An Initiative of the Pointe-Claire Citizens’ Association - www.pointeclaire.info
Well We’re Movin’ on Up… To a Deluxe Apartment in the Sky
The Pointe-Claire Record hopes everyone had a great summer vacation, and we welcome you back with our issue on development in the city. We asked for your opinions and you stepped up! We received a great response, with a variety of ideas and perspectives, and we are so proud to bring those to you.
We’d like you to respond to what you’ve read, so please feel free to send your letters to editor@pcrecord.ca or answer our Polling Station question, where you can also leave your comments.
Pointe-Claire is currently working on its urban plan, building a community for all ages and walks of life while maintaining the spirit of what makes PointeClaire such a wonderful place to live. Our West Island municipalities are currently trying their best to adjust in accordance with the plans laid out by the different levels of government, but the reality is that the face of our community will be changing.
Some of the new changes offer opportunities for both existing and future residents. New developments attract a younger demographic and keep families close. It lets seniors stay in their communities. It gives people a foot in the door to homeownership. It helps PointeClaire evolve into a place that welcomes citizens of all ages.
Filling a need. That’s what development is about. Filling a need for seniors on a fixed income, for young people with dreams of starting families, and for workers who should be able to afford decent housing on their salaries. And yes, there is still a place for luxury homes and condos. If space allows and makes sense, options like a “missing middle” should still be considered in areas under transition. And there should be room to build something near our abundant services for people who need a fresh start.
Communities are what we make of them. Pointe-Claire has undergone much evolution in the past and will continue to evolve in the future. But it’s up to our citizens to tell our leaders what is needed and what is wanted, both to mitigate the impact of the government-imposed changes and to help preserve the character of Pointe-Claire.
Even if your concern is not about high-rise buildings per se, it’s important to provide your input to help your community flourish. Maybe your park needs a facelift, or your neighbourhood needs a dog run. Maybe you’re in an area with resources close by, but you would like to see a few benches along the route. If it’s about REM access, safety, or an idea for protecting the environment — tell your councillor; it’s your vision for your city, and your city needs to hear from you
Pointe-Claire is about community, opportunity, coexistence, and vibrancy. The new residents moving in will visit our businesses, participate in our activities, and share in our lives. It is important to make sure that we all feel involved in our neighbourhood, and that means building it to be friendly and inclusive.
Barry
Christensen
President,
Pointe-Claire Citizens’ Association
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Vol. 1, No. 7, August 29, 2024 Page 1
Council Highlights July-August
Proposed high-rise divides council
Pointe-Claire’s city council is divided over a potential new high-rise project.
At the July council meeting, council approved a draft by-law that would, in effect, allow for the construction of a new high-rise project on Labrosse, in the Hermitage area.
In speaking before the vote, Mayor Thomas opposed the draft by-law, saying, “I don’t believe we should be taking any more properties out of the RCI until public consultations and the revisions of our urban plan have been completed.”
Councillor Eric Stork disagreed, saying the mayor’s words “could not be any further from the truth,” but did not elaborate except to say the proposed residences are “not condos.” The project is two 13-storey buildings of affordable rental housing, averaging 15% below market rates, the affordability of which would be guaranteed for 16 years.
Councillor Kelly Thorstad-Cullen also defended the project. She argued there are aspects of the planned development that are already in line with what residents have asked for in the consultation, including public green spaces and ground-floor space for community organizations.
Contracts awarded for two new paths
Also at the July regular council meeting, council awarded two new contracts: one for the construction of a new multiuse path and one for professional services for the construction of a multifunctional pedestrian and cyclist “passerelle” over Highway 40 near Alston, helping users connect with the future REM station.
The former will be built between Alston and Stillview, and will be a continuation of the path that already exists between Alston and Delmar. Of the nearly $2 million cost, $715,000 will be subsidized by the provincial government.
The Highway 40 overpass contract did not pass council without opposition. Both councillors Brent Cowan and Claude Cousineau voted against the project. Cowan pointed out that the cost of over $2.2 million was just for the plans themselves, and that while there may be federal funding available, it all hinged on the secondary approval of the Quebec government.“
I also think that with an investment of this much money, that some intermediary level between us and the federal government should be involved, i.e. the Agglo, perhaps, or the provincial government.”
“Although I like the idea of overpasses, there’s too many unknowns in this thing,” Cowan said.
Continued on page 3
Mayor, councillor disagree on purpose of province’s intervention
Pointe-Claire’s mayor says the province didn’t find anything “terribly critical” happening with regard to relationships at City Hall earlier this year, although one councillor says finding fault was never the province’s mission at all.
In April, council voted to ask for help from the Ministère des Affaires municipales et de l’Habitation in navigating tense relationships at City Hall.
At the July council meeting, a resident asked Mayor Thomas for the results of the intervention.
“I’m not sure what I’m allowed to indulge,” said Thomas. But he did say elected officials were interviewed both as a council and individually. He also said no report is expected to be published on the situation at City Hall. City Manager Karina Verdon then confirmed no report is forthcoming.
“They did not seem to think that there was anything terribly critical going on in Pointe-Claire, and that’s why there’s no report forthcoming,” said Thomas.
But Councillor Brent Cowan told the Record the purpose of the intervention was never to file a report, only to “understand the sources of friction and to perhaps point out privately some of his observations and offer some advice on how those frictions might be eased.”
A spokesperson for the MAMH confirmed no report was forthcoming, but did not elaborate further on Thomas’s comments.
Synchronization of traffic signals and bus priority measures
The city approved an agreement to be entered into with Société de transport de Montréal regarding bus priority measures and synchronization of traffic lights on Des Sources and Saint-Jean boulevards. The work involves the modification and replacement of certain controllers and cabinets, implementing new programming, detection systems, and bus priority settings.
City to borrow more than $4 million
To pay for several infrastructure projects in the community, the city will borrow just over $4 million from the provincial government.
A by-law to this effect was presented in July and adopted at the August meeting.
This amount will be paid back with a property tax levied on the whole city, “based on the property value of taxable buildings over a 20-year period,” according to Assistant City Clerk Danielle Guiterrez when the notice of motion was initially presented.
Among the projects to be financed with this loan are the repair of the Des Sources overpasses at Highway 20 and the professional services for the construction of an independent, multifunctional overpass above Highway 40, including the additional expenses incurred by the city’s engineering department.
By Ian Down, Journalist.
