December - Ville de Montréal Ouest
Transcription
December - Ville de Montréal Ouest
Montreal West Viewspaper December 2015, Vol. 43, No. 9 Maurice Krystal shares his talents in writing group by Maureen Hastie photo by Sheila Caplan The fourth session of the Writing Group at the Library is well under way. It was the initiative of Maurice Krystal, long-time resident and volunteer. As facilitator of the group, Maurice provides an opportunity for amateur writers to share and refine their work. I met with Maurice in his home, where he has lived with his family for the last 26 years. Happily married to potter Sheila Caplan and proud father of two sons, David and Daniel, Maurice is pleased to contribute to the MoWest community. Born in Brighton, England during WWII, Maurice moved to Montreal with his family in 1949 and grew up in the vibrant Park Extension area. After stu dying English and history at Concordia University and earning a teaching degree from MacDonald College, Maurice embarked upon a satisfying 39- year career teaching in the English Montreal school system. He taught English, history, geography and sex ed. at the high school level. Interestingly, the second school he taught in was Mount Royal High School in TMR, the same school he had attended as a child. As he taught, he embraced opportunities in continuing education such as studying poetry at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. A few years before he retired, Maurice became a volunteer reporter for The Informer. Over a 10 year period, he has had the pleasure of interviewing over 80 people. Writing newspaper articles allows him to be creative, while it also introduces him to fascinating people who share their stories with him. On a recent walk down Westminster Avenue, he realized that he has interviewed most of the business owners in Town. continued on page 4 I N DE X Community Centre.................... 17 CRA .......................................... 16 Guides.......................................... 13 Horticultural Society .................. 3, 5 IODE .............................................. 9 Kyrylo (Karl) Kohut ........................ 3 Libraries .......................... 6, 7, 10-11 News from the pews .............. 14-15 Réunion du Conseil .................. 19 Rotary ........................................ 5 Schools.................................... 6-8 Scouts ...................................... 12 Town Council Report .................... 18 On November 6, the official opening of the Children’s Library took place. On the steps of Elizabeth Ballantyne School, Otis Delaney, the Principal, is delivering a speech before the ribbon on the door is cut. Read more on page 10. 2 10 Westminster North Montreal West, Quebec H4X 1Y9 The Informer’s role is to provide MoWesters with information about their Town and its citizens in order to foster the small-town, close-knit atmosphere that makes Montreal West a special place in which to live. ISSN: 084741X EXECUTIVE BOARD Jeannette Brooker - Chair Rick Lavell - Treasurer Heather Baylis Véronique Belzil-Boucher René Boucher Lise McVey Jeanne Ragbir - Secretary November 11, 2015. Remembrance Day parade EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Heather Baylis 489-7022 LAYOUT DESIGNER Julia Ross [email protected] AD MANAGER Heather Baylis, 489-7022 [email protected] DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Rhonda Schwartz 482-0227 RATES Camera-ready art: 1/6 page – $45 1/12 page – $25 Professional card: $125/year Classifieds: 25-50 words – $10 25 words or less – $6 TASK FORCE Jeannette Booker René Boucher Cynthia Koomas Maryl Murphy Jeanne Ragbir Lydia Shuster The Informer Is published nine times a year (usually) on the last weekend of the month except June, July and December. Out-of-town subscriptions: $15 per year. Typesetting by Informer staff, printing by King Press. Extra copies available at Town Hall and both libraries. Funded, in part, by the Town of Montreal West. Articles are printed in French or English, as submitted. NEXT ISSUE DEADLINE January 13 photos by Randi Weitzner and those we omitted inadvertently 3 In memoriam Kyrylo (Karl) Kohut Karl Kohut was struck and severely injured in an unfortunate car accident here in Montreal West Thursday, October 22, at 7 am at the corner of Avon and Ballantyne. He suffered spinal injuries which would have left him paralyzed. The Montreal General Hospital performed three surgeries. After hanging on for dear life, he could not endure his injuries any longer and passed away peacefully in the company of family. Karl was born in 1927 in the Ukraine. It is there, after World War II, he met his wife Olga Zadorozna and they married in 1949. They had just celebrated their 66th wedding anniversary. In 1959, they moved to Canada with their three children Lisa (Lorne), the late Stephan (Marika) and the late Michael. Karl found a job with Maislin Transport where he tracked shipments for the next 25 years. In 1970 he moved to MoWest. Fifteen years ago, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. He was the sole survivor of a group of men who were treated and studied at the Montreal General Hospital. The doctors told him to continue walking and that he did, 2-3 miles a day. It saved his life! During his travels he made many friends. Most people didn’t even know his name, but have seen him all over Town. He would say “Hello” to everyone and ask how your family was. When asked how he was doing… he would simply say, “Still walking!” Karl suffered from arthritis since his twenties which is the reason he was hunched over. He lived in pain every day, yet no one would have known because he never complained and he always had a smile on his face. As he walked, he was often accompanied by a travel buggy that he loaded up with cans. To the surprise of many, the reason he did this wasn’t because he was poor, but because he had buried two of his sons and it was his way of dealing with his loss. He would return the cans and donate all the money to the Montreal Children’s Hospital. He also loved working with his hands and had a passion for gardening. Karl was an incredibly generous person, always with a little something to share with those around him, especially tomatoes from his garden. He would also share this piece of wisdom: “Don’t look for trouble…trouble finds you and me”. Karl loved his family and has five grandchildren, Stacey, Kathleen, Bonnie, Matthew and Melissa, as well as two great grandchildren, Dylan, Stevie and one due in December. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the Montreal Children’s Hospital. Let us not ever forget him and please, please, please be careful and drive slowly. Café floral, a wonderful success The day was crisp and cold. The ambiance in the room, warm and welcoming. The greeter was in her element, not only to welcome guests but to stand guard on the many strollers and carriages left in the hallway. The wait staff were cheerful and efficient. The “sommeliers” were successful – lots of wine sold! The kitchen was buzzing with workers keeping the big gas stove regulated and handing out bowl after bowl of Jay’s special squash soup. The sandwich and dessert plates were uniformly presented. Heaven help the person who didn’t follow the directions. The coffee/tea ladies kept everyone soothed with a cuppa or two. The “busgirls” – Jessica, Stephanie, Nadia and Teagan from Sacred Heart – were happily on the spot when needed. Our members so generously donated plate after plate of the most wonderful baked goodies. What more is there to say except THANK YOU. And, oh yes, a nice chunk of change was dropped into the coffers of the Horticultural Society to make sure we can continue to attract great speakers, plus give a few nice donations to needy groups at Christmas. The leftover sandwiches were donated to the NDG Food Bank for their Monday giveaways to needy families. Floral Café was run by Joyce Teiber, Sue Smith and Andrea MacDonald. from Michele Ashenden If you could CHANGE something in your life, WHAT would it be? As an Arbonne Independent Consultant my goal is to help you reach your goals, be they health and beauty or a unique holiday gift for everyone on your list? Contact me to discuss more: www.karonvaus.arbonne.ca or 514-242-3014 4 2015 th Our 30 Art etc. show was an amazing success! We had an increase in attendance and our highest number of artisans participated in this year’s edition. We thank the residents for continuing to support this wonderful community event. The entire Art etc. committee wishes to thank all our artisans for helping create a beautiful show. We also want to thank the following people, Paula Cordeau, Demetrios Georgiou, Frank Agostinelli, Patrice Giroux and Alex Daoust. Every one of these people was an essential part of helping us make this show run smoothly and Maurice Krystal continued from page 1 Through his interviews and articles, Maurice aims to introduce a person to the community. He finds it satisfying to help someone by telling their story. Retirement provided an opportunity to rediscover another of his passions, art. Like his father before