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New soccer and multisport mini-field opens in Laval’s Saint-François district

Martin C. Barry
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New soccer and multisport mini-field opens in Laval’s Saint-François district

CF Montréal players help inaugurate Impact Foundation’s gift to the city

Players with CF Montréal along with officials from the Montreal Impact Foundation and the City of Laval opened a new synthetic surface multisport mini-field at du Moulin Park in Laval’s Saint-François district last week, much to the delight of some grade school children who were the first users.

It was the fourth mini-field inaugurated by the foundation – and the first in Laval – after similar sports fields were built over the past few years at Champdoré Park in Montreal’s Saint-Michel district, Joe-Beef Park in Pointe-Saint-Charles, and Paul-André Potvin Park in Shawinigan north of Quebec City.

Players with CF Montreal, alongside members of the Montreal Impact Foundation, representatives of the City of Laval and students from École l’Escale in Saint-François are seen here with team mascot Tac-Tik on Sept. 27 during the inauguration of the new playing field. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Newsfirst Multimedia)

Health through sports

“We are always very proud to give back to the community through our mini-field facilities,” Montreal Impact Foundation President Carmie Frassetti Saputo said in a statement. “They are safe and healthy gathering places for youth and families from underserved communities.

“With this initiative, our primary goal is to promote physical activity and healthy lifestyles,” she continued. “We are very grateful to the city of Laval for its invaluable collaboration, and I am confident that together we will continue improving access to youth sports as well as the quality of life in the Saint-François district.”

“Our administration is committed to providing new sports infrastructure in Laval and we are delighted to count on the collaboration of partners like the Montreal Impact Foundation to reach that goal,” Mayor Stéphane Boyer said in a press release.

Making sports accessible

“This new multisport synthetic mini-field in Parc du Moulin, accessible to all citizens, adds to our actions aimed to create more sports and family spaces on the island, particularly in the Saint-François sector,” he added. “This is exactly the kind of initiative that facilitates access to sports and improves the quality of life in the neighborhoods.”

Grade schoolers from the nearby École l’Escale played an informal soccer match with CF Montréal team members on the new field.

In a mission statement, the Montreal Impact Foundation says it organizes and supports various activities to help improve the quality of life of underprivileged children and their families. It mainly provides sports facilities to promote physical activity, and social integration.

Located in city park

The Saint-François field’s construction began May 6, with an initial inauguration date scheduled for mid-July 2022, although it opened only on Sept. 27. The field was built on parkland owned by the City of Laval and is now officially the city’s property.

The new facility was opened with help from CF Montréal (formerly Montreal Impact) players Zachary Brault-Guillard, Sebastian Breza, Kei Kamara and James Pantemis. The field was completed around the same time as the City of Laval was finishing a refurbishing at du Moulin Park, including renovated tennis and basketball courts. A multifunctional skating rink and a skatepark are scheduled for completion in 2024.

Laval city councillor Nicholas Borne, who sits on the executive-committee and attended the opening on behalf of Mayor Boyer, said the field will be accessible by everyone in the community, and not just by sports associations as is sometimes the case.

First signed at age 20

Born and raised in Kirkland on Montreal’s West Island, Pantemis, 25, got his foot in the door with CF Montréal in 2014 when he joined the club’s soccer academy, signing his first team contract at age 20. Pantemis made his competitive debut for the former Impact team on July 24, 2019 in a Canadian Championship match against York9, in which the Impact prevailed 1 – 0.

CF Montréal goalie James Pantemis plays with students on the new multisport field that opened in du Moulin Park in Saint-François on Sept. 27. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Newsfirst Multimedia)

Describing his style of goalkeeping, Pantemis said, “I like to put a lot of emphasis on my reflexes. I think that’s a big part of my game. But I think today it’s important to try and take little things from everybody. You know, not all goalies are the same. So, if you take a little bit from each one, that’s the best thing.”

‘I like to put a lot of emphasis on my reflexes – I think that’s a big part of my game,’ says CF Montréal goaltender James Pantemis

Worked his way up

CF Montréal goalie James Pantemis.

Pantemis started playing house league soccer for AS Pierrefonds at age four, and later played for Lakeshore SC when he had reached U8 and U9 levels. Around that time, he also played on Lac-Saint-Louis regional teams, the provincial Team Québec and the youth national team.

Pantemis agreed there are a lot of good reasons for aspiring young soccer players to feel optimistic that they can one day play the sport professionally as he does now. “I personally enjoy returning to the community to show the kids that I played in some of their neighbourhood parks,” he said. “It’s a good motivator to show them that anything can happen if they want to achieve.”

