Ilan Ramon was the first Israeli astronaut on the Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-107) that was launched on January 16, 2003. The seven astronauts died on February 1, 2003, when Columbia broke apart during re-entry into the atmosphere over Texas on its way to Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Soon after this tragedy, then Mayor Robert Libman proposed that a new street off of Sir Walter Scott Avenue in Côte Saint-Luc’s District 2 be named Ilan Ramon Crescent.

At the new spot.

As a veteran fighter pilot, Ramon was part of a risky but successful 1981 mission that destroyed an unfinished nuclear reactor in Iraq.Twenty years ago I attended a ceremony for the installation of a plaque at the corner of Ilan Ramon and Sir Walter Scott. It eventually had to be removed due to construction. Most recently, the plaque was reinstalled in a different position right in the middle of the crescent. Happily, it is only a few feet away from the home of an Israeli family,

Thanks to our Public Affairs and Communications Department for putting this back in place.

La plaque Ilan Ramon a retrouvé sa place à Côte Saint-Luc

Ilan Ramon était le premier astronaute israélien à bord de la navette spatiale Columbia (STS-107) lancée le 16 janvier 2003. Les sept astronautes sont morts le 1er février 2003, lorsque Columbia s'est désintégrée lors de sa rentrée dans l'atmosphère au-dessus du Texas, alors qu'elle se dirigeait vers le centre spatial Kennedy en Floride.

Peu de temps après cette tragédie, le maire de l'époque, Robert Libman, a proposé qu'une nouvelle rue de l'avenue Sir Walter Scott, dans le district 2 de Côte Saint-Luc, porte le nom de Croissant Ilan Ramon.

Pilote de chasse chevronné, Ramon a participé en 1981 à une mission risquée mais réussie qui a permis de détruire un réacteur nucléaire inachevé en Irak.Il y a vingt ans, j'ai assisté à une cérémonie d'installation d'une plaque à l'angle d'Ilan Ramon et de l'avenue Sir Walter Scott. Il y a vingt ans, j'ai assisté à une cérémonie pour l'installation d'une plaque à l'angle des rues Ilan Ramon et Sir Walter Scott. Plus récemment, la plaque a été réinstallée à un autre endroit, en plein milieu du croissant. Heureusement, elle n'est qu'à quelques mètres de la maison d'une famille israélienne,

The late Ilan Ramon.

My District 2 constituent Pauline Wong got to meet Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau   at the Montreal Chinese Hospital . He was there to celebrate the Harvest Moon Festival. 

Pauline Wong is at Trudeau's left.

The Chinese Hospital is now a long-term care institution. Pauline also makes regular donations to the Maimonides Geriatric Centre.

Paul Wong (right) with me in Lachine.

Meanwhile, I was pleased to bump into Paul Wong, Pauline's son, and also a constituent of mine last week when he was participating  in the 2024 BDO Cedars CanSupport Dragon Boat Race in Lachine, raising important funds for the Cedars Cancer Foundation.

Back in June 2022, the City of  Côte Saint-Luc began gathering feedback from the public to revise the municipal Planning Program and Zoning By-law documents.

The Planning Program is the municipality’s most important official long-term planning document. This fundamental tool enables the municipal council to draw up a current portrait of the territory, identify issues and then guide decision-making on planning and development solutions and actions for the next 15 to 20 years.

Going door to door with Bialik student interns Noah Galambos, Avery Hannon, Jeremy Nashen, Liana Levary and Alexa Omer.

You are invited to attend an information session on Monday, Sept. 16 at 7 pm at City Hall to find out about the vision and orientations of the Planning Program, the process and next steps, and how you can participate.

For residents of my District 2, the big question has been what will be the Planning Program’s impact on the future of Quartier Cavendish?
The special planning program (SPP) is a detailed component of a municipality’s broader planning program that focuses on areas needing special consideration.

The SPP presents a distinctive vision; guidelines and strategies for the SPP for the Town Centre of Côte Saint-Luc. Its aim is to create an attractive and cohesive town centre that encompasses the Quartier Cavendish property, the City Hall and Library complex, and Pierre Elliott Trudeau Park. The SPP for the Town Centre of Côte Saint-Luc is a key component of the city’s overall planning program. Its implementation will significantly contribute to the broader planning vision for the city.

The Quartier Cavendish is located at the center of the SPP. It was built in the early 1970s, a time when malls served as downtown areas and community gathering spaces. Its architecture and layout are typical of regional shopping centres from that era. It is set back from the streets and surrounded by a vast open-air parking lot. Upon its opening, Quartier Cavendish stood out as one of the city’s few shopping destinations accessible on foot, a characteristic that, to some degree, remains true even today. It remains a popular meeting place, especially among older adults who commonly use the food court as space to gather. Originally, the land occupied by the shopping centre was nearly twice its current size. In 2010, about 40 percent of the original building was demolished to make way for a residential area, mainly consisting of townhouses, single-family homes and an apartment building.

What is next? The Quartier Cavendish officials wish to implement a total facelift and for that new zoning will be required.

Unfortunately, we will still have no firm details available on Sept, 16 regarding the Quartier Cavendish. All I can tell you is that our planners are projecting zoning for new buildings that could very well range from two to 20 storeys. Mandevco, the owners of Quartier Cavendish, do not have a formal plan ready for council to consider at this point.

More news may only come to Council at the Oct, 21 meeting, with a legal public consultation to follow on Nov. 20. Soon after, the entire city will be able to vote for the municipal Planning Program and Zoning By-law documents. That means that even if residents of District 2 near the Quartier Cavendish oppose the project, they won’t be able to vote it down.

As my colleague, Councillor Dida Berku repeats, the revitalization of the three large shopping centres (Quartier Cavendish, Decarie Square and Côte St. Luc Shopping Centre) is vital to the future financial prosperity of our city. I lament the fact that at this hour we not have all of the necessary information for them to review.

Last week, with five of my Bialik High School student interns, I knocked on doors of people on Park Place, Jubilee, The Avenue and Cavendish Blvd. They live closes to Quartier Cavendish so we wanted to give them a heads up on the Sept. 16 meeting where city officials will be on hand and residents can ask important questions. 

Last winter, several months after long-time Côte Saint-Luc resident Alexandre Look was murdered by Hamas terrorists on October 7,  I got a call from Mayor Mitchell Brownstein. He and his wife Elaine knew the Look family very well as their eldest son Andrew grew up with Alex.

“How can we properly honor Alex’s memory,” the mayor asked,

As the city councillor responsible for Toponymy  (Naming Opportunities), I immediately zeroed in on a large piece of greenspace in my District 2, sandwiched between Bialik High School and Beth Chabad CSL. We had been looking for  a name there for a few years.  Sadly, this was the perfect match. Alex had attended Bialik and he also frequented Beth Chabad CSL.

Members of Council, the Alain and Raquel Look and other special guests unveil the sign.

Alexandre Look grew up in Côte Saint-Luc, attended Bialik High School, was a frequent visitor at the Parkhaven Pool, the Cavendish Mall, and played numerous sports. As a child, Alex was very protective of his younger sister Kayla, and as he grew, he would extend that sense of duty to protect all those in need.  

On Monday night, September 9 (the eve of what would have been his 34th birthday), we formally dedicated Alexandre Look Place.  Our Director of Public Works Beatrice Newman prepared the grounds beautifully. Associate City Manager Tanya Abramovitch met with the family and ensured the property was adequately prepared. And Darryl Levine, our Director Public Affairs and Communications, handled the branding, signage and wording on the inscription on the large plaque.

I will share below the wording expertly pieced together by Darryl.

Alexandre Look grew up in Cote Saint-Luc, attended Bialik High School, was a frequent visitor at the Parkhaven Pool, the Cavendish Mall, and played numerous sports. As a child, Alex was very protective of his younger sister Kayla, and as he grew, he would extend that sense of duty to protect people in need. He had numerous friends and coached many to achieve direction in their lives. 

A beautiful flower display surrounds the plaque. Some of these flowers were brought back from Israel. The red anemone is the national flower of israel and it blooms in the south. So it is used on all memorials for victims of Oct 7.

Alex had a larger-than-life presence, with unmatched charisma and generosity leaving a mark not only on the community, but the many places he would travel and live. A real bon-vivant with an entrepreneurial spirit, he spoke six languages and was a gifted a salesman, eventually opening his own cosmetics shops in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.  

Alex was immensely proud of his Jewish heritage and would visit Israel during the summer months. During his trip in 2023, Alex extended his stay to attend the Supernova Music Festival in the Negev desert of southern Israel. When hundreds of rockets were fired from Gaza in the early morning of October 7, Alex and his friends sought urgent refuge in a bomb shelter nearby at Kibbutz Be'eri, where nearly 40 others were hiding. Hamas terrorists soon arrived and began firing indiscriminately on civilians. Without hesitation, Alex placed himself at the entrance of the shelter, putting himself in harm’s way to protect friends and strangers alike. When a terrorist tried to enter, Alex fought the attacker and was murdered using his body as a shield to save others. Miraculously, eight people survived due to his act of bravery.  

There was a large crowd on hand.

Alex’s ultimate act of heroism stands as a testament to his unyielding spirit and lifelong dedication to others. His fearless protection of friends and strangers and his legacy of compassion serve as powerful reminders of his remarkable life and the enduring impact of his heroism. His memory will live on in the countless lives he touched and forever inspire strength and unity in our community and beyond. 

The City of Côte Saint-Luc mourns the loss of Alexandre Look and the numerous innocent lives lost on that tragic day. 

“This was home to Alex in all of its formative years,” said Mayor Brownstein.

Israel’s Consul General Paul Hirschson admitted that he did not know Alex, yet he has become intimately familiar with him over the past 11 months via  his parents Alain and Raquel. “”We mourn Alex and we celebrate him at the same time.”

Cantor Danny Belolo performs a memorial prayer.

Mount Royal Liberal MP Anthony Housefather  was in British Columbia at  party caucus, but he sent a message in which he told the parents “ your son was a hero. You know that already. But it needs to be repeated.”

D’Arcy McGee Liberal MNA Elisabeth Prass added  “those lives Alex saved by being a human shield showed the values he was raised with.”

Alain Look told me that he and his wife recently moved back to Côte Saint-Luc. “I think Alex was looking over, telling us to make this move,” he said.

Added Raquel: “This is a place that holds profound significance  to our family.  This represents more than just a greenspace. This place will serve as a beacon of hope.”

Federation CJA President and CEO Yair Szlak, a stalwart in the community since the October 7 attacks, said “we still have not had a chance to mourn what happened on October 7.”

You can watch the entire ceremony here

The Gazette

https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/friends-travel-from-around-the-world-as-cote-st-luc-honours-alexandre-look

CTV News

https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/video/c2990891-alexandre-look-memorialized-with-park?binId=1.1332485

CBC News

https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/video/9.6505357

City News

https://montreal.citynews.ca/2024/09/09/alexandre-look-place-cote-st-luc/

Alexandre (Coco) Abraham Look 

1990–2023 

Alexandre Look a grandi à Côte Saint-Luc, où il a fréquenté l’école secondaire Bialik. On le voyait souvent à la piscine Parkhaven et au mail Cavendish, et il participait à beaucoup d’activités sportives. Enfant, Alex était très protecteur à l'égard de sa jeune sœur Kayla et, en grandissant, il a étendu ce sens du devoir à la protection des personnes dans le besoin. Il avait de nombreux amis et en a accompagné plusieurs pour qu’ils trouvent un sens à leur vie. 

