Family-oriented yoga event to take place Sunday, raising funds for homeless

By Isaac Olson
Lee-Ann Matthews, founder of Kids Space Yoga, is hosting a fundraising event at St. Thomas Church (6897 Somerled Ave. corner of Rosedale Ave.) on April 2 at 10 am.

All are welcome to participate, she said, kids in tow or not, but it will be a family-oriented, non-secular event with live guitar music, singing, yoga movements and plenty of fun for people of all ages. While she has kid-sized mats available, adults are encouraged to bring their own and refreshments will be served after the one-hour class which starts at 10 am, so get there at least 15 minutes early.

Donations, big or small, will be accepted with all proceeds going to Open Door ― a Westmount-based homeless shelter.

“It’s geared mostly for families,” said Matthews, noting all donations are accepted as people are welcome to give as much or as little as they can. “I teach yoga to children under 18, but sometimes people like to come anyway even if they don’t have a kid and that's okay as well.”

No preregistration is required, she said, as the space is large enough to host at least 40 people. This is not a religious activity, though Matthews does facilitate kids’ programming at the church. This activity, she notes, is to encourage kids at her church about social outreach and community work.

“I am super excited to do this,” said Matthews. “I love doing community family events. It’s my favourite thing to do. I just hope a lot of people of come out. Having a lot of participants creates a greater energy. We will have a better vibe.”

For more informaiton:
Lee-Ann Matthews
Phone: 514.262.4060
Email: kidsspaceyoga@gmail.com
Website: http://kidsspaceyoga.blogspot.ca/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kidsspaceyoga/

Residents continue to express range of frustrations over ongoing Turcot construction

The sound barrier along Prud'homme Ave. Photo: Malaka Ackaoui 

By Isaac Olson

Residents in eastern NDG are sick of the traffic, the construction and the sound barriers that are pressed against their homes, lining the Decarie Expressway’s trench while crews continue to peck away at the Turcot Interchange reconstruction project.

Frustrations flared during the March 27 meeting of the Turcot N.D.G-Westmount Neighbourhood Committee which was held in the St. Raymond Community Centre. These meetings are designed to update the public about ongoing work in the area while giving citizens an opportunity to raise concerns of their own.

One of the more prevalent concerns is that for pedestrians and cyclists, especially children, in eastern NDG as bottle-necking traffic continues to put pressure on the surrounding neighbourhoods. Parents have continually expressed worry that there aren't enough safety measures being implemented in the St. Raymond district as kids walk to and from the new school at the corner of Upper Lachine Rd. and Oxford Ave. Montreal representative James Byrns said the file is progressing, but his vague, detail-lacking response brought cries of dissatisfaction from the audience. NDGers want more to be done to calm traffic and keep children safe in St. Raymond.

Another big concern is the walls looming over the neighbourhood on both sides of Highway 15. The MTQ is looking to expand these walls along Addington St. and Prud'homme Ave. On Prud'homme, the concern is an expansion would block access to the green space along the highway's trench.

Malaka Ackaoui is a member of the committee and neighbourhood resident. During the meeting, Ackaoui and Jill Prescesky continued to question the intrusive sound barriers along Addington St. and Prud’homme Ave. The tall, plywood walls, stuffed with insulation, cast dark shadows on a community that never asked for the walls in the first place.

Citizens have continually asked the Quebec’s Minister of Transport (MTQ) “not to install this type of visual pollution,” states Ackaoui, but the MTQ persists. These walls are supported by by the city and the director of public health (DSP), she notes.

“We believe they are concentrating on noise, but ignoring other important and psychological health issued that are related to such a wall,” she stated, noting residents came together in October 2016 to demand the wall be removed along Addington St. due to its "ugliness and inefficiency."

“After distributing fliers asking residents to express their opinions on the installation of a temporary noise barrier, the majority expressed their concerns regarding the proposed walls. Seventy percent voted against it on Prud’homme and some 40 percent on Addington.  Despite these figures, they persist on ignoring our requests.  What a conception of democracy!”

The Prud'homme Ave. wall may extend north
to block this green space as it runs along the curb. Photo: Malaka Ackaoui 

Ackaoui provided Montreal Reporter with these bullet points about the proposed wall extension along Prud'homme Ave.

·         The proposed wall is supposed to stay at least until 2020!  It is extremely ugly and not as efficient for noise reduction as MTQ pretends.

·         This proposed wall extension will hide all the greenery facing the homes on Prud’homme Ave.

·         A visually unpleasant environment makes it more difficult to sell homes or rent apartments

. 