Parc Lausanne soccer field refurbished thanks to BMO Team of the Week

Martin C. Barry
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Parc Lausanne soccer field refurbished thanks to BMO Team of the Week

The synthetic soccer field at Lausanne Park in Laval’s Saint-Bruno district was recently refurbished thanks to a grant from BMO Team of the Week, which was won by the Monteuil U10 girls’ soccer team.

As part of the refurbishing, the soccer field now has new goal nets, as well as new shelters for players and spectators which were installed over the past summer. A monument has also been installed near the park entrance, with the layout of the park and its various sports facilities shown on it, as well as a commemorative plaque.

All the work was done thanks to a $125,000 grant from BMO. The Monteuil soccer team (which is now merged with the Association de soccer de Laval) had won the Team of the Week contest in 2013. In addition to the refurbishing of the grounds, a $5,000 donation has been made to a local children’s breakfast club.

“It is a great source of pride to see young girl soccer players from Laval getting together to become involved in our community in order to give back to those who will be following after them,” said city councillor Nicholas Borne, the executive-committee member responsible for sports.

“This prize will be serving not only the soccer club, but also all of the community since it will leave a lasting heritage behind to all young athletes. It will allow for the services offered to sports associations and to citizens to be optimized.”

The city councillor for the area, David De Cotis of Action Laval, was on hand for the official opening of the facility. “It’s marvelous to see our businesses trying to make a difference like this for our youths,” he said. “These investments will benefit the vast majority of our young people and the clubs who use this playing field.”

Caroline Lussier, regional vice-president of BMO, said, “We are proud to have been able to work with the City of Laval to obtain these new soccer installations which will allow youths to continue practicing their favourite sport in an environment conducive to succeeding. In keeping with our commitment to making a difference in life as in business, BMO continues to support access to soccer by making a positive impact in communities.”

Pandemic impact study shows Laval’s business owners feel optimistic

In spite of the effects from the Covid-19 pandemic over the past two-and-a-half years, there are signs that the spirit of entrepreneurialism in Laval is still alive, according to a third annual study conducted for the regional development agency Laval économique.

According to the study conducted last year by the Léger polling firm, 90 per cent of Laval’s entrepreneurial business owners are not worried about being forced to close because of the current economic circumstances.

Nearly half (46.5 per cent) said in the study that their revenues have remained stable, while 28 per cent reported their revenues increased.

The 2021 portrait of entrepreneurial dynamics in Laval also indicates that youths, women and immigrants are among those interested in starting a business. In the study, nearly 16 per cent of all respondents said they intended to start or to re-launch a business.

“More than ever, the City of Laval is distinguishing itself by the vitality of its entrepreneurial spirit,” says Mayor Stéphane Boyer. “In spite of the negative effects that impacted small and medium businesses on our territory, Laval’s entrepreneurs have proven their resilience and courage and show that they have everything necessary to succeed.

“I am pleased to know that Laval’s entrepreneurial milieu is made up of entrepreneurs from all backgrounds who contribute to the diversity of innovative and dynamic businesses, which in turn reflects their attachment to the productive economy of the city,” Boyer added.

Lidia Divry, executive-director of Laval économique, said, “The results of the study bear witness to the effervescence of entrepreneurialism across the territory, and this is what we see each day on the ground. It’s a sign that the tools and programs we offer are bearing fruit. With our team, we will continue to support entrepreneurs and companies in order to generate wealth on our territory.”

Some facts from the study:

  • 48.8 per cent say they intend to invest in innovative projects over the coming year, compared to 31.3 per cent who said so in the rest of Quebec.
  • 78.6 per cent have implemented human resource strategies (compared to 61.3 per cent in the rest of Quebec).
  • 41 per cent said they intend to invest in recruitment, 40 per cent in the improvement of work conditions, while 38.1 per cent said they will be increasing salaries and social perks.

56.7 per cent of business owners in Laval said they have adopted a new strategic orientation in the last year, including a focus on sustainable development (32 per cent) or increased focus on diversity and minority hiring (21.3 per cent).

Alternate-side street parking in effect since Oct. 1

The City of Laval is advising residents that winter parking rules, involving parking on alternate sides of the street to facilitate snow removal, are in effect as of Oct. 1.

When there are no street maintenance operations underway (street sweeping, snow plowing or snow blowing), parking is permitted on both sides of the street until the next operation starts.