Alex avait une présence plus grande que nature. Son charisme et sa générosité inégalés ont laissé une trace non seulement dans la communauté, mais aussi dans les nombreux endroits où il a voyagé et vécu. Véritable bon vivant à l'esprit d'entreprise, il parlait six langues et était un vendeur hors pair, qui avait fini par ouvrir ses propres boutiques de cosmétiques à Cabo San Lucas, au Mexique. 

Alex était extrêmement fier de ses origines juives et il aimait se rendre en Israël pendant l’été. Pendant son voyage en 2023, Alex a prolongé son séjour pour assister au festival de musique Supernova dans le désert du Negev, dans le sud d’Israël. Lorsque des centaines de roquettes ont été tirées depuis Gaza au petit matin du 7 octobre, Alex et ses amis se sont réfugiés d'urgence dans un abri anti-bombes situé à proximité, au kibboutz Be'eri, où se cachaient près de 40 autres personnes. Les terroristes du Hamas sont arrivés rapidement et ont commencé à tirer sans discrimination sur les civils. Sans hésiter, Alex s’est placé à l’entrée de l’abri, se mettant en danger pour protéger des amis autant que des étrangers. Quand un terroriste a tenté d'entrer, Alex a combattu l'attaquant et il a été tué en utilisant son corps comme bouclier pour sauver d'autres personnes. Par miracle, huit personnes ont survécu grâce à son acte de bravoure.  

L’ultime acte d’héroïsme d’Alex témoigne de sa détermination et de son dévouement aux autres tout au long de sa vie. Sa protection téméraire d'amis et d'étrangers et son héritage de compassion sont autant de rappels de sa vie remarquable et de l'impact durable de son héroïsme. Son souvenir restera gravé dans les innombrables vies qu'il a touchées et inspirera à jamais la force et l'unité au sein de notre communauté et au-delà. 

La Ville de Côte Saint-Luc pleure la perte d'Alexandre Look et des nombreuses vies innocentes perdues lors de cette journée tragique. 

A brand new kosher deli, Fin Gourmet sur l’Avenue, held its grand opening this week on The Avenue in Côte Saint-Luc District 2, which I represent.

The ribbon cutting.

When the apartment building on The Avenue opened seven years ago, the ground floor was zoned commercial. Last year an orthodontist opened shop and now we have a  fabulous spot offering a wide array of kosher cuisine. It should help fill part of the void left by the closure of the J &R Kosher deli.

My Bialik High School Local Commerce interns share in the celebration.

The husband and wife team of Edmond and Veronique Abecassis are the owners. Their son Brandon, a general contractor for Jackson Construction, built the interior. Bhavik Patel and Chelsea Delena are the chefs.

Some of the goods for sale.

I was delighted to attend the grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony in the company of Mount Royal Liberal MP Anthony Housefather and five members of my Local Commerce Student Committee, Avery Hannon, Noah Galambos, Jeremy Nashen, Alexa Omer and Liana Levary from Bialik High School. Bravo to landlord Emile Badea for choosing an excellent tenant.  Here you can explore an exciting array of offerings that are sure to delight your palate and satisfy your cravings. From in-house meals crafted with love to convenient grab-and-go options,  they have something for everyone.

Here’s what you can look forward to:

•      Packaged Grab & Go Meals: Perfectly portioned and ready to enjoy wherever you are.
•      Cold Cuts & Exclusive Meat Cuts: A curated selection of fine kosher meats, including artisanal cold cuts and exclusive cuts you won’t find anywhere else.
•      Frozen Packaged Food: Stock up on high-quality, frozen delights that are perfect for quick and easy meals.
•      Baked Goods & Big Cakes: From everyday treats to special occasion cakes, our bakery will satisfy your sweet tooth.
•      Charcuterie & Pâté: Gourmet selections for your charcuterie boards or sophisticated snacks.
•      Spices & Nuts: Enhance your culinary creations with our diverse range of spices and premium nuts.
•      Packaged Olives: A variety of olives, perfectly packed to complement your meals or as a savory snack.

“We’re passionate about offering only the finest ingredients and products to our community,” said Veronique.

There was a such a superb selection of ready to eat and freshly made items,  including chicken shawarma,  bbq wings, roasted potatoes, green beans, chicken wings, chicken fingers, chicken schnitzel, chicken burgers, general tao chicken, sweet and sour meatballs, fried rice, noodles, spring rolls, fish balls, quiche, sandwiches and spring rolls.  They had fresh challahs and rolls and some delicious chocolates. In addition, there was kosher chicken, minced meat, lamb rack and more.

For more information call 514-369-2522. Their website will be online soon.

For anyone who missed our virtual information session on the upcoming revisions to the CSL dog by-law, please watch this recording.

Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTqaGORxWW8

Subjects discussed included: fine increases, abandoned dogs, dangerous dogs, number of dogs permitted, prohibited leashes,hybrid breeds, parks prohibiting dogs, new rules for the dog park, maximum number of dogs that a person can walk and more.

An amendment to our dog by-law will not allow people to walk more than two dogs at a time unless you have a special permit.

There was some very interesting back and forth.

 A draft by-law has not yet been presented to Council for review. At present, we are looking for feedback from the public on the ideas below, as well as asking the public to share its feedback.

The following are some of the ideas we are considering for the eventual draft by-law:

• Can walk only two dogs at time. Need a dog-walking permit for walking 3 dogs or more on pubic domain.
• Can't leave dog unattended, for instance attached to a pole.
• Can't use ball or stick with dog at dog park if other dogs are present.
• Can't feed dogs at dog run if other dogs are present.
• Can't bring more than two dogs to the dog run.
• After moving to CSL, you have 30 days to get  dog permit.
• It is illegal to abandon a dog in the city.
• It is forbidden to practice any form of animal breeding, including the operation of a kennel for commercial purposes.

You can send feedback and your ideas to me at [email protected].

A big thanks to our Manager of Operations for Public Safety Jean-Marc Dubois. He is drafting the by-law amendments, which we hope to adopt by the end of 2024, and provided a very good overview of the major components.

Following many months of turmoil since   five residential apartment buildings on Kildare Road and Sir Walter Scott were sold by Group CLV  to a company represented by real estate broker Terry Geramanis, another transaction has now taken place.  David Gans and  Robbie Peck, two residents of Montreal who own other properties, are officially the new owners of  6565 and 6575 Kildare and  5775, 5755 and 5765 Sir Walter Scott.

Some of the buildings now under new ownership.

Since last winter tenants have lived in fear of renoviction, complained about a lack of communications with the owners and dealt with neglect of the premises.

I spoke to Gans, who insisted that is all a thing of the past. He and Peck have already hired a full-time individual to manage the five buildings. Dedicated phone lines will be set up for tenants to call for assistance daytime and after hours. They have already started to clean the carpets in the corridors of each buildings. In cases where any stains were not removed, they will hire a professional company to complete the job. A long series of repairs and renovations are on their “to do” list.

There is  presently a truck in one of the parking lots. That will be removed from the premises as soon as possible. A landscaper has been hired to beautify the grounds.

“We are very excited to be the new owners,” said Gans. “Good things are going to happen.”

I must say that as the city councillor for the district I am very relieved with this news. These past few months have not been easy on anyone, including our staff at City Hall who maintained a very close eye on the properties. I’d like to thank almost all of the tenants for their patience and the professional manner in which  they communicated with me.

More news to come on this dossier.

You must hand it to Mount Royal Liberal MP Anthony Housefather. He knows how to  work his riding.

The past year has by no means been easy for Anthony, whom I served under on city council during his 10 years as mayor of Côte Saint-Luc. He has spoken out against his party’s language policy and threatened to  leave the Liberals over their position on the Israeli war in Gaza. The Federal Conservative Party already has lawyer Neil Oberman lined up to challenge him in the fall 2025 election. But Anthony is the consummate campaigner and one of the things I learned from him is that you don’t wait until just prior to a vote to reach out to the electorate; do it non-stop.

On August  29 I was among those in attendance at Ashkelon Gardens behind our library where Anthony hosted a ceremony for 20 outstanding volunteers in the riding of Mount Royal,  awarding them all with a King Charles Medal. It was a brilliant political move and also one well appreciated by the very large gathering, which included many community leaders. Let me also applaud him for using a beautiful outdoor venue as our summer starts to slip away.

With Jacob Kincler (Dida's husband), Anthony Housefather and Dida Berku.

The recipients were all from all across the riding, and one councillor in each city was also recognized. In Côte Saint-Luc it was our Deputy Mayor Dida Berku, a tireless worker whom I have been proud to sit with for 19 years.

Anthony Housefather at the ceremony.

Here is a closer look at the eight CSL recipients.

Dida Berku has been a city councillor in CSL for over 30 years.  She is indeed the dean of our council and showcases so many leadership qualities.  For many years she worked as a tenants rights lawyer. On our council, Dida leads on some of the most important files and works non-stop for our citizens and her constituents. Said Anthony: “I served on Council with Dida for 14 years. It is rare to find someone who combines the precision of an attorney, the political smarts of an elected representative, and the passion of an environmentalist but Dida does so.  When I was Mayor she was my back up at the regional level of government and I relied on her advice and counsel when it came to many of the most important issues facing the city such as the protection of Meadowbrook and the Cavendish extension. Even today as an MP, I work closely with her on projects like the Smart City initiative. Her presence on Council is not only in the interest of District 3 but in the interest of the entire City of Côte Saint-Luc.”

Anthony with the recipients.

 Yair Szlak has served as  the President and CEO of Federation CJA since May 2019.  Prior to this he held the role of Chief Development officer at Federation CJA from 2013 to 2019. He was also the Campaign Director  (2007-2013), and the Director of Campaign Operations (2005-2007). A graduate of Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto, with a Bachelor’s degree from York University, he is a lawyer by training. He moved here to pursue a career in the Jewish community. Since Oct. 7 he has been front and centre on reacting to and dealing with the fallout from the war in Israel and the increase in antisemitism. I can tell you from personal experience how approachable he is and proactive in responding to any ideas on how to combat the hate we have been experiencing.

My first connection with Eta Yudin came in  1999 when I left my job as head of communications for the Canadian Jewish Congress to join the English Montreal School Board. She was chosen as my successor in Quebec, rising to the rank as vice-president of  CIJA (The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs), the successor organization to the CJC. She and Szlak have formed a formidable one, two combination in leading our community against the intolerance we are facing. Eta  built her expertise in communications, advocacy, and community and government relations starting as a grassroots student advocate. At CIJA, she  originally served as Deputy Director of Public Affairs and Community Relations before being appointed Vice-President (Quebec) in 2016. She was instrumental in facilitating the first official visits to Israel of a sitting Quebec Premier,  a Montreal Mayor and the recent historic opening of a Quebec Bureau in Israel, a significant milestone in the Quebec-Israel relationship. She has appeared as an expert witness before Quebec National Assembly commissions and serves as a media spokesperson. She is a recipient of the Medal of the National Assembly and the Tel Aviv University Friendship Award honouring her leadership in representing the interests of her community.

