald was described as  “a multifaceted person who appreciated everything life had to offer. While he loved the outdoors, sports, time spent at the YMHA, being the MC, planning an event, and connecting with his large community of friends, his family was always the most important part of his life. His love, generosity, dedication to continuous learning, Jewish traditions, and love of nature have been passed down to the next generations.”

“He passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family with a beautiful send-off,” Jeannie shared with friends. “ We are all so grateful for the many meaningful years spent together, and from the joy he brought to all of our lives.  Most of you know his famous joke of living until 100, ‘as medical research shows that very few people die over the age of 100.’ Last night he stated  ‘well, I'm not going to live to be 100, but I was pretty darn close.’ He lived an amazing life, and his memories will be carried forward through our children and grand-children. “

Funeral service from Paperman & Sons, 3888 Jean Talon St. W., on Monday, November 14, 2022, at 1:00 p.m. Burial at the Hebrew Sick Benefit Association Cemetery, de la Savane. Shiva at his home from 2:00-4:00 p.m. and 7:00-9:00 p.m. ending Wednesday. Donations in his memory may be made to Mount Sinai Auxiliary/Foundation (514) 369-2222 ext. 1337/1299 where he received dedicated care. 

Congratulations to perhaps my eldest constituent in Côte Saint-Luc District 2, Bill Ornstein. He lives at the Excelsior apartments on Cavendish Boulevard with his girlfriend of nine years, the much younger Adeline Slapcoff – she is 91.

Bill turned 101 on November 10.

Bill and Adeline.

Married to Rhoda Kanofsky for 61 years, Bill has three daughters and three grandkids. After his wife passed away he moved to the Excelior and began hanging out at the food court across the street at Quartier Cavendish. That is where he met Adeline, who had been widowed for two years at that time after her husband of 56 years had passed away.

“Bill and I were at the same golf club for 20 years, yet we did not know each other,” Adeline says. “I did play golf with his wife though.”

In 2013  Bill moved in with Adeline, who was also living at the Excelsior. While Bill still has his driver’s license,  he sold his car. “Why do we need two cars?” he asked me rthetorically. “I use her car to drive to the Mall.”

Professionally, Bill worked in the food importing business. He spent three years in the Canadian military, from 1942 to 1945, and based in Montreal. “I worked with dental corps,” he said. “I knew nothing about dentistry, but I learned quickly.”

Bill and Adeline have already beat COVID-19. “We luckily had mild cases,” he says.

How does he explain his longevity? “I really do not know,” he says. “I had four brothers and none of them lived past the age of 75. My mom died at 85; my dad at 74.”

Bill and his daughter Eileen.

Does Bill have a special diet or exercise routine? “No,” says Adeline. “He eats what he wants; he does what he wants.”

Bill is sharp as a nail and has a terrific memory. He shares Adeline’s  pessimism about the extension of Cavendish Boulevard.

“It won’t happen in my lifetime,” said Adeline.

“Same here,” piped in Bill.

I am 60 now. Will I ever live to see it?

Hard work continues on the party of our city to inform the public and enable citizens to participate in the full consultation process for the revision of our municipal Master Plan and Zoning By-law revision documents. 

See the recent story in The Montreal Gazette

At the present time we are organizing a series of in-person workshops at City Hall. As the councillor responsible for Local Commerce,  I took part in the one on November 2. The focus was on  Home-Based Businesses and Local Commerce 
  

Commercial activity is a fundamental part of any thriving city. With the three large commercial centres undergoing major transformation over the next few years and changes in the world of retail, we need to consider what kinds of commercial activity are relevant, desirable, and accessible for our residents in commercial zones and in homes. 

Home-Based Businesses have fallen into somewhat of a grey zone over the years. Officially, if you are operating a business out of your residence you are supposed to register the company with the city.

It was interesting being part of the dialogue at City Hall with senior staff and some citizens. We looked at the different categories of Home-Based Businesses: Professional (insurance, programming, medical and legal services); Personal (massage therapy, osteopathy, hairdresser, estheticians, personal trainer);  Repair (car mechanic, electronics); Animals (pet sitter, dog walker veterinarian, groomer); Artisans (sculpting, painting, tailor, photographer);  Retail (sales of items, online business); Childcare (daycare presently permitted only in detached or semi-detached dwellings); Catering; Short-term Rentals (Airbnb, Swimply -which stands for people who rent their personal pools out).

Dida Berku and Tanya Abramovitch speak at workshop.

“We will have to legislate Home-Based Businesses,” stated Deputy Mayor Dida Berku, who is the councillor responsible for the Master Plan. “We want to know what kind of businesses our citizens believe should be in homes and residential buildings; what kind of business will they support?”

Associate City Manager Tanya Abramovitch, who is quarterbacking our master plan consultations process, noted that since the pandemic Home-Based Businesses have exploded. “And that is not people working from home,” she emphasized.

It was interesting to observe the discussion that went on at the first workshop.

Tanya explained that there are pros and cons to this.  Home-Based Busineses are really local, they allow residents to make a living as well as save on rent. However, there are concerns about traffic, parking, our inability as a city to necessarily collect taxes (if we do not know they are operating); and there could be building code issues.

In the workshop we divided into three tables and engaged in dialogue with team leaders. What businesses do we need in Côte Saint-Luc? Where do you go to buy what you need day-to-day? What is Côte Saint-Luc’s mission?

Below is what’s coming up in the next few weeks. You can register here.

Workshop 2: Housing 
Date: Wednesday, November 9, 7pm 
Location: 5801 Cavendish, City Hall Council Chamber 

Housing is fundamental. It is also under tremendous strain throughout the world, including in Côte Saint-Luc. Housing costs are high and the existing housing stock does also not always suit people’s needs. With the Master Plan and Zoning By-Law Revision, we have an opportunity to diversify our housing and explore together what the needs are for today and tomorrow.

Workshop 3 – The Westminster Corridor 
Date: Wednesday, November 30, 7pm 
Location: 5555 Westminster, Suite 209 

The Westminster Corridor is one of the main arteries in Côte Saint-Luc and is the western spine of the city. It has a lot of potential, and we would like to work with local residents to establish a clear vision of what it could be in terms of land use and street design.

Workshop 4 – Mobility & Connectivity 
Date: Tuesday, December 6, 7pm 
Location: 5801 Cavendish, City Hall Council Chamber 

Mobility is a key factor in urban design. Everyone has places to go, and they need a means to get there. Each time they make a trip, they decide which mode to use. In Côte Saint-Luc people have had little choice, and so most often have had to resort to their cars, ending up stuck in traffic. With the Master Plan, the City would like to expand the options available to residents and give them a choice, connecting them to the wider Montreal area.  

Ateliers

Atelier 1 : Entreprises à domicile et commerce local 
Date : Mercredi 2 novembre, de 19 h à 21 h 
Lieu : 5801 Cavendish, salle du conseil de l`Hôtel de ville 

L’activité commerciale est un élément fondamental de toute ville prospère. Avec les trois grands centres commerciaux qui subiront une transformation majeure au cours des prochaines années et les changements dans le monde du commerce de détail, nous devons examiner quels types d’activité commerciale sont pertinents, souhaitables et accessibles pour nos résidents dans les zones commerciales et dans les résidences. 

Atelier 2 : Logement 
Date : Mercredi 9 novembre, 19 h 
Lieu : 5801 Cavendish, salle du conseil de l’Hôtel de ville 

 Le logement est fondamental. Il est également soumis à de fortes pressions dans le monde entier, y compris à Côte Saint-Luc. Le coût du logement est élevé et le parc immobilier existant ne répond pas toujours aux besoins des gens. Avec le plan d’urbanisme et la révision du règlement de zonage, nous avons l’occasion de diversifier nos logements et d’explorer ensemble les besoins d’aujourd’hui et de demain.  