“We are determined to make life simpler for the citizens of Laval by putting into place measures and tools that will allow them to take fully advantage of the street parking on most of the roads network on our territory,” says Laval city councillor for Sainte-Dorothée Ray Khalil who is responsible for public works on the executive-committee.

He noted that last year, residents got 117 days of unrestricted street parking out of a total 150 days when the parking restrictions apply.

The city recommends residents get information when snow removal ops will be getting underway from the online app Info-Stationnement. As well, signage is posted along streets after snowfalls warning motorists that parking is restricted until snow removal is completed.

The city says that over the past three winters, it has been testing new ways of controlling wintertime street parking with several pilot projects offering more flexibility.

‘Open house’ at Laval’s firehalls on Sunday Oct. 9

Most of the City of Laval’s firehalls will be open to the public for tours on Sunday Oct. 9 from 10 am to 4 pm. In all, staff at eight firehalls will welcome everybody who wants to stop by, the exception being Firehall No. 9 in Vimont which is currently closed for extensive renovations.

The Laval Fire Dept.’s annual open house day is always a big draw for children who turn up with their parents for one of the most exciting experiences in their young lives. This year as in years past, they will have a chance to see up close the equipment and gear firefighters use on a daily basis.

“Open house day is a unique occasion to meet the employees of the Laval Fire Dept.,” says Laval city councillor for Concorde–Bois-de-Boulogne Sandra Desmeules, who is responsible for public safety dossiers on the executive-committee.

“It takes place in a relaxed atmosphere and it’s an opportunity to see everything up close, while questions can albo be asked on various aspects of the occupation.” Everybody attending one of the open houses will have a chance to win a 72-hour emergency survival kit.

‘Chomedey has its Liberal values still’

Martin C. Barry
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‘Chomedey has its Liberal values still’

Voters choose Sona Lakhoyan Olivier as their new PLQ MNA

While the overall fate of the Quebec Liberals hung precariously last Monday night as election results from everywhere in Quebec rolled across TV screens, Sona Lakhoyan Olivier, the PLQ’s candidate in Chomedey, sprinted to a comfortable win, easily outdistancing her nearest rival by nearly 15 percentage points.

Jubilant mood at HQ

The mood at her campaign headquarters on Curé Labelle Blvd. was jubilant around 9:15 pm when at least one broadcast media declared her the winner in a six-way race that also included candidates from the Coalition Avenir Québec, the Conservative Party of Quebec, Québec solidaire, the Parti Québécois and the Green Party of Quebec.

Supporters of Sona Lakhoyan Olivier’s campaign to become the Quebec Liberal Party’s MNA for Chomedey celebrate with her last Monday evening at campaign HQ on Curé Labelle Blvd. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Newsfirst Multimedia)

At 10:49 pm, Élections Québec accredited Lakhoyan Olivier with 38.25 per cent of the total tally of votes (10,794 ballots).

Distant finishes

George Plantanitis of the CAQ was a distant second with 23.5 per cent (6,631 votes), followed by Konstantinos Merakos of the Conservatives with 21.7 per cent (6,124 votes), and Zachary Robert of QS, Rachid Bandou of the PQ and Sahbi Nablia of the Greens tailing with single digit percentages ranging from just under 8 per cent to less than 1 per cent respectively.

Newly-elected Chomedey Liberal MNA Sona Lakhoyan Olivier, left, is congratulated by Silvana Senattore last Monday evening at campaign headquarters. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Newsfirst Multimedia)

“We worked very hard,” Lakhoyan Olivier said in an election night interview with The Laval News. “I had a big team helping me out.” As not all of the 205 polling stations in Chomedey had finished counting their ballots, Lakhoyan Olivier seemed in a mild state of disbelief when told of her win, saying she wanted to see for certain “if Chomedey has its Liberal values still.”

‘What we need now is a strong opposition’

Newly-elected Chomedey PLQ MNA Sona Lakhoyan

Saddened by CAQ win

Reacting to the incumbent Coalition Avenir Québec government’s overwhelming second-term win, she said, “I guess the people of Quebec they want to continue with the same government where the PM [Premier François Legault] is running things by himself. I find this sad. I would have liked to see more choices: a government that respects all equally. It’s sad that this is where we are at.”

Quebec Liberal candidate for Chomedey Sona Lakhoyan Olivier (second from right) and supporters watched anxiously as the election returns came in last Monday evening before she was declared the winner. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Newsfirst Multimedia)

Despite the CAQ’s electoral success, Lakhoyan Olivier maintained that while in office over the past four years, the government chose to neglect certain communities, while striving primarily to please others. “What we need now is a strong opposition led by Dominique Anglade and the Liberals, which is the only federalist party,” she said.