·         Some landlords have already reduced the amount of monthly rent they expect for their apartments due to the Turcot construction problems.

·         The green space behind the wall will become a potential hiding place for mischief. 

                                                                                                      

·         The wall will prevent children from playing safely in the green space.

·         Dog owners will lose the walking space with their animals.

Dan Lambert speaks during the meeting on March 27. Photo: Isaac Olson

Five recent NDG-related stories by Isaac Olson in the Montreal Gazette

Alana Barrell's paintings can be found on her website. Photo: Eva Blue

All of the below blurbs and subsequent links lead to articles by me in the Montreal Gazette. 

Currently, I am producing about two a week for the newspaper, focusing on NDG-area coverage. If you hear about something interesting happening in the NDG area, let me know. If it's not fit for the Gazette, I will publish it here on my blog. 

1. Trinity Memorial: Published on March 18, this article explores the potential sale of Trinity Memorial Church on Sherbrooke St. and the fate of the NDG Food Depot which is still housed in the nearly 100-year-old building. NDG district councillor Peter McQueen will be bringing his church-preservation motion to the borough council on April 3. Click here for the full article.

2. Barrell paints: Part-time NDG resident Alana Barrell loves painting when her paranoid schizophrenia isn’t getting her down. Thanks to a non-profit initiative, she has been hosting her first solo art exhibition at 4865 St. Laurent Blvd. The article was published on March 21. Click here for the full article. 

3. Boundary dispute: As reported on March 21, west-end politicians are leading citizens to fight against provincial electoral boundary lines that, they say, will divide key voting groups. At issue are the Mont-Royal, Outremont and D’Arcy McGee ridings which will all be switched around just in time for the upcoming election on October 1, 2018.  Click here for the full article. 

4. Graffiti fight: Long-time NDG property owner Edward Kalil is looking to fight the CDN-NDG borough by-law that fines taxpayers for not keeping their buildings clean. Kalil is 82 years old and owns the property at the northeastern corner of Sherbrooke St. and Westmore Ave. Kalil has just signed his business tenant, Second Cup, on to another 10-year lease. Meanwhile, he’s going to court on April 28 to fight a $700 fine for allegedly not keeping his property clean. Click here for the full article that was published on March 24. 

5. On-ramp coming: MTQ officials have confirmed plans to build an on-ramp from the under-construction St. Jacques St. bridge to the Decarie Expressway northbound. As reported on March 27, this announcement comes after NDG district councillor Peter McQueen collected more than 300 signatures related to this issue. This new on-ramp will allow vehicles exiting the MUHC hospital faster access to Highway 15. As it is, all motorists are directed north on Decarie Blvd. to the Sherbrooke St. on-ramp, creating constant congestion. For the full article, click here. 

Porchfest NDG 2017 organizers put the call out for musicians

Porchfest NDG 2015. Photo: Isaac Olson

By Isaac Olson

Organizers are getting ready for the upcoming Porchfest NDG - a community musical event where musicians jam on porches, stoops and patios throughout the neighbourhood for two days. 

Online registration for musicians kicked off on March 19, 2017 for the third annual installment of Porchfest. This year’s event is slated to take place on May 20 and 21.

The Westhaven-Elmhurst Community Association will benefit from this year’s event. The association offers free programs, including music workshops and a recording studio, for teens and young adults in NDG. 

According to Porchfest NDG’s website, “All the donations collected during the 2017 edition of Porchfest NDG will go towards improving music education resources available to NDG youth through Westhaven’s inclusive and accessible music program.”

Musicians must first find a porch to perform on before registering through Porchfest NDG’s website. The musician schedules will vary as organizers work to disperse shows throughout NDG, but make it easy for people to hop from one porch-based performance to the next.

Click this sentence to reach Porchfest NDG’s website.

Click this sentence to reach its Facebook page. 

This sentence leads you to a video from 2015.

Here are two more photos I took of Porchfest NDG in 2015:

Porchfest NDG 2015. Photo: Isaac Olson

Porchfest NDG 2015. Photo: Isaac Olson

Benrobi to star in upcoming performance of ‘Closer’

By Isaac Olson

Izak Benrobi, an NDG resident and co-founder of Acts to Grind Theatre, is starring in the company’s upcoming “melodramedy” by Patrick Marber called “Closer.”

While Acts to Grind Theatre did a performance back in January, Benrobi said this upcoming play is the company’s first big show.

Izak Benrobi

“Our first show was almost like a trial run,” said Benrobi in a phone interview on March 28. He said this upcoming show is “really our first big launch.”

Looking ahead, he added, “I’m feeling good. I have one week off now to really work on my character.”