Editorial: Unpave Paradise — Take Down a Parking Lot
This month, The PointeClaire Record has made the controversial choice to discuss development in Pointe-Claire. This is a subject that has its proponents and opponents, and both can be very passionate in their beliefs.
We don’t believe there is a right or wrong, but, as a community and a society, we do have an obligation to develop more. The key is what and where in order to move forward. We are bombarded by buzzwords like densification and many government acronyms like PMAD and CMM. How does all this fit into our little city? Hopefully, this issue will demystify some of this.
What we have to keep in mind is that the status quo is not something the provincial government will let us keep, so let’s put down the pitchforks and torches and see if we can come up with some ideas of how to incorporate these big changes.
Affordable and social housing are the biggest buzzwords out there and are often bandied about in discussing the need for densification. The sad part is that nobody wants social housing on their street or neighbourhood, and even affordable housing is a daunting prospect, with people visualizing massive towers or buildings sandwiched together into some inner-city nightmare.
officer for homelessness about holding a roundtable with our local mayors. An invitation was sent out to five cities, and not a single one responded. Without our mayors truly acknowledging all the demographics in our cities, we will never be able to fully assess the long-term needs of our citizens or how to maintain the quality of life and opportunities for which the West Island is known.
So who do we build for? People point fingers and say those residences are too expensive, those shouldn’t be there, and don’t make them too tall. But none of the buildings of the last 10 years sit empty; all are full. Are we wrong about wanting to keep things just the way they are? Is this just a fear of change? There are so many questions and, sadly, very little leadership.
The mayor has done little to unite on this subject, calling the developments on Hymus east of Saint-Jean Boulevard a disaster and referring to some homes as McMansions—not very welcoming, for sure. But he isn’t alone in this train of thought. There are some in Pointe-Claire that do not want any more development, period. Leadership on this file to find the right compromise is what is needed, not divisiveness.
This is not what our elected officials want to bring into our backyards. They want to bring in new residents for our future while keeping those who love their city close to where they've helped build their community.
Undoubtedly, Pointe-Claire and other local municipalities have seen the fabric of their community change. With desperate pleas from our food banks, the emergency relocation of the Ricochet shelter, and even people asking for help at shops and intersections—the West Islandisfacinga new reality, and it's our responsibility to make sure resources exist for all segments of our population.
Recently, discussions were held with the director of a major Montreal mission and the SPVM’s consultant
Pointe-Claire has very little free land left to develop, and the only option left is to build up, with some of the designated transit zones perfectly suited for this.
This leads us to the controversial plan to develop the Fairview parking lot, which faces some strong opposition. How is an underused asphalt expanse better than housing? Some have argued about increased traffic, but most people living in transit-oriented developments (TOD) have only one car used for recreational purposes, while many have none at all; these people would not make a statistical difference in the volume of traffic.
And yes, we feel strongly that we can talk about the parking lot without talking about the wooded area next to it. Theyaretwo separatezonesforareason:Mu1andMu2, each with a different footprint, each with a different plan.
Pointe-Claire needs to move forward; it cannot live in the past. To close this editorial, we will leave you an Endangered Story of Pointe-Claire’s last big evolution.
Vol. 1, No. 7, August 29, 2024 Page 4
CF Fairview parking lot (Mu1)
Pointe-Claire's water tower overlooking a neighbourhood of single-family homes
A List of Helpful Terminology
PMAD: The Plan métropolitain d’aménagement et de développement or, in English, the Metropolitan Land Use and Development Plan. This plan was made to ensure coherent urban development throughout the CMM’s territory, with sustainable growth as its focus. The PMAD was sent to the MRCs and agglomerations, as well as to the Government of Quebec, to obtain their feedback. The second draft of the PMAD, which will serve as the basis for a public consultation, is expected in September 2024.
CMM: Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal is an organization that comprises 82 municipalities, including Montreal, Longueuil, and Laval, as well as the municipalities of the North Shore and the South Shore. The CMM acts as a planning, coordinating, and funding agency in the fields of regional planning, economic development, social housing, mass transit, and the environment.
MRC: The Municipalités régionales de comté, or the regional county municipalities and territories making up the CMM.
RCI: The Règlement de contrôle intérimaire, or Interim Control Resolution, is the current, temporary, zoning freeze adopted by Pointe-Claire in February 2022. During this freeze, no permits can be issued for the construction or conversion of a multi-residential building in the city centre sector, and no permits can be issued for the construction of a new main building on the site of identified shopping centres.
SAD: The Schéma d'aménagement et de développement is the part of the planning and development plan that brings together the rules and obligations with which municipalities must comply when developing their planning plan and regulations.
PPCMOI/SCAOPI: The Projet particulier de construction, de modification ou d'occupation d'un immeuble, or the Specific Construction, Alteration or Occupancy Proposal for an Immovable, is a tool that allows a municipality to authorize a project that deviates from the
city's by-laws, without having to modify the standards for the sector or entire territory. It differs from a zoning change in that it applies to a specific lot, whereas a zoning change applies to an entire zone.
TOD: Transit-Oriented Development is an approach to city planning that locates high-density, mixed-use development within walking distance of frequent transit services. It is designed to incorporate a variety of land uses, including residential, commercial, and community amenities.
Affordable Housing: Housing is considered affordable if it costs less than 30% of a household’s before-tax income. Affordable housing may include near-market or low-end market housing for which the cost is at or below the average price in the regional market area.
Social Housing: Refers more specifically to housing that is subsidized in some way by a level of government, provincial or municipal, and that is either owned and/or operated by a government or a non-profit housing partner. This may comprise purpose-built low-income housing developments, subsidized units in market-rate buildings, or market-rate apartments paid for in part by provincial rent supplements.
Missing Middle: Medium-density housing options across the spectrum of affordability, which include duplexes, triplexes, townhouses, and bungalows. These often act as a good transition to mid-rise housing options.
15-Minute City: A neighbourhood where a person's daily needs — shops, schools, parks, leisure options, health care — are accessible within a 15-minute walk, bike, or transit ride from their home.
Active Transportation: Also known as active mobility, soft mobility, active travel, or active transport, active transportation is the transport of people or goods, through non-motorized means. The most common forms of active mobility include walking and cycling.
Vol. 1, No. 7, August 29, 2024 Page 5
The Future is Towers
Towers are the only way to increase density. Building into the sky, taking up a smaller footprint, and creating shared access to water, sewer, electricity, and parking is the best way to put more people in a smaller space.