CAQ takes four of Laval’s six ridings

Renata Isopo
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CAQ takes four of Laval’s six ridings

Major political redirection on Laval Island

The CAQ sweep of 90 seats across Québec comes as no surprise, but the previous Liberal tide of 2018 in Laval that swept five of the six seats lost enough intensity and height to bring about a more extensive presence of the Legault factor island-wide.

Skeete re-elected 

As expected, Christopher Skeete easily drifted to victory in Sainte-Rose, outdistancing his strongest rival – PLQ’s Michel Trottier by a wide margin. Trottier is no stranger to Laval politics, having successfully contested several campaigns at municipal level. After four years as leader of the opposition at city hall, Trottier bolted after his loss to Stephane Boyer for the mayor’s chair.

Christopher Skeete.

  Asked to what he attributed his win and the massive success of the CAQ cross-province,

 Skeet told TLN that the credit must go “To the Premier and his amazing leadership and the stellar team we have in general. “Skeet said he fought hard because he believes in the CAQ’s philosophy, strategies, aims, and belief that to govern effectively is to render service to all Quebecers. “I promised M. Legault that as long as he was there, I would fight a good fight with him. We managed to surprise a lot of people, imagine what we can do in the next 4 years.”

  Asked if he had a message for those who didn’t vote for him, he replied that “it doesn’t matter that you didn’t vote for me, I’m going to be your MNA, the person speaking on your behalf in the National Assembly. I represent all 53,000 voters and their families in Sainte-Rose,” adding that “he was grateful to the people of Sainte-Rose who put their trust in me as their representative in Québec City. I hold their support in very high esteem and I will continue to be present to all residents of the district.”

  Having spent the last four years carrying the heavy load of Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier for Relations with English-Speaking Québecers, in February of 2021 he also took on the role of Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister Responsible for the Fight Against Racism.

  At press time, Skeete’s totals for 2022 were at over 13,000 votes, with a margin of 5,000 over Trottier.

Celine Haytayan

  In addition to winner Skeete and runner-up Trottier, four other hopefuls sought the Sainte-Rose seat in the National Assembly: Lyne Jubinville of the Parti Québecois, Karine Cliche of Québec Solidaire, Pierrette Kamning Nguendjong of the Green Party, and Stéphanie Beauchamp of the Québec Conservative Party.

  Of these six candidates, four are women, a changing-of-the-gender guard as only one woman out of eight candidates – Caroiline Bergevin of the Green Party – was courageous enough to throw her political hat in the ring in 2018.

  Is there a seat in cabinet looming on the horizon for Skeete as he embarks on his second consecutive term in office as Sainte-Rose MNA? “Only time will tell,” the 43-year-old- veteran politician answered politely and cautiously, carefully choosing to stay on the good side of optimistic expectations.

Haytayan wins in Laval-des-Rapides 

In the other five Laval-Island provincial ridings, at press time, the CAQ was declared winners or leading in three – with Alice Abou-Khalil leading in Fabre, Celine Haytayan in Laval des Rapides,and Valérie Schmaltz in Vimont. In Mille -Îles, Liberal Virginie Dufour was leading CAQ’s Julie Sélde by a narrow margin. One seat was declared lost to the CAQ.

  Not surprisingly, in Liberal Bastion Chomedey, Sona Lakhoyan Olivier narrowly retained the riding for Anglade’s party, although the margin of victory was considerably reduced compared with the wins racked up by the three pervious MNAs – Guy Ouellette, Thomas Mulcair, and Lise Bacon in election-after-election since the early 1980s.

Legault re-elected with a stronger majority government

Laval News Contributor
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Legault re-elected with a stronger majority government

Division of opposition parties boosted CAQ

(NEWSFIRST) It took only eight minutes after the polls closed for tva host Pierre Bruneau to say the magic words: “If the trend continues, the next CAQ government will be in the majority.” A result that will not surprise anyone, in light of the many opinion polls that gave the winning CAQ team even before the start of the electoral marathon.

As soon as the first results of the advance poll were announced, the CAQ’s advances were such that the election of several candidates from François Legault’s party was confirmed.

The Coalition avenir Québec (CAQ) won the election and led another majority government. François Legault’s party, which won the 2018 election, won a second consecutive term. For its part, the Quebec Liberal Party (QLP) will return to the benches of the official opposition.