Benrobi will be playing Larry, a dermatologist. Wikipedia provides plenty of plot spoilers if you like plot spoilers.  The play was adapted into a 2004 film as well.

According to the press release, the play won the 1998 Olivier Award for best play and it won the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for best foreign play in 1999.

“Four lives intertwine over the course of four and a half years in this stinging look at modern love and betrayal,” states the press release, noting the story is set in London in the year 1997. 

The four main characters, including an obituary writer, a dermatologist, an American stripper and a photographer, end up in “a series of pass-the-lover scenes in which this quartet struggle to find intimacy, but, despite shared truths and kindness, can't seem to get any closer.”

The play will be performed seven times between April 4 and April 9 at the MainLine Theatre (3997 St. Laurent Blvd., just south of Duluth Ave.). It is a limited-seating, intimate venue and it is recommended that you book in advance here.

The schedule is as follows:

• April 4 to 9: 8 pm
• April 9 matinee: 2 pm 

Click here for a promotional video clip. 

Acts to Grind's Facebook page is here. 

Students studying or living in D'Arcy-McGee riding invited to participate in video contest

D'Arcy-McGee MNA David Birnbaum is organizing a riding-wide student video competition to commemorate and celebrate Canada's 150th anniversary, according to a press release available on the Côte St. Luc city website. 

The contest is called, “Canada at 150: My story, your story.”

Students living or studying in the riding are invited to produce a video, no longer than two minutes, where they  interview grandparents, a neighbour or a relative “about their thoughts on coming to or living in Canada, and/or the students’ own reflections on the occasion of Canada’s 150th.”

Two iPad mini prizes will be handed out for winning videos, one to an elementary school student and the other to a secondary school student. The winners will be announced and their videos presented at Côte Saint-Luc’s Canada Day celebrations on July 1.

The deadline for the video entries is June 2, 2017 at 4 pm. Entries should be submitted to darcymcgeeqc@gmail.com

The three-member jury to choose the winners includes CTV Montreal News Anchor Mutsumi Takahashi, former Canadian Justice Minister and Mount Royal MP Irwin Cotler and Citizenship Judge Barbara Seal.

Click this sentence to watch a video about the contest. 

MNA David Birnbaum (right) after winning the 2014 election. Photo: Isaac Olson

NDGers come together to support firebombed restaurant

Isaac Olson on the beat (left) interviewing N.D.G resident Rachel Berger  while a CBC reporter shows the camera which window was broken by vandals. Photo: Romney Copeman

The new Boustan Restaurant, just a few months old in NDG, was firebombed on March 7 at around 1:20 a.m. and the two suspects were arrested soon after.

By the end of the week, the broken window was fixed and the fire damage cleaned up. Romney Copeman, a lifelong NDGer, organized an eat-in of sorts to show the restaurant owners and workers that they are welcome in NDG. The event was organized via Facebook and interest grew quickly.

This was the tightest deadline on a story that I have had since since my early days as a beat reporter in St. Johnsbury, Vermont working for the Caledonian Record back in 2003/2004. The event started at 5:30 pm and I was expected to have the story in by 9:30 pm at the very latest. I borrowed my father-in-law's laptop so I could write it in the nearby Shaika Cafe while sipping herbal tea.

The article, which I turned it at 7:37 pm can be read in full here.

Serre Picasso restaurant owner renovating property on St. Jacques St.

I read one blog-type post that accused me of burying the lead in this Montreal Gazette article about the potential resurrection of Serre Picasso on Sherbrooke St. 

I respectfully disagree with Tim Forster's assessment of my article as, the reality is, we don't know what is going to happen to the property. To me, without any solid plan for the property, there is no hard news here. The memories were much more interesting for a feature-style article.

As stated in the article, well-known Montreal businessman Peter Sergakis said he is fixing it up for a restaurant business of some kind, but he wasn't sure what kind of restaurant or even if he will manage it himself. The fact is, the Gazette ran a similar article in 2010. So, seven years later, I don't think Montrealers should jump to conclusions about what Sergakis has planned for the place. Most of the conversation I had with him was about how Montreal is saturated with breakfast joints and it is very hard to make money in the restaurant business - especially when it comes to greasy spoon diners.

Either way, I wish I could have written all that Nick Patulli, 69, said about his time at Serre Picasso. If you ever find yourself at his place of business, the Crowley Arts Centre in NDG near the MUHC hospital, I suggest you ask him to tell you more about his time at the restaurant. Be sure to ask him about the Beaver Club which had a Mother's Day tradition to end all Mother's Day traditions. 