Love it or hate it, in 20 years, I suspect we will be surrounded by towers in Pointe-Claire. Canada’s population will increase by 17% in the next 16 years; it’s happening, you can’t stop it, and all we can do as residents is (maybe) have some input on aesthetics.
The West Island is no stranger to development. We have been confronted with excavators and tall buildings since forever. We were farmland before, so 99% of us are living in homes thanks to development and new construction. But from time immemorial, people have hated change. Looking back to 1959, there was a huge outcry about the construction of the Trans-Canada highway: who would pay, how much, and where exactly it would be built? Pointe-Claire City Council actually put the project on hold until a suitable outcome was decided in 1961. We are thankful today for the highway, but acceptance came over time. It takes time to find solutions that benefit the community. And with time comes familiarity and acceptance.
Back in the mid-1960s, the mayor of Westmount was compelled to write two heartfelt – and long – letters to his constituents to get them to accept Westmount Square, the now-celebrated Mies Van der Rohe buildings.
For the tower haters out there: I get you. But do you really think the future cities of planet Earth will choose to build more single-family homes? Whether in marshy Mexico City, Richmond, British Columbia, or the earthquake-prone West Coast, towers are the best way to accommodate our growing population. In the Netherlands, they even found a way to build a forest inside a skyscraper.
Since towers are inevitable, we need to find the most appropriate places to put them. The current trend seems to be to put them near malls to ensure that residents are near transportation hubs, grocers, and retail, and hopefully in proximity to schools, community centres, and parks. Despite following this logic, many such developments have recently faced their share of neighbourly outrage.
In Vancouver, BC, the new Oakridge Park project involves the reconstruction of Oakridge Mall, transforming the site into a multi-tower hub with 2,600 homes for 6,000 residents. The project will also include more than 300 retail stores, office space for 3,000 workers, a community centre, a daycare, a library, green space, and venues for live performances. Like Pointe-Claire’s Fairview mall, it is right on the SkyTrain (REM) line, deep in a residential area, and on a major thoroughfare.
The design is appealing and works with other large nearby buildings, and the mall is expected to open in 2025, and the whole complex in 2027. But a lot of residents were angry.
Daunting tower heights were among the concerns voiced at the meeting, but smaller details of the plan were also under scrutiny, with one, in particular, hitting home for most: “There is a 30-year legal obligation for the developer to give us a park,” a resident said. “At that time it was 10 per cent of the area, which is 2.8 acres.” The new project opens early next year, and it looks like the rooftop park is still in the plan
Continued on page 7 Vol. 1, No. 7, August 29, 2024 Page 6
Left: Author unknown. Poster used as a placard in a protest march held in 1989 against renovations to the Westmount Square complex, courtesy of the Canadian Centre for Architecture
Right: Westmount mayor asks residents to welcome development in 1963, courtesy of the Canadian Centre for Architecture
Towers (cont.)
In Toronto, the Mirvish Village project is unique: it’s 100% rentals, including lots of vibrant public spaces, and intermixed with the towers will be restaurants and shops. It’s located on Bloor Street, which is all retail and restaurants, and bordered by the TTC subway system and major bus routes. But knocking down the Honest Ed’s building was traumatic, and many locals couldn’t wrap their heads around the new development: “Like most of Toronto, I was shocked by the 2013 news that (Honest Ed’s) was being replaced by a 1.3-millionsquare-foot multi-purpose development, involving new retail shops and 900 rental units with 2,000 residents.”
The project was meant to be completed by 2023, with renters having moved in, but as of February 2024, the ground-level gathering space is still being constructed. Restaurants have rental contracts, and all seems to be going according to plan, just later than anticipated.
Don’t fear the inevitable tower. Fear the development application promises that don’t materialize. The main reason for these broken promises is money. The inter-
val between design concept and shovels in the groundcan be years, and long wait times mean that prices of materials go up, costs of labour and developer cost charges increase, while anticipated profits drop.
I would not go as far as waiving all development cost charges to speed up development as the CMHC proposes, but if we have to live with tall towers, we should get some greenspace back in return. Developers are now giving each other shoutouts for who can build the tallest building, but let’s see them compete over who can put the most oxygen back into our atmosphere.
Trees and grass aren’t going to pay rent, but they can make the difference between acceptance and outright resident hostility. I hope that innovative, green, and sustainable designs are part of Pointe-Claire’s future.
By Caroline Speirs
I love Pointe-Claire for its sense of community, but I feel that the topic of development has become very divisive. I feel that everything in moderation is what should be the aim. There is a housing crisis, so we need more affordable housing. I feel that to accomplish this we need to build up — possibly with a reasonable maximum height. The area around the REM is a possible area for development, especially if it is combined with transit links to get there. Condos have become the rallying cry for those against development, but they can be an option for those wanting to enter the housing market. Change is healthy but sometimes scary.
By Anne McMahon
Why Do You Build Me Up… Just to Let Me Down?
Sustainable development and density are two ideas that can work in harmony with each other, but they are not the same thing.
In July 2023, there were 13 multidwelling residential developments in various stages of construction in PointeClaire, more than any other West Island municipality. Despite Pointe-Claire’s development freeze, at least one large multi-dwelling project has been approved and exempted from the freeze, on Labrosse Ave.
Pointe-Claire cannot solve Canada’s housing crisis on its own, and we have already ‘densified’ more than any West Island city. The question we now have to ask ourselves is whether this densification is enough and would more be sustainable? The answer to both is that we don’t actually know.
Pointe-Claire has no comprehensive study of our existing infrastructure, both hard (like buildings and roads) and soft (our administration and services we provide to citizens), and our administration has no accurate idea as to whether or not we can accommodate even those large multi-dwelling projects soon to be populated. We don’t have accurate projections for traffic, water consumption, or sewage capacity requirements.
The City of Montreal-led Agglomeration recognizes that Pointe-Claire’s ability to add more residential developments may be limited. The Agglo is also re-doing its Planning Program this year, and here’s part of what they wrote about us (translated from French):
City of Pointe-Claire: The minimum gross residential density threshold imposed by the PPPMADR (Premier projet de Plan métropolitain d'aménagement révisé) must be consistent with
the integration into the environment and the latter’s real capacity to accommodate an increased number of residents (real capacity of municipal infrastructure and existing public transport networks). The request registered in the PPPMADR concerning the renewal of the residential fabric in TOD Exo areas (100 dwellings/ha) seems difficult to implement given the existing residential fabric and the significant presence of green spaces or school buildings.