Atelier 3 – Le corridor de Westminster 
Date : Mercredi 30 novembre, 19 h 
Lieu : 5555 Westminster, bureau 209 

Le corridor Westminster est l’une des principales artères de Côte Saint-Luc et constitue la colonne vertébrale dans l’ouest de la ville. Il a beaucoup de potentiel et nous aimerions travailler avec les résidents du quartier pour établir une vision claire de ce qu’il pourrait être en termes d’aménagement du territoire et de conception des rues.

Atelier 4 – Mobilité et connectivité 
Date : Mardi 6 décembre, 19h 
Lieu : 5801 Cavendish, salle du conseil de l’Hôtel de ville 

La mobilité est un facteur clé en matière de design urbain. Tout le monde doit se déplacer vers des endroits et a besoin d’un moyen pour y parvenir. Chaque fois que les gens effectuent un déplacement, ils décident du mode à utiliser. À Côte Saint-Luc, les gens n’ont guère le choix et doivent le plus souvent recourir à la voiture, se retrouvant ainsi coincés dans les embouteillages. Avec le plan d’urbanisme, la ville aimerait élargir les options offertes aux résidents et leur donner le choix, en les reliant à la grande région de Montréal.

Carol Rabinovitch, a Côte Saint Luc artist and jewellery maker, is participating in three shows in November.

First is Saturday, November 5 (10 am to 3 pm) for  AniMatch Santa Paws at Plaza Pointe Claire with her beaded necklaces and bracelets. Then, on Monday, November 7 ( 1 pm to 5 pm), the Cote Saint Luc Jewellery Club in the CSL Library. Finally, on  November 13 (3:30 pm to 7:30 pm)  she will be part of The Shield of Athena benefit at Casa d’Italia (505 Jean Talon East) where her paintings will be auctioned to support this charity.

Follow her on at:  Instagram.com/carols.whimsy.art

I wish to share with constituents a series of workshops related to our Master Plan and Zoning By-law Revision. It’s about an opportunity to dig deep into important urban planning issues and share your opinion. We’re organizing four workshops including the following one next week.

Workshop 1: Home-Based Businesses and Local Commerce

Date: Wednesday, November 2, 7pm to 9pm

Location: 5801 Cavendish, City Hall Council Chamber

This related to one of my portfolios on council. Commercial activity is a fundamental part of any thriving city. With the three large commercial centres undergoing major transformation over the next few years and changes in the world of retail, we need to consider what kinds of commercial activity are relevant, desirable, and accessible for our residents in commercial zones and in homes. On the latter point, especially since the pandemic, more people are working full-time at home. As for people who run complete business operations from their residence, this has always been somewhat of a gray zone. Going forward we will make the rules more clear.

To register, complete the webform at:

https://cotesaintluc.org/engage/2022/05/20/master-plan-and-zoning-by-law-revision/

The form is in the Workshops tab. Hope to see you there!

* * *

Je t'écris pour t'inviter à une série d'ateliers liés à la révision de notre plan d'urbanisme et de notre règlement de zonage. C'est l'occasion de creuser des questions d'urbanisme importantes et de partager ton opinion. Nous organisons quatre ateliers, dont le suivant la semaine prochaine.

Atelier 1 : Entreprises à domicile et commerce local

Date : Mercredi 2 novembre, de 19 h à 21 h

Lieu : 5801 Cavendish, salle du conseil de l`Hôtel de ville

L’activité commerciale est un élément fondamental de toute ville prospère. Avec les trois grands centres commerciaux qui subiront une transformation majeure au cours des prochaines années et les changements dans le monde du commerce de détail, nous devons examiner quels types d’activité commerciale sont pertinents, souhaitables et accessibles pour nos résidents dans les zones commerciales et dans les résidences.

Pour t'inscrire, remplis le formulaire web à l'adresse suivante :

https://cotesaintluc.org/contribuez/2022/05/20/revision-du-plan-directeur-durbanisme-et-du-reglement-de-zonage/

Le formulaire se trouve dans l'onglet Ateliers. J'espère que tu seras là !

I am pleased to share that via our Public Affairs and Communications Department, the process to name the now beautiful greenspace on Marc Chagall Avenue is underway.

History will note that after having rented the greenspace to the developers of the Equinoxe buildings for three years, the property was left in poor condition.  Some litigation was necessary in order to not only restore the area, but vastly improve  it. That was indeed done by our Public Works Department. Besides installing sod (instant grass), we have a pathway, new benches, picnic tables and trees. Lighting will be next.

So it is time to find a name for the "Place" or "Square." According to our new naming policy, we are consulting with residents in the immediate area. All they have to do is go to www.cotesaintluc.org/marcchagall and fill out the form. Our Toponomy Committee, which I chair, will initially review the suggestions and then make a recommendation to city council.

A beautiful property.

La ville de Côte Saint-Luc souhaite nommer l’espace vert de l’avenue Marc Chagall, que nous avons récemment embelli avec des lumières, des arbres et un nouveau gazon. Nous aimerions
avoir vos suggestions pour un nom pour cet espace.

At our last public city council meeting on October 13, Police Station 9 Commander  Martin Montour and longtime Community Officer Marie-Christine Nobert were in attendance to share with us how their team has been taking a bite out of crime in our neighbourhood.

You can see their presentation here at starting at the 5:35 mark.

Commander Montour arrived on the job in the past year and he has been an absolute pleasure to work with. Given the fact his station also has to deal with the territory of NDG, we are pleased with the amount of attention he and his team give us. Officer Nobert has been on the job in our community for a remarkable 25 years.

Commander Montour

It was comforting to hear how proactive the Station 9 team was to pursue and ultimately apprehend the perpetrators of a number of break-ins in the Wolseley/Smart Avenue. 

Officer Nobert

Commander Montour and Officer Nobert wish to remind our residents to be proactive on their end to try and prevent break-ins. For those people going away on holiday or Florida for the winter, they should contact our Volunteer Citizens on Patrol (VCOPs) to do vacation spot checks. You can call 514-485-6800 ext. 5101. You can find more details here: https://cotesaintluc.org/services/public-safety/vcop/vcop-services/

Officer Nobert recognized that it is very frightening to be the victim of a burglarly. She offered those involved in such a situation to call Station 9 at (514) 280-0109 and  an officer will be sent to the home to do an analysis.

As expected, the Coalition Avenir Québec swept back to power with a huge majority in the October 3 provincial election. That was a foregone conclusion.

In my riding of D’Arcy McGee, it looked like  we might have had a race on our hands when the campaign began. There was so much anger over how the Quebec Liberal Party handled Bill 96. How many people did I run into who told me they would be voting for either the Canadian Party of Quebec, the Conservative Party or Bloc Montréal?

Elisabeth Prass, with her son, at the voting station.

In the end, the Liberals’ Elisabeth Prass won with more than 52 percent of the vote. Unquestionably, the constituents of D’Arcy McGee  are in good hands. I worked closely with Prass during the time she ran the riding constituency office. She left that post a year ago for the corporate sector so she was not on the job when her predecessor David Birnbaum committed a career ending move by proposing inexplicable amendments to Bill 96 which infuriated the anglophone community.  David is a wonderful human being; someone I consider a friend. He loved his role as an MNA and had no intention of retiring. Unfortunately he had to walk the plank for his misdeed.