Elmhurst Dairy cows reappear after years of hibernation

My first article in the Montreal Gazette was on the reappearance of the Elmhurst Dairy cows. The full article can be found here.

Over the years that I worked as a reporter for the Free Press, I had heard about these cow heads more than once. I heard they were in storage in the old Evantide Home on St. Jacques St., near Connaught Ave. It didn't take much searching online to verify what I already knew: The cow heads had spent some time forgotten in the Eventide Home. Here is a blog post about it with photos.  However, as noted in the Gazette article, Parmalat properly stored the heads once officials with the company learned they were there and that they had significant historical value for many Montrealers.

It was an interesting article to research as I soon discovered that many different people had different names for the cows, including a descendant of the Elmhurst Dairy's founder. She knew them as "Elsie and Elmer." Elmer, Lynda Trenholme told me, was named after the glue company because glue is made from cows.

The most interesting part about this article was being able to read reactions from readers. For years, I have been a bit isolated from the internet because the Free Press never had an online presence. This article was widely shared on Facebook and all the memories were fun to read.

I wish I could have enjoyed ice cream at the Elmhurst Dairy many years ago but, alas, it was closed one year before I was born.

Borough mayor Russell Copeman shares kind thoughts on Free Press closure

After the Free Press closure was announced in its February 28, 2017 edition, I attended the borough council meeting on March 6 just to say "farewell" to my duties as chief reporter of the community newspaper.

I was touched by borough mayor Russell Copeman's opening remarks about the newspaper's closure. His words and the audience's applause brought tears to my eyes after 7.5 years of reporting in NDG and Cote St. Luc.  It was nice to know that people were appreciative of my effort to provide the community with objective news and interesting stories from around the area.

Given the support and outreach the community has offered me in the weeks that followed, I am happy to announce that I am not done yet!

You can take the Free Press out of NDG, but you can't take the reporter. I'm sticking around. Look for my articles in the Montreal Gazette and here on this blog. If I get enough interest and followers, I will try to update this blog twice a month with a few community stories and even some meeting coverage.

For Mayor Russell Copeman's remarks, click here.

Richardson, born-and-raised NDGer, goes from intern to editor-in-chief in 12 years

Michelle Richardson grew up in NDG and I was quite proud to learn she was an avid reader of the Free Press. She even complimented my work for the community newspaper. Now she has moved to Ottawa to take on the prestigious role of editor-in-chief of the Ottawa Sun and Ottawa Citizen. Because I wrote this article for Concordia University, I can't give away too many details here. I recommend you click on this link to read more. -Isaac Olson

Head & Hands gets the green light for moving into Benny Chapel

By Isaac Olson

It took a number of years, but Head & Hands has been officially selected as the next inhabitant of the old Benny Chapel which has sat vacant ever since the library moved into its new facility.

On October 5, borough councillors approved a 10-year lease agreement with the non-profit organization, permitting the occupancy from September 1, 2016 to August 31, 2026. Head & Hands director Andrea Clarke says that agreement includes the option to lease it again for another 10 years.

Now the next step is to renovate the facility, preparing it for the move and then, come mid-summer or early fall of 2017, Head & Hands will have a new home. In total, the renovations and move is estimated to cost around $600,000, said Clarke, noting the organization’s financial backers are still in place and ready to support the cause.

“The next step for us right now is to finalize our designs for the space and getting an idea of what the construction project is going to look like,” said Clarke, who described the council’s agreement approval as “wonderful.”

The new location will be a stone’s throw from its partnering organization, Carrefour jeuness emploi NDG. It is an accessible building, centrally located in NDG with plenty of nearby services. At 287.23 square meters, the new space is also considerably larger than the organization’s principle location on Sherbrooke St.

 “This project is going to allow us to have a space that is much more physically accessible and that will have the young parents’ program in the same space as a lot of the individual services,” she said. “It’s a tremendous opportunity for the organization to offer deeper support to our clients.”

Since 1970, Head & Hands has been committed to the physical and mental health of “our community’s youth,” according the organization’s website. The organization offers a wide range of services, such as medical clinics and workshops on legal rights, safer drug use, babysitting and more.

The old Benny Chapel in NDG on January 29, 2015. Future home of Head & Hands. Photo: Isaac Olson

96-year-old Lion publishes book despite failing eyesight

By Isaac Olson

At age 96, Edgar Lion doesn’t see well enough to use a computer’s keyboard or even read a newspaper without specialized magnifying equipment.

However, his lack of vision didn’t stop him from self-publishing a 55-page book, “The Lion Hypothesis,” that outlines his views on space and time.

