Cartierville citizens showed to what point they were ready to bring the Community Aquatic and Sports Complex (CASC) to reality. They participated in an operation to clean the grounds of the future CASC site. (Photo: Martin Alarie)
The year in review
A new year is often synonymous with a summing up of what has taken place. For the last issue of 2006, the Courrier Bordeaux-Cartierville presents an overview of events which occurred in Bordeaux-Cartierville during the past 12 months.
Cartierville, which celebrated its centenary, was throughout the year at the centre of attention. Various participants in the borough mobilized themselves to organize activities in order to mark the 100th birthday of the district. During the summer period, festivals, shows, conferences and an exhibit followed one after the other for all to enjoy. It was an occasion for residents to develop a feeling of belonging with their district.
On a less positive note, Cartierville residents saw their daily life change from one day to the next. Airplanes which take off from Montreal’s Trudeau Airport and now go alongside Autoroute 13 inconvenienced a great number of residents who wished to abolish these flights. They also put pressure on the city of Montreal to again be represented within the Consultative Committee on the Management of Sound Emanating from Montreal’s Airport. Since the November 2005 elections, the city of Montreal has not been represented there and decisions were made without it being able to intervene.
January
- The year began on the topic of elections: Voters were called to the ballot boxes on January 23 to vote for their federal Member of Parliament. Stéphane Dion was easily re-elected in the district of Saint-Laurent Cartierville. In Ahuntsic Eleni Bakopanos was defeated. After having represented voters for nine years she left her seat for Maria Mourani from the Bloc Québécois.
- Bois de Boulogne College received the endorsement for the creation of its new facility. The Minister of Education announced a grant for a multifunctional hall that would allow for the holding of conferences, cultural events and colloquiums. The end of work on the renovation of the former chapel is planned for 2007.
February
- A project to revitalize a sector of Cartierville was on track and its management entrusted to a local committee of community representatives from Bordeaux-Cartierville. The needs of this sector included, in particular, poverty and social exclusion.
- The Health and Social Services Centre of Bordeaux-Cartierville Saint-Laurent launched its business plan. Five commitments are to be carried out by 2008, including a medical organization. Various participants from the health sector hereafter will work more collaboratively.
March
- The new team of elected officials from Ahuntsic-Cartierville began their administrative reorganization by naming a new director of public works. The departures of the directors of the borough and culture followed. Mayor Marie-Andrée Beaudoin emphasized that she wished to put good people in place for more efficiency.
- The centenary of Cartierville was highlighted for the first time at the Support Centre for Immigrant Communities with the presentation of a conference on the history of the district. Dr. Robert Laurin animated the meeting. Laurin, a citizen of Cartierville from birth, is known in the community for having practised medicine for 40 years. He co-chaired the centenary festival with the Mayor of Ahuntsic-Cartierville.
- At the public consultation on Green Funds for the borough, residents made their concerns known with regard to the quality of the environment. Recycling and composting were at the top of the list of their priorities.
April
- The Maison des jeunes of Bordeaux-Cartierville objected to the sexual portrayal of young girls. Workshops were held on the subject and girls were also invited to work on a project regarding an alternative magazine.
- The public health authorities of Montreal came to a conclusion about the housing conditions of Place l’Acadie and Place Henri-Bourassa. According to a report, the tenants were exposed to health risks while living in these buildings. The two principal problems were damages, poorly repaired water infiltrations and the presence of cockroaches.
May
- Pierre Bourque leaves politics. Bordeaux-Cartierville Councillor Noushig Eloyan is replaced as leader of the opposition.
- The board of directors of the Community Aquatics and Sports Complex (CASC) of Cartierville held its fundraising campaign. Hats, featuring the new complex were on sale all month. The objective was to sell 2,000 caps at a cost of $5 and to mobilize the population around this much-awaited project.
- The project to enlarge and renovate the Sacré-Coeur Hospital caused worry for several residents on Saint-Évariste Street in Cartierville. They hoped to create a vigilant committee.
June
- Cartierville Citizens ready to see the CASC project carried out, took part in a cleaning of the grounds of the future multipurpose centre, located at the corner of the Louisbourg and Lachapelle Streets. The fundraising campaign of the board of directors of the CASC continued at the time of the event. Citizens got to say that the district needs this complex.
