Patrick McDonnell

Comment online since October 19th 2009
"“But now that there’s a chance that I could attain power, in some way, my safety is an issue,” Bergeron said on RDI. “I have formally requested the protection of my domicile by the Montreal police.”"

Patrick McDonnell

Comment online since October 19th 2009
What is Mr Bergeron so paranoid about?

according to Montreal Gazette:

Patrick McDonnell

Comment online since October 7th 2009
for Magda Popeanu

covering the Decarie Expressway sounds like a very expensive project, billions of dollars. What happens if it starts falling down on cars below - as has happened before in Quebec?

Patrick McDonnell

Comment online since October 7th 2009
Remember the concrete projects accomplished by Union Montreal in CDN NDG

Bixi bikes in CDN NDG

Increased bikes paths in CDN NDG

St Raymond center on lower Lachine road

New playground equipment in parks

A new public library and cultural center

Fraser Hickson Library installed in new lodgings

A new Sports Recreation center

Redone sidewalks and resurfacing of Sherbrooke st.

I am sure I can find more to add to this list..

P.S to Raj, I suppose then that Cym Gomery is not getting your endorsement?

Raj Ramtuhol

Comment online since October 6th 2009
For Patrick:

Mayor Applebaum is very good at "endorsing" projects. He's been doing it for only the last 6 years with great fanfare. Most people call it "posturing for the cameras". The FHL in its current state is not servicing NDG. We are still without adequate library services and have the worst per capita in the entire City. Perhaps it takes very little for you to be satisfied. But the teens and young children of NDG have their lives ahead of them Patrick, and they are hungry for knowledge, figuring out their careers, and simply a quiet place to study. A much smaller FHL, located far away from the core of NDG is not going to fill the void....as a StatsCan study revealed, proximity to a library is directly related to literacy. When my neighbor's brilliant child walked up to me and asked me when the library was going to re-open...because he missed being able to read the many books there, it was heart-breaking to have to tell him that it was in the hands of the politicians. This is the kind of injustice that drives me Mr. McDonnell. I want very much to see the selfish people who allowed this tragedy to happen to be replaced by the likes of Louise Harel, Brenda Paris and David Hanna. Ms. Harel, despite her sovereignist convictions, is a humanist who understands the needs of or society, and has passed numerous laws to that effect. Brenda Paris grew up in parts of NDG that position her well to understand this community's need, and David Hanna actually tabled a proposal along with Benoit Labonte to save Fraser-Hickson by applying for provincial infrastructure funding. But Applebaum rejected the free millions. Many believe he was waiting for some condo developers to make an offer. So please, Mr. Applebaum's "endorsements" are nothing more than cheap lip service ahead of the elections. He failed a long time ago. And it's time to expel.

Patrick McDonnell

Comment online since October 4th 2009
For Raj

Sept 29 2009 CDN NDG meeting

The request for financial support of $1.3 million, submitted by the Fraser-Hickson Institute under the Building Canada program, was endorsed, so that it can carry out the work necessary to recommence its library operations in the Trinity Memorial Church in Notre-Dame-de-Grâce.

for Peter

MONTRÉAL, September 25, 2003 – Russell Copeman, MNA for Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, representing Jean-Marc Fournier, Minister of Municipal Affairs, Sports and Recreation, Michael Applebaum, Chairman of the Côte-des-Neiges—Notre-Dame-de-Grâce (CDN—NDG) borough, Marcel Tremblay, Councillor for the Décarie district, and Nadia Papineau-Couture, Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of the Caisse populaire Desjardins de Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, today announced a $2,858,000 project to transform a building on Upper Lachine Road owned by the Caisse populaire Desjardins de Notre-Dame-de-Grâce into a community and recreation centre.

Does Peter McQueen remember the meeting at that new rec center on the plans for the Turcotte exchange? Or is this just another "Nothing" the Union party did for NDG?

Shall I go on with what has been accomplished? I was told by the director of the CDN rec center that it would take 10 years to build a new center - but that didn't take into account the anti NDG activist groups - at a urban planning workshop organized by Mr. Applebaum.

Again I find it strange that, neither Peter McQueen, nor Cym Gomery, nor Professor Hanna, nor Raj Ramtuhol showed up at this planning meeting for the future of CDN NDG? Can they rail against the democratic process without ever taking part in it?

Raj Ramtuhol

Comment online since October 3rd 2009
Patrick, first of all, it's spelled Fraser-Hickson (we REALLY do need a library). And the Projet Montreal candidates were not involved in the Fraser-Hickson battle. Yes, believe it or not, there are many different activist groups in NDG... because for three VERY long years, Applebaum did *nothing*. And even then, what he DID do was without public consultation. AND, all of these large projects will be seen years from now---not months. So I take it back. Applebaum will have done nothing of significance for at least 6 years! For our kids and seniors, that's FOREVER. In the meantime, Applebaum demolished an outdoor pool, shut down a library and community center, took out more than half of a usable park, kept the Empress out of commission, painted streets with white stripes, calling them "bike paths", giving the impression to our kids that speedings drivers in residential areas will suddenly obey the law and look out for our children. Right. All of this demonstrates quite clearly that Mr. Applebaum (a real estate agent)_has been paying more attention to developer contracts than the needs of our kids and seniors---well in line with his party's boss: Mayor Gerald Tremblay. On November 1st, we MUST change this dreadful situation.