Lion was born in Austria in 1920 and, alone, he fled to Canada at age 18 as the Nazis stormed into his family’s homeland and took over his school. He recounts much of his unique, tragedy-laced life story in his new book, of which there were only 100 copies printed that, instead of selling, he gave away mostly to friends and family. It was a hobby-like project, he said, that allowed him to get his thoughts down on paper. It is available in PDF format on Côte St. Luc councillor Mike Cohen’s blog. Here is a link to the full text. 

“It is a small book and there is a reason for that. It was an extremely difficult book to write because I have a severe case of macular degeneration,” he said. “I have no close vision. I can’t use my computer. To write the book, I had to use a tape recorder and it was damn difficult.”

To write the book, Lion first dictated into the recorder and then paid somebody to transcribe the text. It was a lengthy process, he said, because dictating into a recorder is nothing like writing a book on a typewriter or computer. A recorder doesn’t allow him to make quick edits or delete misplaced words. After he managed to get his thoughts recorded, the transcriber, he said, had a difficult time going through the recordings and typing out everything word for word.

“I wrote the book because I wanted to write about several subjects that I was interested in for people to get a little bit of an idea of a subject without having to buy a whole, large book to read about the entire topic,” he said, noting the chapters cover everything form “divine illusion” to the big bang theory. “I have a fair amount of astronomy in this book as I write about the solar system and our galaxy while predicting how it will end in the very distant future.”

Lion is a retired engineer that has published three internationally selling books on the subject of engineering. In fact, he has had several side writing projects over the years and he has taken up quite a few hobbies too. For example, he became a tap dancer at age 66.

He designed and built his own home on St. Ignatius back in 1953. He had twin sons and a daughter with his wife, Phyllis Joseph. One of the twins, Clifford, was a doctor in Ontario. He developed Hodgkin’s disease and died of lung cancer in 1999 at age 44. Douglas was fire chief in Côte St. Luc for a number of years. He died in 2005 of a heart attack in his sleep at age 50. Lion’s wife died four years later as, he said, the grief of loss was too much for her to bear.

He writes much of this story in his book, but “there is a lot I had to leave out,” he said, because he didn’t want the book to be too long or be just about his own life. 

Edgar Lion in his living room on November 15, 2016. Photo: Isaac Olson 

NDG-based co-working space discussion builds steam

By Isaac Olson

As co-working spaces continue to pop up across the island year after year, autonomous workers from around NDG came together on February 9 to discuss the possibility of establishing such a space in the area.

It has been discussed in the past, but interest is growing as autonomous workers search for a place to earn their daily bread outside of coffee shops and home offices.

In the publicity leading up to the event, it states, “NDG is home to many who work outside traditional office settings, yet the neighbourhood is lacking in welcoming, creative, efficient spaces for individuals to work on their own and/or collaborate with others. Currently, independent workers, freelancers and small businesses must leave NDG in order to access co-working environments. Perhaps 2017 is the year for change.”

Held in the Carrefour Jeunesse-Emploi NDG on Sherbrooke St. and organized by the NDG Community Council’s Steve Charters, about 20 people came together to hear presentations by founders and leaders of co-working spaces such as The Food Room (55 de Louvain West St.) and Temps libre Mile-End (5605 de Gaspé Ave.). The Food Room is a fully-equipped commercial kitchen and co-working space for food entrepreneurs.

Temps libre offers people a fully functioning office space, complete with meeting rooms, desks and more, in a co-op style setting that attracts students, artists, business people and others in search of a place to work outside of their home. In this case, explained Ariane Careau, there are financial partners and the users pay on a sliding scale depending how much time they need in the co-working space. It’s a co-working space that is used to subsidize a public meeting and gathering place.

“But the question is, if one wanted to make a co-working space, you need money to build it and you need a network of people that you can invite easily once you put it up,” said Charters in a phone interview before the February 9 meeting. “The purpose of this meeting is to bring together all the different people that have been talking about creating a co-working space in NDG for a number of years and to link them all together so that we can actually find out and demonstrate that there is a market for this kind of initiative.”

Charters is a community organizer with the NDG Community Council. One of his roles is leading the Local Economy Coalition that brings together all organizations interested in local economic development in NDG from both an entrepreneurial and employment perspective. 

Non-profit organization leaders and autonomous workers come together to discuss the possibility of establishing a co-working space in NDG on February 9.   Photo: Isaac Olson

Studio Vie’s pre/postnatal fitness classes a hit in NDG

By Isaac Olson

Jana Sedivec grew up in NDG and, after having her first child, she realized there weren’t any fitness resources in the area for moms and moms-to-be.