The Liberals did not get shellacked as badly as I anticipated in this election. Frankly, I did not  expect them to get more than 20 seats. Instead of focusing on how the party handled Bill 96 in the past year, what will be their position in the next mandate?  The CAQ may have a massive majority, but they could be looking at losses at the court level for Bill 40 (abolishing school boards), Bill 21 (secularism) and yes even Bill 96. Should that occur, the Liberals will benefit as the CAQ licks its wounds.

In this election, the Liberals kept all of their anglo strongholds. If Dominique Anglade keeps her job as leader, she will need to find a way to  bring the francophone population back to the fold. It is safe to say that no matter what position she takes, anglos will not walk away from the brand.

What will become of the Canadian Party of Quebec, Bloc Montréal and the Conservatives? If ever there was an opportunity for anglo rights parties to win a riding, this was their moment. Yet the CAPQ and Bloc Montréal did not get any support at all. Four years from now, with the CAQ completing a second mandate, anglos will not want to roll a dice on any party other than the Liberals. 

The Conservatives opposed Bill 96, but they did not oppose Bill 21 - a big mistake.

As a member of Côte Saint-Luc City Council, I was happy to sit on an ad hoc committee with Councillors Dida Berku, Andee Shuster and Steven Erdelyi. We met with four candidates - Prass, Bonnie Feigenbaum of the Conservatives and Marc Perez of the CAPQ, Joel DeBellefeuille of Bloc Montréal. I did podcast interviews with each of them as well, in addition to the Québec Solidaire candidate. We were engaged. There was one Zoom debate with the candidates, but it did not have a large audience nor an impact on the vote.

D’Arcy McGee has excellent representation in Elisabeth Prass and I look forward to working with her.

You can see the election results here and follow the instructions to get to D'Arcy McGee.

Let me take this opportunity to thank our City of Côte Saint-Luc Public Works and Engineering teams for the remarkable work they did with the highly anticipated makeover of the greenspace on Marc Chagall Avenue.

History will note that the land across from the Marquise and next to the town houses had been rented to the developers of the Equinoxe for three years as a parking lot in order to ensure residents and guests had places to park. Alternatively,  all available spots would  have been taken by the workers. When it came time for the developers to return the land to the way they found it, they failed to do so. This became a legal matter after several ill-fated attempts to get it right. The city took over the job and got it right and then some.

A look at the greenspace and some of the new trees after being planted.

Some dead trees had to be cut down. Public Works installed a new pathway, repositioned  the picnic tables, added new benches and trees. The grass has been watered on almost a daily basis. People are happy. I did have one constituent who shared some concern over the fact people are letting their dogs run unleashed .  That is against the law and dog owners doing this will be ticketed.

What shall we name this place?

I met by Zoom with some Marc Chagall residents lately as I wish to formally name this location. The protocol is being reviewed by our Toponomy Committee, which I chair.  It is not a park, but rather a “Place” or a “Square.” I have already received some suggestions and we will embark on a formal process soon, with the goal of agreeing upon a name by spring.

Oh yes, still to come next to the greenspace are new lights along the path leading to Isadore Goldberg Park.

In June, the  City of Côte Saint-Luc began the process of gathering feedback from the public on our proposed revision to the municipal Master Plan and Zoning By-law revision documents.  We want  to capture your values and the essence of what makes our city home to you. This is your opportunity to speak up.

Last week we held a virtual information session about the future  of our three shopping mall sites. If you missed it, log on to this video.  For residents of District 2, go to the 48 minute mark to learn more about the Quartier Cavendish. The owners seek to create a modern, accessible and sustainable mixed-use project that offers commercial spaces, retail and residential units. They envision bike paths that would allow people to take advantage of a network of pocket parks  and have ready access to surrounding community facilities. In addition, the project would integrate a new food court with an outdoor terrace. A public transportation hub is envisioned as well. It would integrate with current and future transit connections such as the Cavendish extension.

A look at what the owners of Quartier Cavendish have in mind.

A few days after the virtual information meeting, we hosted an Open House  for the Master Plan at the Aquatic and Community Centre.  

We have launched a survey that every resident should complete:

English

https://survey.alchemer-ca.com/s3/50154665/185368cccd1e-Ville-de-C-te-Saint-Luc-EN

French

https://survey.alchemer-ca.com/s3/50154665/05992b6986e8-Ville-de-C-te-Saint-Luc-FR

On October 26 and 27, there will be public hearings at City Hall where citizens can present briefs.

Our city now has some 35,000 residents. Despite the efforts we made to publicize our activities thus far, citizen engagement has been low.  I just want to applaud the efforts of our senior staff for making every effort to ensure the population is informed. Nobody should be coming to us and say they did not know about this.

No decisions have been made yet. In fact, what we see at the present time are merely wish lists on the part of the shopping center owners. There are many steps city council will need to follow such as  adopting an actual master plan and new zoning by-laws,  engaging in formal public consultations  and of course allowing our citizens to have the final word.

Like my constituents, I am learning more about this process  each day.  The owners of Quartier Cavendish maintain they need a major refurbishment of their property to stay in business.

When would any construction work begin? It could be as early as 2024, but might take longer. This work would be done in stages over many years. In 2023 I will be holding meetings with residents, including the owners of the Quartier Cavendish.

Please stay connected to www.cotesaintluc.org/engage for regular updates on this process.

How honoured I was on September 18 to preside over a historic ceremony in the history of Côte Saint-Luc.

In 2007, two years after I was first elected to city council, I brought forward a naming rights proposal which was approved. Over the years we named events, programs and benches after individuals and companies in return for financial gifts. But the confirmation of the Bibliothèque des jeunes Max Margles Children’s Library, thanks to a $500,000 gift from Roslyn Margles in honour of her late husband, far and  away entered into our record books.

Mayor Brownstein, Roslyn Margles, Janine West and myself stand before the new signage.

The unveiling and ribbon cutting ceremony took place many months after myself, Library Director Janine West,  Treasurer Angelo Marino and Legal Counsel Andrea Charon began discussions with Ms. Margles. I was pleased to see Simon Bensimon from Ben-Gurion University Canada on hand for it was he who called me last winter and set up my initial meeting with Roslyn. Former Mayor Anthony Housefather, now our Federal Liberal Member of Parliament, was with us as well. Thank you Anthony for allowing me to bring this concept to our city when you were mayor. We hope that there are more individuals out there who like to attach the name of a loved one or a corporate entity to enable us to  use this money for items not in our annual budget.

Robert Libman congratulates Roslyn in the company of the mayor and Ms. West.

At the library, we will now seek a naming rights donor for our beautiful art gallery. There is also our Aquatic and Community Centre and Arena, as well as possibly Wiffle Ball Field.

The formal ribbon cutting.

The ceremony was attended by Mayor Mitchell Brownstein, members of council, former Mayor Robert Libman, library and city staff  as well as friends and family of Ms. Margles.  It is wonderful to see the name of Max Margles adorning the outside wall of the building as well as the interior entrance to the children’s library. There is also a new book stamp with Max Margles’ name, a suggestion that came from Councillor Lior Azerad.

We heard from Rabbi Asher Jacobson of Chevra Kadisha Congregation and Melissa Margles, Max and Roslyn’s niece. She had a very close relationship with her uncle. After the ceremony, there was a nice reception catered by Pizza Pita, face painting and magic for the kids and lots of reading.

Roslyn and some of the happy kids.

Here is a report from Global TV.

