There was not a lot of good that came out of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it did bring us a relatively new way to communicate. Virtual meetings carried us through the shutdowns and allowed entities like our city council to keep the business of running a city in operation.
Almost 18 years ago, when I was first elected to city council, I introduced the concept of District meetings---- meetings hosted by your local city councillor (only me at the time) to focus specifically on issues related to the District. Of course these meetings were in person. But they switched to virtual during the pandemic and due to popular demand, for now, we will maintain that format. Our city council does meet in public at least once a month and you can join those meetings in person or via YouTube.
I am always available by email at [email protected] I take regular walks throughout the District. Follow my blog at www.mikecohen.ca and my Facebook page. On May 28, almost 100 people from about 50 computer screens joined my virtual meeting.
For traffic issues, our Traffic Engineer Spyro Yotis was with us. Isabella Pietracupa from Public Works joined as well to talk about the snow dump on Marc Chagall Avenue. I also spoke about our master plan and what the owners of the Quartier Cavendish may want to do. Next, was an update on Hydro-Quebec and news on some of their upcoming projects and an important public meeting coming up on June 5. Back to Marc Chagall Avenue, I shared some news on Sheila Finestone Park. Finally, stay tuned for news at our June 12 council meeting on some exciting changes to the building at Cavendish and Kildare
I introduced Glenn J. Nashen, a friend and a former city councillor for 25 years. He is also a constituent and has agreed to serve as special advisor for me in District 2.
Also on the call were Councillors Dida Berku, Lior Azerad, Steven Erdelyi and Oren Sebag and former Councillor David Tordjman.
La pandémie de COVID-19 n'a pas apporté grand-chose de positif. Cependant, elle nous a apporté un moyen de communication relativement nouveau. Les réunions virtuelles nous ont permis de traverser les périodes de fermeture et ont permis à des entités telles que notre conseil municipal de continuer à gérer les affaires de la ville.
Il y a près de 18 ans, lorsque j'ai été élu pour la première fois au conseil municipal, j'ai introduit le concept des réunions de district---- réunions organisées par votre conseiller municipal local (moi seul à l'époque) pour se concentrer spécifiquement sur les questions liées au district. Bien entendu, ces réunions se tenaient en personne. Mais elles sont devenues virtuelles pendant la pandémie et, à la demande générale, nous conservons pour l'instant ce format. Notre conseil municipal se réunit en public au moins une fois par mois et vous pouvez participer à ces réunions en personne ou via YouTube.
Je suis toujours disponible par courriel à l'adresse [email protected] Je me promène régulièrement dans le district. Suivez mon blog à mikecohen.ca et ma page Facebook.
Ce soir, vous serez informés sur les questions de circulation. Notre ingénieur de la circulation, Spyro Yotis, est avec nous, ainsi qu'Isabella Pietracupa, des travaux publics. Elle est ici pour parler brièvement du déversement de neige. J'ajusterai cette question au deuxième point de l'ordre du jour. Je parlerai ensuite de notre plan directeur et, plus important encore, du plan de réaménagement du Quartier Cavendish. Ensuite, il y aura Hydro Québec et des nouvelles sur certains de ses projets à venir, ainsi qu'une importante réunion publique à venir. Pour en revenir à l'avenue Marc Chagall, je vous parlerai également du parc Sheila Finestone. Enfin, un mot sur le parc Rembrandt
J'aimerais vous présenter Glenn J. Nashen, un ami et ancien conseiller municipal pendant 25 ans. Il est également un électeur et a accepté d'être mon conseiller spécial dans le district 2.
TRAFFIC
This is probably the issue constituents talk to me about the most.
Spyro Yotis spoke about issues like speeding, stop signs, speed bumps and parking. He has been asked to look at the speeding on Park Place and Jubilee in particular.
C'est probablement la question dont les électeurs me parlent le plus. Excès de vitesse. Les panneaux d'arrêt. Les ralentisseurs, le stationnement.
THE GARBAGE DUMP
The snow dump has been on Marc Chagall Avenue for more than 50 years. Over the last few years we have taken specific measures to reduce the noise pollution and to ensure that it is chopped up in June. We had a lot of snow this winter and of course we have an agreement that allows the Town of Hampstead to use the dump as well. This year we had to revoke that privileged towards the end of the winter as we had reached capacity. I am sure many people would like to see us relocate it. Hats off to Public Works for the job they have been doing to make the mountain of hard snow disappear. On the call Isabella told us that all testing came back with conforming numbers.
La décharge à neige se trouve avenue Marc Chagall depuis plus de 50 ans. Ces dernières années, nous avons pris des mesures spécifiques pour réduire les nuisances sonores et pour nous assurer que la décharge est nettoyée en juin. Nous avons eu beaucoup de neige cet hiver et, bien sûr, nous avons un accord qui permet à la ville de Hampstead d'utiliser le dépotoir également. Cette année, nous avons dû révoquer ce privilège vers la fin de l'hiver, car nous avions atteint notre capacité. Je suis sûr que beaucoup de gens aimeraient que nous le relocalisions. Isabella est ici avec nous ce soir pour nous donner une mise à jour.
MASTER PLAN
Since last June, the city began gathering feedback from the public on our revision to the municipal Master Plan and Zoning By-law revision documents.
We’ve had workshops on issues such as home-based businesses, local commerce, Housing, Mobility and Connectivity. There have been questionnaires and surveys, focus groups with young adults. A complete and comprehensive document is in the preparation stage.
For the purpose of this meeting, it is the redevelopment of the three shopping malls in Côte Saint-Luc most people were interested in.
We as a council still do not have any formal proposals from the Malls. We will be meeting with them towards the end of June. What I can tell you is that the owners seek to create a modern, accessible, and sustainable mixed-use project that offers commercial spaces, retail and residential units.
By the end of the summer I hope we will be in a position to have a meeting with the owners of Quartier Cavendish where they can expand on their plans and you can ask questions.
Depuis juin dernier, la ville a commencé à recueillir les commentaires du public sur la révision du plan directeur municipal et du règlement de zonage. Nous avons organisé des ateliers sur des questions telles que les entreprises à domicile, le commerce local, le logement, la mobilité et la connectivité. Des questionnaires et des enquêtes ont été réalisés, ainsi que des groupes de discussion avec de jeunes adultes. Un document complet et exhaustif est en cours de préparation.
Pour les besoins de cette réunion, c'est le réaménagement des trois centres commerciaux de Côte Saint-Luc qui, j'en suis sûr, intéresse la plupart d'entre vous.
En tant que conseil, nous n'avons pas encore reçu de propositions formelles de la part des centres commerciaux. Nous les rencontrerons vers la fin du mois de juin. Ce que je peux vous dire, c'est que les propriétaires cherchent à créer un projet moderne, accessible et durable à usage mixte qui offre des espaces commerciaux, des commerces de détail et des unités résidentielles.
D'ici la fin de l'été, j'espère que nous serons en mesure d'organiser une réunion avec les propriétaires du Quartier Cavendish, au cours de laquelle ils pourront développer leurs projets et vous pourrez leur poser des questions.
HYDRO-QUÉBEC
In 2019, Hydro-Québec presented the project to rebuild the 18-kilometre stretch of the transmission line between Aqueduc (LaSalle) and Saraguay (Saint-Laurent) substations at 315 kilovolts (kV). Three transformer substations were also to be converted to 315 kV. Though the initial timeline was delayed due to the pandemic, the upgrades remain essential to ensure Hydro-Québec is able to maintain the reliability of the system and meet the growing demand in this area of the island of Montréal. The project, which was broadened to two substations, will be carried out in three phases. The first involves rebuilding the line between Saraguay substation and the future 315 kV Côte-Saint-Luc substation (to be built on the site of Hampstead substation). The second involves rebuilding the line between Côte-Saint-Luc and Rockfield substations and expanding the latter. And the third involves rebuilding the section of the line between Rockfield and Aqueduc substations.
Anyone who is interested in this topic need to come to our Aquatic and Community Centre on Parkhaven Avenue on Monday, June 5 (6:30 pm to 9 pm) where you will hear from and be able to ask questions to Hydro officials.
Also, the grid that powers Merrimac Road has been in poor condition for many years now. A number of years ago Hydro was prepared to update the network. It involved the exchange of some servitudes. The Meadows Condo Board could not agree. There were some other issues. Then came the pandemic. Hydro has informed me that they plan to proceed with the work in 2025. More details to come.
En 2019, Hydro-Québec a présenté le projet de reconstruction à 315 kilovolts (kV) du tronçon de 18 kilomètres de la ligne de transport entre les postes Aqueduc (LaSalle) et Saraguay (Saint-Laurent). Trois postes de transformation devaient également être convertis à 315 kV. Bien que l'échéancier initial ait été retardé en raison de la pandémie, ces travaux demeurent essentiels pour permettre à Hydro-Québec de maintenir la fiabilité du réseau et de répondre à la demande croissante dans ce secteur de l'île de Montréal. Le projet, qui a été élargi à deux postes, sera réalisé en trois phases. La première consiste à reconstruire la ligne entre le poste de Saraguay et le futur poste de Côte-Saint-Luc à 315 kV (qui sera construit sur le site du poste de Hampstead). La seconde consiste à reconstruire la ligne entre les postes de Côte-Saint-Luc et de Rockfield et à agrandir ce dernier. Et le troisième consiste à reconstruire le tronçon de ligne entre les postes de Rockfield et d'Aqueduc.
Reunion : Lundi 5 juin de 1830 h à 21 h à l'ACC
Par ailleurs, le réseau qui alimente Merrimac Road est en grande difficulté depuis de nombreuses années. Il y a quelques années, Hydro était prête à moderniser le réseau. Cela impliquait l'échange de certaines servitudes. Le conseil d'administration de Meadows n'a pas pu donner son accord. Il y avait d'autres problèmes. Puis la pandémie est arrivée. Hydro m'a informé qu'elle prévoyait de procéder aux travaux en 2025. Plus de détails à venir
SHEILA FINESTONE PARK
I am very proud of what we have succeeded in doing with that greenspace. This marks the first full summer to enjoy the beautiful greenspace with pathways, trees, benches and picnic tables. We will also rededicate Isadore Goldberg Park. I hope we will be able to do a proper ceremony with the Finestone family one the signage is ready.
Je suis très fier de ce que nous avons réussi à faire avec cet espace vert. C'est le premier été complet où l'on peut profiter de ce magnifique espace vert avec des allées, des arbres, des bancs et des tables de pique-nique. Nous allons également inaugurer à nouveau le parc Isadore Goldberg. J'espère que nous pourrons organiser une cérémonie en bonne et due forme avec la famille Finestone lorsque la signalisation sera prête.
