Get down to celebrate at Parc Pie-X in Chomedey beginning at 1:30 pm
The organizing committee of the Chomedey Neighborhood Party is inviting people of all ages to participate in the 15th edition of this fun event on Saturday August 19.
It will be held beginning at 1:30 pm at Parc Pie-X, which is located at 1170 Pie-X Boulevard in Chomedey. The Chomedey Neighborhood Party has been part of a neighborhood summer tradition for 15 years.
Proud to be in Chomedey
Get ready for some healthy fun in the sun, because the organizing committee wants to show all the reasons everybody who lives here should be proud to be in Chomedey. As in past years, the neighborhood party has been planned to be liked and enjoyed by everyone.
Feasting on corn during the 2022 Chomedey Neighbourhood Party. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Laval News)
The organizers say they are once again counting on many community organizations in the neighborhood to be on hand to entertain and inform at their kiosks, while introducing themselves to residents and explaining their respective missions.
Don’t miss roast corn
The neighbourhood party’s famous corn roast will also be making a comeback. The organizers are calling on all Chomedey residents to come out and participate, as well as to share this invitation with everyone around. There will be many prizes to win.
Neighbourhood Party trivia: Did you know that this celebration is a community initiative, one of the results from the 2008 Comité de développement local de Chomedey? The committee says it is anxious to continue this tradition and share this moment with you.
“We have many reasons to celebrate, because our neighborhood gives us many to be proud of,” said Lydia Douville, a spokesperson for the organizers.
‘We have many reasons to celebrate, because our neighborhood gives us many to be proud of,’ say the organizers
Support from sponsors
They said they would also like to mention that the party is being made possible thanks to the financial support of several partners, including: Caisse populaire Desjardins de Chomedey, IGA Extra Gagnon et Filles, the Laval News, the City of Laval, as well as the following elected officials:
Sandra El-Helou (Souvenir-Labelle city councillor), Aline Dib (Saint-Martin city councillor) and Mr. Vasilios Karidogiannis (Abord-à-Plouffe city councillor). They said they would also like to thank Sona Lakhoyan-Olivier (Member of Parliament for Chomedey) for her generous contribution. “We wish you all a HAPPY and FESTIVE neighborhood party!”
New resource was developed with the help of parents and dedicated staff members
When Nathalie Seukpanya, whose two children attend Crestview Elementary School in Chomedey, saw that students with autism needed a new tool to help improve communications, she set out along with other parents to find a practical and affordable solution.
The one-of-a-kind bilingual communication board they came up with, made from a rigid durable material and weatherproof for Laval’s challenging weather conditions, is set to transform the way children with autism engage and communicate in their educational environment.
According to Seukpanya, many children with special difficulties attend the school which caters to their diverse needs. Developed in collaboration with dedicated staff members and the Crestview Home and School Association (CHASA), the Crestview Elementary communication board incorporates innovative features to enhance inclusivity and provide a user-friendly experience.
Answering to all needs
According to a press release issued by CHASA, the board’s distinctiveness lies in its carefully selected pictos, each meticulously hand-drawn to ensure originality, inclusiveness and gender neutrality. Communication boards play a pivotal role in enabling non-verbal or partially verbal individuals, particularly those with autism, to express their needs, desires, and thoughts effectively.
Crestview Elementary’ s communication board takes this concept to the next level, surpassing conventional expectations and meeting the unique requirements of its diverse student population. “Basically, the board helps them communicate with their educators and their peers,” Seukpanya said in an interview with the Laval News.
Pictograms chosen specifically
Because the communication board is in the school yard, she and other parents made sure that the material it is made of was weather resistant, durable and safe for the children. Pictograms placed on the board were curated and chosen specifically by the teachers.
“It is a customized board for their specific needs,” she continued. “Within the hour of installation, a child took his educator by the wrist to the board and pointed to ‘EAT.’ So, she asked, “You want to eat?” Then after a few times, he finally pointed to ‘YES.’