Andrew Toeman  was born  in London England. He immigrated to Canada 1954 and attended Northmount High, McGill and then Dental School. He later taught at McGill and the Jewish General Hospital. He was the president of American Academy of Dental Practice, and retired after 46 years. For 35 years, he worked with the Y Wolf Pack, served as VP of the Y, ran a few marathons and climbed Kilimanjaro. He also worked with his wife raising money for Israeli wounded Veterans. Beit Halochem. Now, Andrew spends his time biking three times a week and raising money for Cancer Research,  all while becoming the newly installed president of the CSLL Men’s Club.

Brian Blumer is best known as the first person you see when entering the CSL Aquatic and Community Centre. He learned the meaning of community service from his late father Leon. These days he is devoted to be a member of the fraternal order  Syracuse Lodge #9, a subordinate lodge of the Knights of Pythias. He served as a Knight in Syracuse Lodge before joining the executive of this subordinate lodge in 2019.   In 2019 he was elected to an executive position of the Grand Lodge, Domain of Quebec as a Grand Outer Guard.  He was in charge of special programming, and he was indeed very busy during the  pandemic.  He organized a project bringing speakers to   members and guests via Zoom.  He coordinated at least 10 speaker evenings over the next three years, bringing exciting and interesting speakers into the homes of guests.   His latest project will be a live comedy show featuring well known comic Mike Paterson for a live and in person performance on Sept. 19 at the ACC.

Jamie Fabian is the outgoing commissioner in CSL/Hampstead for the English Montreal School Board. He is not seeking another term in order to devote more time to his studies at McGill Law School. Jamie has a Bachelor's of Arts with Distinction on Scholarship from Concordia University in Public Affairs and Policy, and is a third year law student. He is vice-president of Finance for the Jewish Law Students' Association and is an editor for the McGill Journal of Dispute Resolution.   Since October 7 he has taken a lead role in advocacy in combating antisemitism, including organizing multiple events and being a lead spokesperson for students against the Encampment.

Nicole “Nikki” Nashen is a McGill law student and Jewish student advocate. Nikki's upbringing instilled in her a passion for tikkun olam (repairing the world) and tzedek (justice). During her Bachelors of Arts in Community, Public Affairs and Policy Studies at Concordia University, she realized the pervasiveness of antisemitism within the Concordia campus community. Nikki therefore decided to serve on the Concordia Student Union, and as the President of Hillel Concordia, where she advocated for the interests of Jewish students within the CSU and to the Concordia Administration.  Over the past two years, Nikki has taken her advocacy a few blocks east down Sherbrooke to McGill, where she has been a prominent student leader on campus, especially since October 7. Most recently, Nikki testified in Parliament about the Antisemitism on campus, and the vital need for university administrations to implement concrete steps to protect their students from violent extremism and anti-Jewish discrimination. Nikki is eager to spend this upcoming school year as the Vice President of the Jewish Law Students Association, where she will continue to fight for the inclusion and safety of Jewish students on campus.

Joe Panunto was born in Italy in 1941 and came to Canada with his family in 1956.   He went on to earn a B.A. in French Literature from Loyola College, and an M.A. in French from McGill University.  He taught high school French for many years before becoming part of the Service des Communications at the Commission des Écoles Catholiques de Montréal.  He retired in 2000. Ever since he moved to CSL in 1979 he has been actively involved in the community in various social, educational, religious, cultural, political, and sports related activities. He sat as  a city councillor from 1994 to 1998 and served on the planning and financial committees. As a parishioner of St. Richard’s Catholic Church, he has served as Warden, sat on the Parish Council, was the president the Men’s Club, has overseen renovations in the church, and organized many fundraising events over the past 45 years.  He is currently a Eucharistic minister, usher, and reader in the parish, and acts as liaison between the City Council, provincial and federal associations and the Parish.  As an involved member of the community he served as a member of the Côte Saint-Luc Winemaking Contest ( at   which he won prizes in 2008 and 2009), and has often won the Maison Fleuries contest in District 7.   On the political scene, he has been very active in the D’Arcy McGee Quebec Liberal Party Riding as well as the federal riding of Mount Roya. A fervent believer in volunteerism and the altruism of “do unto others as you would have them do unto you” and “where there is a will there is a way,”  he continues to be involved and encourage others to become involved in the very vibrant community that is CSL.

Bravo Anthony and to the other recipients from Hampstead, Snowdon, Côte des Neiges and TMR.

After extensive deliberation, Manager of Operations for Public Safety Jean-Marc Dubois has almost completed a series of extensive amendments to the Côte Saint-Luc by-law concerning the regulation of dogs.

As the city councillor responsible for Animal Protection I want to thank Jean-Marc, who is a dog owner himself, for his dedication to this file. Before we adopt the updated by-law before the end of 2024 this is an opportunity for dog owners to provide feedback at a virtual information meeting. We will discuss issues such as  increases in fines abandoned canines, dangerous dogs, the number of dogs permitted by one owner, prohibited leashes, new dog run rules and more.

I would also like to extend my gratitude to Jonathan Goldman and Anna Katz for their leadership on our Dog Owners Committee. A shout out as well to Tamar Hertz, who as a non-dog owner has provided a much needed perspective to our discussions.

Just log on to www.cotesaintluc.org/dogschiens on Tuesday, September 3 at 7:30 pm and sign in.

When I covered Côte Saint-Luc City Council meetings back in the day as a reporter for The Suburban and The Monitor, the topic of extending Cavendish Boulevard came up often. Then Mayor Bernard Lang would repeatedly tell anyone listening: “We don’t need it, we don’t want it, we can’t afford it!”

Mayor Lang, may he rest in peace, would probably not be happy if he were still with us to see  our council now pushing hard for such an extension. In my 19 years as a city councillor, different scenarios have been discussed. In 2017 the Quebec government sold the former Blue Bonnets Raceway land to the City of Montreal, worth $50 million, for $1. Seven years later, Projet Montréal and the Mayor Valerie Plante administration have still done nothing with the property. With word that they plan to proceed with some kind of housing development, it seems that Mayor Plante has complete amnesia. The government gave the city this huge gift on the condition they extend Cavendish. Now, she is reneging on that deal.

Rick Leckner with Dida Berku and Mayor Brownstein at our meeting.

Traffic expert Rick Leckner, who is now a Côte Saint-Luc resident,  attended our public city council meeting on August 12 to support a petition spearheaded by D’Arcy McGee Liberal MNA Elisabeth Prass to call upon the provincial and federal governments to block any funding for this project unless the Cavendish extension is included. In Côte Saint-Luc, Councillor Dida Berku has been leading the way on this dossier.

“What has been going on at Montreal City Hall is shameful,” said Leckner. “It is time to get the public involved. This is affecting all of us. You can’t get out of Côte Saint-Luc.”

Leckner is part of a group called the  Business Alliance for Cavendish Extension. This has the full backing of the mayors of Côte Saint-Luc, TMR and St. Laurent,

Here is the petition and the link posted by MNA Prass.

Bonjour,

Au nom des résidents de D'Arcy-McGee, la députée Elisabeth Prass a marrainé une pétition sur le site de l'Assemblée nationale du Québec pour demander au gouvernement de la CAQ d'exiger que la ville de Montréal respecte l'accord de 2017 concernant la vente de Blue Bonnets, qui stipule que l'extension du boulevard Cavendish est nécessaire pour développer les terrains de Blue Bonnets.

Voici le lien de la pétition : Pétition : Respect du cheminement du projet de raccordement de la route Cavendish-Cavendish selon l’échéancier déposé devant le BAPE (assnat.qc.ca)

Veuillez signer et faire circuler.

Merci,

Arianne Leclerc au nom d’Elisabeth Prass

Hello,

On behalf of the residents of D'Arcy-McGee, MNA Elisabeth Prass has sponsored a petition on the Quebec National Assembly website to ask that the CAQ government require the city of Montreal to uphold the 2017 agreement upon the sale of Blue Bonnets, which stipulates that the extension of Cavendish boulevard is required to develop the Blue Bonnets lands.

Here is the petition link: Petition: Compliance with the Cavendish-Cavendish road connection project schedule submitted to the BAPE (assnat.qc.ca)

Please sign it and share with others.

Can we influence the CAQ government? I certainly hope we can get the support of Higher Education Minister Pascale Déry, who has lived in Côte Saint-Luc and Hampstead for many years. So she lives the same frustration we do.

The state-of-the-art Clinique Médicale Step is now fully operational at the building at the corner of Cavendish and Kildare, servicing primary children. After touring the premises and speaking to property owner Aaron Bitton I have a great deal more news to share on what is about to occur.

With Drs. Rothstein, Lessard and Administrative Director Melissa Patterson at the clinic.

Located on the third floor of the building, the sprawling 9,000 square foot Clinique Médicale Step is headed by Dr. David Rothstein and Dr. Alicia Lessard. It features 11 doctor offices, 28 examination rooms (one nurse station, onsite full time), and four allied-health rooms. There are currently 13 doctors as part of the team with more joining over the next few months. Administrative Director Melissa Patterson took me through the facility and I must say I was beyond impressed by what I saw. To be seen there, you still must register on the waiting list by using the Québec Family Doctor Finder (GAMF).

The busy front desk.

“We will have more new doctors joining us in September, so when new spots open up the system will direct families to our clinic,” said Dr. Rothstein. “Through our website patients can book appointments. Those who are registered patients with a family doctor working at the clinic can book appointments with their doctor. In addition, through the website, parents of sick kids can book urgent care appointments, and those needing to see a specialist can submit an appointment request (referrals required). The website also includes a wealth of information on each service offered, and other topics including how to get on the waiting list for a family doctor.”

On the ground floor, a new blood test centre via the Biron Group is open for business. This is a private clinic like CDL at Decarie Square, but especially convenient for individuals who want to beat the often extensive wait times via the Clic Santé system and those who have private insurance coverage.

One of the examing rooms.

In September, Forcemedic  will open at the facility to service adults headed by family doctors Béatrice Grunbaum and Lynn Cohen. Initially, they will see patients out of Clinique Médicale Step until their new premises in the building are ready.

One of the long and winding hallways.

Bitton also formed me that Anne Benguira will relocate her Uniprix pharmacy to the building in December. This will be a small pharmacy primarily for presriptions and some small items like Tylenol.

Finally, Bitton said he hopes to have news soon about the arrival of a radiology clinic where people can get x-rays, uktrasounds and possibly MRIs and CT scans.

More About Clinique Médicale Step

Clinique Médicale Stephas a lot to offer:

• Wellcare: wellness check-ups, preventive care, coordination of vaccines, resources support and more
• Urgent Care: services address fever, ear pain, sore throat, cough, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, urinary symptoms, rash, minor injuries, etc.
• Specialty care: pediatrics, pediatric allergist and immunology, ENT, pediatric dentistry pre-screening appointments,
• Allied care

Allison Gardos is the director of the clinic’s Allied Health Department and owner of Physio Step by Step. The services include. Allied Health Services include physiotherapy, occupational therapy, dietician / nutrition , child behaviour therapy, lactionation consultation and psychology .