“Every year, like many others, I am faced with the decision about which causes to support,”   Roslyn Margles said in her address. “There are a multitude of worthy projects and organizations, but several factors were instrumental in choosing a Children’s Library  is foremost, an everlasting memorial to honour my late husband Max, an avid, dedicated reader, who loved reading and the value it brings to our lives. In this digital age, the time spent by children exploring micro-electronic media may develop computer literacy, but it does not imbue children with the values that books can.  Tik-Tok, Snapchat, texts and videogames are not substitutes for books.

“Reading and sharing books create personal face to face interactions where children learn to read emotional cues, develop social skills and connect.  Stories are essential for children’s formative years. During challenging social times, it is not uncommon for philanthropic efforts to shift to medicine, poverty and war relief, leaving the cultural arts at the bottom of the list.  I, however, prioritize the gift of literature, of storytelling......of the power of the written word. I believe the saying that ‘Children who read books today are our future leaders.’ I believe that books shape who we are and what we become. Books can transport the reader to a land of wonder and surprizes, like a Magic Carpet.  Stories give children a deeper understanding of the world around them and of cultures that are different from their own.”

In reading a well written book, Ms. Margles noted,  you become part of the story and suffer the pain or enjoy the happiness of the characters.  “Ideally, you become more aware of how events affect other people and improve your ability to empathize  - a very important and useful quality,” she said.  “It will serve us, and our children well!”

Ms. Margles hopes that her donation will enable the Max Margles Children’s Library to provide additional programs and experiences to encourage children and teens to cultivate creativity, curiosity and imagination and to broaden their horizons. 

 The donation includes $200,000 to be used by the public library as needed, and $300,000 portion to be used to create an endowment fund, which will be used exclusively to further literacy for children and young adults including a children’s writing contest to be named the Roslyn and Max Margles Literacy Contest. The endowment fund will be administered by the Jewish Community Foundation of Montreal.

Concluded Ms. West: “Children and teens make up approximately 26 percent of our library membership and check out 41 percent of the library’s total circulation. This generous endowment from Mrs. Margles will ensure that our literacy programming for children and teens will flourish, enabling us to offer more impactful and engaging activities that will foster a love of reading that lasts a lifetime.”

Please watch this  video of the full ceremony.

I wish to advise my constituents in District 2 (particularly those living closer to Quartier Cavendish) and citizens at large to  invite you to a virtual information session on Tuesday, September 13, 2022, at 7pm that will focus on the redevelopment of the three shopping malls in Côte Saint-Luc. This is part of our months-long public consultations on the master plan and zoning by-law revision.

And

Sunday September 18^th you are invited to the in-person open house at the Aquatic and Community Centre 5794 Parkhaven from 10 am to 4 pm

The information session takes place over Zoom. You must register in advance:

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_EDj87RysQqaAn8OtVvqz0w

Please note : You will receive a zoom invitation from Lauren Vantellingen no-reply@zoom.us

Your participation and questions at the information session and open house are always appreciated.

Looking forward to meeting with you

Révision du plan d’urbanisme et du règlement de zonage

Chers résidants du District 2 et CSL

Je vous écris pour vous inviter à une séance d'information virtuelle le mardi 13 septembre 2022 à 19 h qui portera sur le réaménagement des trois centres commerciaux de Côte Saint-Luc. Cela fait partie de nos consultations publiques sur le plan d’urbanisme et la révision du règlement de zonage.

De plus le dimanche le 18 Septembre vous êtes invités à participer à une journée portes ouvertes de 10 h a 16 h au Centre communautaire et aquatique 5794 Parkhaven

La séance d'information se déroule sur Zoom. Vous devez vous inscrire au préalable :

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_EDj87RysQqaAn8OtVvqz0w

Veuillez noter : Vous recevrez votre invitation zoom de la part de Lauren Vantellingen no-reply@zoom.us

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The COVID-19 pandemic changed all of our lives in so many ways, notably during lockdowns.

For many people across the world, knitting turned out to be a way to  ease anxiety, keep busy and feel a sense of achievement.

Knitting courses and clubs became very popular via Zoom and while much of society is returning to in-person activities, the online option remains very popular. The Eleanor London Côte Saint-Luc Public Library  is embracing this activity. A Virtual Knitting Sweater Club with Arlene Lund will take place every second Thursday, online via Zoom, from 3 pm to 4:30 pm, beginning September 15. There are six sessions planned (Sept. 29, Oct 13, 27 and Nov. 10 and 24). It is free for library members, but advance registration is required. You must bring your own materials to the Zoom experience.

Participants will knit their own sweater (see the examples pictured in this article) over the course of this series,  with tips and tricks from established knitter Lund about all things related to successful sweater knitting.

“Everyone will be working on a sweater of their own choosing,” Lund explains. “If making an adult sweater seems too daunting, they can choose a child's sweater or a vest.”

Each session will start with Lund presenting a sweater related topic and then she will go around the group and see everyone's progress on their sweater and hear about any difficulties, challenges or successes they have had since the previous session. Since this will all be done via Zoom, members will need to be able to turn their camera on for when they are showing their work. They do not have to do so the entire time if they don't wish to.”

Lund notes that this club is intended for people who are already knitters.  She has given  several knitting lectures/presentations in Westmount and in Côte Saint-Luc virtually. “These were lots of fun and well attended,” she says, 

There are lots of positives related to the Côte Saint-Luc Knitting Sweater Club proceeding online this fall.  “It is accessible for everyone and in all weather,” Lund emphasizes. “The visuals are actually better because when holding something up for others to view everyone can see it, instead of passing it around the room. Some of the members may have hearing difficulties and the online format is better for them. As well,  there is no background noise with the ability to mute everyone while each person is taking their turn to speak. All in all it really works well!”

A 2013 study published by the British Journal of Occupational Therapy found that knitting confers the well-being of those who engage in the hobby. The responses from 3,545 knitters worldwide showed a significant relationship between knitting frequency and feelings of calm and happiness. Lund concurs. She has certainly met many people who are new to knitting over the last three years and others who have resumed the hobby. Indeed she looks forward an interesting fall session of the the Côte Saint-Luc Knitting Sweater Club

To register go to  https://csllibrary.libcal.com/event/3690864. You can also e-mail reference@cotesaintluc.org  or call 514-485-6900 ext 3.

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In recent days I have been receiving some complaints about JPPS-Bialik School creating what appears to be a private one lane road to their facility for vehicles and placed an  orange cone on the street, closing off the second lane. As my constituent Jason Ullman states, "Anyone not going to Bialik has to wait in single file to be able to turn on  to Marc Chagall. Why am I waiting from Rembrandt in bumper to bumper traffic in single file when there should be a  two lanes?"

Parking, Jason points out, is not allowed going west on Kildare during morning rush hour but he complains this is being ignored. And on Kildare driving east, between Rembrandt and Marc Chagall he wants to know  why cars are allowed to park there? 

 

Jason Ullman took this photo of the traffic issue.

 

I went to our Director of Public Safety Philip Chateauvert. "Normally parents dropping off their kids at this location do line up in the Eastbound Lane in single file and the left lane turning onto Marc Chagall is free and clear," he explains. "Unfortunately, the city had to issue a tolerance for parking restrictions along Kildare Between Rembrandt and Marc Chagall   due to the large number of vehicles that are parking in the street as a result of  garage repairs at 5790 Rembrandt. While I understand the issues this causes, I feel that the problems caused by this are far less than those that would be experienced by the residents of the area if parking was not allowed in this location for the duration of the work. The work should be finished by the end of September."

