Westmount Independent
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Voting day is Sunday, November 1 – See our coverage summary, p. 6, advance poll turn out, p. 10. WESTMOUNT INDEPENDENT Weekly. Vol. 3 No. 10d We are Westmount October 27-28, 2009 City receives arena/pool grant contract Project deadline pushed to 2015 Westmount’s spooky hospital By Laureen Sweeney would have to carry out its own analyses, needs assessments or other research it With only a few days remaining until deems necessary. Westmount elects its new council, the city “What’s very important,” Trent said, “is has received a much-awaited draft contract that the deadline for completion is no for its $20-million arena grant that extends longer 2011. My own experience told me the building deadline to 2015 from 2011. this would have been very difficult to “My reaction is spelled out in capital let- achieve. We can’t do a project like this ters: RELIEF,” said Mayor Peter Trent in overnight and I was very uncomfortable announcing the news last week. “We will with the previous deadline. I thank the still have to move quickly on the project, government for giving us more time.” however.” Trent said he understood this extension Many questions concerning conditions was typical of what was being allotted to of the agreement remain unanswered other similar projects and was not a spe- while the city’s legal department combs cial concession to Westmount. through the details, he explained. “We have to go over the contract extremely Based on old design plan carefully.” The grant, he said, is based on the old To be negotiated, he said, is the signing design that was presented at public infor- date. “At this point, it appears we would mation sessions last April. “But I feel con- Aches and pains are permanently cured at the “Westmount General Hospital,” as shown here by have some 12 months thereafter to start fident we can make some changes and Public Security sergeants Kim Colquhoun and Denis Proulx. For details on this year’s Halloween construction.” These dates would both af- would hope to have a large haunted house at the lawn bowling clubhouse and safety tips, see page 22. fect the amount of time the new council scope for change.” continued on p. 3 Candidates face 200 at Victoria Hall Sunday’s vote to decide new council By Laureen Sweeney already taken shape. By now, all eligible voters whose names As Westmounters in six electoral dis- appear on the revised electoral list should tricts head to the polls this Sunday (No- have received cards designating the voting vember 1), almost all 15 councillor locations. Polls will be open from 10 am to candidates have presented platforms pri- 8 pm, November 1. oritizing the arena project, sustainability With such a high calibre of candidates, and traffic issues. Many also call for it was too bad there weren’t more council greater transparency in the governance seats, said Stanley Baker, on behalf of the Selling? – Buying? process. Westmount Municipal Association at the We bring BUYERS and SELLERS together So whatever the outcome, the business Meet the Candidates night ahead for the new council seems to have at Victoria Hall, October continued on p. 6 Locally and Internationally Your Independent Choice in Wealth Management For further information on our Service to investors since 1849 financial services, visit our website Integrity, Independence, Service, Performance and Trust 2 – WESTMOUNT INDEPENDENT – October 27-28, 2009 Westmount Irish studies Westmounters, former Westmounters and others were out in large numbers on October 19 to celebrate the inauguration of Concordia University’s School of Canadian Irish Studies. They included, from left, Westmounter Peter Kruyt, chair of Concordia’s board of governors (whose wife Claire is running to be city councillor for District 2); Michael Kenneally, principal of the new school; former prime minister and former Westmounter Paul Martin; Westmounter Judith Woodsworth, Concordia president and vice- chancellor; Westmounter and Quebec premier Jean Charest; former Westmounter and former Westmount mayor Brian Gallery, chair of the Canadian Irish Studies Foundation; and former Quebec premier Daniel Johnson. The event took place at the Mother House of the Grey Nuns Chapel. sothebysrealty.com xtraordinary homes. killfully marketed. 