him, he is a talented amateur artist. He enjoys painting and working with pastels. An avid reader and writer, he picturesquely describes writing as “painting with words.” About five years ago, Maurice joined the MW Library and subsequently became a be successful. We greatly appreciate their support and assistance. Special thanks to the Horticultural Society and the Children’s Library who shared the Café floral duties this year. The café provides a great place to meet friends for lunch or relax after shopping and having it run by two community groups adds to the wonderful neighbourhood ambiance of our event. The Art etc. committee congratulates both groups for a job well done. Our committee will be working on the 2016 edition early next year. We will be accepting applications for our jury in February. Please stay tuned to The Informer for specific dates. Our email address is [email protected]. We also have a Facebook page as well – Art etc Montreal West – so please look for us! from Cate Gregory volunteer. Lots of laughs have been had while working with his partner Claire, who brings out his impish character. When Maurice heard talk of the threatened budget cuts and the possibility of the library’s closing, he spoke to Head Librarian Norah Powell. They discussed the possibility of Maurice facilitating a writing group as part of an initiative to bring new life to the library. They envisioned transforming the library into more than just a place that lends books. As part of its evolving mission, the library now offers a writing group and a book club. In the spring of 2014, the first writing group was formed. The group welcomes adult, amateur writers. Maurice states that his mission is not to teach writing, but rather to help build confidence in taking one’s writing to the outside world. The participants share their stories and exchange feedback. This involves a certain amount of trust. As he leads the group, Maurice contributes his own writing. This differs from traditional writing groups where the facilitator does not usually share. He gets a deep enjoyment from seeing people’s work progress and evolve. Teaching is still in his blood and he is happy to see people improv- Artists’ SHOWCASE: December Don’t miss the fall edition of the Artists’ Showcase, based on the theme Rhythm, Dance and Music. This lively exhibit continues at the Town Hall until mid-January. The theme of the winter exhibit will be Close-Up. This theme could include a magnified view of an object, a portrait of someone who is close to the artist’s heart or something the artist always keeps close by. Amateur and professional artists who live in the Town are invited to submit one or more works, including paintings, drawings, quilts, photos, small three-dimensional objects, jewellery, etc. The exhibit will be hung in January. Looking further ahead, the summer show will once again feature children’s art. If you are interested in participating, please remember that all works on paper, fabric or canvas must be ready for hanging and three-dimensional pieces must fit in the front hall cabinet. To find out more, or to get an application form, go to the MoWest website under “culture” or pick one up at the Town Hall office. For more details, contact Tammy Loftus at Recreation and Cultural Services, 484-1610. ing and gaining confidence. He also appreciates the feedback for his own work. And most of all, he is pleased to be able to help out the library by volunteering. Maurice strongly believes that everyone has a voice and that everyone’s work is unique. He mused that everyone comes into a group like this for their own reasons. Writing is a solitary process and it can be helpful to bounce it off other people and see one’s work through another pair of eyes. Some write for themselves or for others or for a cause. Some hope to be published someday. Many writers explore memories or relationships. In the writing group, the participants are not so much evaluating the content of a piece, but the way it is expressed. Group members try to give positive and constructive feedback. Learning to critique another’s work is also part of the learning process. The group follows the general format of reviewing a submitted piece and practicing creative writing exercises to stimulate creativity. For more information about the writing group or to volunteer your own talents, please contact Norah Powell at the library: 481-7441. 5 Rotary Club Marc Garneau MP for MoWest Our club had the honour of hosting our new MP, Marc Garneau, for lunch on October 1. Marc is a member of the Order of Canada and an MP for the Westmount-Ville Marie riding, thus needing little introduction. Mr. Garneau has quite a rich family history of military life, having started as a combat systems engineer within the Canadian Navy, before becoming the first Canadian in space in 1984. He travelled three times into space over the period of 2001-2005. In addition to the work within the aeronautical industry, Mr. Garneau has been a spokesperson for industry, science and technology, as well as being the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Natural Resources over the seven years in parliament. When it came time to address the political scene, Mr. Garneau was well armed with details of the Liberal platform that he supports, including: public transport, affordable social housing, green infrastructure, getting back the many jobs that have been lost over the years under conservative government, stimulation of the economy by prudently incurring debt initially over the first three years, then delivering a “balanced budget” by 2019, improving the Canada Child Plan (some 315,000 are at or below the poverty line), developing a “poverty plan” addressed to the middle and low income classes/non-taxable, un-muzzling scientists, treating Veterans with respect that is well-earned, removing omni-bills, CBC (put back $150 M) and Canada Post (cancel the new community post box concept). Christmas meeting It is hard to believe that Dawn Smith and Bob Flynn have been entertaining our crowd for over 20 years. On the other hand, it’s hard to imagine a Christmas meeting without them. They have cut back considerably on their Christmas demonstrations, but they must really like our group because they are coming to us again this year on December 14. This is always our best attended event and is probably the most informative, not to mention that it is a lot of fun. The meeting, open to everyone (admission for guests is $5), is at 7:30 pm at the Town Hall. The arrangements will be raffled at the end of the evening, and delicious refreshments from the kitchens of our members will be served. January meeting Coming Rotary event • December 10: Classification talk by new member, Marco Bravo. The Montreal Westward Rotary Club meets Thursdays at the Town Hall. Luncheon buffet is served at 12:30 pm with the speaker at around 1 pm. Cost for a guest is $20.Your attendance brings good speakers and good fellowship. If you know a local business person, please ask him or her to be a speaker and to attend a meeting. For information please contact Doug Yeats at [email protected]. from Doug Yeats RICK LAVELL ISABELLE PAPINEAU DAVID DOUBT FOR THE BEST SERVICE IN TOWN • POUR LE MEILLEUR SERVICE EN VILLE Real Estate Brokers • Groupe Sutton Centre Ouest • Courtiers immobiliers 514 483-5800 • www.rickandisabelle.com Our guest speaker will be Albert Mondor. An accomplished horticulturalist, he has been a garden designer for some 30 years. In addition to giving courses and lectures, Albert has published nine books on various horticultural topics. He writes a weekly column for the Journal de Montréal, an is a regular guest on radio and television gardening programs as well as being co-host of Le Tour du Jardin on the Historia channel. Designer of public and private gardens, he has received numerous awards for creations including at the Montreal International Mosaïculture and Jean-Drapeau Park. His topic, Extreme Horticulture expounds his vision of a utilitarian urban horticulture, focused on recovery and recycling, and addressing the environmental challenges of tomorrow. Albert will be at the Town Hall on Monday, January 18, at 7:30 pm. Membership 2016 membership fees are now due. Fees are $20. Please send your money to Philippa Vikander, 3495 Trenholme Ave. H4B 1K8 or pay at the January meeting. 