At the time, she was the director of and a personal trainer at Gym Espace Forme on Nun’s Island. She went out and added to her already long list of credentials and experience, becoming a Pre and Post Natal Fitness Specialist (PFS). Meanwhile, she kept having kids.

Jana Sedivec in Studio Vie on February 7. Photo: Isaac Olson

“After having my third, I felt like it was time for me to do my own thing,” she said. “When my third turned one, I found this space and decided to start my own business and I’ve been going strong ever since. I think there’s nothing quite like this type of training being offered right now.”

In September 2011, Sedivec opened Studio Vie which is located at 5175 C Sherbrooke St., just west of Vendôme Ave.

Seven days a week, the studio offers a range of classes, including pre and postnatal fitness programming that is baby friendly. There are also yoga classes, classes for those 60+ and “fit moms” classes as well as Pilates and yoga. Sedivec’s sister hosts prenatal and baby yoga classes. Sedivec also provides personal training services.

“I’ve been in this industry for 15 years or so,” she said, noting she has long worked with tennis and soccer players given her background in the two sports as a coach and player. “Once I had kids, I realized how important that part of the training world is and that there wasn’t really anything being offered.”

Sedivec developed a small-class concept that is really personalized to her clients, specific to each person in the class.

“I am able to modify all different kinds of exercises specifically for what everyone needs,” she said. “Of course, for pregnancy, it’s important to have safe training. It’s safe, but it gets you strong and fit for labor to be a quicker labor with improved recovery afterwards.”

Sedivec played tennis for the University of Tulsa (NCAA, Div. 1) while earning a bachelor’s in exercise and sports science on an athletic scholarship. She played professional tennis at the international level. She also has a “Twist Excelerate Sports Performance” certification.

“More and more pregnant women and new moms are realizing the benefits and, increasingly, doctors are talking about how it’s not time to sit all day long, but there are benefits to staying active and being fit,” said Sedivec. “There’s more research out there to prove there are benefits and more and more women are catching on.”

Jana Sedivec in her Studio Vie fitness studio on Sherbrooke St. on February 7. Photo: Isaac Olson

Witness thwarts possible home burglary attempt and a wallet vanishes

By Isaac Olson
When a witness intervened on February 11, two burglary suspects fled the scene of the potential crime, according to Station 9 constable Marie-Christine Nobert.

The incident took place at around 1:40 pm on McMurray Ave. just south of Kildare Rd. A witness saw two suspects on the street in front of the residence and then they walked to the side of the house. The witness saw the suspects stop near a window, Nobert explained, and decided to intervene. The witness opened his window and asked them what they were doing.

Rather than answering, they fled the scene.

Suspect number one and two are both described as a white males around 20 years old and wearing a hooded sweatshirts.

Wallet vanishes, suspect sought

A Decarie Square visitor’s wallet vanished on February 7 at around 1:20 pm.

The suspect entered a clinic located in Decarie Square, Nobert explained. While the victim was in a consultation with an employee of the clinic in another room, their wallet was stolen. The male suspect is described as black, about 34 years old, 5’9” tall and 180 pounds.

John Grant students upgrade ‘prison gray’ walls with mural

By Isaac Olson

John Grant High School teacher Marie Francis decided it was time to upgrade the institute’s “prison gray” walls and, with the help of a student teacher, 21 students and a professional muralist, she did just that.

Now there is a colourful wall mural on the third floor, decorating doors and lockers from floor to ceiling with an aboriginal theme. It measures about 40 feet in length.

Cynthia Cousineau, a Concordia University student, has been working at John Grant High School since December, offering art classes. Francis is the music teacher and, while there isn’t permanent art programming, Cousineau, 25, has been serving as an art teacher for her internship. Francis applied for and was awarded a schools and culture grant. Cousineau lead the project.

Cynthia Cousineau works on the wall mural on February 22. Photo: Isaac Olson

Marcio Melo, a Brazillian artist living in Quebec, was brought in for a three-day workshop from February 13 to 15. The professional muralists taught the students about mural art and helped get the project started by providing much of the base artwork.

From there, the students added in their own details and Counsineau, by February 22, was putting on the finishing touches with colourful phoenix and peacock designs. The hope, she said, is to eventually do the entire corridor. Students that worked on the project vary between 12 and 21 years old.

“They basically painted their own section,” she said, noting the first day was spent designing the actual project and “the next two days we painted it.”

Rebecca, a 15-year-old student, was surprised to learn she had some artistic talent.