The existing PMAD (the island-wide Planning Program) sets a target of 60 dwellings per hectare for TOD (Transit-Oriented Development) zones, such as around REM stations. The Agglo was considering resetting this to a target of 100 dwellings per hectare, but realized this may be unrealistic. The project Cadillac Fairview presented to Pointe-Claire citizens has more than double the Agglo target density, and, due to its location hemmed in by already overburdened highways, is possibly unsustainable.
As a result of developer-led ‘growth’, Pointe-Claire has become a city with a 35%+ senior demographic, as opposed to approximately 18% seniors in the Greater Montreal region. Even in 2011, as our first Planning Program was enacted, we knew this shift away from a ‘renewable’ population would increase unless we did something about zoning for affordable, appropriate housing. We did nothing.
While Pointe-Claire has met and even exceeded densification targets set by the Agglo, we have failed to meet those set for greenspace and tree canopy. We have failed to balance our demographics. We are also more than a year late in writing an updated Demolition ByLaw section on buildings of heritage interest.
Pointe-Claire needs to create a Planning Program that is based on the needs of its citizens, not the profits of developers. We need sustainable development, both economic and environmental.
By Linda De Witt
Construction crane on Hymus Blvd.
West Island Zoning: Apartheid by Another Name
Ah, the West Island! A place where the “Garden City” dream finds its picket fence, two-car garage, and Agglomeration Taxes that could fund a small country. Yet, beneath the well-manicured lawns and Sears catalogue homes lies a dark, twisted secret: municipal zoning.
Municipal zoning is like that eccentric aunt who insists on organizing family gatherings by categorizing everyone into absurdly specific groups. She'll tell you that the living room is strictly for those over 65 who love knitting, while the dining room is reserved for anyone named Bob who's a fan of jazz. She’s got the backyard split into zones for kids under 10 who prefer playing with green toys and another for millennials who exclusively like red sneakers. Somehow, she manages to turn the whole house into a jigsaw puzzle where everyone’s confined to their oddly specific niches, all in the name of "order and harmony," while the rest of us just nod and wonder where we fit in.
Yes, my friends, the suburban experiment is a labyrinthine mess of rules, regulations, and loopholes that makes you question reality itself. Let’s take a journey through the strange and often hilarious world of West Island zoning, where logic takes a back seat and chaos rides shotgun.
A Department’s Crisis of Faith
“Man plans and God laughs” — a famous Yiddish phrase that I use when I explain what urban planning is to those unfamiliar with the profession. That’s because West Island urban planning departments sound like grand, visionary offices where wise sages plot the future of cities with the finesse of Michelangelo painting the Sistine Chapel. In reality, it’s less about sweeping plans and more about the dark art of zoning. Yes, urban planning departments have become a never-ending game of SimCity where every dream is crushed by zoning regulations that demand you build a seniors’ home in the middle of a highway. Forget grand planning; it’s all about navigating their bureaucratic maze of "you can’t put that there" and "this must be exactly 12 metres from that." So, if you thought urban planning
Departments were about creating harmonious, livable cities, think again—it's really just zoning's overworked and underappreciated side hustle.
A Map to Stop Everything
A West Island zoning map is like that ancient family recipe for meatloaf that no one actually likes but everyone is too scared to change. These maps were etched into stone tablets centuries ago (or at least it feels that way), and they haven’t budged since. No matter how many public consultations you host, those zoning maps stay frozen in time, like a sepia-toned photograph of your grandparents' awkward wedding dance. You could have a bustling tech hub sprout up in what’s still zoned for “green space” and a luxury condo that’s inexplicably classified as “industrial wasteland.” Trying to update a zoning map is like asking a cat to do your taxes—hopeless, frustrating, and bound to end with someone getting scratched.
The Mystical Land of Single-Family Homes
In the beginning, there was light—and then there was single-family home zoning. This magical decree that covers over 80% of residential land in the West Island ensures that only one house can occupy a huge plot of land, preserving suburban sanctity. But let’s be honest, this rule was implemented by someone who probably feared Plateau duplexes like they were zombies in a post-apocalyptic nightmare. Ever tried to build an inlaw suite for Grandma? Good luck! Unless, of course,
Continued on page 10
1, No. 7, August 29, 2024 Page 9
Image by Piotr Boruslawski
Zoning (cont.)
you’re into black-market granny pods. Just don’t tell the zoning inspector about the "garden shed" with its own mailing address, plumbing, and mini-fridge.
Commercial Chaos: The Strip Mall Phenomenon
Ah, the boulevard strip mall. It's the zoning map’s love child, where nail salons, fast food restaurants, and vape stores coexist in blissful disharmony. But don’t you dare try to open a quaint coffee shop in single-family home zoning! That’s the kind of radical thinking that leads to *gasp* walkable neighbourhoods! West Island zoning has a knack for placing commercial land use in places so inconvenient, you’d think they were hidden by an overprotective parent. “Oh, you want to start a business? Sure, but only if it’s 10 kilometres from any potential customers and next to a vacant Tanguay. Have fun!”
Parking Lots: A Sea of Asphalt
Now, let’s talk about parking lots—those vast, barren landscapes where cars go to roast under the sun. Ancient zoning regulations demand a parking space for every man, woman, and slightly oversized pet in the area. Have a business that attracts a dozen people? Better have fifty parking spaces, just in case. The irony is that these oversized parking lots often sit half-empty, a testament to the West Island myth that every human will arrive in their own vehicle. Because nothing says “community” like a sea of asphalt separating you from your destination.
How Much Does a Tree Cost?
Imagine a majestic forest, home to native trees, owls, and a squirrel named Barry who’s halfway through writing his memoir. Now picture this forest zoned as "vacant land," which in zoning language translates to "prime real estate for the next mega-mall or luxury condo complex." Apparently, the zoning laws see no difference between a serene woodland and a vacant lot perfect for a fast food drive-thru. So, while Barry is busy chronicling his acorn-related adventures, a bulldozer might just show up, all because some zoning map thinks a forest is just an empty canvas waiting for humanity’s latest glass architectural masterpiece. Poor Barry didn’t see that plot twist coming!
Conclusion: A Plea for Sanity
So, here we are, navigating the quirky and convoluted world of West Island zoning. It’s a place where common sense goes to die and where every plot of land is a battleground of bizarre regulations. If there’s one thing we can learn from this madness, it’s that zoning maps need a serious overhaul—or at least a good therapist. Until then, dear suburbanites, keep fighting the good fight, whether it’s for one free parking spot next to the REM, a giant unmowed lawn, or the right to open a coffee shop within walking distance. And remember, in the world of municipal zoning, laughter is your best defence against the absurdity, and tell your city councillor it’s time to call a therapist.