6 Edinburgh School Tanya Radhakrishna, Vice Chair of the library board, is helping Hugo Hung cut the ribbon marking the reopening of the library. Le temps des fleurs, temps des neiges Opening hours / Horaire Monday to Thursday / lundi au jeudi 9:00-12:00; 13:30-18:00 Friday / vendredi 9:00-12:00; 13:30-17:00 Saturday / samedi: 10:00-15:00 The library will be closed from Sunday, December 20 to Sunday, January 3. We hope to see you before then to wish you a joyous holiday season and all the best for 2016. Holiday activity On Saturday, December 12, join us for a holiday activity that includes stories, a craft and a small snack. Please call ahead to register your 3- to 6-year-old child; cost is $3/child. Space is limited. Registration for our winter session will start January 4. Keep up to date! To be updated about new programs, please join our mailing list by emailing us at [email protected] or calling 484-7194. Drop by, call or email to register! • Lego Club: Mondays, 3:30-4:30 pm, ages 5-12, cost: $10 for a four-week session. The following programs are free with a Friends of the Library Membership: • Mother Goose: Mondays, 9:30-10 am, ages 0-12 months. • Tales for Tots: Mondays, 10:30-11 am, ages 12-24 months. • Story Sparklers: Wednesdays, 3:454:30 pm, ages 3-6. Twelve elementary schools, including Edinburgh, collaborated to produce an operatic CD for the Le temps des fleurs, temps des neiges, a children’s book about the ancient Greek myth of Persephone and how the seasons came to be. Edinburgh students auditioned to work under professional musical directors and opera singers, Dimitri Ilias and Maria Diamantis. All the children selected formed individual school choirs and practised once a week for a full school year. After considerable preparation, the Edinburgh school choir, together with all the other school choirs involved in this collaboration, created two CDs: one in English and, the most recent, in French. The stu- dents recorded the CD in a studio, accompanied by the Orchestre Symphonique Pop de Montréal. The book and CD launch for the French version of the Le temps des fleurs, temps des neiges, was on November 11. To celebrate the completion of this project the entire choir performed at a red carpet affair at the Embassy Plaza. Bravo to all the students who participated! Remembrance Day Edinburgh school students and staff gathered together to remember Canadian soldiers who died in the line of duty. All grades assembled to read poems, listen to music about peace and observe a minute of silence to honour those we have lost. 7 Elizabeth Ballantyne School MON - THU 10 am - noon 2 pm - 4 pm 7 pm - 9 pm 481-7441 45 Westminster South New books Fiction Atwood, Margaret The Heart Goes Last Banville, John The Blue Guitar Gowda, Shilpi The Golden Sun Martin, George A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Morton, Kate The Lake House Sparks, Nicholas See Me Photo: Alison Lydynia Mysteries Box,C.J. Camilleri, Andrea Connolly, John Fossum, Karin Galbraith, Robert Meyer, Deon Endangered A Beam of Light A Song of Shadows The Drowned Boy Career of Evil Icarus Non Fiction Peter Sheremeta and Stephane Fortin 30 Years of Terry Fox at EBS This September marked the 30th year that Elizabeth Ballantyne School has been a proud supporter of the Terry Fox Run – the school raised $2,754, bringing total funds raised over the years to a very impressive $142,714! Each year, the EBS Terry Fox Run allows students to run or walk as many laps as they like over a course starting at the school and winding through MoWest’s leafy streets. This year’s Run was held on a cool, pleasant autumn morning – teachers ran and walked alongside the students in their uniforms, while parent volunteers kept both car traffic and the students on course. Some of the students enjoy the running and go as far and as long as they can, while others use the occasion to walk and talk with friends – either way, it’s all for a good cause. In October, Peter Sheremeta, Provincial Director for the Terry Fox Foundation, visited EBS to thank the school for its support and to present a commemorative banner that now hangs proudly in the gym. As Mr. Sheremeta reminded the school during his presentation, Stéphane Fortin, the EBS phys ed and health teacher, has been the tireless engine behind EBS’s Run for many years now. Mr. Fortin is now in his 26th year of teaching at Elizabeth Ballantyne. On arriving in 1990, he took over coordinating the Terry Fox Run from Sheila Peterson, who first began holding the run at the school in 1985. In fact, Mr. Fortin was the first physical education teacher at the school – before him, the only physical education given to students was a half hour per week of play time in the park! In an interview, Mr. Fortin emphasized his pride in what the school has been able to accomplish with the Terry Fox Run. He thanked all the parents who have helped out and the communities of Montreal West, NDG, Côte Saint-Luc and Ville St-Pierre for having donated to and supported this important cause over the years. Bell, Gertrude A Woman in Arabia Bryson, Bill The Road to Little Dribbling Dawkins, Richard Brief Candle in the Dark Gibb, Camilla This Is Happy Gilbert, Elizabeth Big Magic Hay, Donna The New Classics DVDs Happy Valley, Poldark Series 1 & 2, Outlander Volume 1 & 2, Home Fires More than ever before! The library has purchased many DVDs from Avenue Video! There are now more than 1200 DVDs on our shelves available for borrowing! BUDNING PHARMACY PHARMACY BUDNING from Amit Parghi BIGENOUGH ENOUGHTO TOSERVE SERVEYOU YOU -BIG SMALLENOUGH ENOUGHTO TOKNOW KNOWYOU YOU SMALL 40 WESTMINSTER NORTH 40 WESTMINSTER NORTH MONTREAL WEST MONTREAL WEST 481-5665 (514) 481-5665 - PRESCRIPTION SERVICES www.groupeproxim.ca www.groupeproxima.ca - FREE DELIVERY - FREE DELIVERY - PHOTO PROCESSING PROCESSING -- PHOTO GREETING CARDS & STAMPS MON TO to FRI: MON FRI:8:30 8:30am am- -6:00 6:00pm pm SATURDAY: 9:00 am 5:00 pm SATURDAY: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm *- GREETING NEW PET HEALTH * CARDS SECTION & STAMPS -SIGN NEWUP PET HEALTH SECTION FOR OUR E-NEWSLETTER: [email protected] 8 École des Amis-du-Monde Des élèves impliqués et heureux Vive les sports! À l’école des Amis-duMonde, on encourage les sports. Par exemple, pour le hockey, on a fêté la première partie du Canadien en s’habillant en bleu, blanc, rouge. On encourage aussi le soccer. On pratique ce sport à l’extérieur et à l’intérieur. C’est une activité parascolaire, tout comme le basketball. On encourage les sports d’équipe pour être en bonne forme, pour apprendre à bien s’entendre avec les autres et pour le simple plaisir. David Stefan, Eric Zhou et Luca Mata-Mazo Les meilleures récrés du monde Dans notre cour, il y a beaucoup de place pour tout le monde. À la récré, on organise plusieurs jeux comme champ, le basket, le ballon chasseur, le ballon quatre-coins et le soccer. On joue aussi aux cerceaux, à la course, à tag et à la corde à sauter. Au printemps, il y a des fleurs et on peut en faire des bouquets et des bracelets. En hiver, on peut construire des igloos et faire du traîneau. Il y a aussi des bancs et des pierres pour nous asseoir. Zachary Garrick et Treiythaa Satchithananthan Dans notre belle cour d’école, nous jouons à différents jeux. Au basketball, ce sont des petites équipes qui s’affrontent. Au ballon champion, le champ donne le ballon à qui il veut, mais le ballon ne doit bondir qu’une seule fois dans votre carré. Au ballon chasseur, deux équipes s’affrontent et vous essayez d’éliminer les adversaires avec un ballon. Au soccer, vous marquez un point en frappant le ballon dans le but adverse. Il y a aussi la marelle, mais on y joue sans ballon, dans un rectangle ou un carré tracé. Il y a aussi les activités parascolaires. En musique, il y a la chorale et l’ensemble instrumental. En éducation physique, il y a le soccer intérieur et le basketball. Il y a aussi des activités après l’école comme: ingénieurs juniors, le karaté, les échecs, fous du dessin animé, différentes créatures et différentes aventures. Alexia Ghiurea a plusieurs chapitres et les numéros des chapitres sont décorés avec des dessins. C’est un roman vraiment intéressant et drôle! Cette collection a beaucoup de livres qui me plaisent, comme « Galoche aux Oscars ». L’auteur est Yvon Brochu et les personnages sont Galoche, Émilie, Fabien, Marilou, Sébastien, Éloïse et Pierre-Luc. Alexandre Attar Ma lecture coup de cœur Le conseil des élèves Le livre que j’aime s’appelle « Galoche haut les pattes », des Éditions Foulire. Je l’aime parce que le chien d’Émilie joue au soccer et il se fait mal. Ce livre Le conseil des élèves améliore l’école pour que tout le monde vive en harmonie et en paix. Il améliore la sécurité des élèves et apporte de meilleures idées pour que nous ayons tous le goût de venir à l’école. Le conseil est formé d’élèves de la 3e à la 6e année. Les participants s’occupent bien de l’école et la représentent à certaines occasions. Les membres du conseil sont élus dans chaque classe. C’est souvent difficile de choisir parmi les candidats. Adrian, Flavia, Laura, Christine et Nathalie Dessinateur : Luca Marta Mazo Articles produits avec la collaboration de Nathalie Grégoire, Sophie Primeau et Loredana Nimara. 