(TLN) More than 750 Laval residents turned up on
Sunday Nov. 3 for Action Laval’s annual brunch event, during which party
members and guests had the opportunity to touch base with Francine LeBlanc, who
is running for Action Laval in the by-election in the district of Marc-Aurèle-Fortin.
Upcoming
by-election
Achille ‘Archie’ Cifelli, president and interim-leader
of the party, delivered an address in which he spoke about recent events
affecting Action Laval as well as the victory they are hoping for on Sunday Nov.
24.
“This year we are celebrating our unity and our
growth,” said Cifelli. “With five new elected representatives, we are now the
main opposition in Laval but also the future administration.”
Six elected
members
Since earlier this year, Action Laval has been able to
count under its umbrella city councillors Paolo Galati, Daniel Hébert,
Michel Poissant, David De Cotis and Isabella Tassoni.
Chomedey councillor Aglaia Revelakis has been with the party since the
beginning.
Cifelli outlined some of Action Laval’s more recent
proposals. They include a tax freeze for all, the end of the city’s “blue and
white” painted street lines campaign, opposition to dangerous bicycle path
layouts, and improvements to snow removal in order to avoid a repeat of the
snow removal fiasco last winter.
By-election
candidate
At the same time, Cifelli introduced the party’s
candidate in Marc-Aurèle-Fortin. “Francine is an
exceptional candidate who is a devoted citizen with an exemplary professional
background and a longtime resident,” he said. He urged the district’s voters to send a strong message to the Demers
administration on election day.
“Enough of the useless expenses, enough of the
real-estate fiascos, enough of the sort of bad snow removal we saw last
winter,” he said. “With Francine LeBlanc you will have a councillor who really
works for you, who listens to you and who will represent you at any cost on
city council.”
Volunteers thanked
In
conclusion, Action Laval’s interim leader thanked all the members and
volunteers “without whom none of this would be possible, from the organization
of this brunch to the upcoming electoral victory,” he said.
“Our
elected members are doing an extraordinary job, but yours is just as important
on a daily basis for the citizens of Laval. Our party consists of people who
are proud, devoted and committed to what they do.”
(Newsfirst)
The opening of a new soccer/football academy was announced by leaders from the
Greece-based PAOK FC soccer club during a press conference held at the Hellenic
Community Centre in Montreal on Monday November 4.
Based
in Greece and the current champion, PAOK FC was represented by veteran PAOK FC
footballers Kyriakos Alexandridis (Director of the academy’s programs) and
Antonis Mavreas (Director of the academies for North America). Permission was
received last summer from the team to run this challenging and important
project.
At the press conference were present Metropolis Radio journalist-radio producer Demosthenes Vardakis, who came from Thessaloniki for the purpose, as did Vasilis Zagakos, a member of the technical team at PAOK Academies in Montreal.
PAOK
has decided to launch its academies across North America from Quebec and, by
extension, the cities of Montreal and Laval.
Welcomed far from home
Subsequently,
Thessaloniki journalist at Metropolis Radio Demosthenes Vardakis spoke, emphasizing
“the special emotion we all feel when you see Greeks almost 10,000 kilometers
away from home hugging and welcoming you.”
Mr.
Vardakis then read to the attendees the messages sent by the well-known
Olympics and Vice Regional Governor of Central Macedonia responsible for
Thessaloniki Ms. Voula Patoulidou, the Mayor of Thessaloniki, Mr. Kostas Zervas
and Mr. Paul Andronis, who is the owner of the Metromedia Group which owns
Metropolis Radio.
In
particular, Ms. Patoulidou referred to the “value of a sports academy,
especially if behind it is a large club such as PAOK,” while emphasizing that
“it is important for a Greek born to play in a club in his home country,
because it’s like holding a boat tied up in its harbor.”
Opportunity for children
Mr.
Zervas, among other things, referred to PAOK’s great successes in recent years
and to even greater prospects being opened up at the Thessaloniki club, with
the potential creation of the new Toumba stadium.
Mr.