- The program for the centenary of Cartierville is launched. The co-presidents of the event, Robert Laurin and Marie-Andrée Beaudoin, invited the population to take part in various activities all summer and until October.
- The borough planned five programs within the framework of the Green Funds for the year 2006. This included the planting of trees, the dissemination of environmental information, a subsidy for the creation of a green roof, the organization of a recognition ceremony and the installation of a butterfly garden.
July
- Within the framework of the plan regarding the network of public libraries in the city of Montreal, the libraries in the borough offered extended hours and audio-visual collections.
- After a break in 2005, for lack of financing, the Sophie-Barat nautical site is again accessible for the summer season. This site is dedicated to the non-motorized nautical activities on the Rivière des Prairies.
August
- Cité Historia offered historical visits of Cartierville, founded in 1906, within the framework of the centenary of the district.
- The 9th edition of FestiBlues had a successful attendance. Some 74,000 people took part in the event at Ahuntsic Park. The festival was highlighted by the presence of invited celebrity Robert Charlebois.
- Nearly 22 million dollars were granted to Sacré-Coeur Hospital to improve various services and units. Thanks to this investment announced by the Minister of Health and Social Services Philippe Couillard, the hospital will be further improved.
September
- Schools took a new direction with proposed activities in health promotion and prevention. At François-de-Laval School, the "Health Challenge" led students to take account of fruit and vegetables consumed and the time granted for physical activity.
- The borough of Ahuntsic-Cartierville authorized Public Works management to negotiate an agreement with Communauto to increase the number of parking spaces on the territory. Ahuntsic-Cartierville already had four parking lots for the car-sharing company and will have of two more by spring 2007. For the moment, Communauto is developing parking areas in Ahuntsic, to then be able to build a network towards Cartierville.
October
- The organization RAP Youth received financial assistance from the Quebec government within the framework of the fight against street gangs. RAP Youth shared $1.25 million with 23 other community organizations to prevent young people from becoming members of gangs and criminal groups.
- The project entitled, "an open environment in schools," took a fresh approach. With financing ensured for four years, the Bordeaux-Cartierville schools will benefit from the services of a school speaker. The emphasis is put on the prevention of intimidation and nutrition.
- The noise from airplanes now reached Cartierville. The air traffic generated by Montreal’s Trudeau Airport disturbed the sleep of many residents of the district. Flights taking off between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. and now directed on a pathway whose trajectory towards Autoroute 13 came into question.
November
- The network clinics of the Health and Social Services Centre of Bordeaux-Cartierville Saint-Laurent started to play a role. They were put in place to alleviate hospital emergency rooms. Residents have access to three network clinics on its territory, that is the Saint-Laurent Emergency Centre, Physimed Group and Salaberry Emergency Centre.
- The expansion project of Pasteur School did not achieve unanimity in Cartierville. Residents, who wanted to sign a register concerning this project, left empty handed. The process was suspended by the court following an injunction given at the request of the private institution on de la Miséricorde Avenue.
December
- Residents at Place l’Acadie and Place Henri-Bourassa, who aspired for better housing conditions, brought attention to their situation in hope of change. They asked the city of Montreal to expropriate 21 buildings belonging to owner Sadok Sagman. Several organizations of Bordeaux-Cartierville were in support.
- Cartierville residents, disturbed by the noise of airplanes, asked for the support of borough councillors to abolish flights above Autoroute 13.
- Saint-Laurent Cartierville Member of Parliament Stéphane Dion became leader of the Liberal Party of Canada. According to Dion, a future election of the Liberal could result in the creation of the much-anticipated aquatic centre project.
- The request for the expansion of the Pasteur School, which was granted in September by the borough of Ahuntsic-Cartierville was finally rejected. The opposition by scores of neighbours to the project incited elected officials to exercise their right to change their decision. (Translated by Michael Beigleman)
Météo: Montréal, 4 juillet 2008 / 24°C
/ Quelques nuages
/ Vents: 19 Km/h / Humidité relative: 41 % 
par Véronique Leduc 
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Steven Guilbeault - 