514-894-2818 www.goodzmusic.com [email protected] 342 Brock Ave N. [email protected] 9 IODE HMS Victory Chapter IODE made up 20 pretty and useful personal property bags for Auberge Transition, thanks to assorted donations from neighbours and friends. We will be wrapping gifts for their December holiday party at our next meeting. There is also a bag containing wool to be delivered to Chez Doris, but there is always a need for more wool, knitting needles, sewing supplies to be dropped off in my front porch at 131 Wolseley Avenue North for redistribution. We have also accumulated 32 hand-knit tuques, thanks to several friendly knitters, which are going via Canada Post to Cartwright, Labrador where we support one class at the Henry Gordon Academy (43 students from Kindergarten to Grade 11). The Labrador School Board equips them with Smart Boards and such in the classrooms. The school’s postal address is “on the Main Road,” and there are no big-city dollar or chain stores. There is a small airport and it takes five hours’ of rough driving to get to the nearest large town, from whence they now get groceries once a week. The national president of IODE recently visited Cartwright and many other small communities in the north. “IODE gifts, equipment, school supplies and participation in Snack Pack were clearly in evidence. The mechanic learned his trade because he received an IODE scholarship. The manager of the tourist bureau was grateful that her children received Labrador bursaries, enabling them to attend college. The importance of Snack Pack was an underlying theme. With prices increasing, some people kept their children home because they could not afford to send a lunch; now children come to school for a nutritious meal delivered to everyone.” Approximately 1700 children in 14 schools in 2014 received milk, juice, peanut butter, granola bars, cheese products and, in some cases, hamburgers and chicken breasts, IODE started Snack Pack in 1978, recognizing that an inadequate diet hinders the ability to learn. In 2015 the bill was $29,947, one of the many reasons why HMS Victory Chapter tries to raise money and welcomes new members. Heather Ferguson, Citizenship Officer, presented a wreath on behalf of IODE at the Remembrance Day ceemony at the Cenotaph. The photo shows the display in the Music Room at the reception for the Veterans and their families, raising awareness of the Ste. Anne’s Hospital Foundation Dignity Campaign. The hospital is to be turned over on April 1 to the Province of Quebec, with an understanding that the Veterans will continue to receive care at the current levels, even when provincial norms are not the same. The foundation’s mission is to fill in the gaps, just as IODE started to do way back in 1900. from Janet King Real estate broker - Courtier immobilier [email protected] (514) 793-5608 Why choose just anyone, when you can move with THE MOVER INC Since 1932 "THE RIGHT MOVE AT THE RIGHT PRICE" Dr. Michael J. Wexel Chiropractor Low Back Pain Muscle Pain Numbness & Tingling Nutritional Counseling CSST & SAAQ Neck Pain Headaches & Migraines Stiffness Sports Related Injuries Wellness & Preventative Care 773-7246 18 Westminster N., Suite 110 Call For An Appointment Today So You Can Feel Better Tomorrow. When personal service seems like history, you’ll be pleased with Meldrum’s genuine concern. We’ll make a helpful house call ...right away. • CANADA • UNITED STATES • STORAGE • LOCAL • OVERSEAS Proud member of 481-1122 6645 SHERBROOKE ST. W. 10 Stephanie Beaumier (left), our most dedicated volunteer, is President of EBS Home & School. Carley Decarie (right) started as a parent volunteer with a child at EBS, then became a library assistant. Born and raised in MoWest, Pam Montgomery used to come here as an EBS student. While at Royal West, she started as a student shelver. Today she is the longest-term staff member, who’s been working in the library for over 10 years. Tanya Radhakrishna (left), the Vice Chair of the Library Board, and Petrina Lee Poy (centre), the Chair, have done a tremendous brainstorming and fundraising job that made the renovations possible. That’s what two MoWest moms, whose only previous fundraising experience included school barbecues and bake sales, can do when they put their hearts to it. Julia Stark (right) is our new Head Librarian who was brave enough to take the post just in time to start packing boxes. Children’s Library reopens It’s been shown on Global news, it’s been spoken of on CBC Daybreak, it’s been written about in the Suburban. Over three years in the making. $112,000 raised. 20,000 books packed – and unpacked. Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce: the shining new and redone Montreal West Children’s Library! On November 6 the grand opening took place. Julia Ross talks about the people who made it possible and those who came to celebrate with them. At 3:45 pm, Hugo from EBS and Claire from Edinburgh, each cut a ribbon decorating the library entrance door. Julian Hung (behind), the Secretary of the Library Board and their father, watched proudly. Brigitte Rivard, who used to write the École des Amis-du-Monde column, joined the library team last April. This summer, she held ateliers en français in Strathearn Park. She’s the new French library assistant with a lot of new ideas of her own. She’s here on Tuesday mornings and on Fridays. Friday afternoons she offers aide aux devoirs – French homework help. Drop in! Cheers to Ann Martin! She volunteered here for two years, was employed for 25 years, then stayed as a volunteer for two more years. 11 (RIGHT) Frances Sodhi spent over two years creating and designing the new library look. Looking for optimal use of space, she measured every corner and every shelf. She found suppliers. She chose colours. She designed furniture. She shopped for those red knobs of the desk drawer handles. Her 3D AutoCAD drawings of the floor plans got Frances an A+ for her Vanier architectural drafting class exam. If you haven’t yet been to the library, you’ve got to come, if only to see the donor wall that Frances painted as an enchanted birch forest. (Should anyone get inspired and decide to get a wall like that painted in their house – you know whom to ask!) She also drew the smiling Cheshire Cat over the entrance door. The birches are decorated with birds and bird houses engraved with donor names. They were made by Margaret Griffin, a MoWester, who has, for years, given the Easter egg decoration workshop in the library. She is an established Quebec potter who, by the way, many moons ago, taught Frances ceramics in CEGEP. Small world! Today Margaret is a grandmother of twins who keep her busy. This summer Frances approached her with her idea of the trees with birds, bird houses and owls as name plates to see if she would be interested in making them. It was her donation to the library. BELOW: After 33 years of running the library, Linda Wishart (centre) stepped down in August 2014. Today, as Librarian Emeritas, she admires the renovations with our two councillors – Elizabeth Ulin (left) and Colleen Feeny (right). The Town has been the largest single donor, giving the library $15,000. LEFT: Decorated for the Open House, the library welcomed its guests with cookies and mulled cider. (MIDDLE) To add some magic to the storytelling hour, it was suggested to create a special place, under a Reading Tree, cozy and welcoming, making you feel as if you were sitting in Strathearn Park. It’s Chip Limeburner’s proposal that won the contest. Growing up in MoWest, he spent many hours at the library – bedtime stories, summer reading – coming here first with the Little Red Playhouse, then as an Edinburgh and, later, Loyola student. This year he got a degree in neuroscience from McGill – and then decided to work in art and design. Spooky, horror and gothic design, in fact. He’s doing set design jobs for several of McGIll’s shows. The art gene must have come from his mother who had a PhD in decorative arts and worked in theatre and costume design. By the way, for many years, she used to do the Christmas gingerbread workshop at the library. Inspired by the park outside the library’s windows and by the new library logo (with books and boats, dolphins and wizards’ hats, and all other things magical hanging from the tree’s branches), Chip decided to carve his tree from foam (“safe for kids, safe from kids”), then cover it with plastic coating, all of which he did himself. For leaves, he let EBS students trace their hands on a piece of coloured paper and decorate them to their heart’s content. Each one is different. I’m sure in some 20 years, another boy or girl will think back on his or her childhood and remember listening to stories under the magic of the Reading Tree. (UPPER RIGHT) During the party, the guests enjoyed guitar music played by Jean-Luc Roy, a MoWester and a former EBS student. If anyone is interested, Jean-Luc offers guitar lessons and has several students among MoWest kids. (RIGHT) Joseph Lalla is a MoWester and a recently reelected EMSB school commissioner, who represents Ward 2 (which includes NDG and MoWest). He was the catalyst who told the library board about floors being redone and gave them the idea of applying for the grant. Since then, he’s been a solid liaison between the library and the school board. 