That being said, our Public Safety Department sees no reason why the school crossing guard is reducing eastbound Kildare between, Merrimac and Marc-Chagall.  Director Chateauvert has dispatched his lieutenant to meet with school  officials and request that they stop doing this immediately since it is unnecessary and prohibited by our bylaws. Another meeting is planned with the school administration next week to explore other solutions.

It has been a few years now since the City of Côte Saint-Luc unveiled Wiffle Ball Field, a beautiful complex at Singerman Park behind Merton Elementary School. It is a mini version of Camden Yards and Fenway Park and exceptionally maintained.

There is a league, with games taking place Tuesday evenings and Sunday mornings, Wiffle Ball is a simplified version of the game of baseball that is designed to be a miniature version of the game that is suitable to be played both indoor and outdoors, often in confined spaces.

Robert Shuster and Danny Kucharsky are in charge of reservations and lineups for Sunday and Tuesday games respectively  For Sundays, the fee is $8 per game or $90 for the year.

The Wiffle Ball gang.

Thanks to Mr. Shuster (yes that is what we still call the former Wagar High School teacher) and Moe  Giobbi who enabled me to play my first Wiffle Ball game. Joining us were Jorge Vasconcelos, Alexandre Parkeiv, Lachug Lotame and Brian Blumer.  Jorge and Alexandre are true stars and wow Brian Blumer, whose Facebook commentaries have quite the following, had the best on base  percentage of the morning.

Let me tell you it may look easy, but hitting that ball even past the infield is not easy. The following day my brother Chuck came by. Like me , he has not swung a bat of any kind in decades. He so badly wanted to hit one out of the park and he came pretty close. Chuck  enjoyed the brief experience so much, he might want to start his own league.

One of my goals now is to have  Perry Gee of Exposfest  visit Wiffle Ball Field and consider bringing some former Expos back the stadium for one of his fundraisers.

You can see my video report here

Here are the Côte Saint-Luc Wiffle Ball League rules

Teams

Teams will have equal size and talent as close as possible. A team which has one fewer player will have a player from the opposing team fielding for them at all times. In the event of obvious imbalance, a trade(s) must be made and the game re-started.

Defensive Players

Players on the defending team will rotate position according to the wishes and the talents of the team members. All defenders must play in “fair territory” while the pitcher is pitching.  Players will pitch one inning each until all have pitched and the order re-starts then. If a player is unable to pitch, he can be passed over.

Offensive Players

There will be a set batting order which must be adhered to. At the end of a half inning, the on deck hitter must announce that he/she will lead off the next inning.

General Rules

Balls and Strikes

Three outs to a half inning. Two strikes equals a strike out. A strike is ruled if a pitched ball hits the pitching target, if a player swings and misses or if a ball is hit and is ruled a foul ball. If a ball is fouled off it can count as strike one but not strike two. Five balls are needed for a walk. With fewer than seven defenders, an infield foul ball is one that does not cross the diagonal line from first to third bases or crosses outside the base line as it passes the base. A ball which hits the ground as it passes the base in fair territory or hits the base is deemed fair. First and Third bases must be placed in fair territory at all times. An outfield ball is deemed fair if its first bounce is in fair territory or is first touched by a defender and the part of the defender it touches is deemed to be in fair territory.

Pitching

The pitcher must pitch with one foot on one of the pitching rubbers. His foot can leave the rubber as he/she takes the one step allowed as the ball is released. From the front rubber, the ball must have an arc. From the back rubber (6 feet behind the front rubber) the pitcher can throw without an arc. A pitch from the front rubber that does not have an arc will be deemed a ball. Those who throw particularly hard must start on the border between grass and dirt at the back of the pitching circle.

A pitcher who walks any four batters will be replaced (by a pitcher of choice) for the rest of that inning but may be allowed to pitch in later innings.

Batting

The batter must not be standing in a position where he/she is blocking the pitching target. If a ball might be a strike then the batter must make every effort to not let the ball touch his/her body. Both of the batter’s hands must be on the bat when the ball is struck or a foul ball is called. If a ball strikes the batter’s bat while the batter is not attempting to swing at it, it is deemed a ball and not a foul ball. The batter must not take the bat with him/her on the way to first base.

Outs

An out is made when a ball (fair or foul) is caught by a defender before it hits the ground. An out is made when a fair ball hits a runner who is not touching a base either hit or thrown (below the neck). An out is made when a ball is in the possession of any fielder in the pitching circle before the batter reaches first base. An out is made when a fielder in possession of the ball touches the base which the runner is approaching unless the batter is not “forced” to take that base. If an “earlier” base is open then the runner must be tagged or touched with the ball below the neck. An out is made at home if the ball hits any part of the pitching target while the runner is approaching home base unless the runner has not crossed the “commit” line.

Avoiding Collisions

Fielders are to avoid positioning themselves in the runners’ base lines unless fielding a ball. Runners must make every effort to avoid fielders who are in the process of fielding a batted or thrown ball. When approaching home, the runner must run on a line behind the pitching target to score. Breach of these two rules can be resolved by an out or a free base or a “do over (see below)” pending discussion.

Base Running

A runner cannot leave his/her base until the ball is struck by the batter or the ball crosses the plate. The pitcher must give the runner time to get back to the base. A runner cannot advance on a fly ball that is caught.  Infield Fly Rule: With no umpire, we do not use the rule. Base runners should not stray far from their base.

A fielder may not let the ball drop intentionally. Otherwise both runners are safe.

A runner may not slide into any base. If a team does not have enough players to accommodate the batter, (counting the possible supply fielder) and the base runners, the defending team will determine which runner will be a phantom.  The phantom runner will be considered to be running “station to station”.

Disputed Calls

 In the case where there needs to be a “Do Over” the batter re-starts with a zero – zero count

Summary

The balls and bats are plastic, so are some of the players (i.e. fragile). They e play on a small field under safe conditions only.

They  play two Strikes for a strike out, five balls for a walk. Ground balls which do not cross the first base-third base diagonal are deemed foul unless there are six or more defenders. Some new players get three strikes and outstanding pitchers work with three strikes if they choose to.

Ground ball outs – they throw to the pitcher’s circle (or to first base) to get an out.

Hitting a runner with the ball is an out and the ball is dead, no further advancement of runners (who are not committed) is permitted.

Missed throws at a runner (or the pitching target at home) gives other runners a maximum of one extra base.

No leading off base, no sliding, no tagging up. Base runners must avoid colliding with fielders.

Pitchers can choose the front pitching rubber – softer pitches which must arc or the back rubber. Some pitchers may have to pitch from the grass-dirt border behind the rubber.

With the nnouncement by Quebec Liberal Party leader Dominique Anglade in Côte Saint-Luc that Elisabeth Prass will be her candidate in D’Arcy McGee, the stage is now set for one of the most interesting riding races in the province.

I was among Anglade’s biggest critics for the exceedingly long delay in selecting a candidate. Incumbent Member of the National Assembly David Birnbaum announced in April that he will not seek another mandate. Anglade’s team either turned good candidates down or had others of quality simply decline the invitation. But good things often come to people who wait and Prass is beyond an excellent choice. In fact she checks off all of the boxes for the party in this constitituency, which covers Côte Saint-Luc, Hampstead and part of Snowdon.

Elisabeth Prass is introduced as the Liberal candidate at a press conference at Trudeau Park.

