The current issue of the Laval News volume 28-04 published February 19th, 2020, (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.
Martin C. Barry
In the aftermath of news reports alleging three prominent Action Laval city councillors are in a perceived conflict of interest involving local real-estate dealings, Action Laval has announced the departure from the party’s caucus of city councillors David De Cotis, Paolo Galati and Isabella Tassoni. In developments first revealed by the Journal de Montréal last week, the Montreal daily maintained that former Laval executive-committee vice-president David De Cotis intervened, while still sitting on the committee, in matters involving land development in the district of Auteuil where he owns undeveloped property.
“I have nothing to hide,” De Cotis said in a phone interview on Monday with the Laval News, while noting that several e-mails from the city’s e-mail system that were leaked to the media didn’t contain any incriminating evidence or statements.
“My lands and my monetary interests were always declared from day one,” he said. “I wasn’t acting in my interests. A citizen from my district asked me a question and I followed up with the chief of staff.”
De Cotis pointed out soon after Mayor Marc Demers was first elected in 2013, he made it clear that all communications between elected officials and public servants had to first pass through Demers’ chief of staff.
According to the daily, Quebec’s UPAC anti-corruption unit has opened a dossier on the matter, while the Laval Police Department has also launched a file. At the heart of the issue is a wooded area in Auteuil where De Cotis and Tassoni own property.
The properties in question are currently unserviced by the city, although potentially valuable to land speculators. And, of course, any decisions on their future are subject to executive-committee and city council approval.
During their investigation spanning several weeks, the Journal claims to have come upon a number of e-mails as well as internal documents from the City of Laval suggesting De Cotis intervened in dossiers involving the land in question.
The Journal also alleges that De Cotis is currently the subject of an inquiry by the Quebec Municipal Commission (CMQ), which is investigating councillors Tassoni and Galati as well.
The newspaper claims the CMQ is looking into Tassoni’s and Galati’s dealings after they allegedly failed to declare pecuniary interests in land or business holdings located in the City of Laval, in violation of provincial and municipal codes of ethics.
While Tassoni and De Cotis both own land in the same wooded area, her father, Joseph Tassoni, is a land developer and construction contractor who, according to the Journal, has expressed an interest in developing land in the area in question.
Although, according to the newspaper, Galati has no land holdings in the area, they say he is under investigation by the CMQ for failing to file a pecuniary declaration on his interest in a real-estate investment holding company.
Galati told the newspaper that he had simply forgotten to file some information in his statement. Tassoni is defending herself similarly, while also claiming that she “recuses” herself from voting on items on the city council agenda when they involve family members’ business dealings. Tassoni’s brothers also own parcels of land in the same area of Auteuil.
For his part, De Cotis acknowledged to the Journal that when he was executive-committee vice-president, he intervened in dossiers involving development of properties in the sector where he owns land, although he maintains he always did it without involving his own interests.
Mayor Demers has remained fairly circumspect in his comments on these developments. However, he said he was aware the situation had been drawn to the attention of the Bureau d’intégrité et d’éthique de Laval-Terrebonne (BIELT), an intermunicipal body overseen by the Laval and Terrebonne police forces with responsibility for monitoring potential ethics problems involving officials in the two cities.
“We don’t wish to disturb the important work of our colleagues on the municipal council and we fully understand the impact of the situation,” De Cotis, Tassoni and Galati said in a common statement issued by Action Laval.
“That is why, from this moment on, we are withdrawing from the Action Laval caucus and we will be cooperating with the various other agencies involved in order to clarify the situation,” they said.
In the same statement, Action Laval interim-leader Archie Cifelli said he “agreed completely” with the decision made by De Cotis, Tassoni and Galati.
“Action Laval is an honest party, made up of hundreds of men and women, who work together for the well-being of Laval residents,” Cifelli said. “It is very important to take the necessary time to shed light on any allegation, and that is why I accept the decision made by Mr. De Cotis, Mrs. Tassoni and Mr. Galati.”
Cifelli said that neither Action Laval nor the three ex-caucus members would be commenting on the investigations currently underway so as not to add confusion to the situation.
“We are waiting for them to defend their positions,” Cifelli said in an interview this week with The Laval News. “After that we’ll see what we do going forward.”
CS Etoiles de l’Est U12FD1 won an exciting game in the finals versus Academy OSU Ottawa with a score of 1-0 at this past weekend’s ARS National Tournament 2020! The team works hard on and off the field and it showed as they allowed all but 1 goal this tournament, scoring 10 goals in five games! Commitment and dedication to the technical program contribute tremendously to this group’s ongoing success and support from the parents, coaches and technical staff is something these athletes can count on.