Through the clinic’s website, www.cliniquestep.ca, patients can book appointments. Those who are registered patients with a family doctor working at the clinic can book appointments with their doctor. In addition, through the website, parents of sick kids can book urgent care appointments, and those needing to see a specialist can submit an appointment request (referrals required). The website also includes a wealth of information on each service offered, and other topics including how to get on the waiting list for a family doctor.

At Clinique Médicale Step, accessibility to healthcare is paramount. “That’s why we’ve dedicated ourselves to crafting a seamless online booking system, updated in real-time, ensuring that scheduling appointments is easy and convenient for all. Your well-being is our priority, every step of the way,” their brochure states.

As for their mission, they state: “Welcome to a place where families come first. Where every child is treated like our own. And where a diverse team of dedicated and dynamic medical professionals work together to provide top-tier healthcare with kindness, compassion and comfort.
Welcome to a place we can all feel better about.”

Log on to their website and follow them on Instagram: @clinique.step and Facebook @Clinique Medicale Step. The address is 5757 boul. Cavendish, Suite 300 and you can call 514-307-5757, or e-mail [email protected]

The traffic lights on Cavendish Boulevard, from Mackle to Kildare, are a constant source of frustration for motorists and pedestrians. I receive many inquiries on the topic and I wish to thank our hard-working traffic engineer Spyro Yotis for he really does his best to please everyone.

For motorists, the wait at each light is too long. Then we hear from pedestrians who complain that they do not have enough time to cross.

On August 8, constituent Joey Grossman (who lives on Mackle near Cavendish) joined Spyro and I for a walkabout an examination of the lights near his corner and at the Avenue near City Hall. Joey had contacted me to express his concern that the traffic lights on Cavendish are not set properly for today’s traffic flow. “It’s amazing how long it takes to drive up and down Cavendish,” he stated.

Spyro is very hands on and certainly doesn’t perform his duties exclusively from a desk. He is out in the field often, as this meeting illustrated. Spyro reminded us that the last analysis and modification of the traffic lights on Cavendish was back in 2018. Since then the Montefiore complex reopened as an apartment rental and the Equinoxe twin towers debuted on Marc Chagall. And very soon, Quartier Cavendish will present us with a proposal to rezone and add several high-rise buildings.

Very soon, Spyro confirmed, the Urban Planning Department will present city council with a proposal to have another professional study undertaken on Cavendish. Based on the budgetary process protocols, that means this work should occur in 2025. “I hope we will be able to improve the efficiency of the lights,” Spyro said.

Spyro also explained that programming at the corner of The Avenue and Cavendish changes based on the detection. Sometimes the green light for The Avenue will be very short if there are few cars and no pedestrians; other times the green for The Avenue will be much longer. Although there was some work for synchronization, the main work done in 2018 was to increase detection and optimize individual intersections. “ I have personally evaluated the lights at The Avenue towards Kildare and yes, sometimes the green leads you to a red at Kildare,” said Spyro. “However, there are other times where it leads you to a stale red which will soon be green. The goal is of our previous work was not to allow greens along Cavendish for cars to speed down through all the lights, but to increase efficiency at each intersection. The only intersection which we were not able to change was Kildare due to the existing timing and heavy traffic/pedestrians in every direction.”

Joey agreed that the problem is predominantly at rush hour.

We have the commitment of Spyro that this situation is not being overlooked.

With Joey and Spyro at the corner of Cavendish and Mackle.

Les feux de circulation sur le boulevard Cavendish, de Mackle à Kildare, sont une source constante de frustration pour les automobilistes et les piétons. J'ai reçu de nombreuses demandes à ce sujet et je tiens à remercier notre ingénieur de la circulation, Spyro Yotis, qui travaille dur et fait vraiment de son mieux pour satisfaire tout le monde.

Pour les automobilistes, l'attente à chaque feu est trop longue. Les piétons se plaignent ensuite de ne pas avoir assez de temps pour traverser.

Le 8 août, Joey Grossman (qui habite Mackle près de Cavendish) s'est joint à Spyro et à moi pour un tour de table et un examen des feux près de son coin et de l'avenue près de l'hôtel de ville. Joey m'avait contacté pour me faire part de son inquiétude quant au fait que les feux de circulation sur Cavendish ne sont pas réglés correctement pour le flux de circulation d'aujourd'hui. "C'est incroyable le temps qu'il faut pour monter et descendre Cavendish", a-t-il déclaré.

Spyro est très pragmatique et n'exerce certainement pas ses fonctions exclusivement depuis un bureau. Il est souvent sur le terrain, comme l'a illustré cette réunion. Spyro nous a rappelé que la dernière analyse et modification des feux de circulation sur Cavendish remonte à 2018. Depuis, le complexe Montefiore a rouvert ses portes en tant que location d'appartements et les tours jumelles Equinoxe ont fait leurs débuts sur Marc Chagall. Et très bientôt, le Quartier Cavendish nous présentera une proposition de rezonage et d'ajout de plusieurs tours.

Très bientôt, a confirmé Spyro, le service d'urbanisme présentera au conseil municipal une proposition visant à réaliser une autre étude professionnelle sur Cavendish. D'après les protocoles de la procédure budgétaire, ces travaux devraient avoir lieu en 2025. "J'espère que nous pourrons améliorer l'efficacité de l'éclairage", a déclaré M. Spyro.

M. Spyro a également expliqué que la programmation à l'angle de l'avenue et de Cavendish change en fonction de la détection. Parfois, le feu vert pour l'avenue sera très court s'il y a peu de voitures et pas de piétons ; d'autres fois, le feu vert pour l'avenue sera beaucoup plus long. Bien qu'il y ait eu quelques travaux de synchronisation, les principaux travaux réalisés en 2018 ont consisté à augmenter la détection et à optimiser les intersections individuelles. "J'ai personnellement évalué les feux de The Avenue vers Kildare et oui, parfois le vert vous conduit à un rouge à Kildare", a déclaré Spyro. "Cependant, il y a d'autres moments où il vous conduit à un rouge périmé qui sera bientôt vert. L'objectif de nos travaux précédents n'était pas d'autoriser des feux verts le long de Cavendish pour que les voitures passent à toute vitesse tous les feux, mais d'améliorer l'efficacité à chaque intersection. Le seul carrefour que nous n'avons pas pu modifier est celui de Kildare, en raison de la synchronisation existante et de l'importance du trafic et des piétons dans toutes les directions.

Joey reconnaît que le problème se pose surtout aux heures de pointe.

Spyro s'est engagé à ce que cette situation ne soit pas négligée.

Premier Legault with Meadowbrook Manager Mike Johnson. Is it an accident that he is standing in front of the English part of the signage?

The Côte Saint-Luc Golf Invitational,  organized by our city council in cooperation with the Men's Club, took place at Meadowbrook on Tuesday, August 6. It was a gorgeous day to hit the links and while I have a lot to share the biggest news came away from our event. When I went to rent my electric cart, I learned that  someone who is not known to show much fondness for the anglophone community has come to golf here on at least three occasions this summer, most recently the previous Friday. Yes, I am talking about the Premier of Quebec, François Legault.

Wouldn't it have been nice for the Premier to organize a foursome with Mayor Mitchell Brownstein, D'Arcy McGee Liberal MNA Elisabeth Prass and Mount Royal Liberal MP Anthony Housefather?  I am shocked the Premier even knows where Côte Saint-Luc is; although his Repentigny MNA and Minister for Higher Education Pascale Déry lived in our community for many years before moving to Hampstead.

According to personnel I spoke to at Meadowbrook, Legault came with his family and a security detail. At least one family member stated that the venue was chosen specifically because it was in an English area where they would not necessarily be recognized. Perhaps Meadowbrook should start asking for certificates of English eligibility to golf? All kidding aside, Mayor Brownstein was golfing with Councillor Dida Berku and former mayor Robert Libman. They were all quite interested to hear the Premier came to CSL. Our mayor will indeed formally invite him to come golf with him so they can discuss the Cavendish Boulevard extension and keeping Meadowbrook as green space for eternity.

My foursome, including Amelio Santini, Peter Lipari and Buddy Manis.

Review of our Golf Event

And now back to our golf outing, First off, a big thanks to staff Irene Lahaie and Moe Giobbi for all of the hard work they did. This was only part one. Our special awards banquet reception will take place at the end of September, an upgrade from the luncheon event we held in past years. From the Men's Club, Mark Kotler, Mannie Young and Norman Goldfield have been key contributors. I am proud to have served as the lead elected official on the file, with Councillors Berku and Lior Azerad on board. Our honoree this year was noted sportsman Eli "Buddy" Manis. At 83 years young he is in remarkable condition. He still plays ice hockey once a week and despite tearing his rotator cuff a few months ago in a game, he soldiers on telling me "I'm too old for surgery. Buddy was in my foursome with Peter Lipari, the prince of a man who runs the CSL Shopping Centre  IGA and a longstanding sponsor of our event. Rounding out the group was 16 year old Amelio Santini, a CSL resident who is headed for greatness.  He is an elite hockey player who was drafted by the Halifax Mooseheads of the Quebec Maritimes Major Junior Hockey League. There are indeed dreams of the NHL dancing in his head. Listen to my podcast with him here.

A big thanks to McDonald's Pierre Brunet and his team.

Officials sponsors were real estate agents Marc Ezerzer and Hagai Brener from Vantage Mortgage & Realty Group and  Philippe Mamane, a wealth management advisor   at Assante Wealth Management.  Proceeds from the event will go to the Parks and Recreation Bursary Fund, which assists parents with financial difficulties and children’s with special needs in registering for specific programs they might otherwise not be able to afford.

Pierre Brunet, Amelio Santini, Philippe Mamane and myself.

The team from Pierre Brunet’s McDonald’s franchise at the Côte St. Luc Shopping Centre welcomed golfers as they got set to tee off with coffee and muffins. Pierre was there personally to welcome folks. He is a special human being who has always been there for us.

With Buddy Manis, Dida Berku, Mitchell Brownstein and Robert Libman.

There were trophies up for grabs for the longest drive and closest to the pin (male and female categories). We will find out the winners at our banquet.

With Mannie Young and Buddy Manis.

I am hardly a good golfer. But I really do look forward to this event each summer. It is a way to truly enjoy the beauty of Meadowbrook. Developers have wanted to turn this space in a large housing development for decades. Our council has stood firmly against this.  I have heard, though, from some potential investors who would love to purchase the property. They'd maintain the golf course (two nine-hole courses straddling Côte Saint-Luc, Montreal West and Lachine) and build a large reception hall and restaurant to host weddings, celebrations and meetings. This would be a winning solution!

With the English Montreal School Board foursome of Jack Chadirdjian, Mario Cardin,  Nick Katalifos and Mario Argiropoulos. They proudly meet now former Royal Vale student Amelio Santini.