This is the first time since 2008 that a political party has won two general elections in a row. And it is also the first time since 1998 that Quebecers have entrusted the same party with two successive majority mandates.

The pollsters will therefore have seen it right: the CAQ had been given favorite from the beginning of the campaign, on August 28.

The government will once again be led by François Legault.

And he will in all likelihood count on an even larger team than the 76 deputies who sat for him at the time of the dissolution of the National Assembly, starting with the 25 members of his Cabinet, all of whom will be back in Parliament.

 The CAQ also elected several star candidates, including Sonia Bélanger (Prévost), Martine Biron (Chaudière-Appalaches), Kariane Bourassa (Charlevoix–Côte-de-Beaupré), Pascale Déry (Repentigny), Bernard Drainville (Lévis), Christine Fréchette (Sanguinet) and Suzanne Roy (Verchères).

In Duplessis, Kateri Champagne Jourdain was elected, who became the first Indigenous woman in history to enter Parliament.

Weakened opposition

The evening was much more difficult for the other formations, whose support is all around 15%.

For the PLQ, this is the worst score in its history. Its support had never fallen as low as in 2018, at 25%. That being said, the party should retain its place on the opposition benches with about twenty MPs, or even more.

Its leader, Dominique Anglade, was re-elected. She gave the signal tonight that she intends to remain in office, despite the retreat of her party. “In the coming days, months, years, I will deploy the same energy, the same conviction, the same ambition, she assured. The work has begun and must continue.”

The Parti Québécois (PQ) is also at a low level, with the party never winning less than 17% of the vote in 2018. However, its leader, Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, was re-elected, as were Pascal Bérubé (Matane-Matapédia) and Joël Arseneau (Îles-de-la-Madeleine).

Québec solidaire (QS), for its part, should end the evening with a score similar to that of 2018 in terms of votes and seats (about ten). His two spokesmen, Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, in Gouin, and Manon Massé, in Sainte-Marie–Saint-Jacques, were easily re-elected.

Finally, the Conservative Party of Quebec (PCQ) was on track to elect no MPs tonight. Defeated in Chauveau, its leader, Eric Duhaime, has however promised to be back on the ranks in four years.

Calling on his activists not to be too pessimistic, the former radio host recalled that Qs won only 4% of the vote in the 2007 elections, the first in which the party participated.

Trudeau congratulates Legault

The Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, quickly issued a statement congratulating François Legault, saying he looks forward to continuing to work with [him] to address the challenges that matter to Quebecers and all Canadians.

These include fostering the growth of the green economy, fighting climate change, finding solutions to labour shortages, making life more affordable, fostering the creation of affordable housing, investing in infrastructure and building a clean and prosperous future, he said.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford also hailed the victory of his friend François Legault. Let’s continue to build deeper ties between our two provinces and strengthen the economic ties between us that create well-paying jobs,” he tweeted Monday night.

Voters turnout

Voter turnout was only 66.13%, which is lower than the 66.45% in the 2018 Elections. At 5:30 p.m., the turnout was 44.63%. Advance voting reached a record high this year, with more than one in five voters (22.92%) going to the polls before election day. In 2018, the turnout at the end of the evening was 66.45%, which was then the second lowest result in history.

The record turnout belongs to the Parti Québécois election in 1976, when 85.27% of voters went to the polls.

No less than 880 people were in the ranks this year, or about seven candidates per constituency.

These elections put an end to a gruelling 36-day campaign. The next few weeks are obviously much quieter than the previous ones. The MPs elected today are expected to be sworn in in two or three weeks. In 2018, the Council of Ministers was presented 18 days after the elections.

Laval News Volume 30-24

Laval News Staff
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Laval News Volume 30-24

The current issue of the Laval News, volume 30-24, published on October 5th, 2022.
Covering Laval local news, politics, sports, and our new section Mature Life.
(Click on the image to read the paper.)

Front page of the Laval News.
Front page of the Laval News, October 5th, 2022 issue.

FILIA Association for Seniors holds third annual Walk a Thon in Laval

Martin C. Barry
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FILIA Association for Seniors holds third annual Walk a Thon in Laval

Smaller turnout attributed to some supporters taking long overdue post-Covid vacations

The 16th annual FILIA Walk a Thon, which was also the third held in Laval, drew a smaller crowd than is normally the case each year.

From the left, Sylvie Bégin from Vimy MP Annie Koutrakis’ riding office, Laval city councillor Sandra El-Helou, Montreal city councillor Mary Deros, Johanna Tsoublekas, Laval-Les Îles MP Fayçal El-Khoury, Laval city councillor Aglaia Revelakis and Laval city councillor Vasilios Karidogiannis.