“I don’t really draw,” she said. “Doing art is not really a thing for me. But once I did, I felt I really enjoyed it. I looked at the finished project and I was like ‘wow, I should do more art.’”

Vanessa, age 16, found the project “pretty awesome.” She has done other wall art in the school as she has always been interested in drawing.

John Grant is an English Montreal School Board (EMSB) high school for students with mild to severe intellectual disabilities.

Cynthia Cousineau (front left) and Marie Francis (front right) with mural-painting students from John Grant High School on February 22.  Photo: Isaac Olson

 

Housefather, Brownstein interview Farella in video

As part of Côte St. Luc mayor Mitchell Brownstein’s “In Conversation” video series, he sat down with Bianca Farella to talk to her about her recent bronze medal win at the summer Olympics.

Former mayor and current Mount Royal riding MP Anthony Housefather joins in the conversation. The video is readily available on the city’s website and YouTube page. Six-minutes long, it was published in December and it includes conversation in both French and English.

Farella grew up in Côte St. Luc. She is a Canadian Rugby 7s player and her team won the bronze medal in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. 

To watch the full video click here.

JPPS-Bialik announces new athletic consultant

John Dore is the new athletic consultant at JPPS-Bialik, a private elementary and high school located on Kildare Rd.

According to an announcement published on the school’s website, Dore, the former head coach of the Concordia Stingers basketball team, is a “legend in college basketball, having taken his team to the finals 13 times.” 

Dore is the recipient of key recognition awards and honours throughout his career and he has led several national teams, including Canadian entries at the World University Games and the Maccabiah Games.

This position is part of JPPS-Bialik’s new Project Fit initiative which, announced in August 2016, “includes the building of a new state of the art field right on the JPPS-Bialik school

campus. Project Fit is also designed to offer a specialized and dedicated school environment

whereby students can participate and thrive in both competitive and recreational sports

activities while promoting physical education, team spirit and a healthy lifestyle.”

Lachine man arrested after witness sees him checking apartment doors

By Isaac Olson

On February 8 at approximately 1 pm, a resident in a Sherbrooke St. apartment complex called 9-1-1 to report a man knocking on doors and listening, according to Station 11 constable Claire Parkinson.

The witness suspected the man may be casing apartments, checking to see if anybody was home. The citizen that called followed the suspect out of the apartment building, which is located west of Cavendish Blvd. The citizen watched as the suspect got onto a bus and gave all the relevant information to the dispatcher, Parkinson said.

“Officers knew the bus was traveling east on Sherbrooke St. and my colleagues, the community relations police officers, were out in an unmarked car when they heard the call come in,” she said. “They intercepted the bus they presumed was carrying the suspect.”

The suspect got off the bus but would not stop when the uniformed police officers identified themselves and told him to stop, said Parkinson. There was a short foot pursuit that ended on Sherbrook St., across the street from the Pharmaprix when the suspect tripped on a fence and fell to the ground.

“At the same time, several other squad cars were headed to the same call,” she said and many officers responded.

The suspect was handcuffed and searched, she said, and objects were found that were believed to be stolen. He also had a screwdriver in his possession. Once he was identified, police learned he had a warrant out for his arrest as well. By February 20, the investigation tied the suspect to at least two actual break-ins in an apartment near where he was seen.

In the end, his charges included possession of stolen property, possession of burglary tools, breaking and entering and outstanding warrant. The suspect is described as a 57-year-old Lachine resident.

Officers Claire Parkinson and Peter Mandelos, retired, in 2013. Photo: Isaac Olson

Simkin files ‘pink tax’ motion with Quebec Superior Court

By Isaac Olson

NDG-based lawyer Michael Simkin is leading the charge to Quebec’s Supreme Court, seeking permission to launch a class-action lawsuit against eight corporations over what has been dubbed the “pink tax.”

The Legal Logik firm is going after Unilever Canada, Shoppers Drug Mart, Jean Coutu, Uniprix, Métro, Loblaws, Walmart and Familiprix for offering “discriminatory surcharges” on hygiene products marketed to women. The products on a per-gram basis average 40 percent more for women than they are for men despite being composed of the same ingredients. The law firm is estimating the total damages could reach over $100 million.

Legal Logik is representing NDG-resident Aviva Maxwell in this appeal, while arguing this price discrimination goes against the Quebec Charter of Rights.

“First of all, this has been going on for a very long time, but there has been some pretty solid research more recently that demonstrates that it is not just an isolated phenomenon,” said Simkin in a phone interview. “It’s across the board in every jurisdiction. It’s really a commercial practice. It’s a marketing practice and it is incredibly gender bias.”

