As part of a three-year agreement between the City of Laval and the Senseable City Lab (SCL) at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the Senseable City Guide to Laval was recently unveiled by officials from the MIT and the City of Laval.
The guide explores six preliminary concepts brought forth through the research project, which was conducted by senior SCL students who were mandated to imagine experiences in the future Carré Laval park in Laval’s downtown core.
In the project, the researchers looked into the idea of the Carré Laval as a four-seasons park incorporating leisure as well as work. The launch was the first stage of an overall task that will go on into 2022.
“Laval is the first city in Quebec to affiliate itself to the prestigious global research consortium at MIT, which is recognized as a leader in innovation,” said Mayor Marc Demers. “I find that this is perfectly in the spirit of the dynamism of our own beautiful community.”
“We are happy to work with the City of Laval in order to imagine public spaces as environments which are conducive to innovation,” said Carlo Ratti, director of MIT’s Senseable City Lab, adding that the SCL is trying to imagine the city of tomorrow. “We enthusiastically hope to pursue our talks with the Laval community.”
Place-du-Souvenir Fund files its annual report
Officials with the city tabled the Place-du-Souvenir Fund’s annual report recently in city council.
Notable in this year’s report, they said, was the arrival of several major partners to provide additional support. The fund was set up by the Demers administration to support children and youths in Laval considered to be at risk because of economic hardship.
“We firmly believe that each youth must be able to count on the support of his or her family and community to fully develop to potential,” said Laval city councillor for Concorde–Bois-de-Boulogne Sandra Desmeules, who also sits on the executive-committee.
“I acknowledge the work of the fund’s consultative committee,” she continued. “Its members solidified agreements in order to support the accomplishments of Laval’s youths from underprivileged backgrounds. Today, the Place-du-Souvenir Fund has become an important instrument for social development in Laval.”
Highlights from 2019
Three agreements were reached with partners, totalling nearly $500,000, providing financial support to organizations in Laval that give services to 9,500 youths.
The programs provided will encourage academic perseverance, anti-poverty measures and food security for children and families. There is also ongoing work taking place on a “sociodemographic portrait” of youths in Laval ages 0 – 17, in conjunction with the CISSS de Laval.
$45 000 given by Laval to Centre de bénévolat et Moisson Laval
The City of Laval recently awarded a subsidy of $45,000 to the Centre de bénévolat et Moisson Laval.
Members of the Comité de coordination des ressources publiques de la Ville de Laval (which is a city council committee), including Councillor Yannick Langlois (L’Orée-des-Bois, Councillor Aline Dib (Saint-Martin) and Councillor Aglaia Revelakis (Chomedey) presented a cheque to the organization.
“This is a major boost for our organization,” said Jean Gagnon, executive-director of Centre de bénévolat et Moisson Laval. “With this fantastic gift, we will be in a position to make a difference for dozens of families.”
“We are proud to donate to a Laval organisation that is devoted to the needs of Laval residents and that has the interests of the community at heart,” said Revelakis.
“During this particular time of year, we are aware that the needs are even greater than usual,” said Langlois. “We are sure that this subsidy will allow the organization to help even more residents, especially as the holidays approach, which is a period when demand rises,” added Dib.