The first ever Driveway Fest in Côte Saint-Luc is a go and I can't wait!
Bravo to Stewart Rubin for making it happen. On Sunday afternoon, June 25, there will be an unprecedented array of musical performances in people's driveways. (In the event of rain, it will take place the following day).
Here is the lineup, with Rubin's commentary.
1 pm - 5709 Melling
Daylite Vampires Daylite Vampires was formed over 8 years ago. The name comes from the movie Blade where Wesley Snipes was a Daywalker thus a Daylite Vampire. We play a blend of Classic Rock , Punk and some hits from today. We perform at various venues around the city and are pleased to be part of this inaugural event.
1 pm- 5803 Einstein
Buffy McFly Piano/Vocal Duo classic rock and pop
Bio: When Miri met Lorne. Miri mentioned that she sang. Lorne mentioned that he played piano. Miri said that she was looking for someone to accompany her. She hadn’t intended it to be a pick-up line, but lo and behold and the rest is history.
1 pm – 7553 Baily Road
Joanne and Merv bring their 60’s and 70’s vibe to driveway festival. Well known in the community for getting the seniors off their feet and moving. It is a pleasure to have them with us this year.
2 pm 6880 Holland Road
Marie A Acoustic Folk-Pop - Marie has been singing, writing and playing a mix of her own melodies and songs she loves for a few years now. Inspired by singer-songwriters like Joni Mitchell, Carole King, James Taylor, Bob Dylan, and many more, Marie incorporates a familiar style of 70s folk with her own storytelling twist to bring her catchy acoustic tune to life.
2 pm- 5518 Hudson
Peppermint Green We are a rock band that plays covers of rock classics as well as a few originals.
2 pm – 606 Westluke
Rachel Dara is an award-winning singer songwriter who has been nominated for 6 categories, at the ISSA 2023 Awards, taking place in Atlanta, 4th and 5th August. There are many words that might describe Rachel Dara. chanteuse, storyteller, poetess, bard. She crosses boundaries all the time, but one thing that differentiates her from the rest is her ability to transform a story into a song in her Indie folk rock genre.
3 pm 606 Westluke
Superbed a Montreal new wave style band with an 80’s and 90’s vibe, get ready to put on those pointy ducky shoes and bop around
3 pm– 5720 Brookside
Brian Campbell is a Montreal song-poet, dexterous finger stylist, and impassioned, heartfelt singer. He has released two full-length albums and an EP of original music, and more than a dozen singles. His sets are dynamic contrasts of serious and light, sorrowful and joyful, plainspoken and lyrical. The beauty of words holds prominent place in Campbell's songs, but he also maintains a common touch. A widely published poet, Campbell has several critically acclaimed collections to his name. On stage he is relaxed and natural, an entertaining storyteller who spellbinds with his songs.
3 pm – 5709 Melling
Large Men started playing their instruments when they were still small, at an average age of minus 4 years old. Their cautious mix of paranoid folk is not very good or interesting but its lack of character pays the bills and keeps away dementia.
When I was first elected to city council almost 18 years ago, I introduced the concept of District meetings. These gatherings represented an opportunity for me to brief constituents on issues specifically pertinent to our immediate neighbourhood. I was pleased to see most of my colleagues on Côte Saint-Luc city council follow the same model.
During the pandemic, these meetings switched to a virtual format. While we now live in times of no COVID restrictions, the feedback I have received overwhelming favors retaining this option. There is a lot going on in District 2 so please join me on Monday, May 29 (7:30 pm). Just go to www.cotesaintluc.org/districtmeeting and click on the Zoom link. The agenda will focus on traffic issues (our Traffic Engineer Spyro Yotis will join us) to answer your questions and concerns; the master plan and the Quartier Cavendish development plan; an update on Hydro-Québec issues and their plans to build a new substation and towers; the new park naming for Sheila Finestone on Marc Chagall Avenue as well as Isabella Pietracupa's update on the snow dump; and Rembrandt Park. Former City Councillor Glenn J. Nashen will also be formally introduced as my senior District 2 advisor,
For the Côte Saint-Luc Local Commerce Committee, the Spotlight on Local Merchants for May 2023 shines on Bijü at Quartier Cavendish. This very popular kiosk has been located across from Pharmaprix since 2009 offering jewelry and watch repair, including battery changes on the spot.
Samara Nemeroff, Stephane Znaty, his mom Mireille, the Mayor and Council.
Owner Stephane Znaty, assisted by his mother Mireille and Samara Nemeroff, always greets customers with a smile. Bijü specializes in high-end hand-crafted diamond with platinum or gold jewelry to the every day silver jewelry piece as well as fashion jewelry. From custom designs to importing / exporting hand selected jewelry, Bijü’s primary goal is always focused on quality, price and th latest trends. Stephane will even remodel jewelry, all from the comfort of his private workshop.
Bijü is open from 10 am to 6 pm Monday to Thursday and 10 am to 5 pm Friday through Sunday.
Le Comité de commerce local de Côte Saint-Luc est heureux de reconnaître la bijouterie Bijü, au Quartier Cavendish pour le mois de mai 2023. Ce kiosque très populaire est situé en face de Pharmaprix depuis 2009 et offre des services de réparation de bijoux et de montres, y compris le changement de piles sur place.
Le propriétaire Stéphane Znaty, assisté de sa mère Mireille et de Samara Nemeroff, accueille toujours les clients avec le sourire. Bijü se spécialise dans les bijoux haut de gamme en diamant, en platine ou en or, ainsi que dans les bijoux en argent et les bijoux de mode. De la création sur mesure à l’importation/exportation de bijoux sélectionnés à la main, l’objectif principal de Bijü est toujours la qualité, le prix et les dernières tendances. Stéphane peut même remodeler des bijoux, le tout dans le confort de son atelier privé.
Bijü est ouvert de 10 h à 18 h du lundi au jeudi et de 10 h à 17 h du vendredi au dimanche.
Gary Fagen was a long-time member of the Eleanor London Côte Saint-Luc Public Library who passed away on, September 19, 2018. Throughout his life he was an avid Science Fiction and Fantasy reader, devouring everything the library had. He often made suggestions for purchase and as no one had the knowledge nor passion that he had, he became the library’s unofficial Science Fiction and Fantasy selector.
Emma, Erin and Daniel showcase the newly affixed plaque.
“Gary was particularly adept at ensuring that no one volume from any series was ever missing,” said CSL Director of Library Services Janine West. “He was also tireless in his advocacy for the library to purchase more in his beloved genre, but as he was one of its few fans we never purchased as much as he would have hoped. However, he was able to take advantage of our Interlibrary Loan Service, which he used extensively for all of the obscure titles the library didn’t own.”
The late Gary Fagen
Fagen’s daughter, Erin Fagen, remembers her parents bringing her to the library as a child and as the family grew up and dispersed, she recounted how the library became his second home. As she says, he found more than just books at the library; he discovered a community. He regularly came to the library to chat where he found amongst the library’s talented librarians a group of like-minded people who loved books and who also loved to talk about them.This was true; all of the staff knew him and for those who were also readers of the genre, there was a particular bond where various titles and authors were read and opinions shared. In 2019, Erin, contacted Director West to ask about opportunities for honouring her father as the library was such a big part of his life. He also had his own collection of books and the family donated this soon after he passed away. Various options were discussed, but then COVID-19 hit and things were put on hold.
We recently picked things up and I am pleased to report that the family has made a generous $7,000 donation to name the Gary Fagen Science Fiction and Fantasy Book Section. This will include the purchase of some new chairs for the reading section as well.
I spoke to Erin, her brother Daniel and their mom Emma to discuss the donation. Here is the video chat.
Notre bibliothèque publique CSL célèbre un nouveau don de droits de dénomination pour les lecteurs de science et de fiction.
Gary Fagen était un membre de longue date de la bibliothèque publique Eleanor London Côte Saint-Luc qui est décédé le 19 septembre 2018. Tout au long de sa vie, il a été un lecteur passionné de science-fiction et de fantaisie dévorant tout ce que la bibliothèque possédait. Il faisait souvent des suggestions d'achat et comme personne n'avait les connaissances ni la passion qu'il avait, il est devenu le sélectionneur officieux de science-fiction et de fantastique de la bibliothèque.
"Gary était particulièrement doué pour s'assurer qu'aucun volume d'une série ne manquait", a déclaré Janine West, directrice des services de bibliothèque de la CSL. "Il était également infatigable dans son plaidoyer pour que la bibliothèque achète plus de livres de son genre bien-aimé, mais comme il était l'un de ses rares fans, nous n'en avons jamais acheté autant qu'il l'aurait espéré. Cependant, il a pu profiter de notre service de prêt entre bibliothèques, qu'il a beaucoup utilisé pour tous les titres obscurs que la bibliothèque ne possédait pas".
Erin Fagen, la fille de M. Fagen, se souvient que ses parents l'emmenaient à la bibliothèque lorsqu'elle était enfant. Elle a raconté comment la bibliothèque était devenue sa deuxième maison. Il a découvert une communauté. Il venait régulièrement à la bibliothèque pour bavarder et il a trouvé parmi les bibliothécaires talentueux de la bibliothèque des personnes qui ont fait preuve d'une grande créativité.
C'était vrai, tout le personnel le connaissait et pour ceux qui étaient aussi des lecteurs du genre, il y avait un lien particulier où l'on parlait de titres et d'auteurs.
En 2019, Erin a contacté le directeur West pour lui demander s'il était possible d'honorer son père. La bibliothèque occupait une place importante dans sa vie. Il avait également sa propre collection de livres. Il avait également sa propre collection de livres et la famille en a fait don peu après son décès. Diverses options ont été discutées, mais le COVID-19 a frappé et les choses ont été mises en suspens. Nous avons récemment repris les choses en main et j'ai le plaisir d'annoncer que la famille a fait un don généreux de 7 000 dollars pour baptiser la section Gary Fagen Science Fiction and Fantasy Book Section (section des livres de science-fiction et de fantastique).
Anyone who passes by our snow dump on Marc Chagall Avenue will agree that it is a hideous sight.
The latest view of Mount Chagall.
There was a lot of snow this winter and as a result the dump is being called “Mount Chagall” by some people.
Dating back a number of years now, I have successfully advocated members of council to vote in favor of a special allocation to bring in equipment to chop the remnants of the hard and filthy snow into pieces. We dis so again last week.
Normally this kind of work commences in May, but our Public Works Department notes that the contractor they hire might not be able to break the snow up until June in order to ensure the work will be successful.
I would like to thank Isabella Pietracupa, our Sustainable Development Technician at Public Works for taking the time to provide me with this exclusive report. I had earlier alluded to environmental concerns from a study on a snow dump in Regina.