Lead by their head coach Ahmed Khalfi, the athletes making up the roster of this awesome team of talented, hard working young soccer players, are Vanessa Abrigu, Maude Beaulac, Alexie Cypihot, Sofia Di Chiara, Amanda Di Santo, Hailey Di Spirito, Lily Fauteux, Zoe Ferri, Constandina Mia Koukis, Chloe Lucifero, Olivia Miranda, Simona Palmieri, Tatiana Ramirez Parisi, Chloe Scicchitano, Alessia Schiro and Isabella Zagakos.
Congratulations once again to all teams that participated in the tournament. The future is bright at CS Etoiles de l’Est, as the Club forges ahead with strategic and technical plans focused on the continued development of all its members.
A fire broke out at a restaurant on Lévesque Est Boulevard Saturday morning in the residential and commercial district of Saint-Vincent-de-Paul in Laval, Quebec.
Laval police were also called to the scene at 4:55 a.m. for the fire in the two-story building.
The blaze began while the business was closed. According to initial reports there was no one inside during the fire. Lévesque Boulevard was closed to traffic between de la Fabrique Street and de Saint-Césaire Street while firefighters tackled the incident.
The annual March school break will be taking place from March 2 -6. But what can a family do to keep restless school kids who will be home busy during that time? The City of Laval, in conjunction with several local organizations, is offering a range of activities for families during the break all over Laval.
For openers, the city is offering more than a dozen day camps throughout the school break week, including interior as well as exterior camps, bioscience camps, nature and environment camps, sport camps, craftmaking camps, etc. Registration is mandatory and space is limited. Information is available at campsdejour.laval.ca.
The City of Laval’s parks are also hosting outdoor winter festivals around the same time. On Feb. 29 from 1 pm to 4 pm, a festival event will be taking place at Parc Des Coccinelles, with music, hot chocolate and fun for kids. Also on Feb. 29 from 1 to 4 pm, the same sort of outdoor fun will be taking place at Parc Champfleury.
On March 4 from 10 am to 4 pm, Parc Émile will be hosting a Rocket Fest, including games, initiation to curling, face-painting and maple taffy on snow. Then on March 6 from 7 to 9 pm, there will be an evening under the stars at the Berge aux Quatre-Vents, with storytelling around a campfire, star gazing, hot chocolate and “s’mores.”
In several of Laval’s parks and wooded areas, it will be possible during the school break to borrow skates, snow shoes or downhill sledding gear, in addition to taking part in organized activities in those parks.
There’ll be skating and hockey on the outdoor rinks, sliding on hills, and paths through the woods that will be marked for cross-country skiing. These services will be available at the Berge des Baigneurs, the Berge aux Quatre-Vents, the Sainte-Dorothée woods, the Bois de l’Équerre, the Centre de la nature and at Parc Bernard-Landry).
During the school break, there will also be open skating and hockey for kids, adolescents and adults at most arenas. At the city’s pools during the school break hours for swimming will be lengthened. The pools are: Centre sportif Honoré-Mercier (Sainte-Rose), and Centre sportif Josée-Faucher (Laval-des-Rapides).
At the City of Laval’s public libraries, kids will be able to play board games, video games, CDs, DVDs, read books, and take part in special activities. At Laval’s Maison des arts, displays of art work and special presentations are also planned during this time.
Following some recent news reports questioning the future of some recycling depots in the City of Montreal, the City of Laval says it wants to assure its residents that Laval’s Tricentris recycling centre isn’t affected.
A news release issued by Tricentris earlier this month said the organization was managing to operate its recycling triage centres to 95 – 99 per cent efficiency following the investment of money to improve procedures.
The city suggests that Laval residents should continue with the good recycling practices they’ve acquired up to now, while striving to help improve the city’s overall recycling and waste disposal performance.
In November and December of 2019, the suspect broke into residences and automobiles helping himself to expensive personal effects.
The individual (assailant) took advantage of unlocked back and side doors of the homes, entered and robbed valuable items.
Description of the Suspect:
-Male Caucasian, approximately 18 yrs. old
-About 5’10”
-Wearing with a diamond earring on both ears
-Sporting a hoodie sweater, a dark-colored tuque and jogging pants, dark-colored shoes and gloves.
The Laval Police Service is advising residents to keep their cars, windows, and doors locked, and belongings secured. Ensure that all other easily accessible areas are secured.
Citizens may contact police at any time to report a prowler or suspicious individual by calling 911.
Anyone having any information leading to the identification of this individual can contact the INFO LINE or call 450 622-INFO (4636) or 911.
Mention the File number LVL 1912 14-016.
Martin C. Barry
While the City of Laval recently announced yet another postponement in its longstanding plans to build an Aquatic Complex, the history of the project dates back much further and is characterized by repeated delays and uncertainty over completing the project.
Former Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board chairman Steve Bletas says he can remember talk of the Aquatic Complex project taking place between political players from the various levels of government in Laval as early as 2009.