Marty Lipes with Joan, Helen and Morty Zafran.

In Côte Saint-Luc we take pride of the beauty of our surroundings. As the co-chair of our annual Maison Fleuries competition, I recently took part in the judging of properties and I was delighted to see the care in which the owners showed for their land. Sadly, in my District 2, this is hardly the case for two vacant land spots: one on Sir Walter Scott and the other on Park Place.

Our Building Inspection Department is now prepared to act with the necessary fines and removal of junk from their pieces of land. The neglect by the owners is absolutely unacceptable.

The vacant land on Sir Walter Scott.

On Sir Walter Scott, a large slice of vacant land was purchased by a developer a few years ago and his plan were to construct semi-detached dwellings to match those next door and on Ilan Ramon Crescent. While a whole lot of back and forth went on with our Urban Planning personnel, the owner decided to use this land as a junkyard by dumping equipment and building materials. In addition, he has not followed our by-law by cutting the grass.  He now has placed the land up for sale. Meanwhile, as people drive by an attractive neighborhood they have to stare at this travesty. I was at City Hall and spoke to our building inspector. We may have no choice but to  clean the area ourselves and send him the bill.

The vacant land on Park Place.

Meanwhile, Park Place  has such beautiful homes. Yet the owner of a vacant lot has never built anything on it, also dropping equipment there and not maintaining the property in any way. There is barely any grass, so the dirt flies into the backyards and windows of those living in the Kildare Road town houses. Again, this is entirely unacceptable.

I have asked our building inspector to show zero tolerance with both landowners.

A Côte Saint-Luc, nous sommes fiers de la beauté de notre environnement. En tant que coprésidente de notre concours annuel de la Maison Fleuries, j'ai récemment participé à l'évaluation des propriétés et j'ai été ravie de constater le soin que les propriétaires apportaient à leur terrain. Malheureusement, dans mon district 2, ce n'est pas le cas de deux terrains vacants : l'un sur Sir Walter Scott et l'autre sur Park Place.

Notre service d'inspection des bâtiments est désormais prêt à agir en infligeant les amendes nécessaires et en procédant à l'enlèvement de la ferraille sur ces terrains. La négligence des propriétaires est absolument inacceptable.

Sur Sir Walter Scott, une grande parcelle de terrain vacant a été achetée par un promoteur il y a quelques années et son projet était de construire des habitations jumelées pour correspondre à celles qui se trouvent à côté et sur Ilan Ramon Crescent. Après de nombreuses discussions avec notre personnel chargé de l'urbanisme, le propriétaire a décidé d'utiliser ce terrain comme une décharge en y jetant des équipements et des matériaux de construction. De plus, il n'a pas respecté notre règlement en coupant l'herbe. Il a maintenant mis le terrain en vente. Pendant ce temps, les gens qui passent devant un quartier attrayant sont obligés de regarder cette parodie. Je me suis rendu à l'hôtel de ville et j'ai parlé à notre inspecteur des bâtiments. Nous n'aurons peut-être pas d'autre choix que de nettoyer la zone nous-mêmes et de lui envoyer la facture.

En attendant, Park Place possède de si belles maisons. Pourtant, le propriétaire d'un terrain vague n'y a jamais rien construit, y dépose du matériel et n'entretient pas sa propriété. Il n'y a pratiquement pas d'herbe, de sorte que la saleté vole dans les arrière-cours et les fenêtres des habitants des maisons de ville de Kildare Road. Là encore, c'est tout à fait inacceptable.

J'ai demandé à notre inspecteur des bâtiments de faire preuve d'une tolérance zéro à l'égard des deux propriétaires.

There is no question that most Quebecers have their differences with Premier François Legault and his CAQ government. However, as a city councillor in Côte Saint-Luc soon to be headed into my 20th year in office, I applaud the passage of Bill 57 to enact the Act to protect elected officers and to facilitate the unhindered exercise of their functions and to amend various legislative provisions concerning municipal affairs.

I knew when I first ran for council in the 2005 election that one of the most important tasks would be to advocate for my constituents, not only those in my District 2, but citizens at large.

Quebec Municipal Affairs Minister Andree Laforest pushed through the legislation.

Bill 57 includes fines  of up to $1,500 for anyone who intimidates, harasses or “abusively” obstructs the work of a politician. It was triggered last spring when an organization representing Quebec municipalities released a survey indicating 74 per cent of elected municipal leaders reported having experienced harassment and intimidation, and 741 out of 8,000 had quit since elections were held across the province in 2021. 

There is no question that being an elected municipal councillor can be challenging. I represent the area where I live so when I walk in front of my house, visit the local parks or even do my shopping at Quartier Cavendish, it is not uncommon for constituents to greet me with a complaint first and a “hello” after. I have not even gotten into the acts of cyberbullying. This has escalated over the last few years, not only towards the mayor and council,  but many of our senior staff members. Nasty and sometimes threatening e-mails and inappropriate posts on social media have become common place. Now I personally have a thick skin. I know that as elected officials it our duty to tackle issues of concern in the neighborhood.   Everything is balanced, though, by the good moments. I am proud of the many initiatives I have taken over the years, be it park improvements, the creation of a committee to take care of homeless cats and many more.

Let me be clear. While I am very pleased to see Bill 57 adopted, in no way are we we trying to threaten free speech. I remain one of Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante's critics for her war against cars and lack of consultation on major projects. People can, and should, be able to express their concerns to the politician who represents them. Several days a week I take walks through my district with a notepad in hand. I go out of my way to resolve issues. Dozens of e-mails come my way each week and most arrive very respectfully.

Have some constituents crossed the line? I am afraid to say that the answer is yes. We have discussed Bill 57 as council often over the last few weeks and it will be implemented where absolutely necessary.
 

The Act Introduces the possibility for an elected municipal officer who is the subject of comments or actions that unduly hinder the exercise of her/his functions or invade her/his privacy, to apply to the Superior Court for an injunction to put an end to the situation.  Anyone who hinders the exercise of an elected officer’s functions by threatening, intimidating or harassing the officer in a manner that causes them to reasonably fear for their integrity or safety  is liable to a fine. The same goes for  anyone who causes disorder in a way that interferes with the conduct of a sitting of a council of a municipal body.

In terms of some of the  measures to protect elected officials, an injunction will be put in place if an elected official is the subject of comments or actions that improperly impede the performance of his or her duties or constitute an unlawful invasion of his or her right to privacy.

Different possible conclusions aimed at resolving the situation could include prohibiting the person from attending the public council meetings, being present at a  municipality's offices, prohibiting the person from communicating with the elected official, ordering the person to stop broadcasting the comments in the public space.
 

The late Johnny "Elvis" Champagne. (Glenn Nashen photo)

Jean-Noël Johnny “Elvis” Champagne  was a beloved Côte Saint-Luc Public Security Officer for many years. He retired in 2015 and left us too soon, at the age of 75, two years ago after  experiencing some health problems.

Johnny was one in a million, beloved by his colleagues and citizens. On July 10 there was a small gathering in front of Côte Saint-Luc Public Safety headquarters to remember Johnny and dedicate a bench in his memory. Now , when his former colleagues want to take a rest, they can take a seat on the bench and channel their inner-Johnny.

The mayor, some members of council, Public Safety officials and friends of the late Johnny Champagne help dedicate a bench in his memory

Director of Public Safety Philip Chateauvert presented the very first Jean-Noël Johnny Champagne Award to Lieutenant Anthony Tsakon.  There are more than 240 staff and volunteers in our Public Safety Department, which encompasses Public Security, Emergency Medical Services and VCOPs (Volunteer Citizens on Patrol). Each year one of these individuals  will be recognized. Lt. Tsakon is an invaluable member of our staff who always goes above and beyond the call of duty.

Our original Public Security Director Gérard Dutil.

Also on hand was our original  Director of Public Security Gérard Dutil, now in his 90s. He and his wife of more than 70 years had fond memories of Johnny and shed some tears as we remembered him. I had a wonderful relationship with Director Dutil. Back then I was covering City Hall for The Suburban and he had joined the city after 27 years in the Montreal Police force.

Director Chateauvert and Mayor Brownstein present Lt. Tsakon with his certificate.

Johnny was called “Elvis” for a very good reason. He idolized the singing legend Elvis Presley and as a result emulated him in terms of his looks and mannerisms. Not only were his hair and sideburns a perfect match, he also wore the jewels around his neck and he performed Elvis songs at events like our Canada Day and Volunteer Night.

The thing I remember most about Johnny was the respect he attracted from our younger generation. When he patrolled a park and kids were, shall we say, out or order he merely needed to walk in their path and they’d all chant “Elvis!” `

A closer look at the bench and plaque.

“He had a way of interacting with people, but especially kids,” Mayor Mitchell Brownstein said at the ceremony. “He became their friend, always waving to people. It is not easy to be like that, especially in public security  when you  need to enforce by-laws. His memory will never be forgotten.”

Councillor Dida Berku, who spearheaded the move to memorialize Johnny, recalled when her daughter got married in 2014. “I invited Johnny as a guest. He came and performed some songs. He was amazing and wow, the stories he told!”

Lt. Tsakon thought back to his early days with the department. He was driving down Mackle Road with his training officer when another Public Security vehicle went by. Lt. Tsakon noticed the driver had his shirt open and the sideburns and wondered out loud how this guy can get the job done. “Well, I found out very quickly how good he was,” said Lt. Tsaskon.

If you are driving down Côte St. Luc Road near Westminster, stop and take a look at Johnny’s bench with the inscription that includes “Johnny has left the building,” with some musical notes.

Elvis a quitté le bâtiment, mais l'ancien agent de sécurité publique bien-aimé reste dans notre cœur

Jean-Noël Johnny "Elvis" Champagne a été pendant de nombreuses années un agent de sécurité publique bien-aimé de Côte Saint-Luc. Il a pris sa retraite en 2015 et nous a quittés trop tôt, à l'âge de 75 ans, il y a deux ans, après avoir connu des problèmes de santé.

Johnny était unique en son genre, aimé de ses collègues et de ses concitoyens. Le 10 juillet, un petit rassemblement a eu lieu devant le siège de la Sécurité publique de Côte Saint-Luc pour se souvenir de Johnny et dédier un banc à sa mémoire. Désormais, lorsque ses anciens collègues voudront se reposer, ils pourront s'asseoir sur le banc et laisser libre cours à leur Johnny intérieur.

Le directeur de la sécurité publique, Philip Chateauvert, a remis le tout premier prix Jean-Noël Johnny Champagne au lieutenant Anthony Tsakon. Plus de 240 employés et bénévoles travaillent dans notre département de la sécurité publique, qui comprend la sécurité publique, les services médicaux d'urgence et les VCOP (Volontaires citoyens en patrouille). Chaque année, l'une de ces personnes sera récompensée. Le lieutenant Tsakon est un membre inestimable de notre personnel qui va toujours au-delà de l'appel du devoir.

Notre premier directeur de la sécurité publique, Gérard Dutil, aujourd'hui âgé de 90 ans, était également présent. Lui et son épouse, qui a vécu plus de 70 ans, se souviennent très bien de Johnny et ont versé quelques larmes lorsque nous nous sommes souvenus de lui.

