CSL encouraging residents to exchange broken brown bins

Free Press, May 23, 2012, Click to enlarge

Côte Saint-Luc to distribute free compost on May 31, 2012

Côte Saint-Luc to distribute free compost on May 31, 2012

Residents of the City of Côte Saint-Luc can collect free compost at the Great Compost Giveaway on Thursday, May 31, 2012 from 2 pm to 8 pm at the Public Works Department Building.

“Côte Saint-Luc residents were pioneers in organic waste collection on the island of Montreal,” said Councillor Steven Erdelyi, the council member responsible for Public Works issues. “Our residents deserve a lot of praise for their efforts, which has helped reduce the amount of waste we send to landfill by 38 percent since 2008. This annual compost giveaway is one of the ways we can say thanks. This nutrient-rich compost is great for lawns.”

Côte Saint-Luc is distributing 20 tons of compost in all. Every household is entitled to 120 litres. Residents can bring their own empty 40 litre buckets to help cart away the compost. Bags will be available for residents without buckets. Residents should bring a utility bill or some other official document showing they live in Côte Saint-Luc.
 
The compost comes from the St. Michel Environmental Complex, which distributes it to communities. The compost comes from green waste derived from leaves.

If there is compost left towards the end of the day, residents may return to take away more. 

For more information, contact the Côte Saint-Luc Public Works Department at 514-485-6868 or bnewman@cotesaintluc.org. The Public Works Department Building is located at 7001 Mackle Rd.

Côte Saint-Luc median age continues to fall

In the near future the City of Côte Saint-Luc will no longer be perceived as one of the oldest communities on the island of Montreal.

The median age in the City of Côte Saint-Luc fell from 49 to 46.2 between 2006 and 2011, according to data from the 2011 Census of Canada released today by Statistics Canada. This continues the decrease in median age that was noted in the 2006 Census of Canada, which had seen the median age decline from 50.5 to 49 years.

“Côte Saint-Luc is one of the few communities in Canada that is now getting younger,” said Mayor Anthony Housefather. “This has occurred due in large measure to programs and initiatives we have put in place to attract younger singles and families and I fully expect this trend to continue until our median age is about the same as other communities on the island of Montreal.” 

According to the 2011 Census, the number of children ages 0 to 9 rose by 16 percent between 2006 and 2011, from 3,015 to 3,585 and Côte Saint-Luc saw significant growth in every age segment below age 40.
 
Since 2006, Côte Saint-Luc has invested in programs and services for young people and young families including the $18 million Aquatic and Community Centre established last September, water-play areas in parks, new playground equipment, more library and recreation programs for children and teens, and a dramatic society, which was founded last fall to appeal to young people who enjoy theatre. Also, the city continues to take steps to broaden its housing stock with townhouses and other dwellings attractive to younger families.   

The Census in Canada takes place every five years. It is conducted by Statistics Canada. The census provides demographic and statistical data that is used to plan public services. The data about Côte Saint-Luc is available at: http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2011/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=2466058&Geo2=CD&Code2=2466&Data=Count&SearchText=cote&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&Custom=&TABID=1 

20 years in service for Allan J. Levine

Free Press, may 22, 2012, Click to enlarge

Congratulations to my friend and colleague Councillor Allan J. Levine, celebrating 20 years of service on Cote Saint-Luc City Council.  I was a Council regular for 10 years before I was first elected and joined him on Council in 1990 and have watched Allan throughout his political career.  He operates with dogged perseverance, always has an opinion to share and rarely misses an opportunity for a spirited quip.

I’ll always remember one of Allan’s famous quotes from a public meeting back in the early 90s when he was voting against an increase in tender prices over the previous year for paper supply.  ”The price of paper is not just stationery,” he said to great laughter from the audience.

And there was the time he gave notice of motion to limit the number of cats per household.  He never pursued the motion as he was concerned that anyone named Katz, with lots of kids, would be offended.

Allan is also a preeminent shmoozer.  At the annual Federation of Canadian Municipalities conferences Allan is renowned for his pin-trading acumen. Allan can always be found, city pins covering both lapels, chatting it up with mayors and councillors from across the country engaging in discussions and comparisons in public works techniques, urban development bylaws, public safety issues, sports and recreation activities and more.