Andronis expressed his satisfaction with “the opportunity for children to get
in touch with their sport, their favorite team and homeland” as well as for the
support of the Metromedia Group in this endeavor. Then the team’s
representatives, Antonis Mavreas and Kyriakos Alexandridis, spoke.
Mr.
Mavreas stated at the beginning of his speech that “today we are here for your
children, our children. There’s a lot of talent, a lot of Hellenism. We open
the door not only to Greece but also to Europe for these children. We want to
combine the good guys you have here, the great guys, in knowledge and in
sports.”
To help the children
He
then referred to the reason for their presence, emphasizing: “Today we are not
here to get your… money. Because maybe some people think so. We are here to
help these children and to help schools. Not for something else …”
Antonis
Mavreas, after emphasizing that the academy is interested in all children and
not just Greeks, knit the praise of both Pantelis Stefanidis, who is the
businessman who will run the project, as well as PAOK President Ivan Savvidis,
saying: “Mr. Stefanidis is PAOK-born and a Thessaloniki native. He is a man who
has our absolute confidence.” Regarding Mr. Savvidis, he noted that “he is
probably the best president to have passed through PAOK. With Ivan Savvidis,
PAOK has gone beyond the Greek borders. At some point he’ll come to Montreal to
meet him and see how great he is.”
Long-term commitment
Kyriakos
Alexandridis spoke about the “right to dream of every child who has a talent in
football,” while stressing that “what we are doing is not only for PAOK but for
Hellenism in general. We came here to stay and not for… one or two days.”
He
expressed the belief that people would support this effort, while saying that “we
will be close to you in need. We will give the coaching expertise we need
because we have some of the best academies in Greece in recent years. Whichever
children choose to come to Thessaloniki, as long as hospitality is needed, all
expenses will be with the group.”
An honor for the city
Vasilis
Zagakos, one of the members of the coaching staff, was brief and specific,
saying: “For me, being a football fan and a PAOK fan, it is a great honor
to have this academy in our city. I would like to thank them. Alexandrides,
Mavreas and Stefanidis for giving me the opportunity to be a member of the
technical team. Thanks.”
The
last speaker was Mr. Pantelis Stefanidis, who first of all thanked PAOK for the
confidence they showed him “to start something big here, such as PAOK Football
Academy.”
He
spoke of the fact that “in six years Canada will host the World Cup and
Montreal will be one of the participating cities. This means that football in
Canada will definitely grow. This is an opportunity to work with you and the
Greek schools, to bring Greek-speaking talents, and with PAOK know-how, to go
to Greece, or move here to Montreal.”
Camp will be every summer
Concluding
his speech, he noted that “the camp will be held every summer and with the
selection of some talented children, we give a child the opportunity to fulfill
his dream. So we expect people to support this venture.”
Before
attending the academy, Mr. Stefanidis presented the authentic PAOK jerseys available
for purchase in two sizes: one for children 7-10 years old and one for children
11-13 years old.
An
authentic backpack with PAOK logo is also available. For more information and
contact, visit www.paokmontreal.com.
Mark down this coming
Sunday, November 24th, as a day
of opportunity not to be missed.
From 10:00 am to 7:00 pm,
at Laval’s Salle de Recéption Palace,you are invited to a shopping extravaganza of
unmatched elegance, practicality and, of course, many wonderful bargains – the ultimate holiday gift-gathering experience reserved, for families and
friends, for the first time in our fair city, combining early holiday fever and fun under one roof.
Close friends and
first-time moms Angelia Mantis and Claudia Valiante are
the creative force
behind this Mobile Shopping Mall project, an idea conceived while both were on
maternity leave. Intelligently sensing an up-and-coming
trend quite popular with on-line shoppers, these two vibrant young women felt
it in their minds and hearts to start something original and purposeful, in service to the people of Laval.
An exciting time
Branded Popup2Shop, the day’s most beautiful
theme – Holiday Shopping – will come alive with festive displays of tantalizing
food and drink, special holiday items and many
heart-warming booths making the spirit of the season heighten, offering a magical experience in anticipation of the happiest of seasons just around the corner.
This sentiment is joyously
shared by Angelia and Claudia.
