The current issue of the Laval News volume 26-21 published November 7, 2018, (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.
Oct 19 – Laval police issued a statement confirming that a suspect wanted for attempted murder is now in custody.
Levon Mirzoian, 28, wanted in connection with the shooting of a Laval resident last August, turned himself in.
Mirzoain, who possesses both Canadian and American citizenships, had fled to the United States shortly after the shooting. He turned himself in to Canadian border officials last Thursday, following the media coverage of his international arrest warrant.
Laval police were collaborating with the FBI and RCMP to locate the suspect.
Police allege Mirzoian was involved in a non-fatal shooting last August 31, at a residence under renovation on Bruno St. in Chomedey.
The 32-year-old victim was shot multiple times, but the wounds were not lethal and he survived.
Police say the victim’s children were also the target of death threats made by the suspect during the incident.
Levon Mirzoian was arraigned at the Laval courthouse on charges of attempted murder and uttering death threats.
Oct 19 – Laval police arrested two suspects in connection with a wave of catalytic converter thefts that occurred in Laval in April 2018. A similar wave of thefts had also occurred in Montreal and Longueuil.
The thieves were caught red-handed, captured by video surveillance, as they stole a catalytic converter from a truck in Laval. Police arrested 38-year-old Carl Savoie and 25-year-old Miguel Gagnon near the scene of the crime.
Both suspects were arraigned at the Laval courthouse on multiple charges.
Gagnon was released with conditions and is scheduled to appear in court again on December 4. Savoie was detained overnight for a bail hearing.
Cynthia Abraham
Oct 20 – A man in his forties died after his SUV collided head-first with a minivan on Boul. Lévesque early Saturday morning.
Laval police are trying to determine the events that led up to the crash.
A young girl aboard the minivan was not injured by the collision but was taken to hospital as a precaution.
The driver of the minivan suffered serious injuries to his lower body, but his injuries were not life-threatening.
Police do not believe alcohol was a factor.
Oct 17 –Police raided eight residences and a business in Laval and the North Shore early Wednesday morning as part of an anti-drug operation.
The searches took place in Laval, Rosemere, Mirabel and Ste-Sophie.
Around 150 police officers took part in the operation, which targeted cocaine and methamphetamine traffickers.
Police arrested 12 people between the ages of 25 and 40, two of whom were previously known to police. They are scheduled to appear in the Laval courthouse on Thursday.
The raids were the culmination of a year-long investigation that started in October 2017.
Oct 11 – Police shut down an illegal cannabis dispensary in Chomedey and arrested the 2 men who were running it. The illicit pot vendors were operating out of the Vapexperts store located at 1228 Boul. Curé-Labelle.
Laval police officers from the Drug and Morality squad collaborated with SQ officers on the investigation, along with officers from St-Jérôme and Trois-Rivières.
The raid yielded a modest seizure: more than 400g of cannabis, over $12,000 in cash as well as cannabis-derived products.
The suspects were arraigned at the Laval courthouse and released. They are scheduled to appear again in court on December 14.
Martin C. Barry
With Halloween less than a week away, this year’s celebration of all things spooky and fit for trick or treating promises to be an especially horrifying one along Jean-Paul-Sartre St. in Laval’s Fabreville district.
A spooky tradition
At 3410 Jean-Paul-Sartre to be precise, members of the Schwartz family will be carrying on a longstanding Halloween tradition on Oct. 31 when their garage and driveway storm shelter are transformed into one of the most elaborate and labyrinthine haunted houses in the Montreal region.
For Jonathan Schwartz, the father of the clan, creating the haunted house each year at Halloween is a labour of love and creativity that dates back decades.
Building a haunted house
Schwartz is a lifelong Laval resident who has lived in several areas of the city, including Chomedey. Neither he nor anyone else in his family would never want to live anywhere else so great is their attachment to Laval.
“I’ve done this roughly since I’m 13,” he said in an interview with the Laval News. “I’ve done this at Centre de Sablon, I’ve done this at Jules Verne Elementary School and at my parents’ house, then at my house in Sainte-Rose and now here.”
