Renata Isopo

In honor of Father’s Day and in appreciation of the millions of fathers whose daily passion for their children and their love of the gift and privilege of fatherhood often goes unnoticed, here’s a special treat – a dad and daughter story that is exceptional in its simplicity and touching in its depth. Here is the loving professional and family bond between the father/daughter singing duo of Johnny and Christina Capobianco, paying a heartfelt tribute to fathering of all children, but especially does it to celebrate the unique and important relationship between fathers and daughters.

Thirty-one-year-old Christina Capobianco and Johnny, her renowned local singer dad, are taking Laval, Greater Montreal, and beyond by storm with their latest CD Johnny and Christina Capobianco, 21 hits sung mostly in English and Italian. 

The accomplished duo shares two-part harmony from songs of the 60s to today, showcasing English, French, Italian, and Spanish favorites. Fathers and daughters bond in many ways – ice cream dates, sports, and even homework.  But this dad-daughter duo takes bonding to whole new levels with heart felt covers of music’s most popular songs, an act so good that audiences can’t get enough.

Here, in their own words, as told to TLN, are the strings tugging the hearts of this dynamic duo in their mission of gladness to every audience for which, they say, they have the privilege to perform.

How was it growing up with a talented dad?

“It was special growing up in an environment that nurtured my natural musical ability.  I’m an only child, therefore, dad became my mentor/singing coach when I was nine. As a young songstress, I performed with dad in the community.  We became a team despite our individual tastes in music.

Although a music career would have been an obvious choice for me, I also set my sight on something different.  But make no mistake, we continue our duet on weekends and special occasions.”

Johnny, what is the music industry today?

“The industry has always been competitive at heart.  You have to keep re-inventing yourself – that’s where Christina and I come in.  We’re a duet – singers and performers. I have a 12- piece extraordinarily talented orchestra (The Grand Show Band) which sizzles crowds. Often, in bands, members split roles amongst the group.  So, it’s important to learn different aspects of professional music-making, and enjoy the process. Professional musicians wear many hats these days. Making some money on the side isn’t hard, but to turn passion into career you have to want it above all else. 

Christina, with your amazing talent, why something different?

Depending on the music path, it’s possible that you’ll never make a stable income.   Even if it is, it may take years before it’s enough to enjoy certain luxuries. You need plan B – another pursuit on the side.  As singers/entertainers, we don’t wait for opportunities to come to us – we seek them out or create them ourselves.  That’s our formula for success.

What accounts for your great popularity and respect?

Johnny: “The combination of excellent musicianship with a stunning 12-piece orchestra and light show is the ultimate event entertainment for celebrations looking for WOW factors.  It’s a show created by two industry professionals sharing the vision of giving audiences unforgettable experiences. We have performed for luxury clients and in respected venues – corporate events, private parties, weddings, gala dinners, and fund-raising events for research into diseases and for the less fortunate. 

We are immensely proud of donating time and talent wholeheartedly for worthy causes such as Generations Foundation, Operation Enfants Soleil, and The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada. Over the past decade we have raised over $300 000 in support of these crucial organizations.”

What is the objective in your musical career?

Christina: “To bring glamor and sophistication to venues across our beloved Laval, Greater Montreal, Toronto, and beyond through various styles, such as pop, jazz, disco and funk, all tailored to individual clients.

Describe your career in a nutshell.

Johnny: “Very few people have the good fortune to be in major demand.  As long as you keep making steps to improve every day, you’ll eventually be one of the best out there.  We’re lucky since I’ve been in the business since I was 15, with Christina, 14 years.  We love singing at home and for audiences. It’s a passion. We constantly raise the bar for ourselves. I’ve always taken the lead showcasing my fierce vocals (he chuckles).  Christina’s powerful vocals beautifully merges our voices in perfect harmony.  She’s a very talented quality pop singer. She gets it from her dad! (chuckles again.)  We love performing, it’s in our soul and blood.”

Great to hear from you both, but what does mom Connie think of all this?

Christina: “She’s a trooper, constantly helping us actualize our plans and projects, following us everywhere, often joining appreciative audiences singing along with us. We love her involvement and are thankful for her support, which she delivers to the fullest.”

The Capobiancos count among their accomplishments a Certificate of Recognition Award for Outstanding Community Work, from the House of Commons, conferred in Laval, May 12, 2017, by Alfred-Pellan MP Angelo Iacono.

Martin C. Barry

Just as Rome wasn’t built in a day, the task of revising and finalizing the City of Laval’s master urban plan is one that is taking years to accomplish – with some additional effort still ahead.

Since first coming into office in 2013, Mayor Marc Demers and city council have been overseeing the gradual reform and re-writing of an island-wide urban planning layout that hadn’t changed since the late 1960s when the City of Laval was created through the merger of 14 towns and villages on Île Jésus.

An overdue revision

Considering that Laval, with a population of more than 422,000, is the third largest city in Quebec. and that its territory is complex and contains vast urban and rural elements, it should come as no surprise that reforming the city’s urban planning scheme is taking as long and in so many progressive stages.

As Mayor Demers explained during a public consultation that gathered together city councillors and more than 100 Laval residents on May 21 at Collège Letendre, the process is also taking place within a larger context.

Compliance with CMM

That framework is an urban planning system for the management of dozens of towns and cities that are subject to the Plan métropolitain d’aménagement et de développement (PMAD), overseen by the regional Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal (CMM).

Over the past two years alone, the City of Laval held consultations, from which suggestions made by citizens were incorporated into the plan. “The stage beginning tonight is to revise all the urban planning regulations from one end of the island to the other,” said Demers.

“This is a colossal work for our teams. And why are we doing this? Because several of our regulations date from a past era and obviously are not in conformity with the needs of Laval residents. And so for us this is important work, and we know that regulations have to be there in the interest of citizens in order to serve them well.”