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DE L'ÎLE $1,900,000 LE 333 SHERBROOKE $1,095,000 LE FORT DE LA MONTAGNE $1,995,000 NEW YORK | LONDON | PARIS | MONTREAL | TORONTO | LOS ANGELES | VANCOUVER 1 Westmount Square, Suite 446 Each office independently owned & operated | Courtier immobilier agréé WESTMOUNT INDEPENDENT – October 27-28, 2009 – 3 DQ shuttered up for this season, Unknown if grant is Bilboquet open all winter By Erin Stropes crêperie for the coming months, though a site-dependent limited selection of ice creams will remain see September 22, p. 1.) continued from p.1 It’s a sure sign that winter’s on the available. Coffee, hot chocolate and Trent said he would present additional way – Dairy Queen closed for the season roasted chestnuts round out the winter He said he has yet to be informed to information on the conditions as he is in- on October 25 and will re-open in Febru- menu. what extent the grant is contingent on the formed in an effort to keep citizens up-to- ary. A closing day half-off sale attracted a Employees from both shops said that current site or whether any alternatives date and bring people together behind the crowd, with lines out the door early in the the economy hasn’t affected the ice cream could be considered. For now, all possibil- project. “This is truly an evolving story,” he afternoon as customers stocked up on ice market this year, though the “gloomy” ities have been put on hold. said. cream for the winter. weather may have kept some people away. (For a description of the old design on Neighbouring ice cream parlor Bilbo- As for who’s still eating ice cream at which the grant was made, see the April quet will remain open through the winter this time of year, “It’s mostly the die- 14 Independent, p. 1. For the new design, Re-elect Kathleen Duncan for the first time this year. hards!” said Alison Bovaird of Bilboquet. Ward 4 The shop has been transformed into a Former Westmounters Margot Stevenson (right) Katelynn Lawless of Bilboquet with the café’s new and daughter Bryony Hoare pick up some treats PPPPPaPoe winter offerings. at DQ’s closing day sale. Official agent: Brian Mitchell Si je suis élue, voici les dossiers que If elected, I will support our quality je défendrai pour améliorer la qualité of life through the following: de vie des citoyens de Westmount: Transparency on council – it’s time for open, Transparence au sein du Conseil de ville – democratic government il est temps de revenir à un gouvernement End behind-closed-doors council votes démocratique et d’ouverture Fin aux votes à huis clos au Conseil Deal effectively with citizens’ concerns regarding parking, noise, traffic – no more lip-service Réponse efficace aux revendications des citoyens quant au stationnement, au bruit, à la Enhance two-way communication with residents circulation – fini les promesses creuses to ensure their input into projects, before, Communication à deux sens avec les résidents not after they are implemented pour assurer leur participation aux projets avant Ensure that municipal initiatives are undertaken et non après leur adoption only when supported by facts and data, not Lancement d’initiatives municipales uniquement in response to pressure groups lorsque la recherche et les données les justifient, et non en réponse à des groupes de pression Promote fiscal responsibility – end waste of public money through continuous hiring of Utilisation responsable des deniers publics – arrêt du gaspillage causé par l’embauche consultants and costly proposals which continuelle d’experts-conseil et par des projets benefit few citizens coûteux qui ne profitent qu’à une minorité Mavis Young Mavis Young [email protected] www.electmavis.ca 514-932-2026 [email protected] www.electmavis.ca 514-932-2026 4 – WESTMOUNT INDEPENDENT – October 27-28, 2009 Civic Alert Campaign ’09: Who’s helping whom tells By Don Wedge that it would be better for me and the city,” voters go to work. Smith recalled. “I was undecided and Former councillor George Bowser was Hopes that the new coun- sought the opinion of two councillors. One among supporters canvassing with cil’s work would get off to a said ‘switch’ and the other said ‘stay,’ so I Hébert. fast start to tackle the arena was no further forward.” Nicole Forbes had intended to help renewal situation and other As he went to city hall with his nomi- other candidates, but had to cut this back issues were dashed by the nation papers just before the deadline, he to fight for her own seat. Nevertheless, she flurry of competition for decided to challenge Duncan. had a daily wake-up conference call with council seats on October 2 John de Castell (8).