A haunting they will go
Over the coming days leading up to Halloween night, the four members of the Schwartz family, as well as grandparents, in-laws and volunteers from the surrounding community, will be working to build and assemble the haunted house structure.
A large wooden framework will be covered with sackcloth and blankets to create walls and corridors. Anyone with enough nerve will be invited in to take a walk along the passageways where they’ll encounter sights scary enough that they’ve been known on past Halloweens to frighten even adults.
Not for the faint-hearted
“It’s a guided maze,” Jonathan pointed out. “There’ll be myself, Nancy my wife and a few other people who bring in groups of five or six people at most through.” If anyone doesn’t want the full treatment, that’s available, too.
Visitors are first asked if they want to be scared. If not, the hosts then instruct the spooks and goblins hiding behind the scenes to take it easy until another group arrives who have asked for and get the works.
Each Halloween, the family and volunteers develop a special theme. Last year’s was pirates. The year before it was witches. This year it will revolve circus imagery.
Circus theme this year
“There’s going to be animal skeletons, a wolf that howls and a ringmaster,” said Nancy. The Schwartz’s love Halloween so much they think twelve months ahead and shop for Halloween decorations the day after when everything is on sale.
People come from far and wide to partake of experience. According to Jonathan, attendance last year was 1,426, based on a count he did with a handheld clicker. All told, a trip through the Schwartz’s haunted house should take visitors an estimated 10 to 12 minutes to complete.
(TLN)
Laval residents can now boast that they drink tap water of the highest quality. During a recent symposium on water management held in Sainte-Hyacinthe, the City of Laval’s three drinking water treatment stations received a five-star rating.
“Since the beginning of this rating system, the Sainte Rose station has always obtained the highest distinction,” said Pierre Cullen, director of Laval’s water services, noting that the city’s Chomedey water station also was cited for water quality following renovations in recent years.
Martin C. Barry
According to conventional wisdom, most kids aspire – at least for a while – to be firefighters one day. For most young children, whether they’re girls or boys, there are few things more exciting than fire engines and firehalls.
Fireman for a day
Once a year when the Laval Fire Department holds its ‘open house,’ the nine firehalls in Laval’s districts are open to the public for a day. That’s when every kid living in Laval gets a chance to make believe they’re a fireman or firewoman.
During this year’s event held on on Saturday Oct. 13 in conjunction with fire prevention week, kids of all ages had the opportunity to get up close to the shiny, bright red ladder and pump trucks parked in firehall garages all over the island.
The real thing
For kids probably more used to playing with scale-models, actually being able to climb behind the wheel of a huge shiny red rig and being able to touch the intricate controls was something they will probably remember for a long time.
From morning to late afternoon, the kids got a chance to learn all about the work of firefighters, to watch and take part in equipment demonstrations, to receive fire prevention advice, and even to climb into a truck and feel what it’s like to do the work of a fireman.
Fun for families
Among the many people who dropped by the Chomedey No. 2 firehall on Souvenir Blvd. were Ziaav Ghantous and his two children: Peter and Alexandra.
“We’re here to support our fire department knowing that they’re always here to serve us,” said Ghantous. “It’s also important to show our kids the importance of the firefighters being there.”
Integrated Urban Revitalization Initiatives in Laval
The Executive Committee approved the agreement between the City of Laval and Quebec’s Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Land Occupancy (MAMOT) under the Greater Montreal Metropolitan Initiative and Outreach Fund (FIRM). The agreement concerns the urban development of regions and consolidates the support offered to the integrated urban revitalization (RUI) initiatives proposed for Laval which will be executed from April 1st 2018 to March 31st 2021. On August 10th 2018 the City of Laval received confirmation from MAMOT that it has successfully obtained a grant of $ 742,500 to cover a three-year period from April 1st 2018 to March 31st 2021. This grant added to the financial contribution allotted in the city budgets will expedite the revitalization projects already in progress in Chomedey, Pont-Viau and Place Saint-Martin/Domaine-Renaud.