Prass is Jewish (a large proportion of the voters are), knows the riding intimately (she ran the D’Arcy McGee office  but stepped away months before Birnbaum’s ill-fated amendment to Bill 96 as it relates to CEGEP French courses), is a mom (one of her boys is special needs, which will translate into empathy and understanding for parents in the same boat) and is impeccably bilingual. She also grew up in Côte Saint-Luc. Over the years she’s worked for provincial ministers in Quebec city and knows the game. Full disclosure: she was always a big help to me wearing my hats as city councillor and via my school board post, so I can vouch for her worthiness of this opportunity.

For the first time since Robert Libman won D’Arcy McGee for the then Equality Party in 1989, this riding is by no means an easy mark for the Liberals.

The Canadian Party of Quebec, The Conservative Party of Quebec and Bloc Montréal will all gain the attention of voters looking to switch allegiances over the Liberals’ handling of Bill 96.

Marc Perez

Marc Perez is the flag bearer for The Canadian Party of Quebec, with political veteran Bonnie Feigenbaum representing the Conservatives and Joel DeBellefeuille for Bloc Montréal. There are reasons too to vote for each of them.

Bonnie Feigenbaum

The Canadian Party of Quebec, headed by Colin Standish, has been front and center as a defender of anglo rights for more than a year now and would be a real thorn in the side of  Premier Francois Legault and the CAQ. There are many people who have told me they will park their vote there.

Under the leadership of Eric Duhaime, the Conservatives will win some seats in this election and Legault fears them. That is a good thing. Duhaime has come out strongly against Bill 96, but not so on Bill 21- the obscene religious symbols  law. The good news is that he will let his candidates take whatever position they want. So Feigenbaum plans to campaign against Bill 21 and get other candidates from the party to follow her. But that policy of Duhaime is also the bad news, for some of his candidates have some pretty wacky views.

Joel DeBellefeuille

As for the Bloc Montréal, represented by Joel DeBellefeuille, of course we must admire the perseverance of leader Balarama Holness. He ran on an anglo rights plank for mayor of Montreal and is doing the same here. However, by not signing a non-agression pact (something Balarama told me he would pursue) it is likely the Canadian Party of Quebec and the Bloc will cancel each other out. And that is the best news Prass could ask for. By vying for the same vote to oust the Liberals, these two parties stand to do the exact opposite.

DEBATE: Calvin Finkelstein, Grand Chancellor of the Knights of Pythias, Québec Domain, and Marvin Rotrand, National Director of the League for Human Rights of B'nai Brith Canada, have announced the two organizations will host a joint candidate debate for D’Arcy-McGee riding, It will be held on Thursday, September 22 at 7 P.M, by ZOOM. The agreed upon format will see candidates briefly speak about themselves and their party platform and then take questions from the audience.

Confirmed participants are: De Bellefeuille, Feigenbaum, Perez, Prass and  Hilal Pilavic (Québec Solidaire). 

During the campaign I have been filing podcast interviews with these candidates so stay tuned.

Here is my first one with Bonnie Feigenbaum 

Here is my podcast with Elisabeth Prass

Here is my podcast with Marc Perez

Here is my podcast with Joel DeBellefeuille

Work is progressing nicely on the  large greenspace on Marc Chagall Avenue, across from both the Marquise and the snow dump.

The new grass looks very nice.

History will note that this land was leased to the owners of the Equinoxe as a parking lot for three years in order to avoid having their   workers parking on the street. The developers had signed a written contract to return the land the way they found it. Regrettably that did not occur and litigation ensued. Attempts to properly beautify the area were unsuccessful, so in June council adopted a resolution allocating fund  to finally get this job done right.

Work was supposed to begin in June, but like everyone else across the globe we were victims of supply and demand. The delivery of the sod did arrive last week and it was a delight to watch it take shape on most of the land. It looks beautiful.

Laying sod.

Some people asked me why they did not lay sod on all of the space. Please note that in the next few weeks new trees will be planted and lights installed, after which more grass will be placed. We have a new walking path and new benches in place. Our staff are watering the grass daily.

I want to thank our Public Works and Engineering teams for getting the job done. We will watch closely for the final chapter in September, following which I will begin a discussion on what to name the greenspace.

This is where some new lights will go.

Staff have been digging a trench  for lights to be installed along the cement pathway to Isadore Goldberg Park.

Proud Bialik High School graduates Jamie Elman and Eli Batalion of YidLife Crisis are indeed coming home on Wednesday, August 17 (7pm) when they present a live variety show featuring comedy, video, music and thought-provoking shtick inspired by the history and roots of Côte Saint-Luc. Seats for the live show, cleverly entitled A Closer Luc, are sold out, but it will be broadcast live on our You Tube channel.

Here is the link.

In June 2021, our library presented a collaborative project with the Conseil des arts de Montreal which would award a $25,000 prize to a selected local artist group or collective who would then produce an artistic project that would be showcased in Côte Saint-Luc. In the fall, the call went out for submissions and three artist groups applied. YidLife Crisis was selected.

Eli and Jamie on the scene.

If you have not seen Jamie and Eli in action, YidLife Crisis started off as a web series and has virtually turned into an empire. The boys have travelled across the globe, with their alter egos speaking Yiddish with English sub-titles. Go to www.yidlifecrisis.com to see for yourself.

The purpose of this project was for YidLife Crisis to research, write, produce, and present a
special 60-minute multi-media presentation by and for our community.

Using a similar lens to their award-winning documentary "CHEWDAISM: A Taste of Jewish Montreal" (CBC, PBS), where food and culture are used to explore the history of YidLife Crisis’ home town, this presentation will hone in on Côte Saint-Luc to explore the origins of how this unique enclave on the island of Montreal came to be, how its unique character as a specific kind of Canadian and Québecois experience shaped the world lens of the creators themselves, and demonstrate how it has evolved to take on its unique character in the modern day, putting current community cultural contributors in the spotlight. The project will meld the multidisciplinary creative powers of YidLife Crisis as award-winning filmmakers and global touring performers by combining elements such as short film, visuals (e.g. slides and archival footage), musical creation and classical theatrical
elements.”

I was honoured to be interviewed for this project and I can’t wait to see how they integrate my video footage into the final product.

You can also see this story from the Canadian Jewish News.

Following a three year absence due to COVID-19, the Côte Saint-Luc Golf Classic returned on August 9  to Meadowbrook Golf Course and it was a huge success.

Myself with Pierre Brunet, Peter Lipari and Glenn J. Nashen.

I was pleased to  co-chair this 41^st annual event with Councillor Dida Berku and  Mannie Young. Dida has been a champion on keeping Meadowbrook green for  decades. Mannie, the former chair of the Men’s Club and a retired pharmacist, added an entire new dimension to this program with his wealth of contacts and fundraising abilities - no to mention his sense of humour.

Glenn and Sam made acceptance speeches.

A few years ago, we introduced the Parks and Recreation Bursary Fund to help disadvantaged families and for children who have special needs in Côte Saint-Luc who cannot afford to register their children in seasonal programs and activities operated by our city. It was created by myself and Harold Cammy, with the support of McDonald’s franchisee Pierre Brunet.

The outdoor luncheon setup was excellent.

This year, thanks principally to Mannie and event coordinator Anisa Cameron, we exceeded expectations. New corporate sponsors were brought in  and we raised over $9,000 for our charity.

A large collection of cupcakes for Glenn and Sam.

Former City Councillors Glenn J. Nashen and Sam Goldbloom were this year’s honorees.

Glenn served on city council for more than 25 years. He was a key player in the area of public safety, having launched the Volunteer Citizens on Patrol (VCOPs) and participating as an active member of the Emergency Medical Services. Sam was a councillor for 12 years and co-chaired the Golf Classic with me on many occasions. Glenn's parents, George, 99, and Phyllis, 95, were on hand. Irving Leiner also paid tribute to the late Joe Presser, who was our honouree in 2018. His wife Isabel and daughter Janet joined us.  I miss Joe terribly!