Allan is a teacher by profession but is a self-confessed expert in just about every imaginable discipline.  One may take issue with his findings or conclusions but there is no arguing that he is one of the most animated, comical and engaged politicians in the region.  And now, he can add long-serving to the list as well.

If you’re looking to ask Allan a question he’s always around.  His wife Rhoda joins him on their very frequent walks around CSL, or he’s hanging out at the CSL Tennis Club, won’t be far if a flash mob buffet opens up and will be first on any dance floor to rival any Arthur Murray graduate.

Anyone who know’s Allan will agree that he’s one of a kind.

Congratulations Allan.

Look out for new pedestrian crosswalk on Fleet, Hamsptead

Free Press, May 23. 2012, Click to enlarge

If you haven’t noticed the blinking LED-lit crosswalk sign on Fleet Road in Hampstead you better take note.  Hampstead has added this signage with corresponding fines of $154 for an infraction to its collection of confusing traffic signs designed to keep through traffic off its side streets.

Their Councillor responsible for traffic safety, Harvey Shaffer, has also indicated that they’ve asked Police Station 9 commander Sylvain Bissonnette to step up patrols on their territory.

I’ve been a critic of Hampstead’s bizarre and difficult to understand no left turn signs along Fleet (search “Fleet” or “Hampstead” on this blog), and while I strongly support pedestrian crosswalk safety this is going to be a very difficult one to abide by and to enforce.

Traffic along this main artery is steady and travels at 50 km/h, plus or minus about 10 km/h I’d guesstimate.  Pedestrians would be safer to wait for a break in the clusters of traffic rather than to negotiate their way across while one lane may come to a halt but not the others.

Hampstead would be well advised to install a pedestrian call button that would allow a person to activate yellow flashing lights overhead to signal a pedestrian is present.  This would enhance the safety significantly on this thoroughfare.

In any case, have a look how many pedestrians are trying to cross in the next week or two.  I’ve checked every time I passed over the last several weeks  and have yet to spot a single pedestrian.

Photo of the Week #2: Calling all cars

Photo of the Week #2

Just 3 years old, Jeremy, hopes to trade in his wagon for one just like Cote Saint-Luc Public Security Agent Erwin Luden.

Police officers serve up the java for Special Olympics

Hats off to the officers of Montreal Police Stations 9 and 11 who served up the java, bacon and eggs to benefit the Québec Special Olympics this morning.

The Best in the West (End): Police Commanders of Station 9 Sylvain Bissonnette and Station 11 Roxane Pitre

Chez Cora on St. Jacques Street was the safest place in town as uniformed officers scurried around with waiters and waitresses filling, and refilling, the mugs.

Cote Saint-Lucers were out in full force with Councillors Ruth Kovac, Mike Cohen and myself representing Council, City Manager Tanya Abramovitch, legal counsel Cheri Bell, Public Security director and manager Jordy Reichson and Jerome Pontbriand, Senior Men’s Club members Henry Grover and George Nashen, vCOP members Alan Greenberg, Elaine Meunier and Abe Miller.

Commander Bissonnette with CSL vCOPing couple Elaine Meunier and Abe Miller

Local commanders Sylvain Bissonnette (PDQ9) and Roxane Pitre (PDQ11) deserve un gros felicitations for their leadership not only throughout the year but in organizing this important fundraising initiative to help those with intellectual and physical challenges to compete and to gain self confidence.

Enjoying their breakfast together are Public Security’s First Lady (and CSL EMS medic) Joy Rodgers, Jordy Reichson, Dr. Judy Hagshi and Jerome Pontbriand

Hundreds of West Enders turned up for breakfast and lunch for a good cause.  A Kosher meal was even available.  At the end of the day the Police Department was successful in raising $xxxx for the Special Olympians.  Bravo to Montreal’s Finest who raised over $4000.