Isabella is a scientist and an engineer who has assisted in the evaluation and development of many projects related to the environment, the analysis of plans, estimates and contracts as well as acted as the representative of DDO for various events and working groups. "We are very proud to have this type of expertise in our department so that we can work on projects related to sustainable development, contaminants, biodiversity, and many other aspects of healthy environments necessary for our city," notes Public Works Director Beatrice Newman.
What follows is proof positive of the care Public Works is taking to ensure that the highest safety standards are in place.
The reality of the Marc-Chagall snow dump by Isabella Pietracupa
Although I can’t speak to the standards at which Regina’s snow dump is held to, I can speak to the regulations that Quebec snow dumps must follow.
The Ministère de l’Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs (MELCCFP) has very strict regulations is place for both the building and operating of a snow dump (or a Lieu d’élimination de neige, LEN).
A snow dump must first and foremost be authorized by the Ministère by way of a certificate of authorization as defined in the Loi sur la qualité de l'environnement. The Marc-Chagall snow dump received its certificate of authorization allowing the City to build and exploit the land in accordance with all the Ministry’s requirements. This certificate was emitted in 2002 following the acceptance of various documents describing the following technical aspects of the dump (not an exhaustive list):
What would be stored on the site
Infrastructure in place for rain and melt water management
Wastewater treatment systems and points of discharge in the surrounding environment
Direction of waterflow (slopes, ditches)
Size of the site
Management of debris from the site
Access points to the site
Once the certificate has been emitted, cities must ensure the snow dump is then followed on a yearly basis and continues to meet all the Ministry’s requirements. Cities are held accountable to ensure the snow dump meets the regulations outlined in in the Règlement sur la gestion de la neige, des sels de voiries et des abrasifs.
In addition to visual inspections by our expert city personnel, a characterization of meltwater and runoff must be done four times a year, during the spring/summer season.
These tests, performed by an accredited laboratory, are required to ensure the protection of the surrounding environment and people. Simply put, these tests ensure the negative impacts of meltwater on our hydrological cycle are mitigated.
In the case of Marc-Chagall, there is no surrounding natural watercourses that the meltwater can access. All meltwater is directed into surrounding ditches, where it then flows:
into two manholes,
a catch basin,
and finally gets discharged into the city’s sewer system where it undergoes treatment in a wastewater treatment site.
The flow of the meltwater has been designed to ensure pollutants are treated to the highest extent before reaching the sewer system. For example, snow melts in the center of the site where the slope of the ground directs the water down the side of a vegetated ditch where vegetation acts as a primary filter for contaminants.
From there it slowly travels down the ditch, and into one of two manholes. Once in the manhole, the water accumulates in the catch basin, allowing particles to sediment to the bottom (this avoids them entering the sewer system). The basin and ditches are also cleaned regularly, and debris is disposed of in proper disposal sites.
The four water samples test the following 3 contaminants:
Matières en suspension (MES ) (Suspended matter) (3 different tests are performed for this)
Oils and fats
pH
The results of these tests can show the quality of the snow and meltwater collected in the site. Often these types of contaminants come from various sources such as debris on roadways, abrasives, salts, and corrosion of vehicles. The Ministry has a certain concentration of the above-mentioned contaminants which is acceptable. To my knowledge, only once did we exceed the acceptable concentrations, in 2022 and this, for only two of the four samples taken that year. It was concluded that our results for suspended matter and total oils and fats were above the acceptable limits during the June and September sampling. However, it was deduced that these results may have been too high due to work being done in the snow dump around the same time as the sampling (operations to break down the snow hill in the spring/summer). A report was prepared and sent to the Ministry justifying the causes of these results and corrective measures were put in place to ensure this would not repeat itself (more frequent cleaning of the catch basin and ditches for example).
So far, the first sampling of 2023 has come out to be conforming and under the limit for potential contaminants.
It goes without saying that having a snow dump site in Côte Saint-Luc is, by far, an absolute necessity for city snow removal operations. Have a site in our backyard allows our trucks to easily double (and probably triple) the amount of snow they could collect in one day. Without our snow dump, we would have to transport the snow to another site, taking up time that could be spent on snow removal. Employees would have to drive farther, more greenhouse gases would be emitted, snow removal costs would go up, more hours would be put on the vehicles, and even more snow would need to be blown on lawns. With a well managed snow dump site, the city, its residents, and the environment all win.
Figure 1: Example of test results for 4 samplings (notice for MES 3 different tests are used, we must be under the limit of at least one to be conforming).
Director Newman has provided me with a wide array of additional facts which underline how lucky we are to have our own snow dump.
TRUCKS, COSTS, ETC.:
The cost for a transport truck is currently $100 per hour and we don’t know what it will be next year.
The external dumps cost between $2-$3 per cubic metric ton
We clear 50% of the city in-house while the contractors do the other 50%.
We currently have 15 trucks for our 5 blowers (sectors). If we must travel to a dump, we will need to double or triple our total trucks.
The contractors use approximately 20 trucks, they too will have to double or triple their trucks, going from 20 to approximately 60
Trucks will have to wait in line with other cities at the dumps. For example, If the lineup goes until closing time at the dump, you’ve paid $100 per hour for them to sit on the street for hours and then they have to return and start the day in line again.
The number of trucks and their drivers has substantially decreased over the last few years. It’s difficult to hire.
Gas emissions will increase considerably
Fuel costs will increase considerably
If directed to a sewer depot and not a snow hill dump, the truck can stand in line and if the water gets too cold the truck will be turned around because they won’t be permitted to dump their truck.
When working with a dump as we do with garbage, there must be a contract that usually requires guaranteed hours upfront.
We must follow Montreal’s schedule.
TIME DELAYS:
The schedule for snow operations will no longer be three days but will take 2 weeks
During a snowstorm, the transport trucks will be stuck in traffic back and forth from the city, again delaying city operations
Between 7a m – 7 pm CSL can do 4 loads (transports) per hour- it takes 10 minutes to get to Marc Chagall from Blossom
The same schedule but snow dumped elsewhere, will total approximately 12 loads (transports) per hour
Last year, 2022, transport trucks were sent away because the dumps were at full capacity. There were no dumps available for a contract.
We will absolutely blow most of our snow on all lawns as Hamstead does. Eliminate to exception lists and direct the contractors to blow snow from the mains on local properties.
HAMPSTEAD:
·The Town of Hampstead blows all of its snow on all properties. There aren’t any No Snow lists whatsoever. When they wish to use our dump, it’s because there is no room left in the Town
·At most, the Town will use not more than 15% of our snow dump. This percentage does not impede our operations.
·Our total amount of snow in February was 108,314 m3. Hampstead contributed 15m3.
·We earn revenue from the Town using our dump.
·We will continue to have good relations with our neighbour. Perhaps we can’t always visualize the benefits of being a good neighbour. We share equipment, ideas, employees, and data with the Town. It helps our operations and at times saves us expenses (putting up the menorah).
·If a natural disaster may occur like an ice storm, floods, or other, it’s necessary to be able to get assistance from our neighbours and vice versa. In the meantime, during good days and regular life, Hampstead and CSL share equipment, ideas, and good relations.
·If their mayor doesn’t want us to use Fleet then maybe we can negotiate and use the snow dump as an incentive.
COLOUR:
·Snow naturally turns black in the winter when melting.
·When snow is exposed to high temperatures, it turns black because the water in the snow turns into steam.
·When steam touches metal, it produces heat. This heat can be seen as black smoke coming out of the bottom of a pot or pan that is on a stove. The same thing happens when snow is exposed to high temperatures.
·The snow that enters the dump is mostly fresh snow that our blowers take from the street directly to the dump.
·The actual residue of residual waste/garbage is nominal.
·There is a fair amount of street waste ie sand, salt, and stone that also contributes to the colour.
MAINTENANCE:
·Public Works manages the snow dump according to regulations dictated by the Ministère de l’Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs (MELCCFP) which has very strict regulations in place for both the building and operating of a snow dump.
·We have a specific budget for the breaking down, clearing and tamping of the dump floor from late spring to early fall. Depending on the amount of snow that we received that year, the snow can be cleaned up faster in those years when we have a light year.
·We can only break down the hill as it starts to melt. There are no machines or equipment that can crawl up the hill and start breaking solid ice. That is why we work in there for a bit and return a few times when the area has melted and is safe to approach.
Mont Chagall
Tous ceux qui passent devant notre décharge située sur l'avenue Marc Chagall conviendront qu'il s'agit d'un spectacle hideux.
Il y a eu beaucoup de neige cet hiver, ce qui a valu à cette décharge d'être surnommée le "Mont Chagall" par certaines personnes.
Depuis plusieurs années, j'ai plaidé avec succès auprès des membres du conseil municipal pour qu'ils votent en faveur d'une allocation spéciale afin d'apporter de l'équipement pour couper en morceaux les restes de la neige dure et sale. C'est ce que nous avons fait la semaine dernière.
Normalement, ce type de travail commence en mai, mais il se peut que nous ne puissions pas briser la neige avant le mois de juin afin d'assurer la réussite du travail.
The fifth annual Community Mental Health Awareness Shabbat, spearheaded by Congregation Tifereth Beth David Jerusalem Congregation in Côte Saint-Luc, will take place May 4 to 6. This year it will feature a hybrid program, with in-person and virtual options for a Mental Health Symposium on Thursday evening, a Friday workshop for high school students and two sessions on Saturday. This format has spread to cities across North America.
This program coincides with Canadian Mental Health Week (https://mentalhealthweek.ca). Dr. Rachel Goodman and Yair Meyers are the program co-chairs. “Our goal is for as many synagogues as possible across the entire Jewish community here, across Canada and the United States, to dedicate that Shabbat as part of the Community-Wide Mental Health Awareness Shabbat,” the co-chairs state.
On Thursday evening, May 4 (7:30 pm to 9 pm) the kickoff symposium will be entitled Reconnecting With What Matters: How Investing In Our Relationships Helps Us Thrive at the synagogue (6519 Baily Road). A livestream will be available at mentalhealth.tbdj.org for the panel, moderated by Dr. Goodman and featuring Rabbi Zolly Claman from TBDJ, Social Worker/Psychotherapist and COO of Agence Ometz Allan Ptack, Connie DiNardo from AMI-Quebec and keynote speaker Dr. Miriam Kirmayer. She is a clinical psychologist and leading friendship expert who has studied the science of connection for over a decade. Her work focuses on helping people to navigate life transitions, cultivate resilience and self-compassion, and build healthier relationships and more connected lives. Dr. Kirmayer sits on the Mental Health Advisory Committee for Wondermind, a mental fitness company co-founded by Selena Gomez, and partners with businesses and organizations to encourage mental wellness, meaningful relationships, and community. It is important to note that the lecture will not be recorded, so if you do not intend on attending in-person you will need to watch the live feed.