12 MW Scout Group w w w. m w s g . c a our country, its different provinces and cultures, our anthem and the history of our flag. The cubs attended a fall camp which was held October 16 to 18 at the Tamaracouta Scout Reserve where the Pack slept in railway cabooses. Despite the cold weather, the Cubs practised orienteering with compasses, built campfires and prepared lunch for the Beaver group during a hike to the waterfall. All enjoyed the weekend. October is also the month when we think of those less fortunate in our community and we also collected food in MoWest for the NDG Food Bank. In November, the Pack received a special visit from a member of the Canadian Armed Forces in order to better understand the role of the Canadian military and the continuing importance of Remembrance Scouts busy and thriving in MoWest Beavers The Beaver Colony is busy and thriving! September and October were spent learning all the Beaver routines and getting everyone invested so that they could wear the brand new scarves that Kara and Oscar’s grandma sewed. James’s grandma sewed new scarves for our Scout troop. What a treat to have vibrant new scarves! So far this autumn we have enjoyed two (indoor) campfires – both a practice run at a regular meeting and a larger one at fall camp with the Cubs up in Mille-Isles midOctober. Songs, skits, stories, jokes and cheers got everyone moving and laughing! Even small hands can be helping hands: Beavers have cleaned up the Edinburgh school yard and gathered non-perishable food for the NDG Food Bank. Nearly the whole colony (and their families!) marched in the Remembrance Day parade – how wonderful for our youth to mark this important day of honouring our Veterans. November has been our month of visitors: Olga Gross with her harp; Akela Dan Wylie and Emma Ferro who told us all about making sleeping mats from milk bags; former leader Pat Schmidt with her music stations and Nina Kiriluk who taught us some basic yoga. In December we are making gift bags to hand out with Meals-on-Wheels and we always have a bowling party to celebrate the holiday season. Beavers meet each Wednesday from 6 to 7:15 pm in the Edinburgh Gym (500 Hudson). A couple of places are still open to any boy or girl who is interested! Cubs The MoWest Cubs are currently working on a program (Purple Star) that focuses on Canada and the World. We’re learning about Day. This visit also served to prepare the Pack for the Remembrance Day parade and ceremonies in which they participated. December will include a visit to the Montclair Seniors’ Residence to visit and sing Christmas carols. We’ll finish off the year with a festive evening of bowling. Scouts We have a lot of new scouts this year and a couple of new leaders, which is amazing! September and October have been busy months getting everyone up to speed. Our fall camp at Tamaracouta was a great opportunity for the returning Scouts to help out and teach the new Scouts basic camp skills. We worked on earning many camping permits: stove, campfire, knife and axe. Almost all of our Scouts have been invested and can now proudly wear their neckerchiefs which they did in the Remembrance Day parade. Before the holiday break, Councillor Ulin will visit us and she will explain her duties in the municipal government. Several of our Venturers will do presentations on last summer’s events which included the World Jamboree in Japan, a provincial Jamboree in Nova Scotia, family camping at the Lachine Canal and the Focus Group at Camp Tamaracouta. Group committee We would like to thank all of those brave souls who came out in such horrible weather to donate at our annual blood donor clinic at St. Philip’s Church. Thanks to the church for loaning us the hall every year. Also, a great, big thank you to the many volunteers who helped man the clinic – most of them do not have children in the Scout Group, but give us a hand year after year. 13 Guiding Each fall, the MoWest guiding units have a few traditions they uphold. Joint enrolment The first of these traditions is to hold a large joint enrolment night in mid-October for the girls who have joined the units in September. Registration is on-going, so there are often small enrolment ceremonies through out the year. This year the Sparks unit is small, so there was only one girl to welcome to our unit. The Brownie and Guide units had 10 new girls each. This year, we even have a Ranger who is a MoWester! All three levels participated in Remembrance Day meetings, where the girls were given a chance to write a postcard to the Veterans. They did a lovely job: 60 heartfelt thank you cards were delivered prior to Remembrance Day to the Veterans at SteAnne’s Hospital. Participating in the Remembrance Day parade The second tradition for us is to participate in the Remembrance Day parade. This year’s ceremony had every level of Guiding represented. We had Brownies, Guides and Pathfinders carrying flags in the colour party. DR. HEATHER FOX B.S ., D.D.S. C Dentist 16 Westminster N. #315 Tel: 487-4577 Fax: 487-8376 FAMILY LAW SOLUTIONS SOLUTIONS EN DROIT DE LA FAMILL E AV OC A T S AVOCATS MÉDIATEURS MÉDIA TE U R S COACHS CO A CH S ATTORNEYS MEDIA TORS MEDIATORS CO A CHE S COACHES mceavocats.com tel. 514.866.4666 fax 514.866.4667 Traditions of MW Guiding The party which laid the lovely hand made wreath was led by Emma, with Ravyn, Amy and (younger) Emma. Rusty Wiersma had asked for a senior youth member from the Scouts and the Girl Guides to accompany individuals as they laid the wreaths. Elizabeth, a Ranger, was our senior youth member who very proudly performed this task. All the girls did very well. We are proud of each and every one of them. Following the ceremony, our newly elected Member of Parliament and Minister of Transportation, Dr. Marc Garneau, very kindly spoke to some of our girls and graciously agreed to have his photo taken with them. What a memorable moment this was for the young ladies. Service project The third tradition we have in Montreal West is a service project where spare change is collected for the purchase of turkeys which will be used to prepare Christmas dinner for shut-ins in our community. We will also gratefully accept donations of food for the NDG Food Depot. The Sparks and Brownies will join forces to create lovely handmade cards, and crafts to be given to the Meals-on-Wheels organization which operates out of the MW United Church. The Guides had a guest speaker from a local woman’s shelter. The older girls will be involved in a service project with the shelter. Holiday wishes From the MoWest Guiding community we wish you all a very safe and happy holiday season. You will be able to read about more of our adventures in the New Year! from MW Guiders 14 News from the Pews MW Presbyterian The days fly by – especially when you’re having a good time. Our busy little church keeps us on our toes with its various activities. Many of you attended our 124th anniversary concert and we thank you for your support. We hope you enjoyed the Montreal Intercultural Choir and the reception which followed. The next day, we welcomed Rev. Dr. Glen Davis as our guest preacher. Dr. Davis is now serving as the Director of Communications and Alumni Relations at Presbyterian College. A big thank you goes out to the fundraising and anniversary committee, as well as the CASE committee, for a job well done. A special thank you to our many sponsors for their generous support, the Montreal Intercultural Choir for their uplifting performance and all members of our congregation for their various commitments and contributions. Congratulations To Hilda Agwa Mbah and Solomon Moto Anyam on the birth of their son, Chinwei Tah Anyam, on October 30, in Kumba, Cameroon. To Anna Indah Fon and Jacob Didier Nde on the birth of their daughter, Estelle Janna Amah Nde, on November 3. Greetings from Rev. Afoakwah With love, grace and Christmas greetings, MW Presbyterian wishes you all a wonderful Christmas. It is our prayer that your homes will be filled with the hope, joy, peace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, our humble King and Saviour who was born in a lowly manger. Please join us as we celebrate this Christmas season and welcome Christ the new born King. God bless you. Christmas Services White gift Sunday will be held November 29 – the 1st Sunday of Advent – at 10:30 am. Our friends from the Tyndale St-Georges Community will be our guests. Luncheon will follow plus a visit from Santa. December 6: 2nd Sunday in Advent,10:30 am December 13: Christmas Communion, 10:30 am. December 20: Carols and Christmas pageant, 10:30 am. December 24: Christmas Eve Service, 5 pm. A warm welcome awaits you at our “little stone church.” Come and celebrate Christmas with us. from Janet Dimock St. Ignatius of Loyola MW United …the brick one Feeling overwhelmed preparing for Christmas this year? Consider dropping by St. Ignatius of Loyola for a moment of tranquility during this hectic holiday season. The church is open for quiet prayer and reflection from 8 am to 4 pm weekdays. We also have a number of activities to help you get into the Christmas spirit. Our children’s Christmas party will be Sunday, December 6 at noon in the parish hall. This is an opportunity to bring the family out to a fun afternoon that includes a visit from Santa. Please bring an unwrapped gift (under $15) for a child, which will be donated to underprivileged children. Please contact Muriel Brennan for more information at 482-9346 Our annual Christmas service of Lessons and Carols will be on Sunday, December 20 at 