Johnny était surnommé "Elvis" pour une très bonne raison. Il idolâtrait la légende de la chanson Elvis Presley et l'imitait donc dans son apparence et ses manières. Non seulement ses cheveux et ses favoris étaient parfaitement assortis, mais il portait également des bijoux autour du cou et interprétait des chansons d'Elvis lors d'événements tels que la fête du Canada et la soirée des bénévoles.

Ce dont je me souviens le plus à propos de Johnny, c'est le respect qu'il inspirait à la jeune génération. Lorsqu'il patrouillait dans un parc et que les enfants étaient, disons, désordonnés, il lui suffisait de marcher sur leur chemin pour qu'ils scandent tous "Elvis !". `

"Il avait une façon d'interagir avec les gens, mais surtout avec les enfants", a déclaré le maire Mitchell Brownstein lors de la cérémonie. "Il est devenu leur ami, saluant toujours les gens. Il n'est pas facile d'être comme ça, surtout dans le domaine de la sécurité publique, lorsqu'il faut faire respecter les règlements. Sa mémoire ne sera jamais oubliée.

La conseillère Dida Berku, qui a pris l'initiative de commémorer Johnny, s'est souvenue du mariage de sa fille en 2014. "J'ai invité Johnny. Il est venu et a interprété quelques chansons. Il était incroyable et les histoires qu'il a racontées sont incroyables !

Le lieutenant Tsakon s'est souvenu de ses débuts dans le service. Il roulait sur Mackle Road avec son officier instructeur lorsqu'un autre véhicule de la sécurité publique est passé. Le lieutenant Tsakon a remarqué que le conducteur avait la chemise ouverte et des rouflaquettes, et il s'est demandé à voix haute comment ce type pouvait faire son travail. "Je me suis vite rendu compte qu'il était très bon", a déclaré le lieutenant Tsakon.

Si vous roulez sur le chemin de la Côte Saint-Luc près de Westminster, arrêtez-vous et jetez un coup d'œil au banc de Johnny avec l'inscription "Johnny a quitté le bâtiment", accompagnée de quelques notes de musique.

Building on the pre-consultation activities of 2022-2023, Côte Saint-Luc has embarked on the revision of oir Planning Program and regulations. Since June 2023, we have been engaged in a major reflection exercise concerning the planning and development of our territory, drawing on the reports of the pre-consultations, best practices, research and data collection, among other things.

What will the future Quartier Cavendish look like?

The Planning Program (commonly referred to as a master plan) is the municipality’s most important official long-term planning document. This fundamental tool enables the municipal council to draw up a current portrait of the territory, identify issues and then guide decision-making on planning and development solutions and actions for the next 15 to 20 years.

For District 2 residents, major zoning amendments that will allow the Quartier Cavendish to undertake a complete makeover, with multiple high-rise units, will be put forward. I was hoping that we'd have more news to report on this now, but that information might not be available  until the fall. It is very important for those people living near the Quartier Cavendish (as well as the CSL Shopping Centre and Decarie Square which will also have the ability for facelifts) follow our proceedings for there will be public consultations and opportunities for registering disapproval at City Hall registers.

To this end, you are invited to attend an information session to be held on Wednesday, July 10, 2024, at 7 p.m. in the council chamber (second floor) of City Hall, located at 5801Cavendish Blvd.

The main purpose of this open house format is to inform residents of the progress of the revision process, including important dates to remember and next steps, such as the adoption of the first draft by-laws and the public consultation meeting scheduled for the fall.

Schedule

• 7 p.m. - 7:15 p.m.: short presentation by the City to provide context

• 7:15 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.: open-house discussions between participants and City representatives

Séance d’information sur le processus de refonte du plan et de la réglementation d’urbanisme

10 juillet 2024

19:00 - 21:00

Hôtel de ville - Salle du conseil (2e étage)

Dans la continuité des activités de préconsultation de 2022-2023 (PDF), Côte Saint-Luc s’est lancée dans la refonte de son plan et de sa réglementation d’urbanisme. Depuis juin 2023, la Ville s’est penchée sur un grand exercice de réflexion concernant l’aménagement et le développement de son territoire, alimentée entre autres par les rapports des préconsultations, par les meilleures pratiques, par la recherche, puis la collecte de données.

Le plan d’urbanisme constitue le document officiel le plus important de la Municipalité en matière de planification. Cet outil fondamental permet au conseil municipal de dresser un portrait actuel du territoire, de faire état des enjeux, puis d’orienter la prise de décision sur le long terme quant aux solutions et aux actions d’aménagement et de développement pour les 15 à 20 prochaines années.

Dans cette perspective, vous êtes invités à participer à une séance d’information qui se tiendra le mercredi 10 juillet 2024 à 19 h dans la salle du conseil (2e étage) de l’hôtel de ville, situé au 5801 boul. Cavendish.

Cette séance de type « portes ouvertes » vise principalement à informer les résidents de l’avancement du processus de refonte, notamment les dates importantes à retenir et les prochaines étapes, telles que l’adoption des premiers projets de règlements et l’assemblée publique de consultation qui sont prévues vers la fin de l’été 2024.

Déroulement

• 19 h – 19 h 15 : courte présentation de mise en contexte par la Ville
• 19 h 15 – 21 h : échanges libres (portes ouvertes) entre les participants et les représentants de la Ville

A huge word of thanks to our team at the Côte Saint-Luc Parks and Recreation Department for coordinating fabulous Canada Day celebrations on July 1 at Trudeau Park. Thousands of people turned out for an evening of fun and entertainment. Earlier in the day, Mayor Mitchell Brownstein, members of council, Liberal MP for Mount Royal Anthony Housefather and D’Arcy McGee Liberal MNA Elisabeth Prass presided over a Canadian citizenship ceremony.

Councillor Shuster leads us all in the national anthem.

Bravo in particular to  Parks and Recreation Director Cornelia Ziga and event coordinator Irene Lahaie, as well as co-chairs Mayor Brownstein and Councillor Andee Shuster.

The weather was picture perfect and activities were nicely spread out. Our Public Works team did their usual bang-up job in terms of setup. Public Security and VCOPS (Volunteer Citizens on Patrol) oversaw the safety aspect.  Police Station 9 Commander Stéphane Desroches, whom we are so fortunate to have within our midst, was present throughout the event as were several of his officers as well as some police on horseback.

With Commander Desroches.

I thoroughly enjoyed walking through the park and catching up with people.

On stage we had the band Vintage Wine  and kids singer Shawny perform while The Event Guy, a group of animators and deejays, kept the crowd pumped up all evening. The cast of the Côte Saint-Luc Dramatic Society’s Into The Woods also shared their musical talents.

Louna applies the makeup.

In terms of activities, wristbands were sold for $5 each proving access to the many inflatables. Proceeds went to our Parks and Recreation Bursary Fund, which assists low income families gain access to some of our programming through discreet financial assistance.

The kids loved the inflatables.

Turtles, snakes and much more were on display via Reptizoo. There  was a magician, makeup and crafts by Louna, carnival games by Diane  Jamison of Bear Production, the always popular train, a petting zoo, a firetruck to explore,  a slime workshop by day camp staff and pedal boats.

Veronica Alberti's ice cream and sorbet is fantastic!

As for food vendors we had:  Dominos (and thanks for the 50 free pizzas they provided for staff and volunteers); TCBY (which supports our swim team); the kosher pizza bar, kosher Deli Boyz, Café Aqua, Falafel St Jacques, Subway, Mark Bessner and his cotton candy machine and the wonderful local resident Veronica Alberti with her  artisanal ice cream and sorbets.

Introducing my good friend Rob Singer (left), now of Toronto, to Anthony Housefather.

At the end of the evening the mayor and Councillor Shuster brought Housefather, Prass and members of council to the stage. Following some speeches, we all sang O Canada so loudly I am sure Premier Legault could hear it in his Outremont home.

A look at the laser show.

The event concluded with a spectacular laser show.

It was indeed a day to celebrate and to once again be proud to be living in Côte Saint-Luc.

Many think of the City of Côte Saint-Luc as the home to many synagogues and that is in fact true. However, for the past 60 years the Saint Richard’s Parish on Guelph Road has remained an integral part of our community.

Some members of council, along with Liberal Member of Parliament for Mount Royal Anthony Housefather, recently participated in a day of celebration on June 16. There was a mass officiated by Bishop Alain Faubert and the Pastor, Father George Joseph. A beautiful luncheon followed. It was a nice touch when the organizers asked one person at each table to stand up to serve as team captain. “ Thanks,” they were told. “You are now our waiters.”

I was among those on hand here with our MP, Mayor, members of council and parish officials .

The group headed to the kitchen and were given captain’s hats, like Skipper from the old show Gilligan’s Island.

Congratulations to the organizers, who included former city councillor Joseph Panunto.

The anniversary cake.

In 1903 Côte Saint- Luc was incorporated as a village but, prior to that, there were sufficient farm families in the area to warrant concern over meeting the spiritual needs of the people. In 1835 the Sulpicians erected a chapel at what is now the northeast corner of Côte St. Luc Road and King Edward Avenue to serve the large area to the west of Girouard Ave.

During the early 1920's the Sulpicians withdrew and the spiritual needs of the area became the responsibility of the Dominican Fathers at Notre Dame de Grace Church. The old chapel was sold in 1927 and subsequently demolished in 1963.

The then Côte Saint Luc School Commission allowed the use of Pius XI school at the corner of Westminster & Côte St. Luc Road for Sunday mass.

When Ste. Catherine de Sienne Parish was founded in 1950, the responsibility for the Catholics in the are fell under its jurisdiction. The use of the Pius XI chapel for Sunday Mass only continued as before with Ste. Catherine de Sienne being used for other ceremonies.

During the 1950's the village of Côte Saint- Luc experienced an explosion in population and the area changed from a farming community to a residential one as thousands of homes were built. The Village became a Town and the Town became a city.

Among the new home owners and apartment dwellers was a considerable number of Catholics, mainly English and French, with a number of others of various ethnic backgrounds. The Chapel in Pius XI school became jammed at Sunday mass despite the fact that many of the newcomers attended neighbouring churches such as Ste. Catherins de Sienne, St. Ignatius of Loyola, St. Monica’s etc.

It was felt at that time numbers were sufficient and the time had come to form a Côte Saint-Luc parish. Concerned individuals held meetings in private homes in an effort to formalize an approach to the Archdiocese towards this end. The petition ultimately ultimately presented was successful and on February 4, 1959, Paul Emile Cardinal Léger issued a decree founding the parish of Saint-Richard. This was followed on February 10, 1959 by a letter from the Cardinal appointing Father Joseph Chamberland as parish priest. He was authorized to form “un corps de Fabrique” and on March 2, 1959 a meeting was held at which eight wardens were elected.

Immediately after the founding of the parish and the arrival of Father Chamberland, parish activities commenced. A good rapport still continued with the Côte Saint Luc School Commission which allowed the new parish to use the “new” Côte Saint Luc ^school for all its functions, with the Pastor in residence in an old cottage immediately adjacent to the school. Daily mass and the sacraments were available, a chaplain was available for the school children and spiritual and social activities commenced.