More than a decade ago, according to Bletas, the federal and provincial governments were expressing willingness to work with the City of Laval on the project.
Along with that, he recalls, discussions were also underway in an attempt to get the SWLSB to become involved in the day-to-day operation of the Aquatic Complex – an offer that the SWLSB declined.
While Bletas finds the delay in getting the project completed frustrating not only to himself but also to many others, he said he could understand what the Demers administration probably has in mind.
He suggested that the Demers administration, which probably remains sensitive about the possibility of corruption within municipal institutions given Laval’s relatively recent past, finds it preferable to endure the negative publicity from repeated completion delays, to the alternative which would be massively inflated contract costs and estimate overruns. “You want to make sure that everything is above board and nothing is hidden,” he said.
As former Laval mayor Gilles Vaillancourt was setting the wheels in motion for the eventual construction of Place Bell (although he was turfed from office before it started), the Aquatic Complex was already being talked about as Laval’s next major project after Place Bell.
With the Place Bell project taken over by the Demers administration following their arrival in office in 2013, Place Bell opened in 2017 after three years construction.
The City of Laval launched the architectural competition for the aquatic complex in 2016. Following a rigorous selection process, four finalists were chosen who made public presentations before a jury.
In January 2017, Mayor Marc Demers announced the winner of the competition held to produce a design for the future Laval Aquatic Complex.
A consortium was chosen for the building to be located on Terry Fox Ave. near the Cosmodôme. The corporation would be responsible for all planning and specifications for the building itself, as well as supervision of construction which was expected to be completed by 2020.
In all, 17 proposals were received and analyzed. A selection jury was appointed by the city. Sitting on the jury were Olympic champion diver Alexandre Despatie, as well as an urban planner, a building engineer and architects.
The building, initially estimated at $61.1 million, would have three pools, including one for swimming, another for diving and a third for recreational use. Pemanently-installed bleachers would accommodate 700 people, while an additional 500 temprary seating spaces would be made available for major events.
While the jury was said to be particularly impressed by the circular shape of the building, that circular shape is said today to be one of the factors responsible for the most recent delay, because contractors aren’t used to building a project designed along unconventional lines.
Although the start of construction was scheduled to begin sometime in 2018 so that the Aquatic Complex would be ready in time for the Jeux du Québec Finals which Laval is hosting this July, that deadline no longer applies as most people know by now.
By April 2018, the city was inviting residents to drop by city hall to view an exhibition showing plans developed by the four architectural competition finalists – including a 3D model of plans by the winning architectural firm. See photo below.
However, in September 2018 the Laval executive-committee announced that a call for tenders that was made for the construction of the superstructure, building envelope and other aspects of the future Aquatic Complex were cancelled because the lowest of three bids came in 46 per cent higher than the city budgeted.
“We are determined to build an aquatic centre,” Mayor Marc Demers said in a statement at the time. “We are talking about an infrastructure that is necessary for the well-being of Laval residents. On the other hand, we are not going to build it at any price.”
According to the city, measures would be taken to protect the existing foundations for the Aquatic Complex in view of the approaching winter season. On Oct. 2 that year, city council approved an expense of $710, 930.75 to pay for the application of a waterproofing membrane on the concrete foundation. However, the city added that this waterproofing work would have been done anyway as part of the regular construction process.
In November 2019, the vice-president of the executive-committee, Stéphane Boyer, issued a statement in which he said he wanted to set the record straight regarding the postponement of the Aquatic Complex project.
“What must be understood is that the project is neither abandoned nor has it gone beyond the costs,” said Boyer. “We chose to cancel call for tenders lot number three to give us time to analyze the various alternatives that will allow us to realize this project while respecting a balance between costs and quality.”
Officials with the city announced at the February city council meeting yet another delay: the cancellation of the contract with the architectural firm that was mandated to produce the initial plans for the Aquatic Complex.
The city announced that its contract with the consortium of companies that had been chosen (NFOE|HCMA) was cancelled because of what the city referred to as “the impossibility of the consortium to respect its contractual obligations.”
Martin C. Barry
Members of the Sacred Heart School of Montreal community raised $60,000 on Jan. 31 during a Raise the Roof capital campaign event to help build a new auditorium for Sacred Heart’s music and drama programs.
One hundred and twenty-five guests – including members of the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, current and past parents, alumnae, sponsors, suppliers, staff and faculty – attended the event at the Plaza Volare in the Crowne Plaza Hotel on Côte de Liesse Rd.
They enjoyed lavish cocktails from tables sponsored by the Ferri Family, and had their photos taken by PBL Photography, sponsored by JCB Construction Canada.
Entertainment, sponsored by CMLS Capital, was provided by Sacred Heart’s very own Erin Waldbrook, along with her husband Adam, as well as the Sacred Heart Show Choir and DJ Marco Ferri.