“It’s an exciting time of the year not only for children, but for adults
as well,” said Angelia. “This is the
reason for us wanting to give the ultimate on-line shopping experience through a mobile shopping mall,” Claudia added. “We
bring what is appealing to the shoppers under one umbrella where consumers can
actually see, feel, and try on the same clothing and accessories which can’t be
done with on-line shopping,” Claudia explained.
The holiday season – Christmas, Hanukah, Kwansa, Epiphany, is upon us and stores and
shopping centers are bustling with anxious shoppers. For Angelia, the
challenge is clear: “Whether you’ve been ‘naughty or nice’, there’s no lack
of ideas for locally-made or imported gifts. There’s something about the thrill of
the hunt when it comes to big events.
And, what’s bigger than Christmas?”
“The Popup2Shop at
the Palace will be a one-day event for picking up one-of-a-kind gifts, with treasures available
in every corner. There will be no
shortage, something for everyone’s discriminating taste and budget,” the dynamic duo stated to TLN. “Fun and more
fun for the excited and inquisitive consumer.
DJ music, raffles, and booths of sweets
for the irresistible temptation of the sweet tooth await
all comers.”
Best buys of the season
It’s no surprise that consumers are becoming more
reliant on on-line holiday shopping.
With easy ability to make purchases on mobile devices, browsers can buy
anything anywhere. The drawback is that buyers
can’t try on the clothes, footwear, etc., often returning purchases. The Mobile
Shopping Center brings on-line shopping to consumers,
on site. “It’s definitely not the time
to miss this first-time biggest event and best
holiday market,” Claudia specified in a
telephone interview. And, what’s more
interesting, there’s something for all tastes and budgets, from tiny to
extravagant prices.
“PopUp2Shop brings together fashion,
cosmetics, self-care, ornaments, stocking stuffers, and food vendors from
around the city to showcase and sell top lines and best buys of the season,” Angelia
pointed out. “More vendors are joining, and
there’s still no definite number of booths although we’re close to maximum for
the space reserved at The Palace, 1717 Le
Corbusier Boulevard.”
Fashionistas can ‘gaga’ over sought-after brands –
Lamarque, Piper and Jane, Black Suede Studio, The New Icon, Shop Viixen and
more to find perfect attire to sparkle and sizzle at holiday celebrations. “This is it. Pop is the future of shopping,” stated
Angelia, “and we’re proud to be instrumental parts of it, in Laval and beyond.”
“We are proud and exhilarated about
launching PopUp2Shop in consumers’ posts and stories,” added partner
Claudia. “Furthermore,
November 24th is a special holiday edition, and we are working on
more than one event.”
The intentions are to make PopUp2Shop an annual event in Laval, providing consumers with the most sought-after items in
all categories.
Of benefit to Children’s Wish Foundation
Claudia and Angelia also
revealed their ‘give-back and pay-forward’ initiative to donate all profits
from the day’s gift-wrapping service to the highly-admired Children’s Wish
Foundation, the long-standing organization that performs little miracles in
making sick children’s dreams come true.
Admission is free although it is highly
recommended to register in advance to ensure
smooth holiday shopping since space may be limited. If interested,
you should sign in at the event’s Evenbrite page
and visit Facebook for more information. “No one will be turned away, everyone is
welcome,” assure Angelia and Claudia.
(TLN) Get ready for the upcoming holiday season at the
9th annual Laval Christmas Market which will be taking place at the
Centre de la Nature from Dec. 6 to Dec. 8.
More than 70 exhibitors will be showcasing their
quality products and wares at this open market where the magic of Christmas is
sure to enchant visitors from everywhere.
Lots of
gift ideas
The range of goods to be seen and purchased will
include gourmet items, locally-grown produce, jewellery, beauty aids, toys,
clothing, fashion accessories and home decor items. Everything will be under a
heated big top tent.
As well, Quebec-grown Christmas trees in various sizes
and at various prices will also be available. The whole family is invited to
take part in activities taking place all weekend.
Will be lots
to do
These will include horse-drawn calèche
rides, heated igloos where people can rest,
refreshment stands where hot drinks can be purchased and entertainers wandering
around playing music.