See this video produced by Mayor Brownstein.

First off, the golf day was a lot of fun. There was a slight drizzle as we hit the links yet very comfortable temperatures. I had the pleasure of being part of a foursome with Nashen, D’Arcy McGee Liberal MNA David Birnbaum and IGA Côte Saint-Luc Shopping Centre operator Peter Lipari, who has quite the swing.

My foursome, Nashen, Birnbaum and Lipari.

Our committee, which also included Anthony Sulpizio and Moe Giobbi, began meeting by Zoom  last winter and we agreed at that point to hold our luncheon outdoors in Ashkelon Gardens behind City Hall. We did not know where we’d be with COVID-19 and I do not think any of us expected  a seventh wave.  Box lunches were prepared by Pizza Pita and this turned out to be an ideal venue, made even better with the husband and wife singing duo -Qué Sera- of Merv “Harvey Keitel-look-alike” Middling  and Joanne Cutler. They now  perform to benefit  the Harvey Levine Cancer Fund, associated with the Cedar Cancer Centre of the MUHC. There is no charge for their performances, however, any donations received will be given entirely towards cancer research in hopes that one day we will find a cure.  Harvey was the director of B’nai Brith Canada in Quebec, who left us more than a year ago. It was nice to see his widow, Doreen, on hand as the Que Sera roadie. She even showed off some of her dancing moves. Their performance was very well received.

Joanne and Merv perform.

Thanks to Pierre Brunet and his McDonald’s team for welcoming all of the golfers with coffee, danish, muffins and yogurt tubes and to our other sponsors: Sol and Anna Zuckerman; RBC Wealth Management (Ted Kalil and John Kalaydjian); ReBox – Brian Young; Classique Furniture (Jordan Biberkraut); Elm Ridge, Islesmere/Club Link, Le Diamant; IGA (Peter Lipari); Pierre Brunet and McDonald’s (with honourable mention to Roberto Del Papa who set it up); TCBY (Lenny Rosenberg); Delmar (Harrison Cutler); Jean Coutu Côte Saint-Luc Shopping Centre (Alex Darian); Pharmaprix Quartier Cavendish (David Banon, with special mention to Ian Macdonald, who set the whole thing up), 5 Minute Coffee Break (Steve Stein) and  Dollarama. We also had plenty of door prizes and a silent auction, offering foursomes to the  four top private golf clubs mentioned.

Joan Zafran, Mannie Young, Dida Berku, Mitch Kujavsky, Peter Lipari and myself.

As for the trophy presentations,   here were the winners.

Longest Drive:

Men’s – Peter Lipari

Women’s – Joan Zafran

Closest to the Pin:

Men’s – Councillor Mitch Kujavsky

Women’s – Joan Zafran

“Most Honest (highest score)” – Arnie Leder

Harrison Cutler, Mannie Young, Lior Azerad and Mitch Kujavsky.

Lowest Score – Harrison Cutler

Best Dressed (Male) – Fred Schacter

Best Dressed  (Female)– Janine West

Thanks to everyone who made this event so special.  Bravo Mannie for introducing the new awards. I can’t wait for next year!

When I was first elected to city council nearly 17 years ago,  I established a committee to explore sponsorship, naming rights and donation guidelines for our community. Two years later, working principally with Director Public Affairs and Communications Darryl Levine, Lisa Milner from our Public Library and Harold Cammy in Parks and Recreation, Council approved our recommendations.

Overall, the city has done very well in terms of event and program sponsorship over the years. For the most part, naming rights were relegated to park benches and lectures. Soon after last November’s election, someone in the community connected me with philanthropist Roslyn Margles. Over the course of many months, working with Director of Library Services Janine West, Treasurer Angelo Marino and Legal Counsel Andrea Charon, we reached an agreement which has resulted into the largest individual donation in city history: $500,000 to name the Bibliotheque des jeunes Max Margles Children’s Library. City Council approved the contract at our Monday, August 8, 2022 meeting.

An artistic rendering of what the signage will look like.

Max Margles loved to read. He was an in-depth reader, seeking out well-written and engrossing books, relevant and meaningful. He kept two Rolodex files – one arranged by author, the other arranged by title. On these small cards, in his meticulous printing (he was a structural engineer), he summarized the nature of the book, the plot, and provided his eloquent assessment of the work.  When Max died suddenly in 2004, his widow Roslyn looked for projects to endow in Max’s memory. Since the couple has no children, Roslyn carries on this mandate with vigour and pride. She established a Max Margles Endowment Fund at the Jewish Public Library in Montreal, sponsoring an annual lecture by outstanding literary authors.  And the Quebec Writers Federation now has the Max Margles  Writing Residency.
 
A resident of Côte Saint-Luc, Roslyn Margles has agreed to bestow this gift upon us in two parts: a $200,000 donation, and a $300,000 endowment fund to be created by the Jewish Community Foundation of Montreal.

We are absolutely thrilled to receive this donation. I have spoken to  Mayor Mitchell Brownstein and Councillor Lior Azerad, who has the sponsorship portfolio and indeed we hope that other members of the community will step forward as we have many other naming rights opportunities at the library and in other departments.

Donations such as this are intended to be used for items not in our regular budget.

So in this case, guidelines will include programming that encourages literacy, including but not limited to: Own Voices Literary Festival, Children’s Book Week activities and events, Public Libraries Week activities and event. As well, activity that promotes an annual writing or storytelling contest branded the Roslyn and Max Literacy Contest, with the co-operation of schools situated on the Côte Saint-Luc territory, and perhaps, involvement of local authors, a jury, prizes, etc. We have also discussed programming that encourages performing arts programs.

Pending Ms. Margles’ signature on our contract, we intend to unveil indoor and outdoor signage at a ceremony on Sunday morning. A celebration will take place on Sunday, September 18 in  the newly named Children's Department from 10 am to Noon.

We are very excited.

As the city councillor for District 2 these past 17 years, I am very proud of the work that has been done to enhance Rembrandt Park.

The new basketball courts.

When I was first elected, the park had a sunken field that was used by delinquents to hide out late at night and even dump benches. We were able to level that field, much to the benefit of users. A skateboard bowl, deemed dangerous by many parents and confirmed by senior staff, was removed. The splashpad project was installed well over a decade ago and is a popular attraction. Park equipment has been consistently upgraded and  last year we finally installed a brand new basketball court, as well as a half court for youngsters. In addition, we purchased large nets so youngsters could play soccer. I have received nothing but warm thanks for the youngsters who use these  facilities.

As for the tennis courts, they have been refurbished over the years and benefited from new lighting. A permanent ping pong table, installed in 2021, has been a big hit from the start. In the winter, for two years in a row now, we have but in an ice skating rink at one of the tennis courts. There is also a popular toboggan hill.

This is an extremely well utilized park, a hub of activity and a wonderful mix of young families and seniors who live in the immediate area. I am not pleased to see people having picnics and not cleaning up after themselves. It lends the impression that the park is dirty.  That is not the case. We have ample trash cans. On weekends in particular we have a small crew of staff circulating throughout the city so they cannot possibly visit each park for cleanup.

I walk through this park regularly from the spring to the fall, constantly interacting with users and the park attendants who oversee activities. When people have concerns, they direct them my way.  That is the best process to follow.  Last summer, for instance, a woman called to advise me that she was pushing her husband in his wheelchair to the park, but the pathway was not smooth enough to  get there. In a matter of days I had a crew from Public Works present to pour more cement and create an easier entry.