While the Waldbrooks played flute and trombone to accompany the cocktail hour, the students put on a dazzling show with choreography, to the hit songs Believer by Imagine Dragons, and Most Girls by Hailee Steinfeld.
In addition to the auditorium, Sacred Heart School of Montreal also plans to build a wellness centre for physical and mental health, while undertaking renovations to the Sacred Heart students’ overall learning environment.
After some moving words by Sister Sheila Hammond, head of the Society of the Sacred Heart’s U.S.-Canada Province, supper was served. The 4-course dinner of Manicotti di Crespella Ripena Alla Fiorentina, with fusilli; arugula topped with Parmigiano shavings; braised beef (or a vegan or gluten-free alternative); and chocolate lava cake, was sponsored by ALRE Properties Inc.
The decor was sponsored by Architecture49. Menu cards and other printed materials were sponsored by Presti Homes & Developements. The ever-beautiful flower arrangements of tulips, white roses, and hortensias were generously donated by Fleuriste Jules d’Alcantara.
The outgoing president of the board of directors, Roberto Di Giorgio, made a heartfelt speech about his time at Sacred Heart, both as a volunteer on the board as well as a parent to Alessia ’09 and Rebecca ’17. Alessia, an invaluable volunteer for the evening’s event, introduced her father.
Head of School, Shawn O’Donnell, thanked Mr. Di Giorgio for his years of service to the school and announced that the event surpassed its fundraising goal, earning $60,000 for The future at heart, to the benefit of the entire Sacred Heart community.
Part of the funds were raised through the sale of raffle tickets the evening of the event, thanks to the help of alumnae volunteers Alessia Di Giorgio ’09, Stéphanie Christodoulopoulos ’09, Caterina Gasparrini ’91, and Rosemary Vaupshas ’78.
As well, the live auction contributed greatly to the evening’s success, thanks to auctioneers Paul Kruszewski and Melanie Dirks. Registration for the event was sponsored by Golden Home Care.
Proceeds from the evening will be invested in major capital improvements to the school. The wellness centre will be designed as a space to support the physical, mental and emotional health of the students, while the new performance space will also further contribute to the Sacred Heart community by making it available for events.
Martin C. Barry
Certified trainer Nathalie Godin is continuing her quest to offer cross-disciplinary workouts to women 30-55 years of age in cardio, yoga, meditation, motivation and nutrition.
A condensed session of her method tailored to the needs of women held at the Sportium sporting goods store at the Centre Laval on Jan. 16 was the third event organized by Godin since she began offering her services in October 2018.
“The good news is that we’re going to be doing this all over again sometime in March,” she said in an interview with Newsfirst Multimedia, while noting that the date has been tentatively set for March 19.
Godin said management at the Laval Sportium store was pleased to have been given the opportunity to host her latest workout session and that they hoped to welcome the women’s workout group back in March.
For an hour during the most recent training session, Godin introduced the participants to her cross-disciplinary method, known as CYMMA, an abbreviation for Cardio, Yoga, Meditation, Motivation and Alimentation (nutrition).
Godin was the founder of the Godrunners running group in November 2013. Having completed several grueling running challenges herself, including the 93-kilometre Montréal/New-York relay event, she wanted to share some of the secrets to her success with others.
Godin has trained more than 100 women in techniques to allow them to complete running challenges, ranging from 5-kilometre events all the way to half-marathons.
For CYMMA, she expanded on her techniques to include yoga as a means for women to avoid self-injuries, while being able to stay in top shape. At the same time, Godin decided to include comprehensive information on proper nutrition, meditation and how to become fully motivated.
“The goal is to inspire as many women as possible to integrate the five CYMMA elements into their activities, which will in turn bring balance into their lives,” she said.
During full-length CYMMA sessions, a group of women do 45 minutes of walking on an outdoor course, followed by 45 minutes of yoga, 15 minutes of meditation, a session on proper nutrition, and conclude with an inspirational and motivational talk.
While many participants are from Montreal, Laval and the North Shore, some women who have attended have come from all over Quebec, including Shawinigan and Trois-Rivières. She also has more than 10,000 followers on her Facebook page.
Godin hopes to eventually hold CYMMA training sessions in Quebec City and Sherbrooke. As well, she would like to make training available to employers who could offer it to interested employees.
Godin plans to hold a three-hour seminar on the CYMMA method at the Parc Rivière-des-Mille-Îles on Sainte-Rose Blvd. in Laval on May 16 from 9 am to 12 noon. She expects to receive up to 80 participants.
The venue is especially beautiful, as it features outdoor pathways through woods alongside the picturesque Mille Îles River. Additional information is available at www.nathaliegodin.com, as well as on Facebook: @nathaliegodincymma, and Instagram: @nathaliegodin_cymma.