On Friday, May 5 (10 am) Dr. Kirmayer will address high school students in a teen mental health workshop. The theme for this talk will be Stay Connected: The Power of Authentic Friendships.
Finally, on Saturday May 6 following services in the synagogue’s main sanctuary, Stuart Katz. Director Nafshenu Alenu, will talk about The Power Of Community: It Takes More Than Just a Village. Nafshenu Alenu is a community-wide initiative out of the State of New York which promotes mental wellbeing and empowers communities to address the ever-growing and increasingly more complicated and critical mental health needs. At 6:15, Katz will join Rabbi Benyamin Bresinger for another session. His topic will be Our Family’s Survival with Suicidality: One of Many while Rabbi Bresinger, the Director of Chabad Lifeline, will focus on Perspective from the front lines: The Struggle of Addiction in the Jewish Community.
Registration for these events (high school is limited to students) is free and you must log on to www.mentalhealth.tbdj.org. For more details you can email [email protected]
The incredibly popular Metropolitan Opera is back at CineStarz Deluxe Cavendish for three special shows in April and May.
Premiering on Saturday, April 29 at 12:55 PM, CineStarz will be live-streaming Terence Blanchard’s Champion in crystal clear HD to audiences at Quartier Cavendish.
As I've written about in the past, CineStarz at Quartier Cavendish is home to the best theatre experience in Montreal. With brand-new reclining seats and a fully-stocked bar, guests can enjoy the opera - or the latest Hollywood blockbuster - in style and without having to struggle for parking or fight traffic to go downtown.
In Champion, Bass-baritone Ryan Speedo Green stars as Emile Griffith, the closeted young prize fighter who rises from obscurity to become world champion and, in one of the great tragedies in sports history, kills his homophobic archrival in the ring.
Following Champion, on May 23, CineStarz will be streaming Mozart’s tragicomedy Don Giovanni and on June 3, the theatre will be streaming Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte.Tickets will be available closer to the date.
Since 2006, The Metropolitan Opera has been streaming operas to audiences around the world, selling more than 29.4 million tickets and allowing opera fans to experience the incredible performances from the comfort of their local theatres.
A proposal will soon be coming to City Council from our Planning Advisory Committee in regard to a rezoning request for the office building at 5757 Cavendish, corner of Kildare.
The request is to allow for a restaurant and retail commerce. Retail could include arts and crafts boutiques, a book store, antique shop, art gallery, artists or craftmen's workshops or studios, decoration shops, union or political party offices, photo studio, retail postal outlet, convenience type stores (tobacco shop or new stand), food market, natural foods, pastry shop, caterer, bakery, deli, fruit store or an interior fruit and vegetable market and a pharmacy. I am opposed to the latter, given the fact we have one of the best pharmacies in the city across the street in pharmarcy.
A rendering of what the café would look like. It would be better placed facing Cavendish.
From the owners of the building are telling the city right now, for the restaurant they wish to introduce a health café which would offer salads, poke bowls, quality sandwiches and coffee and include a seasonal outdoor terrasse. This is something I would 100 percent support.
The owners wish to add the pharmacy to complement the medical facilities in the building.
For years, 5757 has been home to an RBC bank and for some time Police Station 9 was based there. While there is parking in the rear, this is not a large lot so we need to keep that in mind when making a final decision on this propos
A longer view of a proposed improved facade.
It is unlikely that most of the retail categories mentioned above will surface in this building. However, I would like to see a fruit store.
This dossier is now in the hands of our Urban Planning Department. Before any approval takes place, there will be a public consultation.
Un café avec terrasse et commerce de détail est-il prévu à Cavendish et Kildare?
Notre Comité consultatif d'urbanisme soumettra bientôt au Conseil municipal une proposition concernant une demande de rezonage pour l'immeuble de bureaux situé au 5757 Cavendish, à l'angle de Kildare.
La demande vise à autoriser l'ouverture d'un restaurant et d'un commerce de détail. Le commerce de détail pourrait inclure des boutiques d'art et d'artisanat, une librairie, un magasin d'antiquités, une galerie d'art, des ateliers ou studios d'artistes ou d'artisans, des magasins de décoration, des bureaux de syndicats ou de partis politiques, un studio de photographie, un comptoir postal de détail, des magasins de type commodité (bureau de tabac ou nouveau stand), un marché alimentaire, des aliments naturels, une pâtisserie, un traiteur, une boulangerie, une charcuterie, un magasin de fruits ou un marché intérieur de fruits et légumes, et une pharmacie. Je suis opposé à cette dernière, étant donné que nous avons l'une des meilleures pharmacies de la ville de l'autre côté de la rue, à Pharmaprix.
D'après ce que les propriétaires du bâtiment disent à la ville en ce moment, ils souhaitent introduire pour le restaurant un café santé qui offrirait des salades, des poke bowls, des sandwichs de qualité et du café et qui comprendrait une terrasse extérieure saisonnière. C'est un projet que je soutiendrais à 100 %.
Les propriétaires souhaitent ajouter une pharmacie pour compléter les installations médicales du bâtiment.
Pendant des années, le 5757 a abrité une banque RBC et, pendant un certain temps, le commissariat de police 9 y a été installé. Bien qu'il y ait un parking à l'arrière, il ne s'agit pas d'un grand terrain et nous devons garder cela à l'esprit lorsque nous prendrons une décision finale sur cette proposition.
Il est peu probable que la plupart des catégories de commerces mentionnées ci-dessus se retrouvent dans ce bâtiment. Cependant, j'aimerais y voir un magasin de fruits.
Ce dossier est maintenant entre les mains de notre service d'urbanisme. Avant toute approbation, il y aura une consultation publique.
The first in-person Yom Hashoah Holocaust Remembrance Day ceremony in four years took place on April 17 at Congregation Tifereth Beth David Jerusalem in Côte Saint-Luc. Bravo to the Montreal Holocaust Museum for coordinating and outstanding program which honoured the six million victims of the Nazis, the survivors and their families.
Luis Grinhauz and Berta Rosenohl perform.
I was pleased to see a number of my constituents from District 2 play important roles. Ruth Najman served as the event co-chair with Doris Steg; Luis Grinhauz and Berta Rosenohl performed some stunning and touching musical numbers specifically for this occasion; Frank Chalk, Emeritus Professor of History and co-founder of
Montreal Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies, Concordia University, provided a powerful keynote speech; Josef Brody lit a candle; and the JPPS Choir directed by Amiel Bender performed two songs. That is a remarkable representation from one district for a community-wide commemoration.
Candles were lit by seven Holocaust survivors, accompanied by family members. There was opening remarks by the co-chairs and Montreal Holocaust Museum President and former Liberal MP Jacques Saada. The Consul General of Israel Paul Hirschon spoke and Rabbi Zolly Claman presented a memorial prayer. Survivor Pinchas Blitt recited kaddish and Fishel Goldig (a survivor as well) and Sam Stein from the Dora Wasserman Yiddish Theatre did the partisan hym.
A survivor and her family light a candle.
There was an impressive representation of political leadership. This included three CAQ cabinet ministers: Pascale Dery, who lives in CSL; Benoit Charette and Christopher Skeete; Liberal MNAs Elisabeth Prass and Jennifer Maccarone; members of the diplomatic corps and municipal councillors and mayors from CSL, Hampstead, Outremont, DDO, Côte des Neiges/NDG and St. Laurent.
A word of thanks to Eszter Andor, who always does such a masterful job putting this all together.
The committee was composed of: Daniel Cholewa, Francis Eytan Dortort, Fishel Goldig, Kathy Halm;, Marilyn Krelenbaum, Eva Kuper, Raquel Meerovici-Spiegelman, Judith Nemes Black, Sean Remz, Yosef Robinson, Sandy Rosenthal, Rima Rozen, Lucy Verebes Shapiro and Barry Stahlmann.
When former Liberal Health Minister Gaetan Barrette introduced Bill 10, the infamous health network reform, it did not get a ringing endorsement from too many people. The controversial bill led to the abolishment of individual health institutions boards, mainly hospitals, and merged them into 28 regional boards in the aim of saving the province $55 million in its first year. This was the introduction of what we is presently know as the CIUSSS networks.
Our CSL delegation was welcomed to the Command Centre.
Well, after visiting the Digital Command Centre for the CIUSS West-Central Montreal this week, based at the Jewish General Hospital, I can definitely see some of the major advantages of such an amalgamated system. Councillors Dida Berku, Sidney Benizri, Steven Erdelyi and I, along with Associate City Manager Tanya Abramovitch, were invited for an exclusive briefing at the actual Command Centre earlier this week.
Our briefing session.
As officials reminded us, the CIUSSS is determined to use technology and other tools to amplify and improve care across the network. At the Command Centre we also got some background into Virtual Care (including [email protected], formerly [email protected]) and Telehealth and the Connected Health Record (CHR).
This is all part of the Care Everywhere initiative, which emphasizes the delivery of the right care at the right time in whichever location is most appropriate, safest and most convenient for the recipients of health care and social services.
Care Everywhere—based on the vision and philosophy of our CIUSSS’s President and CEO and Côte Saint-Luc resident Dr. Lawrence Rosenberg—is supported by four pillars:
The Command Centre This is the CIUSSS’s digital nerve centre, where numerous screens display real-time data about the care of healthcare users across the CIUSSS. As a result, data-driven decisions are facilitated, in order to improve patient flow and other complex aspects of care. The award-winning Command Centre is also known as C4, because its activities enable the Jewish General Hospital and the CIUSSS to be better able to Care, Communicate, Collaborate and Create. I was amazed to see the instant data coming in from multiple locations. Clearly this would not have been possible prior to the formation of the CIUSSS network.
Virtual Care Several forms of virtual care are provided in this CIUSSS, including the award-winning [email protected] program. Originally developed as the [email protected] program, it enables certain hospitalized patients who otherwise would have remained in the hospital to continue their hospitalization at home. The patient is monitored remotely by digital devices that are linked to our virtual care team, with the frequency of monitoring adjusted according to the patient’s needs for care. Care is provided by a multidisciplinary team of doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals who combine hospital and community expertise. In effect, the patient’s home is transformed into a virtual hospital until the patient can be safely discharged from the program.
Connected Health Record The Connected Health Record, which is currently being developed by and for the CIUSSS, will result in the elimination of the numerous computer programs and digital systems currently in use in nearly three dozen facilities across the CIUSSS. In their place will be a single platform, accessible to all CIUSSS staff to simplify and accelerate access to medical information about healthcare users. Staff will have access to uniform, accurate and up-to-date information about patients, clients and residents, no matter where care is provided in our CIUSSS. In addition, patients will eventually have access to their own clinical information via a state-of-the-art portal—a key aspect of improving the patient experience through Care Everywhere.