By
Piotr Boruslawski. Piotr is a local community urban planner and co-founder of the Pointe-Claire Citizens’ Association
I Think That I Shall Never See A Development That’s Lovely Without Trees
I have been a West Island resident for more than 45 years and a Pointe-Claire resident since 2016. I am a travel agent and an independent consultant in international education partnership development. I respect and am very concerned about the environment. I live in the area near Fairview and across from the “forest,” so I have a real stake in this discussion.
That said, I do believe in reasonable, sane, environmentally sound development. There is a need for clearly stated criteria when our city council discusses and decides on project proposals for development. It is not acceptable to base their stance on emotion or the demands of their political supporters, or to let certain individuals take up most of the public time at question period arguing the mayor’s position, preventing opposing views from being properly heard. Development is an important issue and deserves full deliberation. Threeplus years of consultation is not deliberation; it is a stalling tactic in the hopes that a developer will just go away.
The plans that a developer put forth for part of the parking lot at Fairview are public. I support this development, with certain conditions. The plan that has been distributed shows the addition of dozens of trees, a large green space, gardens, and other environmentally-friendly elements. What we have now at Fairview is an Urban Heat Island (UHI).
UHIs have been studied extensively by government agencies. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has put out several studies on the effects of UHIs. Some of the negative implications are increased energy consumption as temperatures go up with greater demand for air conditioning; elevated emissions of air pollutants and greenhouse gases; compromised human health and comfort, especially in the elderly and in very young children; and impaired water quality.
Some of the solutions suggested by the EPA include trees and vegetation, which were included in the development plan presented. Green roofs with vegetation creating additional environmental support. Cool roofs with high solar reflectance. In Quebec, municipalities have access to the government’s OASIS program, which can provide funding for certain types of environmental studies, support, and projects.
These are the types of criteria that should be imposed on projects. A project at Fairview could be beneficial to our neighbourhood and to the city. It would also be an opportunity to put some parking accommodation for REM users. If a parking structure were to be built, both above and below ground, with a green roof and vegetation on the sides, it would be an environmental enhancement as well as an encouragement for more people to leave their cars on the West Island and take the train into town. The entrance could be on the service road area, thus alleviating the inevitable traffic, noise, and increased danger that will occur on Brunswick.
At the end of the day, we can have the forest and reasonable, responsible, development. We can keep the “forest” and replace a harmful UHI with greenery, housing, and parking. It would be a boost for the environment, for the neighbours, for encouraging public transit use, and for retailers in the shopping centre. It just takes a more open-minded approach from decision-makers.
By Marcus Tabachnick
The Green Line: Pointe-Claire, 15-Minute City?
How much of your life have you spent in traffic? If data reported by the CBC are any indication, Montrealers spent an average of 180 hours in rush hour traffic in 2022, assuming a one-way 10-kilometre commute.
Now, what if you could cut your trip down to 15 minutes while walking, biking, or taking public transit to work or school? That’s the idea behind the 15-minute city, an urban planning concept that aims to redesign urban spaces so that residents can meet most of their daily needs without getting in their cars. Imagine workplaces, schools, grocery stores, parks, and health care services without time spent in traffic and the greenhouse gas emissions that go with it.
Hillsboro, Oregon
One example is Hillsboro, Oregon, a suburb of Portland. When light rail came to Hillsboro in 1993, the station was built on the land of the defunct Oregon Nursery Company, isolated from the rest of the town. This presented a challenge: how to connect the new station with the community. The solution was a planned community developed around the light rail station to bridge the gap and integrate it with the town.
In addition, the model promotes a healthier lifestyle by encouraging walking and cycling while fostering stronger community ties, as residents are more likely to interact as they go about their day. Finally, with fewer cars on the road, there would be less demand for extensive road networks and parking spaces, which makes room for more green spaces and pedestrians.
Implementing a 15-minute city is not easy. It calls for thoughtful urban planning, including mixed-use development and investment in infrastructure such as bike lanes and public transportation. It also calls for policies that anticipate people’s needs and ensure that amenities are within reach for all, including those with limited mobility.
But could the concept be implemented in Pointe-Claire? It might seem like a stretch. Like many North American suburbs, Pointe-Claire was largely planned and developed after World War II on the assumption that residents would own one or more cars and use them for most trips. Nonetheless, some North American suburbs are taking steps towards becoming 15-minute cities.
The city developed the plan for the neighbourhood through extensive community engagement and collaboration with developers. Residents, business owners, and other stakeholders participated in numerous workshops, ensuring that the development would meet the community’s needs and preferences. Close collaboration with a developer who shared the city’s vision was also essential to the project’s success.
The result is Orenco Station, a vibrant, 150-acre neighbourhood that has become a model for sustainable suburban development. The community integrates residential, commercial, and civic spaces within a walkable layout, featuring public parks, schools, a post office, and various shops and restaurants, all within easy walking distance of each other and the light rail station. This design has significantly reduced car dependency, with many residents choosing to walk or use public transit for their daily needs. By offering diverse housing options, from affordable units to higher-end homes, and incorporating amenities like community gardens and bike infrastructure, Orenco Station successfully creates a self-sufficient, interconnected community that exemplifies the principles of a 15-minute city.
Arlington, Virginia
Another example is Arlington County, Virginia. As Washington, D.C. grew rapidly through the 1960s, Arlington saw its population spike. The county’s planners, however, saw an opportunity in the newly constructed orange line of the Washington Metro and implemented
on page 14
Bicycle path on Hymus
Two Truths
The issue of development really started to come up during the last administration, and it has been a point of contention in our community since then. Two separate camps seem to have been born from this conflict: either you’re in support of dense development in PC or you’re not, as if the future of our city boils down to a black-and-white issue and that everyone must take one side or another. It’s my experience that very few conflicts are cut and dried, but rather that they exist on a grey scale, inhabited with a multitude of considerations, possibly as numerous as there are residents in our city.
With that in mind, I’d prefer to write about what we all have in common. I think we can all agree that we want Pointe-Claire to be a livable city, a place in which we actually enjoy residing. If we look at what makes cities livable, greenspaces are at the top of that list, alongside safety, public transit, and walkability. Proximity to greenspaces increases health, well-being, and property value. It should be mentioned that only 9% of PointeClaire is protected parks and greenspaces Let us recall that at COP15, our governments committed to protecting 30% of our natural spaces. With that data in mind, let’s talk about densification.