Even though the weather was beautiful on Saturday Sept. 17, an organizer of the event in St. Norbert Park attributed the lesser turnout to a number of the group’s members being on long summer vacations in the aftermath of the more than two-year-long Covid pandemic.

Vacations and donations

“I don’t think that we are going to have too many people this year,” said FILIA executive-director Johanna Tsoublekas. “Because you can’t imagine how many members are in Greece on vacation.”

Despite that, she said they had already received a good number of donations from absent patrons for FILIA’s meals-on-wheels and other programs, while helping to lead the way towards FILIA’s 40th anniversary celebration next year.

Walkers make their way along a circuit near Saint Norbert Park last Saturday during the FILIA 2022 Walk a Thon event. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Newsfirst Multimedia)

Although a provincial election is taking place in just a few weeks, and in past years the Walk a Thon has offered campaigning politicians a venue to meet and greet, the only politicians who turned up last Saturday were elected officials from the federal and municipal levels of government.

Support from elected officials

Among them were Laval-Les Îles Liberal MP Fayçal El-Khoury, Sylvie Bégin from Vimy Liberal MP Annie Koutrakis’s riding office, Montreal city councillor for Park Extension Mary Deros, and Laval city councillors Vasilios Karidogiannis (l’Abord-à-Plouffe), Aglaia Revelakis (Chomedey) and Sandra El-Helou (Souvenir-Labelle).

The Walk A Thon is held in September every year as a fundraiser for the FILIA meals-on-wheels program. While FILIA’s mission at one time was to provide assistance to Greek women of the Park Extension Hellenic community and later throughout Montreal, the organization’s mandate now is to serve senior citizens and people of every description are welcomed.

Johanna Tsoublekas is the longtime driving force behind FILIA.

Although FILIA held the Walk a Thon during its first 13 years in Park Extension, which is still regarded by most Hellenic Montrealers as the centre of the Montreal Greek community, FILIA has been focusing increasingly on making its services available in Laval, while continuing to offer those in Park Extension.

Raising funds and exercise

Led for many years by Johanna Tsoublekas, FILIA’s services include home housekeeping and supervision, volunteer training and a healthcare clinic for the feet. During this year’s and the past years’ Walk a Thons in Laval, the walkers made their way along a circuit that went around Saint Norbert Park on Cartier Blvd. in eastern Chomedey.

For most of the guests, including El-Khoury, there was no better way to start the day. “It’s very good to be here on a sunny day like today in Laval,” he told the Laval News, noting that among his top priorities is attending the many community events that he gets invited to regularly in his riding.

Vital to the community

“Johanna and FILIA are very important to the city,” said Karidogiannis. “They help us help our senior citizens. That’s why we’re here supporting her and to wish continuing success to Johanna in the years to come. Whatever help she needs, we’re are always by her side.”

“I’m here to encourage FILIA and all the work that Johanna does in Laval and Montreal,” said Revelakis. “I’m here to support her and to wish her all the best. She does so much for all the seniors here and in Montreal.”

“I see being here as my duty and the very least I can do to support FILIA,” said El-Helou, who is responsible for senior citizen dossiers on Laval city council. “Especially after Covid, many seniors are now afraid of getting out,” added El-Helou. “I feel very honoured to be here with everyone. I am always more than happy to provide any kind of help they may need.”

Guzzo family’s ‘Notte in Bianco’ raises $250,000 for youth mental health

Martin C. Barry
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Guzzo family’s ‘Notte in Bianco’ raises $250,000 for youth mental health

Annual dress-white fundraiser supports children’s psychological well-being

The 13th annual edition of Notte in Bianco, held on Sept. 8 in support of the Guzzo Family’s foundation for youth mental health, raised more than $250,000 for youth mental health initiatives.

Vince Guzzo (second from left) is seen here with Foodtastic restaurant chain president and CEO Peter Mammas, along with Nicky Didaskalou (far right) and Shireen Morrissey.

Nearly 400 guests mingled, dined and danced the night away during the late-summer, dress-white fundraiser held at the Terrebonne home of Maria and Vincent Guzzo of Cinémas Guzzo fame.

Mental health research

Maria Guzzo, vice-president and head of charitable donations for the company, specializes in youth mental health at McGill University. Her husband, Vince Guzzo, president and CEO of Cinémas Guzzo, became well-known across Canada and elsewhere as a Dragon on the hit TV show Dragon’s Den.