OROT OROT’s contribution is pivotal to Care Everywhere, which relies on digital technology to deliver care. Anchoring the CIUSSS’s Digital Health program, OROT brings together healthcare professionals, users and private-sector entrepreneurs to scrutinize the network’s needs and problems, co-develop prototypes, accelerate commercialization and, ultimately, integrate the innovation. OROT gives entrepreneurs access to the insights of users and professionals, resulting in products that truly meet everyone’s requirements.
We even got to see what is called a “daily huddle,” where key players connected virtually and gave a complete update on capacity at the different health centres. It included a listing of all COVID patients (yes there are still COVID patients) and cardiac care.
“We no longer work in silos,” one of the spokespersons told us.
Of course, in Côte Saint-Luc, we have three CIUSSS institutions – Maimonides Geriatric Centre, Mount Sinai Hospital and the CLSC René-Cassin- and the fabulously run vaccination centre at Decarie Square.
We are in good hands with the CIUSS West-Central Montreal.
In the wake of the recent ice storm, which plunged much of our community into darkness, it is nice to share some good news for a change.
Local bands in Côte Saint-Luc are being invited to participate in the first-ever Driveway Fest on Sunday, June 25, from 1 pm to 4 pm. The event, organized by hotel executive and band leader Stewart Rubin, will take place in select residential areas, with the City of Côte Saint-Luc sponsoring and promoting the community-driven pilot project.
Musicians interested in performing must email [email protected] by April 26, providing their name, band name, type of music, and intended performance address.
Driveway Fest aims to provide an opportunity for musicians to showcase their talents to neighborhood residents. Bands can only perform in their driveway or the driveway of someone from whom they have received permission, and only on driveways in Districts 5, 6, 7 and part of District 2 (Blossom to Cavendish). The goal is to promote walkability and use of bicycles or public transit.
Rubin (second from the right) and his band Daylite Vampires.
Homeowners will be legally responsible for their properties and expected to assist with crowd control. Bands must be respectful of neighbours by keeping the music volume down and refraining from using profanity. The homeowners hosting the event must inform their neighbours ahead of time. Volunteer Citizens on Patrol will be assisting during the event. Rubin is also exploring options to hold performances on local school grounds.
All genres of music are welcome, but participants should treat the event as a small festival, not a practice session or chance to test new equipment.
Priority registration is given to Côte Saint-Luc residents. If slots remain open after April 26, bands from other municipalities may be considered. Participants will need to complete a noise bylaw restriction form for the time they will be playing.
Library Director Janine West and City Councillor Andee Shuster are collaborating with Rubin to support local talent and create cultural offerings for residents. Driveway Fest may pave the way for future festivals and events in Côte Saint-Luc.
“We feel that supporting local talent while creating more cultural offerings for our residents will help to build community,” said Councillor Andee Shuster. “Council is also excited to see what comes of this volunteer-driven pilot project. In our Master Plan survey and focus groups, residents have mentioned that they’d like to see festivals come to Côte Saint-Luc and Driveway Fest may help to pave the way for other initiatives and events.”
There is no question about it. The CineStarz Deluxe Cavendish, which opened last summer, is catching on with the community.
Look no further than me. Since the pandemic hit, I have watched most movies via streaming services. Yet there is nothing like seeing a motion picture on this big screen. This past weekend I went to see two matinees, Shazam! Fury of Gods and Air.
The place is kind of addictive. Owner Bruce Gurberg inherited a gutted theatre that Cineplex Odeon had operated. It was rundown and frankly when I wanted to see a movie, I usually avoided it and headed downtown or to St. Laurent, Marché Central or LaSalle.
Gurberg installed state-of-the-art DPX sound, laser projection, massive screens and the most comfortable leather seats you will find anywhere, with an electronic reclining feature.
A look at the bar.
The concessions stands were busy both days and so was the full bar. Gurberg obtained a liquor license when he opened the complex a few months ago. Now those of age can come for a drink before or after the movie.
CineStarz Deluxe also proved to be a good refuge center in recent days for many people who had no power in their homes. It is open seven days a week, day and night.
Now for the movies I saw. I was a big fan of the original Shazam television show back in the 1970s. When the first movie came out in 2019, I was not compelled to go see it. With the long weekend upon us, my wife and I decided to go the movies. We checked the lineup at CineStarz and saw Shazam! Fury of The Gods. So on the Friday night we watched the 2019 version on Apple TV+ and we liked it. In this version Billy Batson is an orphan who gains special powers by shouting out the word Shazam! He is a DC super hero, with Asher Angel as the younger version and Zachary Levi as his alter-ego and the man in the fancy lightning suit. We get to meet his foster brothers and sisters, who by the end of the first movie become super heroes as well. I must say it was pretty cool not to have waited four years to see the sequel. Shazam! Fury of Gods has everything from humour, action and violence to crashes, destruction, monsters and a terrifying dragon.
Helen Mirren and Lucy Liu play the baddies. The film is based in Philadelphia and we see Citizens Bank Park, home to baseball’s Phillies and the Ben Franklin Bridge destroyed with some great special effects.
I am so glad I did not have to wait to see Air on a streaming service. This is the behind the scenes true story of how Nike convinced the family of the now legendary Michael Jordan to sign an endorsement deal with them – despite heavy competition from Converse and Adidas. Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Jason Bateman and Viola Davis play leading roles in this superb film. The theatre I was in was nearly full, with people of all ages. At the entrance, Bernie Gurberg (Bruce's dad) told me that young kids were heading in and showing them their “Air Jordan” shoes. It was fascinating to learn that even today Michael Jordan collects $400 million a year in royalties from that brand and he has his mom (played by Davis) to thank for it. I really loved all the retro in this film from the 80s, be it the music, the clothes, the cars and Damon’s excitement over getting a rental with a phone in it.
On Jan. 4, 1998, southern Quebec and eastern Ontario were pelted with as much as 100 millimetres of freezing rain and ice pellets — an ice storm that lasted five days.At its peak, 3.5 million Quebecers — roughly half of our province’s population — and more than a million Ontarians, as well as thousands in New Brunswick, were left in the dark, many for several weeks.
I remember the entire ordeal only too well. My daughter was barely three months old. The same home where we will still reside in Côte Saint-Luc District 2 did maintain power. As a result, family members from all sides arrived to camp out on our floors and sofas.
It was something the likes of which I never thought I’d experience again. Well, I was wrong. On April 5, 2023 the unthinkable happened. More than a million households – half on the island of Montreal - lost power after freezing rain tore through the province, blacking out neighbourhoods and downing trees. In Côte Saint-Luc, 40 percent of homes have no power. As of this writing my home has Hydro service, which is very ironic given the fact we have been plagued by outages for years due to outdated equipment.
A typical scene you will see on many CSL streets.
Last night as our family was preparing for the Passover Seder, I heard a huge cracking noise. I looked outside and my neighbour’s tree had fallen on the street. As I surveyed my own district this morning, some of the streets looked like warzones with so many other downed trees.
Our Public Works and Public Safety Departments have been hard at work from the get go.
Here is what our senior staff are telling us. The temperature is going to warm up significantly today. This means two things: the first is that much of this ice will melt by the end of the day, particularly on the trees. The biggest issue the island is having is downed trees and branches and the ripple effects of that. There are no high winds, which is extremely fortunate. Second, we are expecting a tiny bit of rain this morning, but it is supposed to be clear the rest of the day, a very big boon to Hydro crews working to re-establish power. We are told to expect that most power will be re-established on the island of Montreal within 24 hours.
In an ideal world, our Aquatic and Community Centre and gym would have served as an emergency refuge centre. However, it has no power either. We do have a generator, but it gives power only to priority sources, the lights and the heat, but not the pool. The gym lights are on at 50 percent. The generator has four days worth of power. There are no phones working because of our particular system in place, nor WiFi, so we can’t make or answer phone calls in the Parks and Recreation Department. People enrolled in programs are being called to tell them they are cancelled, only because an employee is able to do this from home. Not all ACC plugs are working to charge devices.
The ACC is open to resident walk ins to use the facility washrooms and lobby or gym to recharge any electric devices. The holiday hours will be respected until 8 pm tonight. No programs are being offered and the pool is closed. Registration began earlier this week and will be postponed for the time being. Our Information Technology team is on scene to work on restoring internet and phone services.
The library will be open as usual today with regular hours until 10 pm, so residents looking for a warm place to access and charge their devices and can go there. The holiday hours only start on Friday (Noon to 5 pm) , and we are optimistic that power will be re-established by then. I would also recommend you consider our three local shopping centres -Quartier Cavendish, Côte St. Luc and Décor Decarie (no power I just learned)- if they maintain or have power, as well as restaurants and cafés in the immediate area. As for food keep in mind that a full freezer will keep food frozen for about 48 hours. A freezer that is half full will keep food frozen for about 24 hours. An unopened refrigerator will keep food cold for about four hours. I feel horrible for anyone impacted by this natural disaster. So many Passover Seders have been placed in jeopardy or already been spoiled. How many people cooked for weeks to prepare for this holiday?
Last night there were hundreds of issues from fallen trees, wires, power outages and live wires creating numerous hazardous areas. Public Works prioritized its tasks by clearing emergencies like trees where they could safely, away from live wires and off the streets, install cones to create safe passageways for cars and assisting where accidents of fallen trees occurred on private vehicles and properties. Staff remained on the clock late into the night with our emergency teams and until our foremen felt the streets were safe. They worked exceedingly hard in this freezing rain and cold weather. These individuals are proud to do the work they were trained for.
The owner of this car avoided getting crushed by this tree.
Here is the latest press release from Hydro.
More than a million customers were down this morning at 7:30 a.m. for a total of 2,000 outages.Our teams must therefore intervene in more than 2,000 locations, which represents a colossal work.
Although the efforts made are important, the weather event is not over and new outages are still occurring.
This morning, Hydro-Québec can count on a great strike force. In total, 1,000workers are mobilized on the ground to restore power. Over the past night, field teams have been busy dealing withthe most urgent cases.
Due to the high number of outages and affected customers, it is too early to determine the average time to restore service by sector. We are focusing our efforts on restoring the highest priority cases (emergency). Recovery for all commercial and residential customers could take several days. Recovery times indicated on Outages or through our mobile application are removed for the time being. The expected recovery time for an outage will be recorded when a team is on site. If your outage is not on the fault map, report it online or by phone at 1-800-790-2424.
