After first floating the notion of a large convention centre project in Laval in the municipal elections last November, two elected members of the Action Laval opposition party have apparently not given up on the idea.
Action Laval city councillors David De Cotis (Saint-Bruno) and Paolo Galati (Saint-Vincent-de-Paul) touched base recently with Laval Chamber of Commerce and Industry president/CEO Caroline De Guire to promote their concept for the Centre de foire.
Former Action Laval mayoralty candidate Sophie Trottier had unveiled preliminary plans and sketches for the proposed convention centre around two months before election day.
While some observers, such as Laval mayor Stéphane Boyer later dismissed the multimillion-dollar project as too extravagant to be feasible, and voters weren’t swayed enough to elect an Action Laval administration, Galati and De Cotis seem to feel it’s an idea that still has legs.
In a recent press release, they say the Centre de foire project holds the possibility of generating a significant number of business opportunities in Laval as well as throughout the Montreal region and across the province.
“For the moment, the entire region is losing because there is no international calibre convention centre in Montreal,” says De Cotis, maintaining that the Palais des Congrès in Montreal isn’t a true international convention centre and hasn’t enough room in its present location to become one.
He says the Carré Laval sector here would be the perfect location for such an undertaking and that the City of Laval should leap at the opportunity as it is going through its long-term “Repensons Laval” urban planning consultation.
Galati and De Cotis claim that major trade shows and conventions today are increasingly going to Toronto and New York City, while Quebec is losing out.
“Laval could make this space available to Quebec’s overall business community,” said Galati, pointing out that local businesses including hotels, restaurants, entertainment venues, as well as providers of equipment and services, would benefit most.
Laval Firemen’s festival returns on June 4-5
Following a two-year absence, the City of Laval’s firefighters are feeling especially enthusiastic lately as they prepare to hold their first Firemen’s Festival and footrace on June 4-5 at the Centropolis. It would be the first time since the beginning of the Covid pandemic in 2020.
A big tradition will be resuming on the morning of Saturday June 4 when the parade of vintage fire trucks – some from other regions of Quebec and even from the U.S. – makes its way through Laval, ending at the Centropolis.
The Centropolis is the place where you’ll want to be that day when the firefighters offer a range of fun and interesting activities for the whole family, including demonstrations in firefighting techniques, information kiosks and even firehall cooking.
On Sunday June 5 it’ll be time for the Course des pompiers, with funds raised going towards the Fondation des pompiers du Québec for burn victims. More than 5, 000 walkers and runners will be participating, from beginners to experts.
City to celebrate Fête nationale on June 24
And also, after several years of scaling back the size of the celebration because of the Covid pandemic, the City of Laval is preparing to get back to normal this June 24 when it stages Fête nationale 2022 at the Centre de la nature.
Beginning at 8:30 pm that evening, a good number of renowned Québécois performers will be taking to the stage, including FouKi, High Klassified, Hubert Lenoir, Isabelle Boulay, Klô Pelgag, Les Louanges, Lisa Leblanc, Patrice Michaud, Samian and Sarahmée.
“What a joy it is this year to be able to rediscover our fête nationale at the Centre de la nature,” says Mayor Stéphane Boyer. “More and more, the Fête nationale in Laval is a poorly-guarded secret, attracting tens of thousands of people from everywhere in Quebec.”
After two years when there were virtually no Fête nationale celebrations in Laval, the time has come to celebrate, says Laval city councillor for L’Orée-des-Bois Yannick Langlois, who is responsible for overseeing the city’s Fête nationale celebrations.
While the concert starts at 8:30 pm, the site will be open beginning at 5:30 pm. Food will be available from mobile kitchen trucks, and at the end of the evening there will be a large fireworks display. A shuttle bus service will be available to bring those travelling by public transit from the Montmorency Metro station to the Centre de la nature at the beginning and at the end of the evening.