Adopting a new outlook

Laval’s director of urban planning, Luc Paquette, said that when the city’s last master urban plan was revised during the 1970s, it was based on values from the 1950s and 1960s when the overall outlook among officials and urban planners in Laval was focused almost entirely on automobile transit.

Laval evolved along those lines until well into the 2000s, and a large part of the urban plan revision amounts to correcting this overriding theme which visibly dominates the suburban landscape here.

Another member of the city’s urban planning team, Jean Chartier, said some of the coding in Laval’s existing urban plan is so outdated it’s still spelled out in imperial units (rather than metric). “It’s so old that even professionals in urban planning and architecture have difficulty understanding it, so it’s creating a lot of frustration,” he said.

Complaint on farm zoning

Among those who got up to the microphone during a public question period was Gilles Lacroix, a Laval-area farmer who maintained (like many other farmers in Laval) that the City of Laval continues to neglect pledges made as early as 1988 to safeguard Laval’s historic agricultural legacy.

“You talk about protecting the agricultural territory,” he said, noting that the city provides little incentive to keep agricultural property owners from abandoning their land. Jean-Claude Longtin of Duvernay Est said the city needs to do something about the ever-increasing amount of vehicular traffic in Laval caused by drivers commuting from the North Shore to Montreal.

“When you take the 440 in the morning, it’s not people from Laval there, it’s people from Terrebonne and Mascouche,” he said. “It might be necessary to develop something so that these people can take a fast way to get to the Metro without cars. It’s not just for us, but also for people from outside.”

(TLN) Around 275 volunteers and 400 municipal employees (including 350 blue collar workers) took part last weekend in a massive two-day spring cleanup operation held all over Laval following the floods which left damage and debris in various areas of the island.

“I would like to warmly thank all the volunteers and all the municipal employees who came to the assistance of the victims during this big cleanup, without forgetting the STL which furnished shuttles for transportation,” said Mayor Marc Demers.

Thanks from mayor

“Without your support, we would never have been able to accomplish such a task on such short notice. I am certain that just like me, each of the persons affected by the floods is grateful to you for your devotion and cooperation.”

In order to clean up properties affected by the floodwaters, volunteers and employees formed teams that worked over the two days with unparalleled enthusiasm. If anything, it also showed the strong sense of solidarity that exists between people living in Laval.

A lot of work

In all, the volunteers and municipal employees concentrated their efforts on seven zones in Laval that suffered flooding. They recovered 83,000 used sand bags, containing 1,500 tonnes of sand. As well, 425 households were visited and the exteriors of 277 homes were cleaned of debris.

Last weekend’s cleanup operation was the beginning of a regular spring cleanup the City of Laval will also be conducting in the coming weeks. Residents who were unable to take advantage of the assistance offered last weekend will be able to get additional help in the coming weeks from teams continuing to operate in the flooded areas.

Martin C. Barry

Homeowners who live on a stretch of Guillemette St. alongside Autoroute 15 in Laval’s Marc-Aurèle-Fortin district won’t have to put up with the constant roar of highway traffic much longer, following word that the provincial government and the city have agreed to share the cost of a new $5.12 million anti-noise wall.

Last week, Laval mayor Marc Demers and Marc-Aurèle-Fortin city councillor Gilbert Dumas joined Sainte-Rose CAQ MNA Christopher Skeete for an official ground turning near a spot along Guillemette St. where the wall will be going up.

Residents to benefit

“Those living alongside on Guillemette St. will be able to celebrate now that this anti-noise screen is going to be re-built, offering them more comfort while benefiting a large number of residents,” Skeete said during a ceremony held near the site.

“You know, we can hear the noise of that highway right now,” added Skeete. “So I think the citizens who live on the side here deserve a little bit of calm. The quality of life of citizens being a priority of your government, I am pleased that the screen will be rebuilt and extended 50 metres south and 20 metres north.

A-15 traffic increases

“In all, the structure will be 1.1 kilometres long and will improve the quality of life of the citizens of Sainte-Rose,” he continued. “The extension of this screen can also be seen in the context of the use of the Laurentian autoroute which is an essential link and on which traffic hasn’t ceased growing in recent years. Nearly 150,000 vehicles circulate daily on this artery. The decision for this made-to-measure solution responds to the needs of the city and its residents.”

The City of Laval had previously built a wooden sound barrier covered with vines in the same spot, although it was reported by some to be not very adequate. Over the years, there was at least one occasion when residents turned up at Laval city hall to complain about it during a city council meeting. The new wall will be built of more durable materials to exacting specifications.

Quality to improve

“The completion of the upgrading and improvement work of the acoustic screens along the Laurentian Autoroute on Guillemette St. will improve the quality of life of the citizens in the neighbourhod by providing them with more tranquility,” Demers said, while noting that the old wall had reached the end of its usefullness. He said the new wall will be slightly longer and have better quality.

Demers praised the CAQ government for responding very quickly and providing the means for the new sound barrier shortly after the provincial election last fall. According to the mayor, the work involved should take around six months. He said the wall’s structure will do the job primarily of deadening the sound from Autoroute 15, while the green cover will help conceal the fact there is a wall there.

Solid new construction

Work on the sound barrier is expected to start around the beginning of June. Whereas the old wall consisted primarily of plywood with some overgrowth of vegetation and vines, the new one will built (in accordance with provincial standards and protocols for highway sound barrier construction) of steel and rock wool.

An overgrowth of vines will also be applied. While the current wall is 1,150 metres long, the new wall will be 70 metres longer. The City of Laval will be supervising and carrying out the construction. According to the city, more than 150,000 vehicles per day pass along Autoroute at that particular spot.