The Centre de la Nature’s little make-believe village
will be the place where Santa Claus is stationed to welcome all the young ones
and their Christmas wishes. He’ll be accompanied by elves to provide
assistance.
The
Laval Christmas Market: where and when?
At the Centre de la Nature, 901 avenue du Parc, Laval
(Quebec) H7E 2T7
The Canadian Urban Transit Association
(CUTA) presented its Corporate Leadership Award in the Marketing and
Communications category to the Société de transport de Laval (STL) for the
development and rollout of its new branding. The ceremony, held on November 13,
in Calgary, was attended by representatives from across the Canadian urban
transit industry, and was part of CUTA’s Annual Conference and Transit Show.
The new branding updates the STL’s
image, better reflects STL users, adds more creative range to STL’s
advertising, and embodies the innovative personality of the STL.
With new colours, a photo bank and a
revamped iconography, the makeover puts people at the core of the message and relies on
a more urban art direction. The new branding was first unveiled to the
employees, then announced to the general public in June. The concept was
developed from scratch by the STL and its advertising agency Forsman &
Bodenfors. It is based on a multitude of research and studies conducted since
2016.
“Make public transit out of the ordinary”
The campaign to launch the new branding was
accompanied by a pledge to users to “Make public transit out of the ordinary.”
In addition to emphasizing the innovative facets our bus service, the pledge
can be further tailored to our internal communications or even our recruitment
efforts by offering prospective hires careers that are “out of the ordinary.”
The campaign has been primarily poster-driven, although the core element of the
campaign is a video that is more “street” in attitude and adopts a bolder tone
with the message. The purpose is clearly stated with a running text advocating
for our commitment to public transit and its future, meant to inspire the
general public as well as employees to aspire to the STL’s mission daily.
“We are very proud of the new branding, both visually
and with respect to the bolder tone.”, said STL
Board President Éric Morasse. “This breath of fresh air and authenticity
that reflects more genuinely what we’re about has imbued new life into all of
our communications and has enabled us to better represent all Laval residents
of all ages and backgrounds. The pledge to “Make public transit out of
ordinary” motivates everyone at the STL to deliver outstanding quality service
and to do our utmost to make public transit even more appealing”, he concluded.
Laval police officers injured after crashing into 4 parked cars
Two Laval police officers were injured around
5AM early Saturday morning after their cruiser crashed into four parked cars in
the Chomedey neighbourhood.
Police were called about a domestic
disturbance at a home near Laval Boulevard and Jolivet Street just after 5
a.m.
At the intersection of Saint-Martin and
McNamara boulevards, the officers thought they saw the suspect’s vehicle and
attempted a U-turn.
“At that moment, they lost control,
and there was an impact,” said Laval police Const. Evelyne Boudreau.
Black ice on the road may have played a
factor, she said.
Both officers were taken to hospital.
The woman in the passenger seat had lacerations on her face from when the
windshield shattered. The man who was driving was treated for an arm injury and
released.
The suspect in the call was not arrested
and police determined nothing criminal had transpired.
“There’s not going to be arrests on
that case,” Boudreau said.
The police cruiser was heavily damaged.
Boudreau said police do not know the extent of the damage to the parked cars.
Both officers are in their 20s.
Thief who targeted construction sites faces new charges
A
recidivist tool thief who targeted construction sites in Montreal and Laval has
been hit with three new charges after trying to sell the stolen goods online.
Laval
police said the man in his 50s, who was initially arrested Aug. 20, was back in
Quebec court Nov. 13 to face new charges after he tried to sell the goods,
which had been engraved for security and were spotted online by the equipment’s
owner.
Police
said the owner contacted investigators, who set up a sting operation, posing as
clients interested in buying a stolen pressure-washer, that ended in the arrest
of the suspect. A later raid of his home yielded the seizure of another $25,000
worth of stolen goods, police said.
The
suspect’s new charges are related to breaking and entering and re-selling
stolen merchandise worth more than $5,000.
The
Laval police took the opportunity of announcing the new charges to remind the
public of the value of engraving valuables – from tools to bikes to TVs and
more – for security purposes, and conserving the engraving codes in case the
items are stolen. Laval police even loan out engraving machines,
free of charge.