When we talk about density, what we really mean is people. Human beings. Folks that have a right to access affordable housing and have nature in proximity to where they live, like many residents do, south of the 40. Both contribute to a place being livable. The benefits that natural spaces provide are a privilege that many of us take for granted. With an expected increase of 10,000 people in the north sector of Pointe-Claire in the next 15-20 years, these new residents, not to mention all of the commuters that will be travelling to the REM via the future bike path, need and have a right to have local access to a park similar to Terra Cotta.
Does insisting that our last natural spaces be protected need to come at the expense of all development? Absolutely not, but there are areas that should and some that should not welcome densification and
development, and acknowledging that reality is important. With the added presence of the REM comes an extra layer of pressure to densify, namely TransitOriented Development (TOD). It is absolutely essential to point out, however, that the same governments that are imposing these TOD zones are the same ones requiring that these territories include 30% of protected greenspace. I hear all too often one priority being put over the other, but BOTH of these requirements will exist concurrently in the PMAD (Plan métropolitain d’aménagement et de développement).
Fairview Forest in particular would be an important and well-placed contribution to the aforementioned 30%. I often tell people that it is a true miracle, a gift to our municipality, that despite the REM, 43 acres of it still exist, with its meadow, its sugar maple, beech, and hemlock groves, and its centennial forest. Even after being owned by John Abbott, Smart Centres, and now Cadillac Fairview over the past half century, this phenomenal space is still gifting us with its presence without a word of thanks.
The healthy version of PC of the future should not include seeing each other as enemies. We are all pieces of a giant puzzle. We have the right to our own concerns, our own hopes, and our own vision, but we all need to consider how that vision plays into the larger picture. Corporations and industries do, of course, make up that puzzle, but what happens when these
Continued on page 14
Sun peeking through the trees in Fairview Forest
Two Truths (cont.)
larger players are able to make decisions that will impact the health and well-being of tens of thousands of people? How do we enter into the equation? As we know, land ownership does not give you acquired rights. Laws change with the times, as they should!
These are extraordinary times, and they call for extraordinary and brave measures. Our administration has a responsibility to make decisions that will create long-term viability and livability for our current and future population. The consultations have been opportunities to have our own voices heard,
15-Minute City (cont.)
a “Bull’s-Eye Concept.” By focusing high-density development along the newly constructed Metro stations, commercial, and office spaces within walking distance of stations. As a result, Arlington was able to reduce car dependency and alleviate traffic while building vibrant, connected communities, thus hitting the mark for smart, sustainable urban planning in the region.
And Pointe-Claire?
Pointe-Claire has a long way to go to become a 15minute city, and the concept likely wouldn’t work in some areas. Growing up on Arrowhead Crescent in the 80s and 90s, the 211 bus line was a half-hour walk away. Theoretically, Fairview was a half-hour walk in the other direction, but crossing Highway 40 on foot represented an insurmountable obstacle. Ultimately, most
and residents have spoken: density can look like so many things, and greenspaces need to be protected. And both CAN coexist.
Will Mu1 and other key areas of PC be developed? In the future, most probably. Can we, and should we, save Fairview Forest as a Central Park of our very own for present and future residents? Absolutely, and there are many tools available to do so that could leave all parties happy. These two truths can exist at the same time. How these play out is in our hands and in the hands of our administration. Their legacy is our collective future.
By Geneviève Lussier
trips were made by car. Not much has changed since then, and considering that the area is already fully builtup, opportunities for transformation may be limited.
However, there are promising opportunities to make strides toward a 15-minute city model. With their existing mix of shops, restaurants, parks, the PointeClaire and Valois villages already demonstrate some of the elements of a walkable community.
Existing commuter train stations, as well as the future REM stations, may also present a real opportunity. By creating vibrant, accessible neighbourhoods around these hubs, Pointe-Claire can move towards reducing car dependency and cultivate a more connected, sustainable, and livable community. Although achieving this vision will take time and effort, with thoughtful planning and community engagement, the principles of the 15-minute city could become a reality in Pointe-Claire.
By David McLauchlan
The Misunderstood NIMBY
New projects don’t affect one person, they affect everyone, in positive and negative ways. If people are being asked to do what is good for society by increasing access to housing in their communities and giving their city a chance to thrive, residents need to work with officials to let them know what is wanted, needed, and expected.
While there are some people who concern themselves about traffic, the load on infrastructure, or the appropriateness of a building’s architecture, these are all aspects of development and growth that are handled by professionals within the city who use their knowledge and expertise to ensure that specifications are met. No engineer would risk losing their livelihood by pushing a project through if it did not meet all engineering standards, be it about sanitation, volume tolerances on roads, or sun/shade studies.
Assuming these requirements are met, what is the problem?
It’s likely a lack of trust, founded or not. Montrealers can name the projects they’ve seen where parks or schools suddenly disappeared from the plans. Projects that promised affordable or social housing were paid off into a fund so that developers could maximize profits. Projects that go up promising a community transformation, but instead result in no new resources, no upgrades to active transportation or public transit, and offer only inconvenience.
It doesn’t have to be this way.
Pointe-Claire is creating an urban plan to try to ensure that change benefits the existing neighbourhoods, not just city coffers or developer pockets. Unfortunately, in this process, not all voices are being heard or given the proper weight. While the public consultations have enjoyed a measure of success, concerns have been
expressed that certain subjects are not being discussed, that there is a lack of specificity to the topics, and that only a vocal minority is being heard.
A person living in a quiet cul-de-sac may not realize that a new development on the other side of PointeClaire disrupts local traffic patterns, sending “rat runners” down local roads to bypass congestion. People who have young children may not be as concerned about the safety and security of the walk from the REM to Fairview as the parent of a CEGEP student. A senior who no longer drives may not view their new prospective rental as being conveniently located near a grocery store. Those living in an area with no pool, pickleball court, or dog run may be apprehensive about the number of new residents coming into their area.
Residents need reassurance before a project is built; they need to know that there will be shops and services built within larger projects, that traffic and parking issues will not spill onto their streets, that sightlines will not be ruined, that recreational facilities will be provided, that neighbourhoods will remain peaceful and safe, and that any issues they currently experience will be fixed first and not just fixed with piecemeal solutions. Much like the adage “measure twice, cut once,” it is better to plan well than to fix later.
