Civic Alert: Drama behind the new house

At least that is what he supposedly said. Because he doesn’t speak English — he learnt some at school but it has faded and he has just begun to learn French — a professional translator helped him during the formalities

His neighbours were appealing to Westmount Council against the original decision to allow the demolition of 310 Côte St. Antoine, the house he had bought.

But in the more social moments, it was his teenage daughter, Elena, a student at Collège Français for the last two years, who moved effortlessly between three languages on his behalf.

Arutyunov developed condos in Moscow and is planning to do the same here, according to Elena. He recently closed his Russian business. His wife, daughter and mother have been living in Canada for several years, joining relatives who had immigrated.

There were suspicions that this might be another property development as an investment rather than a by resident-owner. In fact, the hearing broke up with an outburst along those lines from the public. The Arutyunov family insisted that the re-building was for thieir own use.

Daughters’ role

Council had listened carefully to the eloquent presentation by the next-door neighbour, septuagenarian Jean-Philippe Aubert, who, also, was aided by his daughter, Michelle Weinroth.

The latter made a detailed presentation why the demolition should not go ahead. If it did, they asked for restrictions to minimize the inconveniences of the demolition and suggested changes to the design of its replacement.

Arutyunov’s architect explained the project and Julia Gersovitz, chair of the Planning Advisory Committee, explained the rules which had led them originally to accept the demolition.

Council was bound by those rules, of course. Nevertheless, there was an intense human conflict of the elderly couple having to live through this upheaval and the new owner’s right to develop his property as he wished within the city’s building laws.

Considering the importance of Westmount’s buildings and the enormous investment in them by residents, it was surprising that more people did not attend.

Privately torn

Council members individually were torn by the issues and adjourned to discuss their decision behind closed doors. The proposed 20-minute pause became nearly 40 minutes before Council returned to vote unanimously to uphold the demolition decision.

After the nearly three-hour session, most councillors left for home in sombre mood, without realizing there had been a surprising development while they were in the conference room.

Not only was there an opportunity for everyone who remained to examine the maquette of the architect’s proposal (it is no 30-room monster project), but the presence of the translators facilitated another remarkable event — the two families talked to each for the first time!

The last councillor to leave was Patrick Martin. He spoke with the central figures, particularly Janet Aubert.

As she eventually left City Hall, there was no hiding her disappointment at the decision. But some of the rough edges had been smoothed away by the councillor.

At 78, Mrs. Aubert provided a switch, telling me: “He was very understanding and kind. I wish I were his daughter!”



Park consultations

All councillors voted to reject the appeal and Mayor Karin Marks had to deliver the answer. “As I told my husband when I got home, one of the best parts about the mayor’s job is that, strangely sometimes, a tough issue leads to a good conclusion,” she explained.

“The decision seemed a bit like that. Although it must have been very disappointing for the Aubert family, the two neighbours were shaking hands!”

Although emotional, the demolition has nothing of the divisiveness, festering just below the surface, which surrounds the idea of installing an artificial surface in the Park.

There are strong reasons for enabling more soccer — just as there is for a new Arena. But the notion of plastic grass raises so many issues it will be difficult to get a harmonious solution.

I still hope that Council will accept my plea for a multi-stage consultation: a fact-finding, mature discussion and, only then, comments before decision-making. There has been too much said already without the background of all the facts.

Council intends to finalise the procedure which should be ready to announce at the monthly public meeting on Monday week.

“We have already spent a lot of time on it,” Mayor Marks commented after reading last week’s article on the subject.

“The idea of an independent chairman is something we are open to, and we have even discussed who we might recruit for the task.

Changes planned

“Our normal consultation procedure will be changed so that all those who wish can make presentations, although there will have to be time limits.”

Council will post several bilingual reports on the city’s web site at the time of the April 23 meeting. They will include the original evaluation, options for the field and the environmental report which was commissioned in response to some of the concerns expressed, said Marks.

“A lot of people have been taken off other things to prepare them,” the mayor added.

On the reticence of soccer parents to come forward and make a case for the artificial turf, she thinks they have been intimidated by the reaction of nearby residents — an incredibly aggressive group.”

“Parents don’t want to get into that kind of fight.”

Speaking for parents

Marks feels that they expect Council to represent them. “We have a thousand kids needing facilities,” she said. “Then there are hundreds of Westmount Park School children who use the field several times a day. It’s not good for them to have the field fenced off while the grass recuperates.

“They trust us to do the right thing. We have to find the correct solution, be it over the patrimony, night lights, extra traffic or other problem. Are there other ways to deal with them?

“There are many challenges to be faced, just as there will be over the wish to have a new Arena at some stage, and we will find a solution to them, too.”

Marks likened the debate to that over giving pool time to create a swim team, which was contentious.

Cheering swimmers

“Now, from my home up the street, I hear them cheering and realize what that team means to the participants. It’s a great success and what is needed in a healthy community.”

With the demolition case, Council had to play hardball and enforce its own laws but they can be checked out. With the artificial turf, it is the Council promoting the project.

Council should realise that the population thinks it is being presented with a done deal. People may be wrong about that, because my information is that at least three councillors are opposed to the idea.

We have heard nothing from the Environment Committee, about alternatives or the physical changes to ‘Westmount’s jewel’. Where is the Historical Society, the Municipal Association, the Horticultural Society or the professional landscapers and urbanists?

At least WMA president Henry Olders is ready to intervene. The association turned down a request from the Save the Park organisers to stage a public meeting.

“Let’s see what the city does first,” he countered. “If people have not had enough opportunity to express themselves, then the WMA will provide an opportunity.”

Civic Studies



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Outsiders Westmount MNA Jacques Chagnon’s long service in the National Assembly means that he is often called on for extra jobs in addition to his parliamentary and riding duties. The Liberal Party put him in charge of recruiting electors who were outside Quebec for the March election. Chagnon identified 11,500 compared with about 5,000 at the 2003 election.



Articulated costs Last week, Big Montreal Executive Committee approved a $4,782,000 project to modify the Legendre Garage to accommodate the articulated buses that will run from Vendome along Sherbrooke.

Clerks wanted TMR as well as Westmount are advertising vacancies for City Clerks — the former because Marie Turenne is retiring.

Big vote Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman was re-elected to his third term last week — winning 84 per cent of the vote.

Career switch Sir Michael Lyons, the new chairman of the BBC, was formerly director-general of three big English cities — Wolverhampton, Nottingham and Birmingham.





Community activist Don Wedge can be reached at calert@web.net. His columns are archived at www.westmountexaminer.com, go to Opinion.