Michael Simkin addresses the borough council in November 2015. Photo: Isaac Olson

Projet Montréal picks local leaders within the borough

Borough-based members of the Projet Montréal municipal political party gathered on February 13 for their annual general meeting, selecting local residents to join its “new, local executive council.”

According to a press release, members of this new council include: Rajendra K. Basdeo (coordinator), Valerie Bell (communications chair), Michael Forian (fundraising chair) and Kevin Copps (membership chair). To complete the executive team, Nadia Abdelahad, Sharon Leslie, Peter Deslauriers and Marie-Hélène Navarra will serve as councillors.

“This team is already hard at work to prepare the upcoming municipal election in November,” states the press release, which notes the local borough association currently has more than 400 members.

NDG district councillor Peter McQueen and his Côte des Neiges colleague, Councillor Magda Popeanu, both represent the party. 

Fraser Hickson sets up ‘minibiblio’ in St. Raymond Community Centre

In honour of Black History Month, the Fraser Hickson Library has inaugurated a “minibiblio” in the St. Raymond Community Centre.

Minibiblios are small libraries located within places like non-profit organization headquarters or community centers. Visitors can take out books just like they would at a regular library. This minibiblio in the St. Raymond Community Centre has been opened in collaboration with Comité Jeunesse NDG. More than 50 children from the centre’s after-school program will have access to books in English and French.

According to the announcement, “Fraser Hickson’s mission is to enrich the community and increase literacy levels by working with partners to facilitate free access to books and services starting with the very young and those who need it the most.”

The inauguration was held on February 15. The St. Raymond Community Centre is located at 5600 Upper Lachine Rd. 

Example of a minibiblio at the NDG YMCA from February 2013. Photo: Isaac Olson

Searle continues to slam 375th celebrations

By Isaac Olson

Loyola district councillor Jeremy Searle has come out strongly against spending on Montreal’s 375^th anniversary celebrations.

At the start of the February 13 borough council meeting, Searle said spending $300 million on the anniversary is “great if you like flushing money down the toilet and you’ve got a big enough toilet.”

He held up little buttons that, he says, the Montreal government bought for 25,000 municipal employees. He looked over at the row of municipal workers in mock surprise and said, “Oh God, none of them are wearing them this evening. Shocking, eh?”

“We do know that these little things, that are, by the tens of thousands, going directly into the garbage, cost the taxpayers more than $100,000,” said Searle, noting NDGers spend an average of $5,000 a year on property taxes. “I’ve tried, they’re impossible to actually put on.”

In a later interview, Searle said it costs $750,000 per kilometer to repair roads and sidewalks. That means, he said, the city could instead totally repair 400 kilometers of road and accompanying sidewalks for the price of the celebrations.

“As it happens, the entire borough of Côte des Neiges—NDG, which would be Quebec’s 6^th largest city in terms of population, has a total of 228 kilometers of roads and sidewalk,” said Searle.

That means, instead of a celebration, the borough could have “every inch” of road and sidewalk repaired across the borough and still have 172 kilometres leftover for elsewhere, he said. When asked how the city should celebrate the 375^th, Searle said “you don’t celebrate it. Nobody is interested.”

Meanwhile, borough mayor Russell Copeman says planning and public consultation for these celebrations began under former Montreal mayor Gérald Tremblay’s administration. There was an extensive consultation done by Montreal’s public consultation office (OCPM), he said.

“I think we do have a reason to celebrate,” Copeman said. “A lot of the monies invested are going to be for legacy projects. Which is to say, they are going to remain for Montrealers for decades afterwards.”

Searle has so far voted in favour of two motions related to this celebration, Copeman noted. Searle voted in favour of setting aside $100,000 of surplus, Copeman said. That money was designated to go to groups celebrating the city’s 375^th birthday. He also voted in favour of the most recent $7,000 to Playmas Montreal, said Copeman, noting that money is being pulled from the $100,000 budget and is going to the group’s anniversary celebrations.

“It seems to me, a little bit disingenuous to criticize the celebration of the 375^th downtown and then to support all the spending locally because it is for local groups,” Copeman said.

NDG district councillor Peter McQueen says his party, Projet Montréal, has voted against most of the 375^th spending, such as the bridge lighting, granite stumps in Mount Royal Park and the new amphitheatre on Ste. Helene Island. Regarding the buttons, McQueen agrees they are being thrown in the trash, but his party has not verified the exact cost of the buttons.

Loyola district councillor Jeremy Searle holds up 375^th celebration buttons during the February 13 council meeting. Photo: Isaac Olson