By Deborah Ancel
Single Family Homes:
-Average Sale Price: $829,833
-Average Sale Time: 50 days
-Number of Sales: 25
Condominiums:
-Average Sale Price: $612,789
-Average Sale Time: 70 days
-Number of Sales: 27
Statistics courtesy of Crystal Champagne, Royal LePage
Recent Real Estate Statistics for Pointe-Claire
Liveo Pointe-Claire on Gendron Ave.
Finding the Perfect Place for You
Whether you’re a first-time home buyer, a growing family looking to upgrade, or a senior looking to downsize, it’s important to find both a home and an area that meets your needs. Buying your first home is like falling in love –exciting, nerve-wracking, and full of potential mishaps. In general, anyone buying a home for the first time should be looking at location, affordability, and the daily commute, but every stage of life has its own set of needs.
Young Professionals
· Proximity to Work: Living close to work or having easy access to public transportation saves time and reduces stress and expenses. Depending on the situation, there may be a need for a reserved parking spot, a charging station, or access to express buses and train stations.
· Future Growth: Choose a place that can grow with you, whether it’s adding a pet, a partner, or a baby. Consider the need for another room, closets, and parking. With “work from home” becoming the new normal, make sure that there is space to set up a home office.
· Social Scene: Look for areas that offer restaurants, cafés, or a gym within walking distance.
Families
When the family expands, space and community become even more important. Aside from a larger space, a growing family should be looking for a friendly neighbourhood with:
· Safe Streets: Use an app like Waze to see the traffic patterns in an area. If you’re close to a park or pool, check what the streets look and sound like when people park or attend activities.
· Zoning for schools: Check which school boards have schools in the area. Are they within walking distance? Is there eligibility for busing?
· Teenagers: As kids get older and more independent, their needs change. Look for proximity to a bus stop or train station for children who will soon be heading off to post-secondary institutions.
· Recreation options: Libraries, indoor and outdoor rinks and pools, basketball courts, sports fields, skate parks, waterparks, and places for lessons in crafts, dance, or martial arts are all part of a thriving community.
· Access to work and family: Reducing commute times helps balance work and family life. If aging parents are a factor, keep in mind the commute for helping with errands, appointments, or weekly visits.
Empty Nesters, New Retirees, and Seniors
· Downsizing: A smaller home reduces maintenance and costs, freeing up time and money for hobbies. Having an extra bedroom available for guests or as a hobby room/office may ease the transition. Bungalows or buildings with elevators are ideal for those with reduced mobility.
· Retirement Communities: These offer social opportunities, activities, and security.
· Maintenance-Free Living: A condominium, or a building that offers additional services like air-conditioned units, an indoor pool, a gym, or includes amenities such as WiFi and communal gathering spaces.
Much like for families with children, make sure the community has features that will meet one’s needs at any age. Athletic facilities, libraries, walking paths, social clubs, and attractive parks all add to one’s quality of life. Access to services should be within a short walk or ride by public transit; proximity is crucial when driving is no longer an option.
No matter where you are in life, finding the right home is about meeting one’s unique needs. Ask your real estate broker for assistance – brokers have all the latest information at their fingertips and often live in the neighbourhoods they serve.
Crystal Champagne is a residential real estate broker and a Pointe-Claire resident specializing in West Island and Montreal real estate. To learn more, please visit https://crystalchampagnerealty.com/.
Hermitage Park
The Polling Station
This month we want to hear how you feel about development and densification in Pointe-Claire. You can only choose one answer, but we encourage you to leave your comments in the poll or email us at editor@pcrecord.ca and we may publish your comments and letters in our next issue!
CLICK HERE TO ANSWER OUR POLL
Last month we asked you: Do you think there should be a time limit for each speaker at question period?
Wow, did you respond!
Here are the results of last month’s poll and your comments. Thank you all so much for participating!
From our poll:
“It could be useful to provide a template with general guidelines for how to frame and present comments (préambule) and questions. [...] I think it is reasonable to ask people to be prepared so as to be respectful of everyone’s time. If [...] there are some citizens […} who repeat the same comments and questions more at 3 consecutive meetings, their name could go to the bottom of the list and only speak if there is time [...] but to ensure that all citizens are given an opportunity to speak.”
“A Question Period moderator would be a great addition. This person would manage the time clock in a courteous but firm manner, making it fair for everyone wanting to ask a question. [...] I would also like to see commitments from councillors to provide answers to questions by the next public meeting.”
“The published Minutes of the City Council meetings should contain a comprehensive summary of the question(s) asked beside the name of the person who asked the question(s), along with a summary of the answer(s) given.”
“There should be specific questions and if there is a preamble it should be related to the question. No personal attacks should be permitted. Mutual respect for and from all should be encouraged.”
“One question and not a pontification. Although the mayor is the Chair, you can request that your question be answered by any councillor. For example: If the question had to do with Stewart Hall, you could ask that Councillor Homan answer it, as Stewart Hall is her dossier.”
“I think the suggestions given in this issue are well worth Council considering and I only hope they will be able to do so calmly, collaboratively and make a unanimous choice not fractiously as discussions and decisions seem to have become in the deliberations of our currently very divisive and unhealthy Pointe-Claire Council.”
“Everyone should voice their opinions in a respectful manner.”
“Agenda discussions should be prioritized with 'other topics' in time frame following.”
“Questions need answers and not long winded versions of ‘we are working on this.’”
“Unlike Parliament and the National Assembly, at the municipal level Question Period is not designed to allow time for opposition members to probe and find weaknesses in the ruling party's management of government. At the municipal level question period is designed to give citizens the opportunity to fill in any lack of understanding or uncertainty [...] they might have about what their city is doing or what their municipal government plans to do.”
Continued on page 18
Polling Station (cont.)
“This is a practice that was used very successfully at school board council meetings. If someone cannot make their point within three to five minutes, something is wrong. Speakers should not be allowed to filibuster on behalf of a particular political point of view and run out the clock. Fairness to all is the key and ensuring that anyone who took the time to go to, and sit through, a Council meeting deserves to be heard and their point of view respected.”
From Susan Weaver: “I would like to give you my thoughts about question period during our council meetings.
'Our' is a keyword here and every citizen should have a right to speak during the 90 minutes.
My suggestions are as follows:
• Citizens must be aware of others waiting their turn so they should refrain from giving long speeches. They should keep their questions to no more than 3 minutes out of courtesy. One can get a lot said within that time, longer the audience will lose interest.