7 pm. This has proven to be a wonderful opportunity to find some respite from the holiday preparations and spend an enjoyable evening filled with the holiness and joy of the Christmas season. This event is free of charge but a freewill offering will be taken up. Please consider joining us in celebrating the Feast of the Nativity; on Christmas Eve we will have a family Mass at 4:30 pm, as well as Mass at 7 and 10 pm. On Christmas morning we will have Mass at 10am. Visit our website at st-ignatius.ca/blog for more information about all these events. Wishing you a very blessed Christmas and a New Year filled with joy. from Fr. Leclerc Late Christmas Eve service earlier this year… Before you read anything else, note that while the family service remains at 5:30, the Communion service will be at 9 pm on Christmas Eve, NOT 10:30. Now back to our regularly scheduled programming… …beginning with a thank you to all the merchants of MoWest who supported the silent auction at our bazaar. Your donations of gifts or certificates were noted and appreciated. Your sense of community is very apparent. And for all you residents who supported our bazaar with your attendance and custom, many thanks. Now about Christmas Children’s Christmas pageant will be featured during worship on December 6. Come to see how they present this wonderful story this year. Hot dog lunch to follow. Choral Service on December 13 will be led by the choir. Come to hear special arrangements of old favorites plus a bopping new one. December 20 gives the congregation a chance to sing some more carols sprinkled throughout the worship service. Christmas Eve has the family service at 5:30 and the Communion service at 9 pm! Please note the change so you don’t miss it with its message, its music, the candles and, of course, Silent Night. Regular worship resumes on December 27 and January 3, although Sunday school and Nursery service are on holiday until January 10. Individual coaching in all academic areas Canadian History Study French Skills Mathematics Science English Homework Program Exams are around the corner. Step up to PDec . . . the smart way to prepare! Consultants: Birdie Goodman and Elaine Wisenthal-Milech :HVWPLQVWHU1RUWK0RQWUHDO:HVW4&+;< SGHFRQVXOWDQWV#YLGHRWURQFD www.pdec.ca 15 News from the Pews Labyrinth Walking resumes on Sunday afternoon, January 24 between 2 and 4. Ponder what 2016 may hold for you as you engage in this individual walking meditation. Held in Wadsworth Hall in a peaceful atmosphere, the world seems to slow down for a bit while you take this in. New walkers welcome. Socks or slippers required. Join us Sundays at 10 am, call us at 4823210 or visit us at mwuc.org. May you find something special in this remarkable season – perhaps in the quiet moments somewhere…. Warm greetings on behalf of Rev. Janet Bisset and all of us. from Susan Upham St. Philip’s Advent, the season of awaiting Christ’s coming, is upon us. Once again this year, our Tuesday evening service throughout December will be a candlelight meditative service using music from Taïzé. It is a beautiful way to withdraw from the holiday preparations and enjoy an hour of peace and stillness. It starts every Tuesday at 7:30 pm; enter by the office door on Connaught. The annual Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols will take place on Sunday, December 13 at 5 pm. Organist Peter Butler and the choir will have a diverse selection of music to celebrate the season. A reception will follow the service. Christmas celebrations will follow the pattern of the past several years. At 5 pm on Christmas Eve, our popular family service allows children – and the young at heart – to participate in the telling of the Christmas story, with children helping to arrange our crèche. The traditional Christmas Eve serv- Donna Nicholson 481-3406 ice takes place at 11 pm. On Christmas morning at 10 am, we have a communion service with carols. On Saturday, December 5, the Memorial Hall will be abuzz with the organized chaos of the NDG Food Depot holiday food drive. The hall serves as a collection and sorting point, and we store canned goods for transfer to the Food Depot as they are needed over the next six months. Please be generous when the collectors come to your door, or you can drop food donations at the church on Sundays or weekday mornings. St. Philip’s will be joining with our sister parishes in NDG, Trinity Memorial and St. Thomas, to sponsor a refugee family, most likely from Syria. By working together, we can more quickly and easily raise the required funds and tap the human resources of all three churches to help the family adjust to life in Montreal. If you passed by Brock Avenue in late October or November, you noticed construction fencing around our front doors. We have been restoring the front walkway that had been damaged by decades of water and ice, as well as by the cranes brought in for the roof works and masonry repairs a few years ago. The paving stones originally were part of the sidewalk in front of the Ritz Carleton on Sherbrooke Street; in 1929 that sidewalk was being replaced, and Canon Ireland procured the pavers for $1 each! Looking forward to 2016, St. Philip’s will be celebrating its 125th anniversary. In 1890, the clergy of St. Stephen’s Church, Lachine, began Sunday services in a house in what would later become Montreal West. St. Philip’s was officially established as a mission congregation in 1891. A number of special events will take place throughout the year to celebrate the anniversary; watch this space for more details. 35 years ++ Let my Experience Work for You Serving the Montreal West area in the buying and selling of homes. For an informal rendez-vous, please call. $90 Flat-fee Virus Removal Service 24-hour turn-around Ultrasoft/Richard Eckerlin 30+ years experience New Address 16 Westminster North, 438-938-6240 Suite 100B (basement) [email protected] Monday-Saturday, noon-6 pm Jocelyne Dorion Psychologue clinicienne Pour un rendez-vous Clinical Psychologist For an appointment Tél : 514 663-6457 [email protected] 101 av Ballantyne S. Montréal-Ouest, H4X 2B4 Ongles, Coiffure, Esthétique Pedicure, Manicure, Waxing, Nail Gel, Acrylic Nails, Hand Paint Design, Eyelash Extensions, Make up, Unisex Hair Styling, Colouring, Highlights, Perm, Hair Straightening, Hair Up Do’s Monday - Saturday 55 avenue Westminster Nord 484-0118 Visit us on the web http://www.bonder.com/ LIBRAIRIE BONDER INC. BONDER BOOKSTORE INC. 52 Westminster Avenue N. Montreal West, Quebec H4X 1Z2 Tel: (514) 484-7131 Fax: (514) 484-3745 481-3406 E-mail: [email protected] CALL FOR ANY BOOK IN PRINT 16 MoWest Hockey The ice is in and the weather is turning colder and that means it’s time for hockey in Montreal West. The teams for the 2015-16 season have been selected and this year we have 14 teams ranging from Novice to Midget. Each team plays 18-24 games, home and away, throughout the regular season. Teams have games and practices here at the Legion Rink as well as playing games in neighbouring communities. Go Knights go! Our youngest players begin in our Future Stars Program which introduces the basics of hockey to participants aged 4, 5 and 6. These littlest “Knights” have the biggest learning curve, going from individual skaters to team players. Randi Weitzner is our hockey administrator. Randi works “office” in tandem with Eric Rayment who does everything “on ice”. Randi co-ordinates with the coaches, managers and CRA staff on all administrative tasks. You will often see her taking photos of our Knights in the Legion Rink. Eric Rayment, Hockey Director Eric is owner and Head Trainer for Hockey Montreal International and has been involved in hockey for 25 years. Dr. Mark Santaguida, O.D. docteur en optométrie / optometrist • examen de la vue • lunettes • verres de contact • consultation laser • eye exams • glasses • contact lenses • laser consultation 514 481- 4791 43a av. Westminster Ave. N. Mtl West,QC H4X 1Y8 DESIGNER D’INTÉRIEUR www.nadinethomson.com t.4 5 0 . 2 4 7 . 2 2 5 9 Since his time here in MoWest, he has been involved with double letter hockey, weekly development clinics, goalie training, Holiday Hockey Day and now our new Future Stars Program for 4- to 6-year-olds. As a hockey developer, he has worked with numerous minor hockey associations at both the single and double letter levels and has trained players and coaches all over the city. Eric is a certified advanced trainer and has coached all levels from Novice to Midget AA. Before getting involved in player/coach development he was Head Coach for the Patriotes de Saint-Laurent Cegep men’s team and Dawson College Women’s program, both of the Collegiate AAA Hockey League. He was also President/owner of the Midget AAA Canadiens de Montréal before the league merged his team with Laval in 2010. “With so many different experiences over the years, I have had the pleasure of working and teaching with thousands of dedicated volunteers and amazing young players.” “Hockey is a way to teach life lessons, get better every day, love the game, work hard and have fun! I have always made myself available to parents, I am here to advise, help, suggest and answer all your hockey questions and concerns.” See you at the rinks! Holiday hockey day Sunday, December 6 Montreal West/Hampstead Hockey Association and the CRA are celebrating all things hockey in our communities. All of our single letter hockey teams will have games in the Legion Rink. There will be music, a bake sale and hot chocolate. Everyone is welcome to come watch and cheer on our teams. Games start at 9 am sharp and run until 9:30 pm. Reminder to everyone Santa’s Breakfast Sunday December 13! Come out and enjoy breakfast with Santa and support the Civic Recreation Association. Reservations for breakfast 8, 9, 10 or 11 am. Tickets available at the Community Centre. Advance ticket prices: $40 family, $13 adult, $10 child. At the door: $50 family, $15 adult, $12 child. Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah and a wonderful New Year! from your friends at your MoWest Flower Shop Call us to pre-order your flowers. 17 Community Centre Summer Employment Registration Winter recreation Registration for the winter recreation programs is ongoing until classes start in January. You can go online to montrealwest.ca to register. Programs include: Parent and Tot Baby Boogie, Music and Movement, Parent and Baby exercise Youth Captain Catalyst, chess and ballet Adult TRX, Essentrics and Total Barre just to name a few For more information please contact: 484-6186 or [email protected] Bilingual Discovery Playgroup The Bilingual Discovery Playgroup meets Monday to Friday from 9 am to noon at the John A. Simms Community Centre for a fun filled morning of interactive play. Our dynamic and energetic animators include park outings, arts and crafts, music and drama, cooking, themed days and much more in their daily and weekly lesson plans. Cost varies. Please contact 484-6186 for more information or you can register online at montreal-west.ca. Pool applications: [email protected] Camp applications: [email protected] Community Centre applications: [email protected] All applications may also be dropped off during business hours at the John A Simms Community Centre. APPLICATION DEADLINE: JANUARY 22, 4:30 PM • Pool Manager • Assistant Pool Managers • Head Swim Team Coach • Pool Office Manager • Day Camp Coordinator • Day Camp Section Heads • LIT & Junior Leader (camp) APPLICATION DEADLINE: FEBRUARY 12, 4:30 PM • Lifeguards • Wading Pool Attendants APPLICATION DEADLINE: MARCH 18, 4:30 PM • Day Camp Counsellors • Community Centre Counsellors (full and part time) • Pool Gate Attendants MW 50+ Club December 2 Have Yourself a Swinging Little Christmas, Upper Canada Playhouse 7 Movie Matinée: Boychoir (2014) 11 Christmas dinner 17 Soup’s on: Speaker Bruno Stenson: The Winter Carnival of Victorian Montreal 22 Bridge 7 13 22 26 28 January Movie matinée: War Room (2015) National Gallery of Canada: Monet Exhibit Robbie Burns luncheon Bridge Dinners’ Club: TBD For more information, please call 484-1610 Foot clinics December 2 & 16 January 6 & 20 $40 for the first visit and $35 for subsequent visits by appointment only Honesty Integrity Hardworking Enthusiastic Please entrust me with the purchase / sale of your property 484-6186 Stephen Coull B. Comm. Courtier en Assurances de Dommages Broker in Damage Insurance 68 Westminster Ave. N. 514-481-1134 www.rccoull.com 18 To w n C o u n c i l M e e t i n g : O c t o b e r by Carol Foster The Mayor welcomed two police representatives as visitors to the meeting of Council. Their presence emphasized the important role the police are being requested to play in directing the huge increase in traffic during road closures caused by work on the Turcot Yard project. As the mayor has pointed out during his many meetings with transportation officials, the roads in the Town were never meant to carry this load of traffic. In spite of the added precautions, there was recently a tragic fatal accident where a pedestrian was hit by a car while crossing Avon. The Mayor offered his congratulations to Marc Garneau upon his re-election to parliament and issued a warm invitation to all residents to attend the monthly “Coffee with the Mayor” meetings. As required by the City and Towns Act, the mayor then went on to report on the financial position of the Town and explained that this report will be published in the next issue of The Suburban for all residents to see. Grants are being applied for to help finance the Canada Day celebrations, dog licences are now required and the Town is still looking for a reasonable contract for the garbage and organic waste pick-up. Councillor Torres reported that, in addition to the routine activities of the Public Works Department, two fire hydrants have been replaced, three trees have been cut down and 15 more have been planted. As the Town’s gardens are being put to bed, the snow-removal equipment is being readied. Councillor Tasker-Brown announced that there will be a public information meeting to discuss the first draft of an amendment to the zoning bylaw in order to regulate parking areas and shared driveways. This amendment is to ensure the protection of public trees and to promote the installation of site designs favourable to the absorption of surface water and the reduction of heat islands. Tasker-Brown added that another bylaw to be passed will allow PAC to hold meetings electronically to deal with emergency cases such as sudden roof damage. The new playground in Davies Park will be operational by the end of November if Councillor Ulin’s prediction proves correct. Ronald Park will be closed until approximately next May due to work around the site required by the Turcot reconstruction. Two notable instances regarding public security occurred during the past month. A Nelson resident, neglecting to lock his door, returned home after walking his dog to find three strangers in his house. The basement door of a home on Westminster was kicked in after the resident failed to answer his doorbell. Although Montreal West remains a very safe community, there still is a need to take precautions and ensure homes, cars and bikes are safely locked up. Councillor Ulin offered condolences to the family of Kyrylo Kohut, the pedestrian involved in the fatal accident while crossing Avon on a dark and rainy morning. She offered another caution to all residents to use the crosswalks and stay alert to traffic. The Yard Waste bylaw campaign has now resulted in 19 notices concerning the use of plastic bags and landscape contractors’ permits are being checked. In addition, 10 residents were issued tickets this month for not having construction permits and the PSOs are checking on the validity of parking permits as well as tags on dogs. Councillor Feeney announced water tax bills will be mailed out on October 27 and issued a reminder that school taxes are due on October 28. She reviewed the expenditures for the past month and explained the cost of various contracts signed by the Town, all of which are available on the Town’s website. She also mentioned that the Town has paid an agglomeration tax for 2015 of $ 5.2 million to the City of Montreal. The Tariff bylaw, which is reviewed annually and includes rental costs for some of the Town’s facilities, is providing discounts for residents in some cases. More information is available at the Town Hall. Question period Question period began with a debate over the rights of neighbouring homeowners. A resident pointed out that in several recent instances the Town’s bylaws have permitted construction that adversely affected the “quality of life” for those living on adjacent properties. He felt that the affected neighbours should be given information about how they would be affected before a project begins. The mayor responded that the current bylaws do not allow for this type of communication, but added that bylaws are always subject for review. Councillor Tasker-Brown explained that PAC gets projects forwarded by the Building Inspector who has ensured the appropriate bylaws have been respected and PAC focuses primarily upon the facades. One neighbour cannot be allowed to decide what another neighbour does and that’s why there are bylaws which attempt to strike a balance of rights and responsibilities for all residents. Questions then moved on to another interesting problem which can affect neighbours’ rights and responsibilities and for which there currently are no existing bylaws. In this instance the question was who “owns” the roots of a tree which may straddle several properties. This situation can cause disputes should one neighbour have a project that requires cutting those roots and ends up damaging the tree itself. Both Councillors Ulin and Tasker-Brown agreed this problem needs to be addressed. The increase in traffic, in the Town was on several residents’ minds. The safety at the five- corner intersection at Avon and Westminster was questioned and the mayor explained that the original plan for a temporary traffic light had been deemed unsatisfactory. He has asked for increased presence of police to help alleviate this problem which is expected to continue until the middle of November. Additional measures to control traffic, such as more speeding deterrents on Brock North and a no-left-turn sign at the north entrance to Ballantyne, were suggested. Councillor Ulin stated the Traffic and Safety Committee is the venue for these ideas, as well, moving violations should be reported to the police; both can be conveniently reached on the Town’s website. With the new federal government promising emphasis on infrastructure improvements and with Quebec’s probable increased representation in cabinet, now is the time to advance plans for replacing the arena, was the opinion of a Ballantyne resident. The mayor agreed and said the requested report on the state of the arena has just been received and will be the focus of discussion by the Council. There was only one mention of the new dog park during this meeting and it came in the form of congratulations to Council for the new facility. The meeting was then adjourned. 