The members of the executive committee approved the modification of the contribution agreement it had signed with the Department of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism as part of the relocation project for the Armand-Frappier Bioscience Interpretation Center. Almost a year ago, on October 27th 2017, the Minister of Canadian Heritage, the Honorable Mélanie Joly, announced that she was giving the City of Laval, as part of the Canada Cultural Spaces Fund, a contribution of $ 2.7 million for the relocation project of the Armand-Frappier Bioscience Interpretation Center. However Quebec municipalities are required to obtain authorization from the Québec government to enter into a financial contribution agreement with a federal government department. Laval has obtained a decree from MAMOT for this purpose.
The executive committee authorized the acquisition of a 602.5 square meter lot for $ 19,500. This lot, which is surrounded by land owned by the City of Laval, is located west of Val-des-Bois Street and south of Boismou Street in the perimeter of the Bois d’Auteuil woodlands. The executive committee also approved, for conservation purposes, the acquisition of another lot of land for the purchase price of $4,000.This lot of 283.4 square meters is located west of Debussy Street in the district of Auteuil. These acquisitions represent important elements identified in the 2017-2019 Action Plan for the Strategic Acquisition of Natural Environment which targets several lots of high ecological value.
Following the installation of a new water park play module in Renaissance Park, the City re-evaluated the speed limit on François-Baillairgé Street. In accordance with the criteria defined in 2011 during the development of the new speed limit of roadways in Laval’s master plan, the executive committee agreed to lower the speed limit to 30 kilometers per hour on François-Baillairgé Street. They also authorized the pruning a tree to improve the visibility of the new speed limit signs.
The Executive Committee agreed to recommend that City Council awards Contract SP-29541 to the 28 bidders which complied with the provisions in the contract of services required for Snow and Ice Transport Service including both the trucks, equipment and the human resources needed to operate them. Since the service needs depend on the amount of winter precipitation received the financial payments will be determined by the amount of snow and ice collected. Therefore payment to the suppliers will be made as the services are provided and billed by the operators according to the rates of the Transportation Ministry of Québec. The contract is valid for the three winter seasons 2018-2019, 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 and will expire after the third year unless terminated prematurely in accordance with the other provisions included in the service agreements.
In addition, the awarding of the SP-29541 contract did not deliver the total number of trucks required for the complete snow removal needs of the City therefore the administration issued a new call for tenders, SP-29582, in order to add more vehicles to its snow removal and transportation fleet.
The executive committee approved the awarding of a contract of $ 87,210.84 (taxes included) to the enterprise 9153-4693 Québec Inc. for professional services which will target the development of a municipal inventory management policy. The City of Laval wants to adopt such a policy to follow to ensure efficient and economical management of its supplies and equipment. Improved inventory management is achieved by strengthening the reliability of information gathered and managed regarding actual stock quantities. Remember that the implementation of this policy is also part of the recommendations of the Auditor General of Laval, in her latest report.
The Executive Committee has agreed to acquire lots 1 175 861 and 1 175 864 from the cadaster of Québec for the sum of $ 27,500. The combined lots have a total area of 2 289.6 square meters and were purchased for the purpose of conservation of woodlands in the Boise d’ Auteuil. The woodlands are located southeast of the junction of the streets of Bungalows and Bida in Laval’s Auteuil district. They are located within the Bois d’Auteuil special ecological development zone (ZAEP) and are part of the implementation of the 2017-2019 Action Plan for the Natural Environment Acquisition Strategy.
The City of Laval recovers the dead leaves for distribution to farmers in the region, who compost them and make fertilizer. There are two ways to participate in this recovery. Leaves can be gathered in paper bags and left for curb side pickup or can be transported to one of several municipal voluntary deposit sites. If you already have organic waste collection, you can also put your leaves in your brown bin so they can be composted.
The collection of dead leaves at residences will take place from October 15th to November 16th 2018. Dead leaf collection now takes place on the same day as the collection of organic matter, or the second working day after normal garbage collection if you do not have the brown bin yet.
On the day of collection place the leaves in paper bags or in your brown bin by the side of the road before 7:00 am. Do not include branches or other organic wastes. Note that maple leaves with tarry spot disease are now accepted in the municipal collection. Pumpkins and straw bales are also accepted, both for home collection and voluntary drop-off locations.