One of the main objectives of the new parish was to have its own church and, towards this end, a great deal of activity was given to fundraising through various means. Father Chamberland was tireless in his efforts to build a new church as soon as possible.

In 1962, property was acquired, plans drawn up and in September excavation commenced. By June of 1963 the work was nearly completed and on June 13, the first mass was celebrated in the new church.

My annual   District Meeting/ Town Hall took place on Monday, June 10, 2024. I started these sessions some 19 years ago when I was first elected as the Councillor for District 2. It is a chance to update my constituents on what is going on around the corner and within the city at large.

Here is a recording of my District 2 Meeting

Here is Glenn J. Nashen’s report on my District 2 meeting

I do walk the district several days a week with notepad in hand. I would invite you to  follow my website at www.MikeCohen.ca, listen to my podcast and like   my Facebook page  at MikeCohenDistrict2.

I also decided to continue to hold these meetings virtually as it has been deemed far more convenient for those I polled.

 J'ai commencé à organiser ces réunions il y a 19 ans, lorsque j'ai été élu pour la première fois en tant que Covone du district 2. C'est l'occasion d'informer mes électeurs de ce qui se passe au coin de la rue et dans la ville en général. J'arpente le district plusieurs jours par semaine, un bloc-notes à la main.

Je vous invite à suivre mon site web à l'adresse www.MikeCohen.ca.   J'ai également décidé de continuer à organiser ces réunions virtuellement, car cela a été jugé beaucoup plus pratique pour les personnes que j'ai interrogées.

Police Commander Desroches

My very special guest was Commander Stéphane Desroches of Police Station 9, which covers Côte Saint-Luc, Hampstead, Montreal West and NDG. He has been with the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) since 1997. Before arriving at Station 9 he spent two years as a commander for a special corporate section for road safety.

Le poste de police 9 couvre Côte Saint-Luc, Hampstead, Montréal-Ouest et NDG. C'est avec plaisir que nous accueillons notre nouveau commandant, Stéphane Desroches, qui travaille au Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) depuis 1997.

Avant d'arriver au poste 9, il a occupé pendant deux ans le poste de commandant d'une section corporative spéciale en sécurité routière.

New Medical Clinic

I was pleased to share some breaking news.    The building at the corner of Kildare and Cavendish has been undergoing quite a facelift. And on June 1 a new pediatric medical clinic will be in operation.  A blood test center is expected to open there too.  Stay tuned for more details.

Le bâtiment situé à l'angle des rues Kildare et Cavendish a subi une véritable cure de jouvence. Le 19 juin, une nouvelle clinique médicale ouvrira ses portes

Master Plan and Quartier Cavendish

 For the past two years the city has been putting together a comprehensive master plan.  How will this affect District 2?  The three main shopping centres – Quartier Cavendish, Cote St Luc Shopping Centre and Decarie Square- are a major component. On Wed July 10 (7 pm) there will be an information meeting at City Hall followed by a public consultation on Mon. August 12 (8 pm). At that point we will be able to share details of what type of development might occur at Quartier Cavendish. Please watch the video recording for Councillor Dida Berku’s presentation.

Depuis deux ans, la ville élabore un plan directeur global. Mais tout d'abord, quel sera l'impact sur le district 2 ?  Les trois principaux centres commerciaux - Quartier Cavendish, Cote St Luc Shopping Centre et Decarie Square - en sont une composante majeure.Voici quelques dates importantes pour en savoir plus : Mercredi 10 juillet à 19 h à l'hôtel de ville, une séance d'information

Lundi 12 août à 20 heures : tous les détails seront dévoilés et une consultation sera lancée.

Hydro Update

District 2 in Côte Saint-Luc will be part a major electrical system upgrade of the Hydro-Québec network. It will impact homes on Merrimac Road, Marc Chagall Avenue as well as Bialik High School. The installation of towers will take place no earlier than 2027. Other work, including the construction of a new substation behind Mount Sinai Hospital, will likely commence sooner. One of the big towers- currently behind the Meadows condo near the train tracks will likely be relocated on the grounds of JPPS-Bialik. As well, the wiring will likely wind behind all the buildings on Marc Chagall, JPPS Bialik and The Meadows along the railway lines. Stay tuned. Councillor Steven Erdelyi provides detail in the recording.

Le district 2 de Côte Saint-Luc fera partie d'une importante mise à niveau du système électrique du réseau d'Hydro-Québec. Ce projet touchera les résidences du chemin Merrimac, de l'avenue Marc Chagall et de l'école secondaire Bialik. L'installation des pylônes se fera au plus tôt en 2027. D'autres travaux, notamment la construction d'une nouvelle sous-station derrière l'hôpital Mont-Sinaï, commenceront probablement plus tôt. L'un des grands pylônes, actuellement situé derrière l'immeuble « Meadows », près des voies ferrées, sera probablement déplacé sur le terrain de l'école JPPS-Bialik. De même, le câblage passera probablement derrière tous les bâtiments de Marc Chagall, JPPS Bialik et The Meadows, le long des voies ferrées. Restez à l'écoute.

Alex Look

Alex Look was a former Cote St Luc resident. He attended JPPS-Bialik. On October 7 he was in Israel and was one of the victims of the Hamas massacre. He died a hero, trying to protect others. We will honor his memory by naming a park space after him. Council will formally decide soon if it will be at the space between Beth Chabad CSL and JPPS Bialik

Alex Look était un ancien résident de Cote St Luc. Il a fréquenté JPPS-Bialik. Le 7 octobre, il était en Israël et a été l'une des victimes du massacre du Hamas. Il est mort en héros, en essayant de protéger les autres. Nous honorerons sa mémoire en donnant son nom à un parc. Le conseil municipal décidera bientôt si ce parc sera situé entre Beth Chabad CSL et JPPS Bialik.

Rembrandt Park

 I am scheduled to do another walkthrough with the foreman at Public Works. I did so towards the end of last fall. More work will be done there in the coming weeks so please stay tuned.

The Five Buildings

The latest news regarding the five buildings on Kildare Road and Sir Walter Scott is that a change of ownership may take place in the coming months. When they were purchased in the winter, I worked closely with residents – with the help of Councillor Berku – to ensure that tenants knew we were in their corner over fears of renoviction. Our building inspector has kept a close eye on the properties, and I have reached out to the management regularly on basic tenant-landlord relation as a sign we are in their corner. Last week I met with two property managers who assured me they are working at responding better to tenant needs.

I would like to provide an update on the fate of the Côte Saint-Luc Cats Committee. In a previous blog I explained the volunteer group's financial dilemma.  The committee is involved in a Trap, Neuter, Release and Adopt program. We rescue homeless cats. If they cannot be adopted, they are sterilized and placed back to the area where we found them. Our devoted Chair Diane Liebling has a team of feeders who keep these cats nourished year-round. There are also others who foster cats until we find them a forever home.

The committee had an annual grant of $5,000 from the city for many years. In pre-COVID years, fundraising and special events brought in more revenue. It has been tougher since then. In 2023 the city upped the contribution to $10,500. However, due to across the board cuts last winter the Cats Committe was brought back to $5,000. That and a shrinking surplus funds puts the committee's work in jeopardy.

Diane attended the last council meeting. I followed up with a blog and arranged for CTV Montreal to do this report.

Marissa Sidel, with her husband Neil Dubrofsky, presents myself and Diane Liebling with the cheque.

I am pleased to report that resident Marissa Sidel was the first person to step forward and present us with a very generous gift of $2,500. Marissa, a dog owner, told me she is allergic to cats.  "But I do love all animals in general and I feel sad that they will go hungry or sick," she said. "It’s the least I can do."

Marissa has issued a challenge, hoping that $25 people will give $100 each.   The first person to respond was her husband, Neil Dubrofsky.

So thank you Marissa. Diane and I had a nice meeting with her.

Following the CTV report, a former resident of our community who now lives in the Eastern Townships reached out and pledged $2,000. Then came a $500 cheque from a wonderful lady who lives within her means but wanted to help out.  Other cheques have started to come in as well.

We need this campaign to go well beyond the $5,500 the city cut. So I invite anyone who supports our cause to please lend a helping hand. You can send  a cheque or e-transfer to [email protected]

See this short video of a cat we trapped last night.

Stay tuned.

I have lived most of my life in Côte Saint-Luc and for the very first time we now have a true New York style pizza parlor.

Yanky’s opened quietly in March, the brainchild of  local resident Jacob Grosz .He and his wife Yitty, a native New Yorker, spent a lot of time planning for this big investment.  “Yanky” is Jacob’s Hebrew name. He had opened up a counter top pizza place under the same name at the  Fooderie Market in Outremont in 2020. Last January he purchased Le Falafel Plus on Decarie. Then came Côte Saint-Luc and a cozy spot in the strip mall at the corner of Mackle and Westminster which already houses Nosherz, a dry cleaner and a  religious studies organization.

As the chair of Local Commerce for the city, it was my pleasure to go meet with Jacob and Yitty. I was accompanied by Mayor Mitchell Brownstein, who biked over. This naturally fully kosher establishment offers delicious thin crust pizza, fries, cheese latkes, poutine, calzones, salads, garlic rolls,  soft drinks and slush. Very soon, a breakfast service will be introduced.

Yanky’s is still in its infancy stage, so Jacob has yet to launch a website or any social media channels.  There are four booths that can seat four people each, four stools at the counter and some tables outdoors. Pickup is available, with delivery coming soon. However, if you have a large enough order and you are within the city limits, a staffer will bring it to your home.

Mayor Brownstein and Jacob.

“As a Yeshiva student I learned how to cook and I really like it,” said Jacob.

“At home he is the best cook for me and our two boys,” Gitty chipped in.  

Jacob said he first started eyeing this location, which is part of the old Quality Fruit spot, more than a year ago. It required a significant financial investment, notably the installation of a pizza oven. “We truly built this place from scratch,” he said proudly. “Now we want to get the word out to the community to please come support us. We can make pizzas for your parties. Call in an order when you are coming back from work. We are here to serve.”

You can call 438-818-PIZA (7492), email [email protected].  It is located at 5816 Westminster.

Some 15 years ago a lover of cats named Shelley Schecter approached city council about supporting her movement to save homeless cats in our community and take on the Trap, Neuter, Release and Adopt approach. Being a huge feline lover, I stepped up immediately and asked the Mayor – Anthony Housefather at the time- for his support. He responded with a logical challenge: to show the need for such a program.

Diane Liebling and other volunteers at the last council meeting.

I decided to call a public meeting at City Hall, with Shelley, Alana Devine (then of the SPCA) and Dr. Marlene Kalin of the Côte Saint-Luc Hospital for Animals as the panelists. It was standing room only, with pretty significant media. The mayor was sold and helped me get $5,000 a year of city funding. Any other financial support would have to come from fundraising.

Cats like this have been rescued by the committee for years.