They
recommend using your driver’s license number, if you have one, as the security
code; this allows investigators to easily track down the address of the
rightful owner of stolen goods.
They
also recommend that people buying used valuables examine them for engravings
that may have been filed off or otherwise tampered with.
They
are also reminding the public of the adage that if a deal seems too good to be
true, it probably is.
If
you see any stolen goods for sale, Laval police say you can alert them,
confidentially and anonymously as needed, by calling 450-662-4636.
Several
new development projects were announced on Nov. 7 during the City of Laval’s 5th
annual real-estate forum, including one that will soon see a large landmark at
the corner of Curé-Labelle and Notre-Dame demolished and replaced with an eight-storey
residential rental project.
Project
Récréathèque, which is being promoted by
Montreal developer Shafiraman Weiss (Vertex Construction) and designed by
architect David Smith, will rise up to eight stories and have 347 housing
units, 532 interior parking spaces, 13 more spaces outside, as well as
additional parking for motorcycles and bicycles.
Bye to old
Récréathèque
As most people in Chomedey and elsewhere in Laval
already know, the current Récréathèque – a massive
building that served as an amusement centre for 45 years – closed in 2012 and has
fallen into a considerable state of deterioration since then.
Many
generations of people from Laval, as well those who’ve travelled along Curé
Labelle Blvd. while heading north on Route 117, have lasting memories of the Récréathèque.
“I
think everybody in Laval knows La Récréathèque – we’ve either been there or
passed by,” David Smith said during a presentation on the project he gave
during the forum. “But as everybody also knows by now, it’s been shut for some
time and the area is even roped off for security reasons.”
Easy access
to transit
Smith described the area in question as ideal for the
type of development he and the builder have in mind, as the availability of
public transportation is optimal and offers easy connections in all directions
to almost anywhere in Laval or Montreal.
In recent years, there have also been suggestions by
Mayor Marc Demers that the city hopes to eventually establish a new Metro
station for Chomedey somewhere near the Récréathèque
site.
While Smith made no mention at all of a Metro station
in his presentation, Laval executive-committee vice-president Stéphane
Boyer acknowledged in an interview afterwards that the city hasn’t abandoned the notion.
Maybe a
Metro stop?
“We never reveal the exact locations of Metro stations
to avoid speculation,” he told The Laval News. “But we have roughly traced out
the path for an extension of the Orange Line and it foresees having a Metro
stop in that area when the Quebec government allots the sums to extend the Orange
Line.”
Boyer suggested that a Metro station roughly in that
area would make sense since the Val-Martin public housing project (currently
under redevelopment) is only a short distance east of there. According to the
developer, demolition of the old Récréathèque
building should begin in January.
Construction will be spread out over the following three years.
Far left, Project Récréathèque developer Shafiraman Weiss is seen here with l’Abord-à-Plouffe city councillor Vasilios Karidogiannis (far right) during the 5th annual real-estate forum held by the City of Laval at the Château Royal on Nov. 7.
Stimulus
for the area
“This is a great project,” said Laval city councillor
for l’Abord-à-Plouffe Vasilios Karidogiannis, who is the local elected official
in the Demers administration closest to the dossier.
“For years that building’s been derelict and an
eyesore,” he said. “This project will be like a linchpin for economic
development in the neighbourhood. It’s sure to accelerate more positive development
in the area. I’m sure that businesses in the area are very excited about it as
well. This project will be densifying the area and the future is all about
densification.”
A
second notable development project announced during the real-estate forum will
be property developer/builder Cosoltec’s Code 440 project.
Cosoltec’s Code 440
project
The
mixed use office and industrial building is slated to be built next year on
Lucien Lallier St. near the A-440 offering additional quick access to autoroutes
13 and 15 and less than 25 minutes from downtown Montreal. One floor of the
four-storey avant-garde building will serve as Cosoltec’s corporate
headquarters.
“With 30,000 new housing units planned from now to
2031 and $960 million in permits for the year 2018, it’s clear that the
real-estate sector in Laval is in full growth,” Stéphane
Boyer said in closing remarks.
