Toupin is not going out without a fight

Under the name Regroupement des Résidents du secteur Toupin (RRST), the 50 residents were all sporting a sticker with a big X on a drawing of the Cavendish Boulevard. Ten of them came to the front to ask their questions to the council and all were loudly applauded by their fellow members.

Christian Gélinas of Jean-Bourdon Avenue was the first to ask a question to Mr. DeSousa. He asked if a firm has already been chosen to execute the road works. The mayor’s answer was that the designs were currently being completed by the City of Montreal and that when a definitive project would be ready it would be shared with the citizens.

The next question was along the lines of the previous one. Luc Marion reminded that last June, during a meeting at City Hall, an agreement regarding a final plan was reached and a budget had been allowed. Mr. Marion was wondering why funding had already been authorized when a firm was not even chosen yet. Mr. DeSousa explained that the budget is not necessarily set even if it has already been awarded. “The first step is to coordinate our intern services. The next step is the road works, which should start at the end of this year or at the beginning of 2008,” he added.

Victor Roy, a resident of Toupin Boulevard, mentioned that the opening of Saint-Exupéry Street could also help with the traffic jams in this area. He then asked why it wasn’t scheduled in the borough’s plans. The mayor answered that following a meeting with the people living in the Saint-Exupéry neighbourhood in November 2003 “this road should be open at the same time as Cavendish is.”

Five other RSST members stepped up to the microphone during the council meeting. They asked if there was any way the plans could be changed or if it was possible to cancel the whole project. Mr. DeSousa told them that at this time no modifications were being considered.

Some even castigated the mayor saying he was wasting public funds and gave for example that the estimated costs went from $10 millions to $12.7 millions in less than six months.

(Photo:Jacques Pharand)