“These children’s biggest hurdle is to get people to understand their needs and this board helps bridge that challenge,” she said, while adding that Crestview Elementary is also home to two Asista dogs and a sensory room – “which are great strategies to help with emotional regulation and so much more.”
Improving communication
Seukpanya, who is president of CHASA, said the communication board is designed particularly to help special needs students who are non-verbal. “Because they’re not able to use words, this helps them to get their message through,” she said.
Without the board, she explained, the process of getting a teacher or anyone else to understand “is longer. But now these children are able to express themselves and get their message through.”
She said a next step will be to make the board accessible inside the school. Although the board is bilingual, that wasn’t initially an option when they sought out a special education equipment dealer, which turned out to be in the U.S. where only an English-language version was available.
Skilled parents pitched in
As a result, Seukpanya, along with staff and parents at Crestview, decided to create a board on their own from scratch, using the resources available to them, which included professional services contributed at no cost by parents working in the printing, graphic design and marketing fields.
Irene Tsimikilis, principal of Crestview Elementary, expressed her excitement about the new communication board, saying, “We are thrilled to introduce this groundbreaking communication tool to our school community. The Crestview Elementary bilingual communication board represents our unwavering commitment to inclusivity and providing optimal learning environments for all our students. We believe it will revolutionize communication and enhance the educational experience for all the children.”
Key features of the board:
1. Unparalleled Durability: The communication board is constructed from a rigid durable material, making it highly resistant to wear and tear. Its exceptional quality ensures a long-lasting communication solution for the school community.
2. Weatherproof Design: Recognizing the challenges posed by Quebec weather conditions, the board is weatherproof to withstand rain, snow, UV rays from the sun and other environmental factors. This robustness ensures year-round accessibility and functionality.
Crestview Elementary School’s new communication board is located in the school yard and helps non-verbal special needs students get their messages across to teachers and others.
3. Bilingualism: In accordance with Quebec’s regulations on outdoor displays, Crestview Elementary’s communication board respects the province’s language laws while ensuring inclusivity. The board offers content in both French and English, allowing students to express themselves effectively in their preferred language. By adhering to the legal requirements and promoting bilingualism, Crestview Elementary strives to create an inclusive environment that fosters effective communication for all students.
4. Carefully Crafted Pictos: The pictos featured on the communication board are the result of extensive collaboration between dedicated staff members and CHASA. Each picto has been thoughtfully drawn to represent a wide range of concepts, while adhering to principles of inclusivity and gender neutrality. This attention to detail ensures that all students, regardless of their abilities or backgrounds, can easily comprehend and utilize the communication board.
The current issue of the Laval News, volume 31-15, published on August 16th, 2023. Covering Laval local news, politics, and sports. (Click on the image to read the paper.)
Front page of The Laval News, August 16th, 2023 issue.
A map of the affected thunderstorm watch area issued by Environment Canada.
Environment Canada issued a statement late Thursday morning saying that a severe thunderstorm watch would be in effect in Laval and over a wide-ranging area of southern Quebec and eastern Ontario until the early morning hours on Friday.
According to the federal weather agency, fonditions are favorable for the development of severe thunderstorms capable of producing strong wind gusts, large hail and heavy rain this afternoon and evening.
They point out that large hail can damage property and cause injury, while strong wind gusts can toss loose objects, damage weak buildings, break branches off trees and overturn large vehicles.
As well, the weather service notes that severe thunderstorms can produce tornadoes, and that heavy downpours can cause flash floods and water pooling on roads.
The Quebec highways ministry says it wants to inform Autoroute 15 and Autoroute 440 users that construction of an overpass ramp between the two will make it necessary to reconfigure traffic lanes on the westbound A-440 in the coming days.
A major accident at the A-15/A-440 intersection four years ago, in which four people died, spurred the government to fast-track the creation of a new elevated on-ramp, the construction of which is underway.