We remind you that a reserved number is available for municipal emergency measures coordinators. It allows you to reach a member of the Community Relations team, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week: 1 844 289-5005, choose option 1, then option 1.
Also, to facilitate the work of our fitters, we ask you to clear the roads of broken branches.
Thank you for your patience.
Bonjour,
Plus d’un million de clients étaient en panne ce matin à 7 h 30 pour un total de 2 000 pannes. Nos équipes doivent donc intervenir à plus de 2 000 endroits, ce qui représente un travail colossal. Bien que les efforts déployés sont importants, l’événement météo n’est pas terminé et de nouvelles pannes se déclenchent encore.
Ce matin, Hydro-Québec peut compter sur une grande force de frappe. Au total, 1 000 travailleurs sont mobilisés au terrain afin de rétablir le courant. Au cours de la nuit dernière, les équipes au terrain se sont affairées à traiter les cas les plus urgents.
En raison du nombre élevé de pannes et de clients touchés, il est trop tôt pour établir le délai moyen de rétablissement du service par secteur. Nous concentrons nos efforts à rétablir les cas les plus prioritaires (urgence). Le rétablissement de l’ensemble des clients commerciaux et résidentiels pourrait nécessiter plusieurs jours.
Les délais de rétablissement indiqués sur Info-pannes ou au moyen de notre application mobile sont retirés pour l’instant. L’heure prévue de rétablissement pour une panne sera inscrite lorsqu’une équipe sera sur les lieux. Si votre panne ne figure pas sur la carte des pannes, signalez‑la en ligne ou par téléphone au 1 800 790‑2424.
Nous vous rappelons qu’un numéro réservé est disponible pour les coordonnateurs des mesures d’urgence des municipalités. Il vous permet de joindre un membre de l’équipe Relations avec le milieu, 24 heures sur 24, 7 jours sur 7 : 1 844 289-5005, choisir l’option1, puis l’option 1.
Également, pour faciliter le travail de nos monteurs, nous vous demandons de dégager les routes des branches cassées.
In a dramatic announcement Groupe Grandio will revive the iconic Moishes Restaurant with a brand new building at Meadowbrook Golf Course in Côte Saint-Luc.
Groupe Grandio, headed by Jean Bedard, owns Le Cage Brasserie Sportive chain. Then known as Groupe Sportscene, Groupe Grandio purchased Moishes on St. Laurent Blvd. from the Lighter family in December of 2018. Two years later Moishes shut its doors at the start of the pandemic as the building and parking lot were sold. Original plans called for Moishes to resurface in a downtown location.
The new Moishes.
Last summer Bedard joined friends for a game of golf at Meadowbrook. He had never been there before. When he saw all of the available parking spaces and the large clubhouse space that has not been abandoned for years, the light bulb went off in his head.
Since zoning is already in place for a commercial building, Bedard’s team will be submitting architectural plans to the city imminently so renovations can commence and the revived Moishes can be back in business by the fall.
Mayor Mitchell Brownstein met with Bedard and pledged to have the portion of Côte St. Luc Road closest to Meadowbrook completely repaved. “Who has not loved Moishes Restaurant?” Brownstein asked. “I have so many fabulous memories from family dinners there. What a dream it is to bring this famous institution to our community.”
Bedard said that during golf season, Moishes will be open for lunch with a more modest menu. He said discussions with Meadowbrook Groupe Pacifique, owners of the course, went very well. In fact, he is not dismissing the possibility of Groupe Grandio purchasing the entire Meadowbrook property.
“I must admit,” said Bedard, “one of my bucket list items has always been to have my own golf course. I see this becoming a Golf and Country Club.”
Bedard is extremely well connected. He is already talking to the Montreal Canadiens to hold their charity golf tournament there.
With new owners, a new location, and new clientele, what will make the new Moishes Moishes?
“What we're trying to do is to keep the iconic items of Moishes there,” Bedard said. “I think that we’re keeping the DNA of the past, but we’re bringing Moishes into the future which is a very delicate operation.
The menu will evolve too, he told CTV. “The winners will stay there,” he said. “You know, the pickles, the famous coleslaw, the steaks, obviously, but I think we can go a little bit further, maybe in terms of a fish” option, he said. “People are eating very differently.”
Oh yes, while this would be an absolutely remarkable development, it is appearing on this blog on April 1. So April Fool’s Day to all!
AND I have it on good authority that a formal announcement of a new Moishes location will be announced soon.
The Equinoxe Marc Chagall (https://collectionequinoxe.com/en/marc-chagall/), marketed as refined rental condos, opened its first of two phases in the summer of 2018. As the five year anniversary approaches, the facility is full to capacity yet still seemingly experiencing some growing pains.
In my 17 years as the city councillor for District 2, this building has kept me very busy. I am pleased to say that the administration has always worked closely with me on issues of concern, never dodging my calls. In addition, some of the residents there remain in very frequent touch with me.
Over the past few weeks I was made aware of a problem with the hot water at the Equinoxe. On many days, it simply does not work.
On March 23 I responded to a request from some residents to meet virtually. As I have said before, this is probably one of the few positive things the COVID-19 pandemic has brought us. Organizing last minute meetings via Zoom is quite productive and I do so with my constituents often. In the case of the Equinoxe tenants, they appear very well organized. There were more than 70 units represented, some of whom shared the computer screen with neighbours so as many as 140 people.
Besides the hot water, tenants shared some other concerns which I have relayed to the building administration. According to them, there is a need to permanently repair or replace the three boilers and they hope to have this resolved very soon. I told the tenants I am always there to listen and advocate for them.
One thing does come across clear whenever I visit the building; tenants like the atmosphere. “We are one big family,” tenant leader Stephen Wise said. “Friendships have been built. We got through COVID together and want the problems that exist to all be resolved.”
Tenant Alisa Clamen, a lawyer by profession, and Wise, a long time tenant have indicated plans to advise tenants and the building of possible actions involving the Tribunal administratif du logement (TAL) immediately.
I will remain closely in touch with the administration and the tenants on this issue.
L'Equinoxe Marc Chagall, commercialisé en tant que condos locatifs raffinés, a ouvert la première de ses deux phases à l'été 2018. À l'approche de son cinquième anniversaire, l'établissement est plein à craquer, mais semble encore éprouver quelques difficultés de croissance.
Au cours de mes 17 années en tant que conseiller municipal du district 2, ce bâtiment m'a beaucoup occupé. Je suis heureux de dire que l'administration a toujours travaillé en étroite collaboration avec moi sur les questions qui me préoccupent, sans jamais esquiver mes appels. En outre, certains des résidents de l'immeuble restent en contact très fréquent avec moi.
Ces dernières semaines, j'ai été informée d'un problème d'eau chaude à l'Equinoxe. Certains jours, elle ne fonctionne tout simplement pas.
Le 23 mars, j'ai répondu à la demande de certains résidents de se rencontrer virtuellement. Comme je l'ai déjà dit, c'est probablement l'un des rares points positifs que la pandémie de COVID-19 nous a apportés. Organiser des réunions de dernière minute via Zoom est très productif et je le fais souvent avec mes électeurs. Dans le cas des locataires d'Equinoxe, ils semblent très bien organisés. Plus de 70 logements étaient représentés, certains partageant l'écran d'ordinateur avec des voisins, soit jusqu'à 140 personnes.
Outre l'eau chaude, les locataires ont fait part d'autres préoccupations que j'ai transmises à l'administration de l'immeuble. Selon eux, il est nécessaire de réparer ou de remplacer définitivement les trois chaudières et ils espèrent que ce problème sera résolu très bientôt. J'ai dit aux locataires que j'étais toujours là pour les écouter et les défendre.
Une chose est claire à chaque fois que je visite le bâtiment : les locataires apprécient l'atmosphère qui y règne. "Nous formons une grande famille", a déclaré Stephen Wise, chef de file des locataires. "Des amitiés se sont créées. Nous avons traversé COVID ensemble et nous voulons que les problèmes existants soient résolus.
La locataire Alisa Clamen, avocate de profession, et M. Wise, locataire de longue date, ont fait part de leur intention d'informer les locataires et l'immeuble des actions possibles impliquant immédiatement le Tribunal administratif du logement (TAL).
Je resterai en contact étroit avec l'administration et les locataires sur cette question.
For a number of years now, users of Rembrandt Park have expressed concern to me about the walkway leading to the area from Merrimac Road.
The walkway will be repaired.
The Merrimac paver stones at this walkway are in poor condition. These sunken pavers are not only an eyesore, but they also typically represent a warning sign of a larger problem. An uneven paver can produce safety/trip hazards while sunken/missing pavers lead to water“pooling” that will always collect puddles.
I wish to thank both our Public Works and Urban Planning Departments for moving forward with repairs At the March 13 council meeting we approved a bid for just over $50,000 to conduct the necessary work in May. The existing stone pavers will be removed and we will install asphalt, keeping the same walkway width and profile. There are four sumps along the walkway which will be checked and leveled with new asphalt.
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Les pavés de Merrimac de cette allée sont en mauvais état. Ces pavés enfoncés ne sont pas seulement une nuisance visuelle, mais ils représentent également un signe avant-coureur d'un problème plus important. Un pavé inégal peut présenter des risques pour la sécurité ou les déplacements, tandis qu'un pavé enfoncé ou manquant entraîne une accumulation d'eau qui ne cessera jamais de former des flaques d'eau.
Lors de la réunion du conseil municipal du 13 mars, nous avons approuvé un appel d'offres d'un peu plus de 50 000 dollars pour effectuer les travaux nécessaires en mai. Les pavés de pierre existants seront enlevés et nous installerons de l'asphalte, en conservant la même largeur et le même profil d'allée. Il y a quatre puisards le long de l'allée qui seront vérifiés et nivelés avec le nouvel asphalte.
Les pavés de Merrimac de cette allée sont en mauvais état. Ces pavés enfoncés ne sont pas seulement une nuisance visuelle, mais ils représentent également un signe avant-coureur d'un problème plus important. Un pavé inégal peut présenter des risques pour la sécurité ou les déplacements, tandis qu'un pavé enfoncé ou manquant entraîne une accumulation d'eau qui ne cessera jamais de former des flaques d'eau.
Les pavés de Merrimac de cette allée sont en mauvais état. Ces pavés enfoncés ne sont pas seulement une nuisance visuelle, mais ils représentent également un signe avant-coureur d'un problème plus important. Un pavé inégal peut présenter des risques pour la sécurité ou les déplacements, tandis qu'un pavé enfoncé ou manquant entraîne une accumulation d'eau qui ne cessera jamais de former des flaques d'eau.