Both have directed their philanthropic energies in support of youth mental health research, hoping to offer children and teens a better outlook on life through new research funded by their charitable organization.

Each year, several hundred guests pay $1,000 a ticket to take part in the Notte in Bianco event, which is regarded by many prominent Montrealers as a must-attend on the city’s social calendar.

This year’s Notte in Bianco supporters had a chance to sample some of the exotic offerings of Paris-based women’s fragrance maker Guerlain.

Dressed for the occasion

Based partly on a summertime party tradition the Guzzos brought back to Montreal from the Hamptons on the ocean coast of New York State where they have spent many of their summers, dress white is considered ‘de rigueur’ each year at Notte in Bianco.

If not for the Covid pandemic, the year 2022 would have marked year 15 for Notte in Bianco. “I think we’re coming back pretty quickly,” Vince Guzzo said in an interview with Newsfirst Multimedia, referring to the more than two-year-long pandemic.

Returning to normal

Regarding the family’s business, Guzzo was guardedly optimistic about its prospects – especially with the pandemic now retreating. “I think things are coming back pretty quickly – a quick return to normality,” he said, while noting that Tom Cruise’s summertime hit, Top Gun: Maverick, delivered well at the box office. He was hoping for business to be back to pre-pandemic levels by the end of the last quarter of 2022.

Each year, several hundred guests pay $1,000 a ticket to take part in Notte in Bianco

Vince and Maria Guzzo, seen here during the 2022 Notte in Bianco on Sept. 8, hold the event each year as a fundraiser for youth mental health initiatives. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Newsfirst Multimedia)

Although Cineworld, the second-largest movie theatre chain globally after AMC Theatres, filed for bankruptcy protection on Sept. 7, and Guzzo expected AMC to follow suit despite their insistence otherwise, he suggested the downturn for these giants may lead to opportunities for medium and small players in the industry.

“We want to see what the opportunities are with the bankruptcies of those theatres, how many theatres they’re going to let go if any, what are the landlords going to do, can we strike some deals,” said Guzzo.

A keen interest in films

Following his arrival in Quebec from Italy in 1967, Vince Guzzo’s father, Angelo, became one of the pioneers of independent multi-screen movie theatres in Canada.

As a business person, he built a solid reputation for himself in the screening of movies, earning widespread respect in the industry. Vince Guzzo started going to the movies with his parents when he was four and soon became fascinated with the selection of films to be seen.

He developed what he calls a flair for a good film. During his teens, he was actively involved in the family business. His father took him along on many business trips to the United States to select movies for their programming.

Chomedey seniors enjoy a BBQ lunch courtesy of Councillor Sandra El-Helou

Martin C. Barry
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Chomedey seniors enjoy a BBQ lunch courtesy of Councillor Sandra El-Helou

They also caught a glimpse of Wellness Centre’s new rec room at end-of-summer event

A BBQ event held on the morning of Sept. 9 outside the Agape Senior’s Wellness Centre on Notre Dame Blvd. in Chomedey also was an opportunity for many of the seniors to take a tour of the exciting new recreation room.

The new billiards table in the recreation room at the Agape Senior’s Wellness Centre. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Newsfirst Multimedia)

Councillor’s invitation

The members of the Wellness Centre had been invited by Laval city councillor for Souvenir-Labelle Sandra El-Helou, who is responsible for senior citizens’ dossiers at Laval city hall, to come out and enjoy the BBQ which she sponsored and hosted.

According to Youth and Parents Agape Association executive-director Kevin McLeod, El-Helou offered to put together the late morning to noon-hour event and more than 200 senior citizens and other members of the community from Laval accepted the offer.

A great day for a BBQ

“It was a wonderful event, a beautiful lunch served to recognize their importance and the end of summer, and just to thank them for being there,” McLeod said in an interview with the Laval News.

On the lunchtime menu were chicken brochettes, potatoes and salad. Afterwards there were free gifts for the guests, including complimentary scarfs courtesy of Councillor El-Helou. The Coco Loco Family Breakfast Restaurant donated all the food. Background entertainment was provided by a professional musician who played keyboards.

Brand new recreation gear

At the same time, the seniors joined Agape staff in helping to open the new recreation room at the Agape Senior’s Wellness Centre. Caisse Desjardins de Chomedey played a key role in making the recreation facility possible through a $10,000 gift.

Agape executive-director Kevin McLeod (far left) and Laval city councillor for Souvenir-Labelle Sandra El-Helou are seen here with two guests during the Senior’s Wellness Centre’s annual BBQ on Sept. 9.