Howard Liebman, Mount Royal MP Irwin Cotler’s representative with Councillor (and big police fan) Ruth Kovac

Read more on Mike Cohen’s blog

Rabbi Raskin’s Beth Chabad CSL opens with great fanfare

After two decades of planning, and praying, Beth Chabad Cote Saint-Luc‘s “Hechal Menachem” was finally launched this week with a grand celebration in the new facility at the eastern end of Kildare Road.

I have been a witness to the marvelous work of Rabbi Mendel and Sarah Raskin, and their family, and I salute their dedication and self-sacrifice for the greater good.

There is a story told about the Chabad Lubavitch Rebbe‘s early life that seems to be almost symbolic of everything that was to follow. When he was nine years old, the young Menachem Mendel courageously dove into the Black Sea and saved the life of a little boy who had fallen from the deck of a moored ship. The Rebbe’s sense of rescuing others in danger seems to have dominated his consciousness and influenced the rest of his life as well as millions of followers over the generations.

Rabbi Raskin has carried on the Rebbe’s mission of rescuing Jews drowning in assimilation, ignorance or alienation.  He has persevered and achieved success in his mission and in that of the Chabad movement for the betterment not only of the Jewish community of Cote Saint-Luc, but for mankind.

Kol hakavod, congratulations to Rabbi Raskin on his tremendous community outreach in Cote Saint-Luc and on reaching this important milestone.

Read Mike Cohen’s blog for a full recap of the gala inauguration and an exclusive video interview with Rabbi Raskin and Mayor Anthony Housefather.

CJPAC Action Party 2012

This year Cote Saint-Luc Mayor Anthony Housefather, Councillors Ruth Kovac, Dida Berku,  Mitchell Brownstein, Mike Cohen and I attended the Canadian Jewish Political Affairs Committee (CJPAC) Action Party at the Arsenal in St. Henri.

Councillor Mike Cohen and I meet Member of Parliament Tyrone Benskin

CJPAC is a unique national, grassroots, independent organization whose mandate is to engage the community in the political process. CJPAC mobilizes the grassroots across the country, builds relationships with elected officials – of all political parties – and works for Jewish community interests, on a multi-partisan basis, during and between elections.

Former party organizers Mike Cohen, Sandie Sparkman and me. We were the leaders of the Jewish Adult Programming Society (aka JAPS) that threw large soirees in Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto and Calgary as well as trips to Israel in the late 80s and early 90s.

We met with several elected officials and their staff from all levels of government along with many young people interested in engaging with politicians.  You’d think that Mount Royal riding, encompassing Cote Saint-Luc, Hamsptead, Town of Mount Royal and a slice of Snowdon was up for grabs as former candidate Saulie Zajdel made the rounds talking up Stephen Harper‘s great support of Israel while the current MP’s (Irwin Cotler) Chief of Staff, Howard Liebman, worked the other side of the room.  Meanwhile, former Mount Royal Tory candidate Neil Drabkin was also in attendance easily working his way across the floor connecting with younger voters.

Mike Cohen and I meet up with former Montreal City Councillor and candidate for MP of Mount Royal Saulie Zajdel. Could Saulie be planning to run yet again?

CDN-NDG Borough Councillor Lionel Perez is a superb local leader who tells me that the Jewish General Hospital has done a marvelous job at promoting the current expansion to the neighbouring residents. Also in attendance were NDG-Lachine MP Isabelle Morin, with whom I recently had the pleasure of meeting one on one with JGH Executive Director Dr. Hartley Stern.  The NDP’s Pat Martin was also in from Winnipeg to experience the Action Party for the first time.  NDP big boss Thomas Mulcair did rounds of the packed industrial party place as did MP Justin Trudeau, DDO Councillor Herbert Brownstein, Hampstead Councillor (and possibly next Mayor?) Bonnie Feigenbaum and longtime political organizers Steve Pinkus, Jonathan Schneiderman and Jonathan Goldbloom.

Could Howard Liebman of the Liberal Party face off against Neil Drabkin of the Conservative Party in Mount Royal riding in the next federal election?