The water splashpad area.

Understandably, residents who use a particular park a lot tend to have large wish lists. We do everything we can to comply, however it is very important to emphasize that the city has dozens of parks to take care of. There is only so much funding available. That being said, Rembrandt Park is indeed on a list prepared by our Public Works Department for changes to the playground areas.  This will not occur overnight, as it is a costly endeavor. As well,  because the playgrounds are divided into sections for young and older children, a complete redesign will be required.

Park attendant Ruby Goodman showcases the new water fountains.

In the meantime, we continue to roll out new initiatives:

•  The chalet roof has been redone in aluminum, a sustainable material that can last up to 50 years and added      handicapped/stroller accessible washrooms.
•  Three new lamp posts were added at the Merrimac side of the park.
•  Eleven new benches were installed in  concrete bases along the pathway near the playground and chalet.
•  We replaced and added four extra large garbage bins.
•  Two new drinking fountains have now been installed ( water bottle accessible).
•  We removed dead and sick trees and planted new ones.   
•  We replaced the single doors at the tennis courts with double doors.
•  The chalet art room is being renovated, including a custom made (by our employees) stainless steel double sink.

This ping pong table is very popular.

Some residents have called,  concerned that picnic tables have disappeared.  That is not the case. Tables tend to be moved manually by users to different parts of the park for their own little gatherings.  While we have ordered metal picnic tables, they are on back order so unfortunately we have no other choice but to wait.

I can always be reached at mcohen@cotesaintluc.org.

I wish to provide an update about the large greenspace on Marc Chagall Avenue, across from both the Marquise and the snow dump.

History will note that this land was leased to the owners of the Equinoxe as a parking lot for three years in order to avoid having their   workers parking on the street. The developers had signed a written contract to return the land the way they found it. Regrettably that did not occur and litigation ensued. Attempts to properly beautify the area were unsuccessful, so in June council adopted a resolution allocating fund  to finally get this job done right.

Work was supposed to begin in June, but like everyone else across the globe we are victims of supply and demand. The delivery of the sod is on back order and will not arrive until August 8.

Work begins on the rehabilitation of the Marc Chagall lot.

Nonetheless, work has indeed started. Public Works  commenced some digging to install bollards along the west side of the paved walkway for new lighting.  A number of large diseased trees unfortunately had to be removed. We have also installed the beginning of  a pathway.

Our contractor  will remove all growing grass, seeds, and pebbles for the entire vacant lot. New benches and tables will be installed.  Fingers are crossed for the sod.  In September new trees will be planted. I am as frustrated as anyone with these delays, but we will have a beautiful greenspace when all is said and done at which time I will begin a consultation process to find a name for this parkette.

In recent days I have received several calls from people asking about a small notice that was placed at the corner of Marc Chagall Avenue and Kildare Road. It is from our Urban Planning Department and explains that the city has received an application from a developer to build a seven floor, 28 unit apartment complex on the site at that spot near Beth Chabad CSL and Bialik High School.

This land is presently zoned for a two storey commercial building.  A zoning amendment approved by Council and then taken to local residents for consultation would be required.

The zoning for a two storey commercial building is for behind the fence.

Our Planning Advisory Committee has reviewed the proposal and will make a recommendation to city council, likely by August. I will keep everyone up to date. We are merely following process by sharing the developer's wishes.

I had invited the developer to have an information meeting with residents first, but he favored going  directly to Urban Planning.

Ces derniers jours, j'ai reçu plusieurs appels de personnes s'interrogeant sur un petit avis placé à l'angle de l'avenue Marc Chagall et de Kildare Road. Il provient de notre service d'urbanisme et explique que la ville a reçu une demande d'un promoteur pour construire un complexe d'appartements de sept étages et de 28 unités sur le site à cet endroit, près du Beth Chabad CSL et  Bialik.

Ce terrain est actuellement zoné pour un bâtiment commercial de deux étages.  Une modification du zonage approuvée par le Conseil et soumise ensuite à la consultation des résidents locaux serait nécessaire.

Notre comité consultatif d'urbanisme a examiné la proposition et fera une recommandation au conseil municipal, probablement d'ici le mois d'août. Je tiendrai tout le monde au courant. Nous ne faisons que suivre le processus en partageant les souhaits du promoteur.

Frank Palucci is one of my most remarkable constituents. As part of the District 2 Advisory Council I established a few years ago,  Frank is my representative for Ilan Ramon Crescent and Sir Walter Scott Avenue. To say he serves as “my eyes and ears” is an understatement.

Frank Palucci showcases the new speed hump.

As part of my very regular District 2 walkabouts, I usually make a stop at Frank’s house to chat. For some time now we have watched together as motorists race down Sir Walter Scott,  which  is home to half a dozen apartment buildings and of course two entrances to  Ilan Ramon.

Via Frank’s persistent reminders, I was able to get the attention of our Traffic Committee and a speed hump at the mid-way point of Sir Walter Scott has been installed and it is already making a huge difference. We also brought back another one at the rear entrance/exit of City Hall which also serves as deterrent to speeders. So thank you Frank, as well as Traffic Engineer Spyro Yotis.

Meantime, there continues to be complaints about speeding on Marc Chagall Avenue. We do have a speed hump near the snow dump, so cars seem to pressing the accelerator when they turn the corner and drive towards Mackle.

We reached out to Police Station 9 Commander Martin Montour. “We believe it is the same youngsters who are speeding along Cavendish,” he said, confirming that the complaints will be followed up.

Citizens who witness speeding infractions are asked to send an e-mail directly to pdq9@spvm.qc.ca  and it will be acted upon. You can call 911 in the case of an emergency,

Installation de ralentisseurs et de dos d'âne ; signalement des excès de vitesse à la police

Frank Palucci est l'un de mes électeurs les plus remarquables. Membre du conseil consultatif du district 2 que j'ai créé il y a quelques années, Frank est mon représentant pour Ilan Ramon Crescent et Sir Walter Scott Avenue. Dire qu'il est "mes yeux et mes oreilles" est un euphémisme.

Dans le cadre de mes promenades très régulières dans le district 2, je m'arrête généralement chez Frank pour discuter. Depuis quelque temps, nous observons ensemble les automobilistes qui descendent à toute allure la rue Sir Walter Scott, où se trouvent une demi-douzaine d'immeubles d'habitation et, bien sûr, deux entrées d'Ilan Ramon.

Grâce aux rappels insistants de Frank, j'ai pu attirer l'attention de notre comité de circulation et un ralentisseur à mi-chemin de Sir Walter Scott a été installé et il fait déjà une énorme différence. Nous en avons également ramené un autre à l'entrée/sortie arrière de l'hôtel de ville, qui sert également à dissuader les automobilistes. Merci Frank !

Entre-temps, des plaintes continuent d'être déposées au sujet des excès de vitesse sur l'avenue Marc Chagall. Nous avons un ralentisseur près de la décharge à neige, donc les voitures semblent appuyer sur l'accélérateur quand elles tournent le coin et roulent vers Mackle.

Nous avons contacté le commandant du poste de police 9, Martin Montour. "Nous pensons que ce sont les mêmes jeunes qui font des excès de vitesse le long de Cavendish", a-t-il déclaré, confirmant que les plaintes seront suivies.

Les citoyens qui sont témoins d'un excès de vitesse sont priés d'envoyer un courriel directement à pdq9@spvm.qc.ca et il y sera donné suite. En cas d'urgence, vous pouvez appeler le 911,