Also it is important to note that it is strictly forbidden to push dead leaves in the street, under penalty of a fine (bylaw L-12084).
Martin C. Barry
Since opening in May this year, the Agape English-Speaking Senior Wellness Centre has expanded its contacts with senior citizens in Laval who are breaking out of their isolation while benefiting from the centre’s growing list of programs and referral services.
A range of activities
Located on the third floor at 3860 Notre Dame Blvd. in Chomedey just east of Curé Labelle Blvd., the Wellness Centre has an elevator and there is a large parking lot on the side and behind the building. The centre also has the support of the CISSS de Laval.
With the Wellness Centre, Laval’s English-speaking and multicultural seniors can now participate in presentations on health, learn about the resources available to seniors who prefer to be served in English, take part in special activities, or receive referrals for their social service needs.
Central location in Chomedey
The Wellness Centre is also a place where seniors can go for health conferences, cognitive activities (board and card games), organized bus trips, computer or tablet courses and meetings with other members of Laval’s English-speaking community.
“We’re trying to focus on getting seniors out of their isolation,” said Agape executive-director Kevin McLeod. “It’s an issue across Quebec. It’s also an issue for us in Laval. According to the most recent Canadian census statistics in 2016, there’s nearly 20,000 English-speaking seniors 55 years of age and over in Laval now and we’re offering services for these people.”
Inspired by the CHSSN
Launched with a $140,000 two-year grant received from the provincial government’s Québec ami des aînés program, the Agape English-Speaking Senior Wellness Centre was largely inspired by a model developed by the Community Health and Social Services Network (CHSSN), which supports English-speaking communities in Quebec in their efforts to redress health status inequalities.
According to McLeod, in the six months the Wellness Centre has been open, they’ve been able to contact 300 seniors as well as other partner organizations to spread the word.
“There’s a need for services for English-speaking seniors in Laval,” he said, citing the findings of a statistical presentation Agape made. “It’s proven that there’s not enough services for them and this is why the Wellness Centre is here.”
Health benefits for seniors
According to Ian Williams, Agape’s staff social worker, research has shown that access by Anglophone seniors to English-language health and social services is an important health determinant.
“We want seniors to come here and have access to what’s available out there,” he said. “And just by the fact of getting out of isolation, out of their homes to come here, is a health benefit on its own.”
For McLeod, starting the Wellness Centre has been an opportunity to see English-speaking senior citizens from Laval emerge from their isolation, often following life-changing events. “We have seen seniors – recent widows and widowers – who’ve come to the Wellness Centre and they’re using it quite frequently,” he said. “For us this is a sign of success.”
Supported by government grant
Agape staff, volunteers and supporters are currently hoping that the provincial or federal governments will decide to extend funding for the Agape English-Speaking Senior Wellness Centre, as well as other wellness centres across Quebec.
“What we’d like to see, especially with the new government coming in, is for them to sustain these wellness centres,” McLeod said, while adding that this would allow the Agape English-Speaking Senior Wellness Centre to continue operating beyond its two-year mandate without having to charge any additional fees.
“When you’re looking at keeping seniors out of hospitals, keeping them well, taking them out of isolation, I think that’s a responsibility that falls on government,” he added.
Keeping seniors healthy
“The centre is actually serving a public health need,” said Williams. “If this could keep seniors healthier and happier, the chances of them being sustained at home, as opposed to being in a long-term care residence, is much more feasible.”
The lineup of weekly activities this fall at the Wellness Centre includes iPad courses on Fridays (10:30 am to noon, Nov. 2-16-23 and Dec. 7). Then there are the Karaoke Fridays from 1 to 4 pm. Tuesday afternoons from 1 to 4 pm it’s time for Coffee Sweets and Chat.
Some upcoming health presentations include a video conference on bladder health on Wednesday Nov. 14, and a session on Nov. 30 for seniors, families and friends on bullying and senior abuse. The Agape English-Speaking Senior Wellness Centre can be reached by phone at (450) 934-1122.
The current issue of the Laval News volume 26-20 published October 24, 2018, (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.