The Action Party is a terrific opportunity to turn young voters on to voting and becoming involved at all levels of government.  One word of advice to the organizers for next year (an I do feel “old” saying it):  Turn down the incredibly loud music so people can hear each other.  There’s hardly any dancing at all but lots of shmoozing where I struggled to lip read what was being said to me (I hope all good things of course).

All in all, a tremendous idea and well organized venture.  Bravo to the sponsors and committee.

Read more on Mike Cohen’s blog.

Read more in the CJN.

Celebrating National Emergency Medical Services Week

Cote Saint-Luc EMS volunteers

May 20 to 26, 2012 is the National Emergency Medical Services Week, an opportunity to recognize and thank the amazing men and women of the Emergency Medical Services who are out in the community 24×7 helping those in need. In Cote Saint-Luc, our 100+ dedicated volunteers provide care around the clock to the ill and injured, answering more than 3,000 emergency calls in 2011. On behalf of the City of Cote Saint-Luc, the members of City Council and the residents that we serve, Mayor Anthony Housefather joins me in expressing our gratitude for your continued commitment and contributions to our EMS service. Our EMS service is one of the crown jewels of Cote Saint-Luc and we are extremely proud of our EMS volunteers who consistently go out into the community and help those in need. National Emergency Medical Services Week is a time to celebrate the great work you do day in and day out. For our crews who cover shifts around the clock to the whole support team that works in the background, congratulations on a job well done. It is an honour for our city and our residents to have such caring and compassionate EMS volunteers at their service. Keep up the great work. To everyone in the EMS field, happy EMS Week… you deserve it !

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The following was read in the House of Commons last week, by MP Joy Smith, recognizing EMS providers across Canada for EMS WEEK:

Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to stand in the House today and call attention to Emergency Medical Services Week, which will take place next week.

There are over 30,000 paramedics from coast to coast who are represented by the Emergency Medical Services Chiefs of Canada. Paramedics are the third largest health care provider group in Canada. They serve on the front lines of health care in every community across our nation providing essential care. They are a reliable and constant presence in most remote and rural areas, as well as in our largest cities. Every day, the efforts of the communications staff, paramedics and support staff make a real difference to someone in someone’s community.

Emergency Medical Services Week 2012 salutes the men and women of Canada’s emergency medical services. I invite hon. members to join me in celebrating the lifelong dedication of emergency medical services professionals to keep Canadians safe.

City to acquire energy efficient vehicles

 

The Free Press, May 8, 2012. Click to enlarge.

Cavendish link a longstanding issue

The Suburban looks back at 50 years in our community

Cavendish link a longstanding issue in The Suburban

April 18, 2012

Joel Goldenberg, The Suburban

 

Sometimes, when I go out into the community and identify myself as being from The Suburban, longtime readers will frequently bring up the Cavendish extension issue. And why not? The issue of the link, or lack thereof, between St. Laurent and Côte St. Luc is almost as old and perhaps even older than the paper itself, and has become synonymous with us.

At a recent press conference announcing the ceding of the Hippodrome land from the Quebec government to Montreal and the resultant resurfacing of the Cavendish link, I inwardly chuckled as a local reporter said she has been hearing about the issue since she started reporting about 16 years ago. That’s only a fraction of the time the matter has been discussed.

For the last 45 years, motorists from Côte St. Luc, Hampstead, NDG and St. Laurent stuck in traffic on the Decarie expressway have been dreaming of an alternate north-south route. But it always seemed elusive. Côte St. Luc was opposed for many years (”We don’t want it, we don’t need it and we can’t afford it,” former mayor Bernard Lang famously said) and then supportive under the Robert Libman and current Anthony Housefather administration.

The link resurfaced during the merger years – with a project bureau even being formed – and was seemingly placed on the shelf again after demerger.

Yet, in recent weeks, Côte des Neiges/NDG, Town of Mount Royal, Côte St. Luc, Montreal West, St. Laurent and Hampstead have passed resolutions calling on Quebec and Montreal to prioritize the link. And some believe the future development of the Hippodrome land gives the project new hope.