A such, the westbound A-440 between Industriel Blvd. and the A-15 will be closed during the night on Aug. 11 and 12.
During the night on Aug. 12 and 13, a single lane of traffic will be open on the westbound A-440 and Exit 24 (Industriel Blvd.) will be closed.
Beginning on Aug. 13 at 5 am, three westbound lanes on the A-440 will be open again, although it won’t be possible to take Exit 24 to get onto the A-440 service road.
Transports Québec recommends that motorists follow the detour signage closely while navigating through the area.
The new access ramp between the A-440 and A-15 is being built partly as a result of a major traffic accident four years ago almost to the day, in which four people died and at least three others suffered major injuries.
While the intersection was known for years as an extremely hazardous point for motorists, especially during rush hours, the provincial government was finally galvanized into taking action by the accident.
Officials with the Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board (SWLSB) issued a statement Thursday saying they are thrilled a Quebec Superior Court judge ruled that major elements of Bill 40, an act amending the province’s Education Act with respect to school organization and governance, are unconstitutional.
Bill 40, which was adopted in the National Assembly in the early hours of February 8, 2020 converted French school boards into school service centres, resulting in the abolition of Councils of Commissioners, replaced with board of directors.
The Quebec English School Boards Association had been awarded a stay of legislation in 2020, therefore making Bill 40 inapplicable to the nine English school boards until the case was heard on its merits.
Quebec Superior Court judge Sylvain Lussier’s extensive 125-page judgment found that many provisions of Bill 40 were unconstitutional and infringed upon section 23 the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which safeguards minority language education rights.
“This is undeniably a victory for the English-speaking community of Québec. We are incredibly happy to see our rights to control and manage our schools acknowledged and honored,” said SWLSB chairperson Paolo Galati, while adding that although it had been a long journey, “the fight was undoubtedly worthwhile,” he said.
Taking into account decades of jurisprudence regarding minority language education rights in Quebec and the rest of Canada, the SWLSB declared the court’s ruling “a historic pronouncement of the importance of protecting the rights of linguistic minorities in the province.”
The board said the court’s ruling also highlighted the significance of safeguarding minority language education rights and preserving democratic representation in educational governance.
“We sincerely hope that the Quebec government will refrain from appealing the judgment so that we can continue with our mission and wholeheartedly focus on providing the best education for our students,” said Galati.
Among other things, these elements were declared unconstitutional by Quebec Superior Court:
Eligibility requirements to be elected as a member of the board of directors of an English-language school service centre, including the requirement for parent representatives to also sit on the governing board, the requirement for community representatives to meet certain profile requirements and run in the entire territory of the board, etc.;
The requirement that only parent representatives can become Chair or Vice-Chair;
The presence of unelected staff members on the Council of Commissioners;
The transfer of the Chair’s role as spokesperson to the Director General;
The exclusion of commissioners from the development of Commitment-to-Success Plans;
The establishment of budgetary measures that are sent directly from the Ministry to schools, by-passing the school board; and
The absence of a rightsholder requirement to vote in school board elections.
QESBA president Dan Lamoureux.
In a statement, QESBA president Dan Lamoureux said, “We still have to examine the judgment in detail, but we are extremely pleased that our rights have been recognized and respected with this decision. We truly hope that the Government will decide not to appeal this clear decision that is based on our rights to manage and control our schools. We will be meeting with our Board of Directors and stakeholders to discuss next steps.”
The QESBA said it was also successful in obtaining a favourable conclusion in the judgment that the provincial government has an obligation to take into account the needs and preoccupations of the English-speaking community, including by way of prior consultation on legislation. “The Court found that adequate consultation had not taken place on Bill 40,” the association said.