Patrick McDonnell

Comment online since October 2nd 2009
Make that Frasier Hickson library...

Patrick McDonnell

Comment online since October 1st 2009
"But what have they done while in power for Notre Dame de Grace? Nothing..." I think there are a few people in NDG who might take exception to that statement!

Dear Peter, I guess you wear blinders while biking around NDG? I see Sherbrooke street repaved, new park equipment. And of course the Benny Sports Recreation center and now a new library and cultural center. (Read the press release that follows.)

I calculate 36 million dollars, plus another 6 million for the new Frazier Hickson Library invested in NDG. That is not "nothing".

PRESS RELEASE For immediate release

Work Continues on Upgrading and Modernizing

Montréal Libraries
Montréal, September 25, 2009 – For several months now, work to upgrade
and develop Montréal municipal libraries has been ongoing. Following
discussions with Christine Saint-Pierre, Minister of Culture,
Communications and the Status of Women, an agreement in principle was
signed to expand the 2008-2011 agreement on the cultural development
of Montréal (Entente sur le développement culturel de Montréal) and
allow Montréal to go ahead with more qualifying projects under the
library renovation, expansion and construction program (REC). Ms.
Saint-Pierre signed a letter of commitment for this purpose on
September 10.

For example, one project has already been identified and funds
earmarked to build a new Benny Library and provide venues for cultural
activities in the Côte-des-Neiges—Notre-Dame-de-Grâce borough.

A diagnosis of municipal libraries on Montréal Island, produced
jointly by the City and the MCCCF in July 2005, identified a number of
priority projects aimed at making major improvements to our library
network. Since then the municipal administration has made developing
libraries a priority, and set up the REC program under the Agreement,
with the MCCCF.
“Since 2005, consolidating the Montréal library network has been one
of our priorities. We are making every effort to offer Montrealers
access to library services of similar quality to those in other large
Canadian cities. To reach this objective, we have injected $13.5 M
since 2006, and are continuing in this direction. Our libraries
enhance cultural, educational, community and democratic life in
Montréal, and that’s why we want to make sure they are improved,
well-used and appreciated,” said Catherine Sévigny, Executive
Committee member responsible for culture.
About the REC program
The diagnosis of municipal libraries on Montréal Island pointed to the
need to improve library services in the
Côte-des-Neiges—Notre-Dame-de-Grâce borough, with over 169,000
residents – Montréal’s most populous borough. The construction of the
new Benny Library will help to meet their needs. The new and expanded
library, modern and attractive, functional and open to the community,
will be the perfect venue for bringing together culture and
information in the borough. In addition, 80,600 new documents will be
added to the collection now held in the existing library. It will be
located at the corner of Monkland and Benny avenues, across from the
future Sports and Community Complex. It will be part of the Benny
Area, home to modern cultural, sports and recreational facilities.
The project cost is evaluated at $21 million.

Library component: $11.5 M, of which 20% will come from the borough,
40% from the city of Montréal, and 40% from the Quebec department of
culture, communications and the status of women (MCCCF); basic
collection: $4 M, of which 20% will come from the borough and 80% from
the city of Montréal.

Cultural component: $5.5 M, of which 40% will come from the borough
and 60% from the program to support municipal cultural facilities.

The new Benny Library will include a number of features relating to
ergonomics, universal accessibility and LEED certification. It will
also include a multipurpose room with seating for 180 (dance, new
artistic practices) and support facilities (dressing rooms, control
room, loading docks, storage space, etc.), a convertible room
(exhibitions, cultural mediation), specialized spaces (administration
offices, space for artists or companies in residence, etc.) and
cutting-edge equipment and furniture (sound and light equipment, dance
flooring, retractable bleachers, exhibition modules, etc.). Some
funding for this aspect, including a multipurpose room and a
convertible room for exhibitions and cultural mediation, has come from
the Forum des équipements culturels, a body with departmental and
municipal representatives, tasked with developing a joint vision of
Montréal cultural facilities.
“This new library will meet the needs of residents in the
Côte-des-Neiges—Notre-Dame-de-Grâce borough with regard to culture and
sharing knowledge. They will be able to enjoy a suitable and inviting
space with the latest in technology. This new library is just one
example of the projects we plan to carry out over the next several
years as we modernize our facilities and continue developing a city
where knowledge is valued and shared,” said Montréal Mayor Gérald
Tremblay.

“This new library will be a major component of the Benny Area, a hub
of modern recreational and cultural facilities. We have a clear vision
of this district’s vocation, and we are doing our utmost to obtain the
necessary funding,” noted Michael Applebaum, Mayor of the
Côte-des-Neiges—Notre-Dame-de-Grâce borough.


Source: Côte-des-Neiges—Notre-Dame-de-Grâce borough