Hopes of this sort were temporarily dashed in one of the earliest stories The Suburban had on the Cavendish link. The front page of the June 16, 1966 issue carried the story “Cavendish WILL NOT be extended.” The story quotes an A. Branchand, chief engineer for the department of roads; and Jean-Paul Matte, project director for what was to be a second bridge from Montreal to Laval, as saying there was “no intention” to extend Cavendish from Côte St. Luc to Côte de Liesse in St. Laurent. Both told The Suburban that bigger priorities were the second bridge, the Décarie expressway then nearing completion and what became the Rockland overpass north o f Van Horne and south of Jean Talon. Matte even said that Montée de Liesse in St. Laurent was more of a possibility for an extension, to be linked northward with the second bridge.

To this day, there has been no Montée de Liesse extension to Gouin and there is no span west of the Lachapelle Bridge in the area where an extended Montée de Liesse would be.

“Both Mr. Branchaud and Mr. Matte agreed that ‘Cavendish was not a provincial problem,’” the 1966 story concludes.

But today, the municipalities involved are very much looking to the province to finally resolve this issue. As the years go by, many have told us they wonder whether the Cavendish link will ever be completed in their lifetimes. At least there is a little more hope now than in 1966.

Our mayor can marry you. Literally.

If you’ve just set a date for your wedding and want to get married in Québec, this can be an exciting time for the two of you!

But, it gets even better.  Cote Saint-Luc Mayor Anthony Housefather and City Councillors will be authorized by the Minister of Justice to “solemnize marriages” within the territory of Cote Saint-Luc.

In Québec, the following can perform your wedding ceremony: a judge, a justice of the peace, a minister, a clergy member who is registered under the Marriage Act, mayors, municipal officers so designated, members of municipal or borough councils, and designated clerks and deputy clerks.

So if  a wedding at the Montreal courthouse doesn’t quite do it for you how about Cote Saint-Luc City Hall or at the Aquatic and Community Centre with your very own Mayor (or City Councillor) presiding?

And the area immediately around City Hall makes for gorgeous wedding photo shoot!

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Photo of the Week #1: Johnny-on-the-Spot

I’m starting a new thing on my blog whereby I hope to post one picture a week for at least the next 52 weeks, each one somehow pertaining to life in Cote Saint-Luc.

I’ll take lots of shots myself but I can use your help.  So grab your iPhone or DSLR and snap a couple for Nashen Notes.  Send it in with your title and description and I’ll post the best one each weekend.

Here’s my first Photo of the Week to get us started:

What a spot for Johnny-on-the Spot

What the heck was this porta-potty doing on Cavendish Boulevard just south of the underpass?  It was certainly a sight for sore eyes and many a motorist must have thought that Candid Camera was in town.

It stood there for two weeks.  A call to the Engineering Office didn’t help solve this mystery as even they couldn’t figure out what it was doing there, although after I called to inquire it was removed the very next day.

This peculiar shot is my inaugural entry for my Photo of the Week.

Police Station 9 update: Nanny, baby held hostage

Station 9 Police Watch

NDG Press, May 8

Nanny, baby held hostage during home invasion

A 31-year-old nanny and a 10-month-old baby were held hostage during a home invasion on Merton Rd.  Police say four suspects gained entry into the home at 11:45 am on April 23. There were no signs of forced entry.

“We believe the suspects may have known the keypad code that allowed them to simply open the front door,” said Constable Vincent De Angelis. “Once they were inside, the nanny, who was on the second floor of the home, heard some noise and started to go downstairs.” But when she left the bedroom, she ended up coming face to face with one of the suspects. “He brought her to the basement and tied her with duct tape. He used tie-wraps on her thumbs and pinky fingers so she couldn’t move her hands,” said De Angelis. “Then, they brought the baby from its crib and placed it in the nanny’s lap.”

The suspects then made their way back up to the master bedroom. “They used a crowbar to pry one safe out of the wall, and stole a second safe that was in a closet,” said De Angelis. “The safes contained both money and jewellery.”

The suspects left by the garage door. The nanny was eventually able to extricate herself, and she called 911. She and the baby were not hurt during the robbery.

The suspects are all described as white males, 30 and 5’7” who wore hoodies.