The association said the court firmly rejected the government’s argument that only parents with children presently in English schools are rightsholders pursuant to section 23 of the Canadian Charter. The QESBA said the ruling confirmed that rights holders also include “ceux qui ont le droit d’y inscrire leurs enfants, ou qui y ont fait inscrire leurs enfants d’âge scolaire, ou avaient le droit de le faire.“
The Quebec Community Groups Network (QCGN) applauded the outcome of the legal challenge.
“This is a significant victory not only for the English-speaking community of Quebec, but for official language minority communities across Canada,” said QCGN president Eva Ludvig, while adding that “education rights are vital because of the well-established link between education and cultural and community vitality.”
Commenting on the possibility the government may decide to appeal the judgment, Ludvig said, the government “should do the responsible thing and not appeal today’s decision. The Court was clear that Quebec has an obligation to work with its English-speaking community when developing legislation. We have always been and remain open to effective consultation with the provincial government.”
Are you looking for something to keep the children busy once a week in August?
Do your kids love board games?
As it so happens, the Laval Police Dept.’s officers do too!
The LPD is inviting kids to participate in a special activity, Games with a Policeman (Jeux avec un policier), at the Germaine-Guèvremont public library in August.
They say it will be a playful opportunity to meet police officers, while having fun playing board games and learning more about the job of a law enforcement officer.
The Germaine-Guèvremont Library is located at 2900 de la Concorde Blvd. East.
Dates and times:
August 2 from 10:30 to 12:30
August 8 from 10:30 to 12:30
August 14 from 10:30 to 12:30
August 23 from 10:30 to 12:30
Best of all, you can just turn up on the spur of the moment, because no registration is required!
Quebec’s highways ministry is advising motorists whose travel plans may include night-time transit on Autoroute 440 that the high-speed axis will be closed in both directions at night from July 28 to 31 to allow asphalting to take place safely.
According to the provincial ministry, the westbound A-440 as well as its entrance and exit ramps between Curé Labelle Blvd. (Route 117) and Exit 22 (A-15/Montréal/St-Jérôme/Boul. Chomedey) will be closed completely between 11 pm and 7 am on July 28 – 29.
On the night of July 29 – 30, the eastbound A-440 and its entrance and exit ramps between Exit 22 and the exit for Industriel Blvd. will be shut between 11 pm and 7 am.
Finally, during the night of July 30 – 31, the eastbound A-440 and its exit and entrance ramps between Exit 22 and Industriel Blvd. will be closed from 10 pm to 4:30 am.
During these operations, motorists heading along the A-440 will be detoured along the autoroute’s service roads.
Samson Blvd. near Autoroute 13, where the victim was found in a multi-unit residential building.
The Laval Police placed a 55-year-old man under arrest Tuesday night after a 60-year-old woman was found lifeless earlier in the day at her home on Samson Blvd. near Autoroute 13 in Chomedey/Laval.
At around 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, the LPD was called to the multi-unit residential building where the woman was living to check on her condition, as requested by one of her relatives.
Once there, LPD officers found the woman unconscious.
An investigation has been handed over to the LPD’s Crimes Against the Person division, an LPD spokesperson said.
“We consider this death to be suspicious,” said LPD media relations officer Stéphane Beshara.
The suspect, whose relationship to the woman was not specified by the police, was arrested around 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.
He was expected to be arraigned at the Palais de Justice de Laval on Saint-Martin Blvd. early on Wednesday morning to face at least one charge: interfering with human remains.
Environment Canada issued a warning of severe thunderstorm activity for the Laval and Montreal regions beginning in the early afternoon Monday and extending up to midnight.
“Conditions are favourable for the development of severe thunderstorms capable of producing strong wind gusts, large hail and heavy rain this afternoon,” the federal weather tracking agency said in a statement.
Environment Canada said current atmospheric conditions are favourable for the development of thunderstorms that could produce one or more of the following: large hail, damaging winds, torrential rainfall.
The agency’s advice is to be prepared for severe weather and to take cover immediately if threatening weather approaches.
