Montreal Gazette ePaper

Beaconsfield mayor grilled over Reimagined project

Residents seek answers about costs and makeup of ambitious redevelopment

JOHN MEAGHER jmeagher@postmedia.com

At Beaconsfield's first council meeting since last month's municipal election, Mayor Georges Bourelle faced questions about the costs associated with the city's proposed Reimagined Space project on the site of the former Lord Reading Yacht Club and Centennial Park.

The ambitious project, which has yet to be voted on by council, would transform the entire waterfront space with a multi-purpose complex that would include a new public library and cultural centre.

Beaconsfield resident Nathalie Durocher asked the mayor if there would be a referendum on the project. “If there is a referendum for the sound wall, should there not be one for the Reimagined Space project that you so strongly support?”

Bourelle said he didn't understand the premise of the question because “we are not even close to this project at the present time. I don't know where the perceived support is.”

Durocher also questioned the idea of building a new library as part of the Reimagined project.

“Why put a library in this beautiful park? Who came up with this idea? All residents should be consulted, not just a small group of 150 residents. That is point-75 of Beaconsfield, less than one per cent. What will be done with the old library and what is wrong with the library right now?”

Bourelle said the project, which has yet to be costed, would require the city to obtain grants from both federal and provincial governments, as well as a city loan bylaw and private donations.

“This project, of course, being conditional to grants, that is one of the most important things. But the register process will also apply for this project if there is a loan bylaw.”

“If we don't get the grants, we have to go back to Square 1,” Bourelle later told the Montreal Gazette.

Bourelle also noted all Beaconsfield residents were invited to a series of public consultations that took place in 2019.

“There were probably about 150 residents that did participate. That's very high because most of the time when we have a consultation meeting or information meeting we do not get that high of a participation.”

He said the consultation was for a multi-purpose centre, including a library, and “that need was clearly identified through the consultations.”

Bourelle also addressed a question about the contentious sound wall file that has been dragging on for years.

“We are going to move as quickly as we can with the plan that we have to first have a public information meeting in Beaconsfield by the MTQ to answer a lot of the questions ... so that everybody is well-informed,” he said.

“That will be step 1, then we'll move very quickly, as quickly as MTQ is prepared to move. And I don't need to tell you that MTQ does not move as quickly as we all would like to see it.”

Another citizen asked the mayor if Beaconsfield would consider building an outdoor refrigerated skating rink, like the one in Pointeclaire Village. Another larger refrigerated rink is being installed in Valois Park in Pointe-claire.

Bourelle shot down the idea, saying that Beaconsfield does not have the means to pursue such a project.

“The budget resources in Pointeclaire are not comparable to (those of ) Beaconsfield,” he said.

However, the city has entertained the thought of a refrigerated rink in the past. More than a decade ago, there were discussions about building a second rink behind Beaconsfield Arena.

Bourelle also expressed his “disappointment” in the low voter turnout in last month's municipal election.

“Only 37 per cent of eligible voters in Beaconsfield voted, which means that close to two-thirds of eligible voters did not vote, despite the fact we had two advance voting days, two days of voting at city hall, and mail-in voting for (citizens) 70-plus, and, of course, the Nov. 7 voting date.

“What I can say is if we want a healthy democracy, we need to achieve a much higher level of participation in the future.”

WEST ISLAND

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2021-12-02T08:00:00.0000000Z

2021-12-02T08:00:00.0000000Z

https://montrealgazette.pressreader.com/article/282926683675534

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