As well, outgoing Chomedey MNA Guy Ouellette provided an additional $2,000, while Sainte-Rose MNA Christopher Skeete gave $2,500. The money purchased a range of recreation equipment for the room, including a billiards table, an air hockey table, wall-mounted television screens and a variety of other games equipment.

Fun and recreation await

“We just can’t wait to get all the seniors in here,” added McLeod, while noting that bringing all the financial support together to open the recreation room was a challenge in itself because finding funding isn’t always easy for non-profit organizations.

The Agape Senior’s Wellness Centre promotes physical, mental, social and emotional well-being among Laval’s English-speaking senior citizens 55 years of age and older. As described on the Agape website, “It is a place where seniors can go for health-related conferences, resources and referrals by our coordinator. For more specific needs, seniors can request an appointment with our social worker.”

New Laval-Ouest firehall finally opens

Martin C. Barry
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New Laval-Ouest firehall finally opens

The people of Laval-Ouest have a new firehall. Firehall No. 6, located at 580 Dagenais Blvd. West at the corner of 51st Ave., replaces an old aging firehall on 35th Ave. that once served the area. The new building cost $12.4 million.

According to Councillor Sandra Desmeules (Concorde–Bois-de-Boulogne), who sits on the executive-committee where she is responsible for public safety dossiers, the city decided to relocate the firehall in order to improve the fire department’s response time to fires.

“In Laval, we are already in a position to say that a minimum of 10 firefighters will be present on the scene of an emergency within 10 minutes of a distress call being received,” she said. “These numbers are more than statistics: they are a reflection of lives saved year after year.”

From the left, Laval city manager Jacques Ulysse, Bois-de-Boulogne councillor and executive-committee member Sandra Desmeules who is responsible for public safety dossiers, Mayor Stéphane Boyer, l’Orée-des-Bois councillor Yannick Langlois, and Laval fire chief Patrick Taillefer are seen here during the opening of the new Laval-Ouest firehall.

Here are some facts about the new firehall:

  • It is currently being considered for LEED environmental construction certification;
  • The garage doors have been designed higher and wider to allow access by new and larger fire trucks;
  • The firehall can accommodate eight firefighters per shift;
  • It has a special platform for training novice firefighters;
  • A solar-power wall will provide additional electricity for various needs;
  • The building’s exterior architecture has been designed so as to fit into the neighbourhood.

Councillors Cifelli and Piché ask city to recognize Quebec sign language

Action Laval opposition city councillors Isabelle Piché (Saint-François) and Achille Cifelli (Val-des-Arbres) are asking Laval city council to request that the provincial government officially recognize Quebec Sign Language used by the deaf.

An estimated 10,000 persons in Quebec use Quebec Sign Language, while more than 500 of these live in Laval. The federal government has already taken the step of recognizing Quebec Sign Language.

“In Laval, we already recognize LSQ, since our council meetings are signed directly for rebroadcasting online,” says Piché. “I am now asking my colleagues on council to send a message to Quebec.”

The last Parti Québécois government, under former Premier Pauline Marois, had initiated proceedings to recognize LSQ, although the legislation died on the order paper when elections were called.

“If this is a simple gesture for us, the municipal councillors, it is very significant for these people,” said Cifelli, referring to those who use LSQ.

Laval becomes a bee-friendly city

In an effort to add to its commitment towards biodiversity, the City of Laval says it has decided to sign onto the Bee City program.

A Bee City is a municipality or First Nations community taking action to help pollinators. The program is overseen by Pollinator Partnership Canada, which recognizes communities across Canada which take action to protect pollinators such as bees.

“Pollinators are essential to the preservation of biodiversity and contribute to the maintenance of food security,” said Laval city councillor Alexandre Warnet who is responsible for environmental and ecological dossiers.

“What’s important to keep in mind is that around 40 per cent of our food pantry depends on them, while 25 per cent of bees are threatened with extinction,” he continued. “So, we must act. I am therefore very happy to announce that Laval will be doing its part and will contribute to their protection.”

In becoming a Bee City municipality, Laval will be part of a North American network of municipalities which are being mobilized to protect pollinators.

The Bee City Canada program was launched in 2015. The City of Laval will be deciding in the near future what further actions to take in conjunction with Bee City to help pollinators here. In addition to this new commitment to help preserve bees, the City of Laval decided in 2020 to follow a program dedicated to ensuring the protection of monarch butterflies.

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