However, he noted that the city is now applying a
selective approach in its choice of projects allowed to proceed, in contrast to
a more indiscriminate policy the former administration of longtime mayor Gilles
Vaillancourt was known for.
Project Récréathèque architect David Smith, left, is seen here with real-estate forum MC Marie Grégoire at the Château Royal on Nov. 7.
New
development approach
“We
no longer want to have sterile residential towers surrounded by parking
spaces,” he said, alluding to some of the former administration’s projects. “From
here on in we are looking for quality projects which fit well into
neighbourhoods where there is a lot of activity. This sometimes requires our
paying more attention to smaller details and can also cost a little more to
build in the short term.
“But
in the long term, it’s what will ensure the growth and attractiveness of our
city,” Boyer added. “Because in a world where the quality of life is
increasing, where there is also a shortage of labour, and where younger
generations are looking for lifestyle, it’s the quality of life that we are
creating today that will end up drawing and retaining tomorrow’s residents and
businesses.”
On October 23rd, young singers from over 25 Quebec schools were
given the star treatment. Arriving by limo to the Palace reception Hall in
Laval, these young performers walked the red carpet dazzled by photographers’
flashes and launched their baby: a children’s book/cd
The Carnival of Marvels and Monsters is a massive international
co-production of Chroma Musika (Montreal) and the renowned Quebec Publisher
Planète Rebelle, written by Mihalis Makropoulos illustrated by Katerina
Veroutsos, and set to music and lyrics written by Giannis Georgantelis.
Opera singers and directors of the entire project Maria Diamantis
and Dimitris Ilias attributed the success of the project to the young stars,
the parents and the volunteers. “If it was not for the parents this kind of
multilevel educational and artistic super project would not have happened” said
Dimitris Ilias. “This is the epitome of team work in order to give these kids
these opportunities. From the beautiful art of the creative team, to the
production team and from the meticulous work of the publisher to the young
stars spending countless rehearsal hours”
From audition to practice, recording and launch!
Forming a youth choir over 350 strong, these talented singers sung
the choruses for the CD companion to the book. The recording
sessions took place in Oscar Peterson Concert Hall with Dr. Mark Corwin
professor of the Concordia University Music Department being responsible for
recording, mixing and editing. An incredible learning opportunity for the
students to experience the various aspects of music production, from recording
to mixing and finally, live performance!
An unforgettable night
The launch included speeches by invited guests including the
Honorable Leo Housakos, Senator, Mr. Guy Ouellette, MNA for Chomedey, Ann Marie
Matheson, EMSB Director General, Vicky Kaliotzakis VP of Sir Wilfrid Laurier
school board and Chris Adamopoulos DG of école Socrates-Démosthène.
In front of over 1600 guests the massive children’s choir
accompanied by a 20-instrument chamber orchestra filled the hall with the lush
music of composer Giannis Georgantelis directed initially by Dimitris Ilias and
then by conductor Mark Dharmaratnam who also conducted the Orchestre
Symphonique Pop de Montreal in the actual CD.
The choir and orchestra performed four songs from the storybook
album. The very last piece, a furious tarantella brought prompted an immediate
standing ovation from the audience which was treated to an encore of the same
piece closing the magical night.
The current issue of the Laval News volume 27-22 published November 20th, 2019, (Laval’s English Newspaper) covers local events such as politics, sports and human-interest stories. It features editorials and other columns. Click on the image to read the paper.
Front page of Laval News, Vol. 27-22
November 20, 2019.
The Laval Police Service is seeking the public’s cooperation in identifying a suspect who has committed several theft of donation boxes for the benefit of the Royal Canadian Legion fundraising campaign at various Tim Hortons restaurants in Laval.
On October 25, 2019, five thefts were reported at three different Tim Hortons restaurants. The suspect shows up on the spot, places an order, then discreetly seizes the donation box, for a value of up to $ 2,000.
Description of the suspect:
Caucasian male, about 25-30 years old;
Dark short hair, with slight baldness;
Wore a dark coat with a pale logo on the left, black and beige gloves and a pair of sunglasses on his head.