Lors de la réunion du conseil municipal du 13 mars, nous avons approuvé un appel d'offres d'un peu plus de 50 000 dollars pour effectuer les travaux nécessaires en mai. Les pavés de pierre existants seront enlevés et nous installerons de l'asphalte, en conservant la même largeur et le même profil d'allée. Il y a quatre puisards le long de l'allée qui seront vérifiés et nivelés avec le nouvel asphalte.
Les pavés de Merrimac de cette allée sont en mauvais état. Ces pavés enfoncés ne sont pas seulement une nuisance visuelle, mais ils représentent également un signe avant-coureur d'un problème plus important. Un pavé inégal peut présenter des risques pour la sécurité ou les déplacements, tandis qu'un pavé enfoncé ou manquant entraîne une accumulation d'eau qui ne cessera jamais de former des flaques d'eau.
Les pavés de Merrimac de cette allée sont en mauvais état. Ces pavés enfoncés ne sont pas seulement une nuisance visuelle, mais ils représentent également un signe avant-coureur d'un problème plus important. Un pavé inégal peut présenter des risques pour la sécurité ou les déplacements, tandis qu'un pavé enfoncé ou manquant entraîne une accumulation d'eau qui ne cessera jamais de former des flaques d'eau.
For many years Côte Saint-Luc has signed a contract with the Town of Hampstead, allowing the community to use our snow dump on Marc Chagall Avenue. For the record I have voted against this agreement each year. It is not that I do not want to be a good neighbour, but the dump tends to fill up quite rapidly during the winter.
No this is not a Laurentian mountain ski hill, but our snow dump.
Due to an unprecedented amount of snow that has fallen during this winter, we recently gave notice to Hampstead that they can no longer use the snow dump for the rest of the season.
As per the terms of our original agreement, more specifically article 3.3, the Town of Hampstead’s right to dump snow shall cease once Côte Saint-Luc provides written notice that the dump has reached 80,000 cubic meters between February 1 and 28.
Let me take this opportunity to thank our Public Works Department for the excellent job they have done managing the snow dump this winter. It is no treat for residents who live next to this area, not to mention members of Beth Chabad CSL and students, staff and parents at JPPS-Bialik. The dump was present long before any buildings, synagogue or school was built here. Nonetheless, we have made every effort to act upon their concerns by creating a snow barrier to try and shield neighbours from the frequent noise. As well, our staff have policed the vehicles -operated by sub-contractors – going in and out of the dump to try and avoid any tail banging.
We will indeed hire contractors to break apart the dump starting in the late spring. That is never an easy task. Keep in mind that the hill is so rock solid it can support large tractors frequently going up and down the structure.
Hampstead ne peut plus utiliser notre dépotoir à neige cette saison
En raison de la quantité sans précédent de neige tombée cet hiver, nous avons récemment avisé la Ville de Hampstead qu'elle ne pouvait plus utiliser le dépôt de neige pour le reste de la saison.
Selon les termes de notre entente originale, plus précisément l'article 3.3, le droit de la Ville de Hampstead de déverser la neige cessera lorsque Côte Saint-Luc fournira un avis écrit indiquant que le dépotoir a atteint 80 000 mètres cubes entre le 1er et le 28 février.
Permettez-moi de profiter de l'occasion pour remercier notre Service des travaux publics pour l'excellent travail qu'il a accompli dans la gestion du dépôt de neige cet hiver. Ce n'est pas un plaisir pour les résidents qui vivent à proximité de cette zone, sans parler des membres de Beth Chabad CSL et des élèves, du personnel et des parents de JPPS-Bialik. La décharge existait bien avant la construction de bâtiments, de synagogues ou d'écoles. Néanmoins, nous avons fait tout notre possible pour répondre à leurs préoccupations en créant une barrière de neige pour tenter de protéger les voisins du bruit fréquent. En outre, notre personnel a surveillé les véhicules - exploités par des sous-traitants - qui entrent et sortent de la décharge pour essayer d'éviter les coups de queue.
Nous allons en effet engager des sous-traitants pour démanteler la décharge à partir de la fin du printemps. Ce n'est jamais une tâche facile. Il ne faut pas oublier que la colline est tellement solide qu'elle peut supporter de gros tracteurs qui montent et descendent fréquemment la structure.
The City of Côte Saint-Luc now has a full-time pool inspector, Arianne Cyr;
Ms. Cyr began pool inspections last April. Information on the changes to the fencing rules for private pools went out to all owners in the fall of 2021 and Ms. Cyr is working on coordinating visits, answering questions and guiding people on what needs to be changed (if anything) in their yards. The project will continue through the entire summer and we ask for residents cooperation to get all pools to conform by the new July 1, 2025 deadline.
Owners of residential pools should take note of the new rules for fencing.
Ms. Cyr continued to inspect until the end of November. Over the past few months, Ms. Cyr has inspected more than 249 residential swimming pools in the backyards of residences in Côte Saint‐Luc. This regulation aims to limit and secure access to swimming pools for children and to prevent drowning.
Only a rigorous inspection of swimming pool installations can ensure that safety standards are respected. During her inspections, she validated the presence of a permanent enclosure, its height and the access door with automatic lock. In addition, during her inspections, she validated the location of the pool, the equipment and the paving in relation to the limits of the land.
Inspections will resume in mid‐April to inspect all of the pools in the city. In summary we have inspected 249 of approximately 400 pools.
Following a thorough consultation with neighbourhood residents, Côte Saint-Luc City Council has accepted a recommendation from the Toponomy Committee that I chair to name the greenspace on Marc Chagall Avenue as Sheila Finestone Park.
The late Sheila Finestone
Sheila Finestone was the Liberal Member of Parliament for our riding of Mount Royal from1984 to 1999, which had previously been held since 1965 by former prime minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau. Finestone admired Trudeau and said he inspired her to go into politics. She concluded her political career a member of the Senate, retiring in 2002. I always felt that our city should name something after her.
History will note that the land for this park had been rented to the developers of the Equinoxe apartments for three years as a parking lot for construction workers 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. Some dead trees had to be cut down. Public Works installed a new pathway, repositioned the picnic tables, added new benches and trees.
I have been in touch with the children of the late Sheila and Alan Finestone and they have accepted this honour. We will have a dedication ceremony in late spring or early summer.
Sheila Finestone, whom I was proud to know, was a devoted community activist before entering politics. Notable among these, at a young age she ascended to the presidency of the Women's Federation of Allied Jewish Community Services of Montreal (now Federation CJA), followed by many executive and leadership roles in this community. She then brought her insight and drive to the broader community where she earned the position of president of Les Federation des Femmes de Quebec. Her passion for the rights and dreams of all people ultimately took her into the political sphere, first as an advisor to the leaders of the Quebec Liberal Party, then as a Liberal MP, Cabinet Minister in Jean Chretien's government and ultimately to the Red Chamber as a Senator. She worked tirelessly and with passion for the causes of a united Canada, human rights, the cause of Soviet Jews, equality and justice for all peoples regardless of origin or geography. Amongst her proudest accomplishments were her leadership of Canada's delegation to the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995, her membership on the Executive Committee of the No Campaign in the 1980 referendum on national unity and as a principal mover of the "Yvettes," her engagement with other notables to rid the world of landmines and most of all the fight for human dignity, privacy and the inherent rights that are intrinsic to all peoples.
Extending her influence beyond Canada's boarders, Finestone was a force in upholding the values of Canadian democratic tradition in such organizations as the Interparlimentary Union as well as other groups pursuing important global causes. In a life filled with tributes and awards her final accolade came from her parliamentary peers when in 2008 she was the recipient of the Distinguished Service Award on behalf of the Canadian Association of Former Parliamentarians. She well understood and exemplified the notion that with power and influence comes great responsibility and she never shrank from the challenges it presented. She passed away from cancer at the age of 82 in 2009.
Mayor Brownstein with Sheila Finestone in a photo from her early years as MP.
Mayor Mitchell Brownstein was very close with Finestone and served as president of the Young Liberals of Mount Royal when she was first elected.
I wish to thank Darryl Levine and his team from the Public Affairs and Communications Department for properly consulting residents.
A few weeks ago I wrote about the tragic passing of Mitchell Goldbloom, 42, from cancer. A native of Côte Saint-Luc and the son of my dear colleague on city council Sam Goldbloom, Mitch had everything going for him. A successful law practice in Toronto, a loving wife and two adorable young daughters. Less than two years ago he was stricken with a rare form of cancer. He fought hard, but lost the battle in October.
Mitch's brother Mark was kind enough to share a copy of his eulogy. Here it is:
I want to thank you for being here today to honour my brother.
I could not have asked for a better big brother. Mitch was 7 years older than me and growing up he was my idol and role model
As a child, I would follow him everywhere and he was always there for me, to play with me and give me advice. I believe some of my best qualities are the result of Mitch’s influence on me. Even though he remained my role model, as we got older the age difference became insignificant and we became best friends.
Mitch wasn’t only a great brother, he was a wonderful son, bringing enormous joy and happiness to our parents throughout his life. Mitch was also a tremendous grandson, nephew, son-in-law, brother-in-law¸ uncle, cousin and a great friend to all of us. Most of all Mitch was a devoted husband and loving father.
Everyone who knew Mitch, knew he had a big personality.
He had a real joie de vive. Mitch was extremely gregarious, loved to laugh and had an amazing sense of humour. One of the most unique qualities about my brother is that when Mitch entered a room everyone seemed to get happier. He always brought joy and happiness to others. Mitch was a good person, a unique person and it was a privilege to know him.
My brother lived 42 years and left us far too soon. However, Mitch lived life to the fullest. Mitch accomplished in 42 years what many people would not accomplish in 82.
For instance, when Mitch was younger he told me of his dream to have a beautiful wife, children, a golden retriever and an SUV. Well, he met his beautiful wife his partner and love of his life, and after a long courtship they got married 15 years ago. A few years into their marriage along came their beautiful daughters. Along the way Mitch even went out and got Katie, their golden retriever and his SUV.
Mitch did not stop there. Mitch built up a successful law practice working with people he loved at Landy Marr Katz, making partner. He maintained lifelong friendships and developed new ones. Despite having an incredibly busy career, volunteering on the board at Bialik and other responsibilities, Mitch always found time to pursue his passion in sports, playing basketball and baseball. Most importantly Mitch always made time for what mattered most to him, his family, especially making sure to spend as much time as possible with his beloved children. Family vacations were the utmost priority for Mitch and he became a foremost expert on planning vacations to Disneyworld.
My brother was by far the strongest person I have ever known. Over the past 18 months, with the cancer occurring three times, Mitch endured radiation, chemotherapy, a 13 hour surgery, a stem cell replacement and other invasive procedures. True to his incredible strength of character, Mitch never gave up.
