Affordable housing, pedestrian safety and… skunks dominate CDN-NDG borough meeting

Affordable housing and the redesign of the Jean-Talon/Namur area dominated the discussion. “I would like to know what exactly the percentage of social housing could be reached as a goal - the maximum,” asked resident Anil Patel, referring to a new housing project in Mountain Sights. The development will be a mixture of regular, affordable and social housing. Mayor Michael Applebaum pledged that 15 per cent of the housing will be social and 15 per cent affordable, although not necessarily new, as developers will have the option of buying and restoring older buildings. “I have no problem with the social housing being built, but tonight you said something new,” said CDN-NDG councillor Peter McQueen to Applebaum. McQueen was surprised to learn the housing plan might include older buildings. The mayor insisted both the old and new housing would be high-quality. The Jean-Talon/Namur Revitalization project was a hot topic. Residents asked about the plan, which involves shutting down traffic on some residential streets for the creation of new green spaces. They expressed concern over what they perceived as a lack of urban planning. “If the proposal goes through, Victoria will be blocked,” said resident Bryna Gartinberg. “We are talking of all sorts of things that are not decided, but we’re going to do it anyway,” agreed Jean Hébert, a man who lives nearby. Snowdon councillor Marvin Rotrand acknowledged that Victoria St. would indeed be shut, but that planning has been done to make sure residents are not inconvenienced. The familiar issue of pedestrian safety was also brought up by more than one speaker at the microphone. Lowering speed limits on several streets was discussed, as was the installation of solar-powered speed markers at busy corners. It wouldn’t be a Montreal city council meeting without some reference to the city’s lousy roads. “What’s it going to take - a death?” asked Lisa Cahn, who lamented the “pitiful” sidewalk conditions in the neighborhood. Cahn said she had a hole in the street outside of her home, “the size of a bathtub,” and added people had already fallen because of it, resulting in broken ankles. Her remarks drew gasps from the audience. Mayor Applebaum promised that the public works department would look into the matter. Other issues raised by residents included littering, expanding an existing program to increase “financial literacy” amongst seniors, and a proposal to cancel the annual “Tour de l’Ile” bike tour to focus on charitable fundraising. Unsurprisingly, the mayor defended theTour as a good way to celebrate cycling and view all the different parts of the city. He added that nothing prevented participants from raising money for charity. This was not well-received by Murray Levine, who tabled the proposal. “I am not at all impressed with your decision,” he told the mayor, before storming out of the meeting for some time. Towards the end of the evening, the tone was light. The normally-serious mayor drew laughter from the crowd and his colleagues when he described the recent rescue of an injured skunk from behind his house. “No, no, it’s true!” Applebaum assured listeners. In describing how the SPCA was able to quickly arrive and treat the sick animal, the mayor praised the animal rescue group. “They came, they put a blanket on top of it (the skunk), wrapped it up, and then they put him in a little cage,” Applebaum explained. According to the mayor, rescuers arrived within 15 minutes of his phone call. The mayor’s only regret? “I told my wife I should have taken my camera and put a video on YouTube,” he joked. Although he ruefully confessed, “I probably wouldn’t know how to work the camera.”