Laval city council took an additional step recently towards expanding the use of “dynamic” signage along streets to better inform motorists and residents of parking restrictions whenever there is a need for this, such as during snow storms.
During a recent council meeting, the council members awarded a contract to Pierre Brossard (1981) ltée to implement electronic parking regulation signage.
The signs, which are programmable remotely, will allow municipal employees to inform motorists and residents in “real time,” rather than with sandwich board signs which have been in usage for decades and must be set up one at a time manually on the side of the street.
“The implementation of dynamic signage will translate into an improved efficiency of the system thanks to real-time displays on the street indicating that operations are underday,” says Laval city councillor for Sainte-Dorothée Ray Khalil, the executive-committee member responsible for public works.
“It’s all with an eye on improving citizens’ experience, as well as the management of snow removal including cleaning the streets during the summer in some of Laval’s most densified sectors.”
The illuminated panels will be lit up when needed to display specific times when snow removal or street cleaning operations will be taking place, meaning that motorists and car owners must move their vehicles. The city decided to opt for the system following tests with several pilot projects on its territory over the past few years.
According to the city, residents were polled for their level of expected satisfaction with the system, as well as the public works department’s views on how it would improve their efficiency.
Widespread implementation of the system is expected to begin during the summer of 2024. It is expected to become functional in Chomedey beginning next winter, followed by Pont-Viau and Laval-des-Rapides during the summer of 2025.
Laval council unanimously backs De Cotis motion calling for swimming lessons
A motion tabled by Action Laval city councillor for the district of Saint-Bruno David De Cotis, asking his council colleagues to support a suggestion that Laval residents should receive free swimming lessons, was favourably received recently.
The motion, which has the backing of the Société de sauvetage du Québec (Lifesaving Society), received unanimous support. It also had the backing of Raynald Hawkins, the executive-director of the society.
De Cotis and the motion’s supporters agreed that as a municipality located entirely on an island surrounded on all sides by water, Laval is at a higher risk from hazards having to do with water-related incidents.
Laval at elevated risk
As well, supporters of the motion note that there are a large number of private and public pools in the City of Laval, and that many residents, including immigrants, may never have had the opportunity to learn how to swim.
“We have 38,000 private pools on the city’s territory,” said De Cotis, while adding that there was a sharp increase in the number of drownings in Quebec last year compared to previous years and that “we must do something to find solutions.”
“A project like this brings back a lot more than just swimming lessons,” said Hawkins. “It’s also an important way of introducing newcomers to Laval. The elected officials shouldn’t look upon this proposal as an expense for the city, but rather as an investment for the security of our children.”
Swim lessons for kids
The Lifesaving Society is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote safe interactions with water to prevent drowning and other injuries. The society’s Swim to Survive program (offered to 8+ year old students in the 3rd to 6th grades in elementary school) was created to prevent drowning.
It has been designed as an educational and active field trip. In addition to playing a key role in drowning prevention, the program gets children to move and gain self-confidence, and encourages them to visit aquatic facilities on a more regular basis.
Laval takes a new step forward by appointing the first director of its Office of Social Innovation and Ecological Transition
The Mayor of Laval, Stéphane Boyer announced recently the appointment of Sophie Paradis, who becomes the first Director of the Office of Social Innovation and Ecological Transition.
The Office, which is scheduled to launch in early February, will be responsible for supporting the City’s administrative units in aligning the delivery of services to citizens with the principles of carbon neutrality and equity in the face of environmental issues. Climate change and the importance of biodiversity in Laval require better coordination at all levels within the municipal organization.
“I am very excited to welcome Ms. Paradis to the Director of the Office of Social Innovation and Ecological Transition. We have great ambitions in terms of sustainable development and one of our wishes was to have a cross-cutting vision to guide our decision-making. “In the context of the deployment of our climate plan – Horizon 2035, the Office will allow us to ensure that the ecological transition is applied everywhere and in a systemic way.”