From the 150 people who jammed City Hall, about 20 actually stepped forward to help Shelley and I get this program going. We estimated that there were probably thousands of homeless cats in our surrounding community, many in the CPR Yards. We got endless calls of cats being found under balconies with litters. Soon enough Diane Liebling stepped forward. A retired nurse, she devoted seven days a week to this cause. One of her major accomplishments was developing a group of people to feed outdoor cats – wild cats that can sadly never be domesticated. She also followed the lead of Shelley and found fosters who took in rescued cats until we could find them homes. We started an annual fundraising concert; did garage and bake sales; undertook raffles; and put the word out to people to merely send us tax deductible donation cheques. There is also a very active Facebook page.

It is very costly to bring cats into the local vet and have them neutered and vaccinated. By doing so they cannot procreate, and therefore the number of outdoor cats is greatly diminished. Cats that are deemed social and have been abandoned are kept by us and put up for adoption. Those that are feral (unsocialized with no exposure to humans) are released back outside provided there is someone to feed and shelter them. A few have been sent to farms, but this is rare.

Fern and Rachel at the CSL Garage Sale on Sunday raising funds for the committee.

We have several feeders in CSL that look after community cats for the duration of their life. We provide these residents with food and small shelters, if need be. Of course, all of this costs money: the majority of which goes to veterinary care and food.

“It’s very difficult to keep one step ahead of the community cats that appear in Côte Saint- Luc as they often wander over from NDG, Montreal West, or other areas,” Diane notes. “Sadly, we also have our fair share of abandoned cats, social and therefore adoptable, within the community. We do not put social cats back outside, but rather retain them until they are adopted. We do this through our foster program whereby people keep these cats until they are adopted. We absolutely, and sadly, do nit catch every unneutered cat so each year we find ourselves with many kittens. The cost is enormous.”

As Diane states, we are the only city within Montreal proper that has a dedicated program exclusively for the care of feral/community cats. The SPCA has a TNR program and the rest of the city (Montreal and surrounding areas) is dependent upon them for this service. However, not every Montreal jurisdiction is covered by the SPCA. In those areas not covered, there is a never ending cycle of stray, abandoned, and feral cats. The suffering of these animals is appalling.

The Cote Saint Luc TNR Program has become quite well-known (at least, by other rescues/people who do what we do) throughout the city/province committed to the health and welfare of outdoor community cats.

Last year, with costs increasing, I was able to have city council increase the annual stipend for the Cats Committee to $10,500. Regrettably, facing a multi-million dollar deficit last fall, cuts had to occur across the board and that meant the Cats Committee budget was brought back to $5,000.

Diane and committee members attended the last public council meeting and made it very clear that without a return to the $10,500 funding level from the city, the future of the CSL Cats Committee is in doubt. Diane told me frankly last week that if new funding does not materialize by the end of 2024 the work of this group will not be able to continue.

From Mayor Mitchell Brownstein and myself to all members of council and senior staff, the hard work of the CSL Cats Committee has never gone unnoticed. We only start building our budgets in the fall, so it is too early to forecast whether or not the city will be in a position to increase funding.

“The CSL TNR program is not sustainable with the allotment we are receiving from the city,” says Diane. “Despite our best fundraising efforts, we are one invoice away from closing up shop. The feral/community cats remain an issue, but not as serious as the stray, sick, and abandoned cats and kittens.”

I know there are a lot of animal lovers in Côte Saint-Luc and beyond. If anyone reading this story knows of some people or organizations that would like to assist this cause please let me know at [email protected] or [email protected]

Some 15 years ago a lover of cats named Shelley Schecter approached city council about supporting her movement to save homeless cats in our community and take on the Trap, Neuter, Release and Adopt approach. Being a huge feline lover, I stepped up immediately and asked the Mayor – Anthony Housefather at the time- for his support. He responded with a logical challenge: to show the need for such a program.

Diane Liebling and other volunteers at the last council meeting.

I decided to call a public meeting at City Hall, with Shelley, Alana Devine (then of the SPCA) and Dr. Marlene Kalin of the Côte Saint-Luc Hospital for Animals as the panelists. It was standing room only, with pretty significant media. The mayor was sold and helped me get $5,000 a year of city funding. Any other financial support would have to come from fundraising.

Cats like this have been rescued by the committee for years.

From the 150 people who jammed City Hall, about 20 actually stepped forward to help Shelley and I get this program going. We estimated that there were probably thousands of homeless cats in our surrounding community, many in the CPR Yards. We got endless calls of cats being found under balconies with litters. Soon enough Diane Liebling stepped forward. A retired nurse, she devoted seven days a week to this cause. One of her major accomplishments was developing a group of people to feed outdoor cats – wild cats that can sadly never be domesticated. She also followed the lead of Shelley and found fosters who took in rescued cats until we could find them homes. We started an annual fundraising concert; did garage and bake sales; undertook raffles; and put the word out to people to merely send us tax deductible donation cheques. There is also a very active Facebook page.

It is very costly to bring cats into the local vet and have them neutered and vaccinated. By doing so they cannot procreate, and therefore the number of outdoor cats is greatly diminished. Cats that are deemed social and have been abandoned are kept by us and put up for adoption. Those that are feral (unsocialized with no exposure to humans) are released back outside provided there is someone to feed and shelter them. A few have been sent to farms, but this is rare.

Fern and Rachel at the CSL Garage Sale on Sunday raising funds for the committee.

We have several feeders in CSL that look after community cats for the duration of their life. We provide these residents with food and small shelters, if need be. Of course, all of this costs money: the majority of which goes to veterinary care and food.

“It’s very difficult to keep one step ahead of the community cats that appear in Côte Saint- Luc as they often wander over from NDG, Montreal West, or other areas,” Diane notes. “Sadly, we also have our fair share of abandoned cats, social and therefore adoptable, within the community. We do not put social cats back outside, but rather retain them until they are adopted. We do this through our foster program whereby people keep these cats until they are adopted. We absolutely, and sadly, do nit catch every unneutered cat so each year we find ourselves with many kittens. The cost is enormous.”

As Diane states, we are the only city within Montreal proper that has a dedicated program exclusively for the care of feral/community cats. The SPCA has a TNR program and the rest of the city (Montreal and surrounding areas) is dependent upon them for this service. However, not every Montreal jurisdiction is covered by the SPCA. In those areas not covered, there is a never ending cycle of stray, abandoned, and feral cats. The suffering of these animals is appalling.

The Cote Saint Luc TNR Program has become quite well-known (at least, by other rescues/people who do what we do) throughout the city/province committed to the health and welfare of outdoor community cats.

Last year, with costs increasing, I was able to have city council increase the annual stipend for the Cats Committee to $10,500. Regrettably, facing a multi-million dollar deficit last fall, cuts had to occur across the board and that meant the Cats Committee budget was brought back to $5,000.

Diane and committee members attended the last public council meeting and made it very clear that without a return to the $10,500 funding level from the city, the future of the CSL Cats Committee is in doubt. Diane told me frankly last week that if new funding does not materialize by the end of 2024 the work of this group will not be able to continue.

From Mayor Mitchell Brownstein and myself to all members of council and senior staff, the hard work of the CSL Cats Committee has never gone unnoticed. We only start building our budgets in the fall, so it is too early to forecast whether or not the city will be in a position to increase funding.

“The CSL TNR program is not sustainable with the allotment we are receiving from the city,” says Diane. “Despite our best fundraising efforts, we are one invoice away from closing up shop. The feral/community cats remain an issue, but not as serious as the stray, sick, and abandoned cats and kittens.”

I know there are a lot of animal lovers in Côte Saint-Luc and beyond. If anyone reading this story knows of some people or organizations that would like to assist this cause please let me know at [email protected] or [email protected]

The new ownership of  five residential apartment buildings on Kildare Road and Sir Walter Scott continues  to result in complaints being filed to myself and the city.

But here is some breaking news. I have learned that the buildings may sold again in the coming months, this time to a professional operator.

Group CLV sold the buildings to a group, represented by real estate broker Terry Geramanis, amid fears of possible renoviction.  The tenants were organized, hiring a lawyer and establishing a tenants association. In recent weeks I have received a number of calls by residents, notably complaining about a lack of communication.

To his credit, Geramanis has responded to all of my inquiries. 

Terry Geramanis

There have been elevator issues in some of the buildings and Geramanis’ team has rectified those issues.

The problem now is that tenants say they can only e-mail their complaints to an address which is very short on responses.

Trevor and Adele.

Geramanis says that  although an email has been provided to the tenants to ask questions and make requests, a direct phone line was also shared with them, indicating their representatives’ phone numbers. To this day,  he says, they keep receiving and answering calls coming directly from tenants in the building.  

David : (438) 816-4243 

Avi : (438) 299-9934

In the lobby of one of the buildings I visited, though, only the e-mail address appears on a notice.

“I need to make it clear that there is undeniable willingness on my part and such of my team to ensure viable tenancy and maintain the property in a state that allows the current tenants to live peacefully in their unit,” Geramanis stated. “Furthermore, my team and I are committed to addressing any concerns the tenants may have and maintaining open lines of communications. We understand the importance of being accessible and responsive."

As for the building caretakers,  originally employees of CLV,  tenants say they lack the proper equipment to do their job and are not as visible as before.

“In regards to custodians on site, following the sale, we had made the decision to maintain their contracts in place,” Geramanis responded. “To this date, they are still present on site and answer when tasked. They also keep us updated relating to any problems the building or the tenants encounter.”

As for the  lack of on-site employee’s working tools, Geramanis  says he wishes to clarify that this was caused by CLV repossessing most of the equipment and material that was used for building maintenance and thus following the sale the maintenance room was for the most part emptied. “However, my team and I are in communications with our on-site caretakers and should a work equipment be needed to efficiently perform a job or to complete a maintenance requisition, it will be provided,” he said. “On that note, tenants should not be worried of any service disruption in the building."

On Monday, tenants Adele and Trevor asked  if I’d come meet them at their building on Kildare Road. Adele said the physical look of the grounds is already deteriorating under the new owners; no flowers or greenery has been planted in front nor has been the grass been cut. There is a large pothole at the entrance of the lot (I’m not sure if this a joint issue with the neighbouring Westwood building) and a few others in the parking lot.

“Concerning landscaping, the only thing I can mention at the moment is that we are having discussions with various companies to find the best fit,” said Geramanis.

Adele showed me the water leaks she has in her apartment bathroom resulting in mould. One of our building inspectors visited the premises. As of this writing he has not heard back from the landlords and plans to begin issuing tickets.

“We are aware of the situation and are in communication with our team to ensure that the issues encountered in their unit are fixed,” said Geramanis. “We have one and the same goal: to ensure the safety and smooth operation of our properties, creating a comfortable living environment for all tenants. It is not our intention, nor is it in our interest to create a toxic environment where our liability and reputation would be on the line. Any dialogue we engage in is purely amicable, without any fear or threat and we are here to listen and work together to find reasonable solutions that benefit everyone involved."

Adele and Trevor also told me they have seen large rats in the garage.

I will continue to advocate for the tenants and keep my eyes and ears open re a possible sale. At one point Geramanis referred to me as a journalist. That is one of my professions, but this blog is reserved strictly for my role as a city councillor to keep my constituents in the loop on important issues.