(TLN) The official opening of the new Lausanne Park community centre on Jan. 17 was attended by Mayor Marc Demers, who toured the facility with representatives of several community organizations, as well as Laval city councillor for the district of Saint-Bruno David De Cotis.
Fruit of consultations
The $5.5 million project was undertaken by the City of Laval after a need for the centre was expressed by local community groups. In all, five community and sports activities groups were consulted by the city before proceeding.
“The City of Laval is happy to be able to offer to these groups community spaces of high quality that will serve simultaneously as sports chalets as well as locations for other types of gatherings,” said Mayor Marc Demers. “This mixed use centre which has long been awaited by people from the area is the result of a participatory consultation.”
LEED certification
The new centre, measuring 1,393 square metres, contains multi-use rooms, locker areas, sanitary services, a snack bar, a community kitchen and storage space. The building has received a LEED Gold certification for environmentally-responsible construction. It also includes three re-charging stations for electric vehicles.
David De Cotis was accompanied to the launch by fellow city councillor Michel Poissant, Gordon Berry of the Club de soccer Monteuil, Danielle Mercure of Loisirs St-Bruno and Anabela Monteiro of Vimont MNA Jean Rousselle’s office. In a statement, De Cotis said the opening of the community centre was a sign that the people of Saint-Bruno were no longer being ignored by the Demers administration.
De Cotis pleased
“When I decided to run in the municipal elections in 2009, I quickly understood that the population of the sector wanted this space,” he said. “For me, promises are meant to be kept. I had committed starting in 2009 to get this community centre and I am very proud to deliver it to those supported me so strongly in 2013 and 2017.”
“This is a space that will become the heart of the district of Saint-Bruno,” De Cotis added. “Already there is a lot of activity in this park during the winter as well as during the summer, and now it will be structured even better. While we now have here multiple sports facilities of the highest level, there were none before for the organizations, the referees, the players and the equipment. Loisirs Saint-Bruno were struggling to grow in their facilities far from the population, although now they’re close to the clients they serve.”