While composing this eulogy, I was looking for insight and wisdom on what to write about and about the future, and it occurred to me to do what I have done in the past, look towards my brother for guidance. Three points of wisdom that I learned from Mitch occurred to me:
The first is that Mitch had a very long memory for happy occurrences and a very short memory for difficult ones. Mitch would want us to celebrate his life, not mourn his death. After the requisite shiva period Mitch would want us to quickly begin to enjoy life again; the second is that when Mitch saw a problem he would always help try to solve it. When Mitch was struck with a rare and vicious form of cancer, my brother fought courageously against it and was adamant that he did not want to leave us. Well, we will help Mitch not to leave us by keeping him alive in our hearts and minds.
I know my brother has influenced everyone who has known him in a way that will stay with them for the rest of their lives. While visiting with Mitch in the hospital I heard so many wonderful stories about him from friends and family, particularly about his sense of humour, his accomplishments and his kindness. It is important that these wonderful stories continue to be told. Most of all Mitch continues to live on in his remarkable children, not just in their DNA, but with his spirit, personality and sense of humour in them.
Lastly, I looked to Mitch for guidance on how to express how much we truly love him. When tucking his children into bed each night, he would tell them how much he loved them with a unique and special phrase. It sounded like hyperbole, but it truly wasn’t. It is with this phrase that I think I may express how much we love Mitch. That we love him to the moon, to the stars, to the whole wide world.
While I will preface my remarks by reminding everyone that the COVID-19 pandemic is not over, the restrictions are. With that in mind, it was wonderful to enjoy our first full-fledged Winter Carnival at Trudeau Park since 2020.
Andee Shuster and I with a very tall lady.
Bravo to the team from our Parks and Recreation Department. They did a fantastic job, from the successful figure skating presentation, horse-caleche rides, snow games such as broom ball, ice sculptures, taffy on the snow, roasted marshmallows, hot chocolate, cotton candy from Mark Bessner and much more.
Nobody makes better cotton candy than Mark Bessner
It was wonderful to see so many families with young children enjoying the festivities.
The horse-drawn caleches are always popular.
Mayor Mitchell Brownstein and members of city council were on hand.
At the arena with our mascot.
The traditional pancake breakfast courtesy of the local McDonald’s was not on the schedule this year due to the unavailability of our chalet. Hopefully that will return next year!
Dr. Sara R. Ahronheim is an Emergency Physician at the Jewish General Hospital, trained at McGill University. Aside from patient care, she teaches medical students and residents how to become compassionate, knowledgeable physicians. She also runs the Physician Well-being program at her site, and is passionate about maintaining work-life balance and promoting joy at work. An alumnus of Queen’s University, she studied Wildlife Biology there while dipping her toes in medicine as a volunteer with the First Response Team.
After graduating from Queen’s and before being accepted to McGill Medical School, Dr. Ahronheim spent a memorable period of time as part of the Overseas Volunteer Program for Magen David Adom, the Israeli national ambulance service. This may have occurred 20 years ago, but Dr. Ahronheim wrote diary entries and emails that she sent out to friends and family.
“Some are emotional, and some may feel very disconnected,” she shares. ‘Being an ambulance medic in a tumultuous time, as a young person with no actual experience of death and suffering, my words, at times, might feel callous. I saw a dead person for the first time, held my hand to a gunshot victim’s bloody chest, and didn’t write about how I felt. I just described the scene, the excitement of it, the rush. I didn’t delve into my soul, and how these moments changed me. “
Dr. Ahronheim’s new book, Side By Side with Heroes: Stories of an Ambulance Medic in Israel , will be formally launched at Côte Saint-Luc City Hall via our Public Library on Monday evening, February 13 (6:30 pm). She will be recognized at the start if our public council meeting at 8 pm.
The book chronicles her daring journey as she follows her cultural roots into the chaos and tragedy of war. Set in Israel in a country fighting for its identity, she searches for her own identity as she bravely explores the human condition through her ambulance work. Torn between her peaceful life in Canada and the adventures that await her, she learns who she is through the mirror of tragedy, chaos and connection half way around the world. Navigating her own personal journey into womanhood and independence, while risking her life for others, this is where she found her life’s passion in emergency medicine. That and the fact both of her parents were pediatricians.
“I have presented and treated people at three births, one CPR, two bombings countless other interesting and not so interesting other calls,” Dr Ahronheim wrote upon the completion of that trip in 2002-2003. “I have treated police, terrorists, soldiers, politicians, homeless people, Jews, Arabs, tourists, you name it. To my patients: you taught me about human nature, strength, resilience, triumph, fear and sorrow. You formed me like playdough, into the physician I have grown to be. You trusted me with your stories, as much as you did with your bodies. I can only hope I have described you faithfully.
“Israel in 2002 formed me into the woman, physician and mother that I am today. The people, places and experiences in that time molded me, trained me, grew me into someone who doesn’t give up, someone with grit and the fortitude to do what I have to do every day. The devastation and the passion I experienced back then, I carry forward into my work, my children, and our future.”
The primary objectives of MDA are defined in the Magen David Adom Law, passed by the Knesset (Israel’s Parliament) in 1950. These objectives are to provide pre-hospital emergency medical services, to provide the country’s blood services, and to assist the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) during times of war. Dr. Moses Erlanger, a Jewish ophthalmologist in Lucerne, Switzerland, conceived the idea of MDA in 1915. He created MDA in order to help Jewish wounded soldiers and prisoners of war during World War I (WWI). In 1918, MDA was established in the USA and expanded to Canada, England and Tel Aviv. After WWI ended, MDA was dismantled as the need for a Jewish rescue organization faded.
A dozen years later, MDA was founded again in Tel Aviv. It was formed out of necessity, due to the Arab riots against Jewish settlements. World War II (WWII) brought misery to Tel Aviv, when the Italian Air Force bombed the city. Thankfully, MDA had trained 50 physicians and 600 nurses and volunteers.
After WWII ended, MDA sent support units to European countries to help treat the Jewish survivors of the Holocaust.
MDA remains a unique organization because it relies heavily on the use of volunteers to staff its medical crews. High school students, from the age of 15, make up the foundation of MDA. Students are trained as first aid responders, and often use their experience at MDA as their high school ”Personal Commitment” assignment.
In 1991, shortly after the end of the first Gulf War, the leaders at MDA Jerusalem were approached by a shaliach in Montreal about an idea he had to send volunteers from Canada to Israel to volunteer at MDA. The group at MDA Jerusalem was excited about this opportunity and agreed to help set up this program. The pilot program was launched in the summer of 1991, and ten McGill University science students participated. They each had basic knowledge of Hebrew, passed the training in Montreal, and flew to Israel to complete a final round of training.
As demand increased, the program began to gain traction, and it was opened to participants from other countries.
“I first learned about MDA when I was a kid at sleepaway camp in 1992,” Dr. Ahronheim recalls. “I sat cross-legged on the sweet-smelling grass in the warm sunshine and listened, enthralled, to the stories some counsellors shared. They were among the first batch of Canadian students who had flown to Israel to give their time as first responders. The memories they shared with us that summer lit a fire in me, and created vivid hopes and dreams that I carried with me until my turn came, 10 years later.”
In the book, Dr. Ahronheim writes about what it was like to be part of the organization. “Wearing my Magen David Adom jacket around Jerusalem is an intense experience,” she noted. “ It singles me out as an individual who is actively involved in helping her people. I become as visible as a soldier, or a police officer; each of our professions is equally respected and appreciated by the people of Israel. In Canada, ambulance workers are respected, but nowhere near the way they are here. Israelis know that those of us wearing the MDA uniform are there on the front lines. Israelis know that each MDA worker or volunteer is prepared to jump in to help in any crisis. We are treated so well here, and I feel truly loved in this country.”
Dr. Ahronheim’s tour of duty coincided with the United States attack on Iraq. “Well, why did I come to Israel in the first place?” she asked. “To work on the ambulances and save lives, and to contribute in any way possible to the security and moral support of my people. I am here because I love this place, this country, this nation. I am staying because I love all the above. I cannot leave. Could you abandon a loved one in time of need? Obviously not — and as such, I cannot abandon a country full of loved ones in this terrible time of uncertainty.”
What were her most memorable experiences?
Saving a life?
Transporting a terrorist?
Being pelted with rocks by Arab students at an East Jerusalem school?
In medical school interviews she was asked what she would you do if she was face with treating a wounded terrorist. “I answered the safe way,” she said. “I answered that I would treat her as if I would treat any human being.”
And that situation did in fact arise for her.
The book is available at Kidlink on Monkland in NDG, Bonders on Westminister in Montreal West and on Amazon.
Dr. Ahronheim blogs at myblackscrubs.com, where she ofen posts short essays about experiences in the Emergency Department. She has had stories published in the Canadian Journal of Emergency Medicine, as well as in many other journals, newsletters and websites.
Dr. Ahronheim is a mother to two wonderful, rambunctious children and a lovable tiny golden doodle. Married to the love of her life, Elie, for the last 14 years, she enjoys spending winter date nights in the backyard hot tub and summers out on a nearby lake
I wish to extend a huge thank you to the City of Côte Saint-Luc Public Safety Department for doing such an excellent job overseeing Animal Protection in our community.
We have some news to share on this dossier, which represents one of my portfolios as a city councillor. Let’s start off with the Montreal SPCA and the city’s decision to terminate our longstanding contract with the organization. After performing due diligence, andsurveying many of his public security colleagues, the city recommended that we switch to another supplier Contrôle animalier Vaudreuil Soulanges.
Director of Public Safety Philip Chateauvert reports that many of our neighbouring municipalities using this service are very content. “We met with the managers of this company and chose to move forward with them for 2023,” he said. “It is a beautiful family business with fully bilingual staff, who have at heart the well-being of animals and are strongly focused on customer service.”
How will this affect our public? If anyone calls the Montreal SPCA, they will dispatched to Contrôle animalier Vaudreuil. The latter does have regular patrols in the West End already.
The number to call is 514-485-6960 (our dispatch center) to request this service.
As you probably know our Public Safety Department is responsible for animal control and offers some services directly with its staff while some other services are provided through contracts with suppliers.
In terms of Animal Protection, our Public Safety Department oversees by-law enforcement, dog and cat licensing, the management of dog attack or dangerous dog files, the capture of lost or runaway dogs, the temporary housing of stray pets, management of abandoned or unclaimed animals and the collection of non-hazardous injured wildlife (i.e.groundhogs, squirrels, raccoons). They do not handle birds of prey, coyotes, etc..
The other two branches of Animal Protection are the TNRM (trap-neuter-release-maintain) overseen by our Volunteer Cats Committee and dangerous animal management, for which we contract professional trappers to relocate animals that have found their way to CSL.