“Questions should be submitted in writing prior to the meeting. This will allow for current agenda items to be prioritized and heard before the other non-agenda questions.”
Letters you sent:
From Lucia: “I could not agree more with your opinion on Question Period at Council meetings. After attending my first ever council meeting in May I was shocked at how people were allowed to ramble on before there was any semblance of a question. I found it was more of a forum to express one’s views rather than to ask questions. Many would take 20-30 minutes of opining and would leave you asking, what’s the question? In fact I sent an email to the Mayor after the meeting to suggest that a 5 minute time limit be instituted to ask a question. If you’re not able to ask a question in 5 minutes then you’re obviously not asking anything.
Glad to hear I’m not alone in my thinking.”
From Kevin O’Brien: “[I] would agree of the 5 minute time limit at question period question(s) must be direct and to the point only. No accusations directed at Mayor or councillors.”
• Question period could be held after the agenda is read. The agenda is about our city. Be informed.
• Questions can be sent in prior to the meeting so that the best answers are provided to us (Often the chair does not know the file and is unable to answer, this way they can research beforehand).
• The chair's answer should be pertinent to the question and not talk about their personal experience.
I have attended council meetings since 2010, longer than most councillors except for M. Bissonnette, a longtime councillor, and M. Cousineau, who was a regular attendee in the audience before taking office.
Council meetings were held twice a month back then.
I vividly remember Mr. McMurchie's opening remark at council meetings back then, he would thank us for getting up from the dinner table to come.
Having read the by-law maybe it is time for another update. It is a good by-law, but times change. “
Photo of a microphone from Pixabay
The Kitchen Around Town
Shotgun Shells
This recipe comes from the southern United States, hence the gun-related name. This is an easy recipe and a tasty, bitesized appetizer.
Ingredients:
• BBQ sauce
• Oink Rub
• Manicotti shells
• Italian sausage or ground pork, seasoned to taste
• Good-quality bacon (cheap bacon falls apart when you work with it)
Twenty-four hours prior to cooking:
Stuff uncooked manicotti shells with sausage meat. Wrap manicotti with bacon. Place in a container or cover well with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 24 hours.
Cooking instructions:
Remove from fridge 30-45 minutes prior to cooking. Season the Shotgun Shells with Oink Rub and set your smoker to 250°F. This can also be done in the oven.
Once smoker has reached 250°F, place Shells on a wire rack over a foil pan for 90 minutes.
After 90 minutes, remove, and turn up the heat to 350 degrees. Coat Shells with BBQ sauce and place back in smoker for 10-15 minutes.
Once done, let stand for 5 minutes on a cutting board, then cut in half, and serve.
Other variations of this recipe include using ground beef or mixing in jalapeños or cheese, so have fun with it and make it your own!
And if you have your own more Canadian name for “Shotgun Shells” or would like to share your own recipe, please email us at editor@pcrecord.ca
By Barry Christensen, Grillmaster
August 29: Comedy in the West Island
August 30: I KNOW THOSE GUYS!
August 30: Jeff Smallwood
August 31: Strangers in the Night
August 31: Musique Sans Frontières / Music Without Borders
August 31: Dwane Dixon - solo
September 2: Jam Night!
September 3: Council Meeting
September 5: Deacon George - solo ! country blues
September 5: Karaoke Night
September 6: shinebox
September 6-8: Video Game Festival NoReset
September 7: West Island Blues Festival
September 7: Cribbage Tournament
September 7 & 8: Exposition et Vente d’oeuvres
d’art/Exhibition and Sale of Artworks
September 12: Less Than 4
September 13: Déjeuner Communautaire / Community
Breakfast–West Island Community Shares
September 13: Jeff Smallwood
September 14: Fall Artisan Market
September 14: Electric Street Band
September 14: Born With Horns
September 17: Trivia Night
September 18: Conversation: This shore is a body is a world is a house
September 19: Film – Call Me Human
September 20: Hurricane Jane Bday show
September 20: Sylvain Poirier - solo!
September 21: Course pour la Compassion
September 21: Less Than 4
September 21: The Merry Janes!
September 22: Cedar Park 6th Annual Clean-up
September 22: Chartre-Salov Duo – Between Friends: Brahms & Schuman
September 28: Jonathan Bélanger: Sur le boulevard –Mandoline and piano duo
September 29: Duo Jalbert-Beaulieu : L'Aéronaute
October 1: Council Meeting
Shotgun Shells
Tribute to Pointe-Claire Olympians
In a press release sent out by the City of Pointe-Claire, four local Olympians were celebrated on August 22, 2024, for their achievements in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. The athletes being honoured were:
• Serena Browne, water polo player
• Patrick Hussey, swimmer (represented by his parents)
• Caeli McKay, diver
• Nathan Zsombor-Murray, diver
Mayor Tim Thomas invited coaches, city councillors, members of the city's sports clubs, and employees who contributed to the success of our Olympians to a special ceremony held at the Baie-de-Valois Nautical Centre.
Each athlete was presented with an honorary plaque and a personalized gift in recognition of their accomplishments. The event also put the spotlight on the work of the coaches from the Aquatic Club who have played an essential role in preparing these athletes to reach the highest levels of sport.
The evening’s celebration later continued at the PointeClaire Aquatic Centre, where the athletes had the opportunity to meet the public for an autograph session. Over 200 people turned out to congratulate them.
It is with the utmost pride that both the City of PointeClaire and The Pointe-Claire Record acknowledge the immense talent of these young athletes, whose accomplishments are an inspiration to us all.
Press Release Communiqué de presse
Photo: Ms. Serena Browne, Mr. Nathan Zsombor-Murray, and Ms. Caeli McKay with members ofthe public during the autograph session. Photo courtesy of the City of Pointe-Claire.
Photo: Ms. Serena Browne, Ms. Caeli McKay, and Mr. Nathan Zsombor-Murray with children and members of Pointe-Claire's Day Camp team. Photo courtesy of the City of Pointe-Claire.
Photo, left to right: Mr. Tim Thomas, Mayor of Pointe-Claire; Mr. Gregory Kelley, MNA for Jacques-Cartier; Mr. Francis Scarpaleggia, MP for Lac-Saint-Louis; Mr. Nathan ZsomborMurray; Ms. CaeliMcKay; Ms. Serena Browne; Kelly ThorstadCullen, Councillor – District 3; Brent Cowan, Councillor– District 8; Eric Stork, Councillor – District 7; Tara Stainforth, Councillor –District 4. Photo courtesy of the City of Pointe-Claire.