19 Réunion du Conseil : octobre par Carol Foster traduction par René Boucher Le maire a accueilli deux représentants du service de police à la réunion. Leur présence soulignait le rôle important que l’on demande aux policiers de jouer dans la gestion de la colossale augmentation de circulation occasionnée par les fermetures de rue dues aux travaux de la Cour Turcot. Comme le maire l’a fait remarquer lors de ses nombreuses rencontres avec les fonctionnaires des Transports, nos rues n’ont jamais été conçues pour un tel volume. En dépit des mesures additionnelles, on rapporte un tragique accident mortel lorsqu’une voiture a happé un piéton qui traversait Avon. Le maire a félicité Marc Garneau pour sa réélection et a lancé une chaleureuse invitation à tous les résidents de venir aux rencontres mensuelles du « Café avec le maire ». Tel que le requiert la Loi sur les cités et villes, le maire a ensuite fait rapport de la situation financière de la Ville et précisé que son rapport sera publié dans le prochain numéro du Suburban pour l’ensemble des résidents. Les demandes de subventions sont faites pour aider à financer les célébrations de la fête du Canada, les médailles pour chiens sont maintenant requises et la Ville recherche toujours un contrat raisonnable pour l’enlèvement des ordures et des déchets organiques. La conseillère Torres a rapporté qu’en plus des activités routinières des Travaux publics, on a remplacé deux bornes d’incendie, coupé trois arbres et planté quinze autres. On apprête les jardins de la ville pour l’hiver et prépare l’équipement pour l’enlèvement de la neige. La conseillère Tasker-Brown a indiqué qu’une réunion publique d’information serait tenue pour discuter le projet de modification du règlement de zonage touchant la règlementation des aires de stationnement et des allées mitoyennes. Cet amendement vise à protéger les arbres publics et promouvoir l’implantation d’aménagements extérieurs favorisant l’absorption des eaux de surface et la réduction des ilots de chaleur. Mme Tasker-Brown a ajouté qu’un autre règlement à venir permettra au CCU de tenir des réunions par voie électronique pour traiter des cas d’urgence comme des dommages subits de toiture. Le nouveau terrain de jeux du parc Davies sera fonctionnel vers la fin-novembre si la prédiction de la conseillère Ulin s’avère. Le parc Ronald sera fermé jusqu’au mois de mai prochain environ en raison des travaux requis à proximité pour la reconstruction de Turcot. On a connu deux cas notables de sécurité publique au cours du mois dernier. Un résident de Nelson ayant négligé de barrer sa porte a trouvé trois intrus dans sa maison au retour de la marche avec son chien. La porte du sous-sol d’une demeure sur Westminster a été défoncée après que le résident n’a pas répondu à la sonnette. Bien que Montréal-Ouest demeure une communauté très sûre, il faut quand même prendre des précautions et s’assurer de barrer maisons, véhicules et bicyclettes. La conseillère Ulin a offert ses condoléances à la famille de M. Kyrylo Kohut, victime d’un accident mortel alors qu’il traversait Avon, un matin sombre et pluvieux. Elle a rappelé à tous les résidents d’utiliser les passages piétonniers et de demeurer aux aguets de la circulation. La campagne sur le règlement des déchets de jardin a entrainé la remise de 19 avis concernant l’utilisation de sacs de plastique et on vérifie les permis des entrepreneurs-paysagistes. De plus, dix résidents ont reçu des avis d’infraction pour travaux sans permis de construire et les ASP vérifient la validité des permis de stationnement et des licences de chiens. La conseillère Feeney a annoncé que les comptes de taxe d’eau seraient postés le 27 octobre et a rappelé la date d’échéance des taxes scolaires, le 28 octobre. Elle a revu les dépenses du mois écoulé et expliqué le coût de divers contrats accordés par la Ville, lesquels sont disponibles sur le site Web de la Ville. Elle a aussi mentionné que la Ville avait payé à la ville de Montréal une taxe d’agglomération de 5,2 millions $ pour 2015. Le règlement sur la tarification, lequel est révisé annuellement et comprend les frais de location de certaines installations municipales, offre des rabais aux résidents dans certains cas. Plus amples informations sont disponibles à l’Hôtel de Ville. Période de questions Un débat sur les droits des voisins a ouvert la période de questions. Un résident a fait remarquer que dans plusieurs cas récents, les règlements de la Ville ont permis des constructions qui affectent négativement la « qualité de vie » de ceux qui résident à proximité. Il estimait que les voisins touchés devraient être informés des effets sur eux avant le démarrage d’un projet. Le maire a répondu que la règlementation actuelle ne permet pas ce genre de communication, mais ajouta que les règlements sont toujours sujets à révision. La conseillère Tasker-Brown a expliqué que l’inspecteur en bâtiments vérifie le respect des règlements et transmet les projets au CCU qui lui se concentre surtout sur les façades. On ne peut permettre à un voisin de décider ce qu’un autre voisin fait et c’est là la raison d’être des règlements qui tentent d’arriver à un équilibre des droits et responsabilités de l’ensemble des résidents. Les questions ont ensuite touché un autre sujet d’intérêt qui peut affecter les droits et responsabilités des voisins et pour lequel il n’existe actuellement pas de règlement. Dans ce cas, la question était de savoir à qui appartiennent les racines d’un arbre qui chevauchent plusieurs propriétés. Cette situation peut provoquer des conflits si le projet d’un voisin requiert de couper ces racines et aboutit à la détérioration de l’arbre même. Les conseillères Ulin et Tasker-Brown ont admis que cette question doit être étudiée. L’accroissement de la circulation dans la ville préoccupe de nombreux résidents. La sécurité de l’intersection Avon et Westminster à cinq voies a été remise en question et la maire a expliqué que le plan originel pour des feux de circulation temporaires avait été jugé insatisfaisant. Il a demandé une présence policière accrue pour amoindrir le problème jusqu’à la mi-novembre. D’autres mesures de contrôle de la circulation, comme plus de moyens de ralentissement sur Brock Nord et un panneau interdisant le virage à gauche à l’entrée nord de Ballantyne ont été suggérées. La conseillère Ulin a indiqué que ces idées doivent être acheminées au Comité de circulation et de sécurité et qu’il faut rapporter les infractions de circulation à la police; on peut joindre les deux via le site Web de la Ville. Vu la promesse du nouveau gouvernement fédéral de mettre l’accent sur l’amélioration des infrastructures et vu la probable représentation accrue du Québec au sein du cabinet, le temps est propice aux plans de remplacement de l’aréna selon une résidente de Ballantyne. Le maire a acquiescé et a déclaré que l’on venait tout juste de recevoir le rapport demandé sur l’état de l’aréna et qu’il ferait l’objet de discussion au Conseil. Il n’y eut qu’une seule mention du parc canin, sous la forme de félicitations au Conseil pour cette nouvelle installation. La réunion était ensuite levée. 20 COMING EV ENTS Classifieds Please call the editor: Heather at 489-7022 e-mail: [email protected] Next deadline: January 13 FOR SALE: guitair amplifier, Yamaha g100b212 in excellent condition, 100 watts, twin channels, $275. 484-3873. November Sun 29 White Gift Sunday. MW Presbyterian. 10:30 am. Fireside dinner. MW United. 5:30 pm. Mon 30 Town Council Meeting. Town Hall. 8 pm Skating with Santa December Sat 5 NDG Food Depot food drive. St. Philip’s. 9 am-3 pm. Curzon Creative Preschool invites you to celebrate the holidays with a night out with an auction, live music and great company! Tickets are $5. For information, please contact Tara Gerrie at 438-829-1066. Sun 6 Holiday hockey day. Legion Rink. Games start at 9 am sharp and run until 9:30 pm. Children’s Christmas pageant. MW United. 10 am. 2nd Sunday in Advent. MW Presbyterian. 10:30 am Children's Christmas party. Parish Hall. St. Ignatius. Noon. Sun 13 Santa’s breakfast in support of CRA. Reservations for 8, 9, 10 or 11 am. Please see page 16 for details. Choral service. MW United. 10 am. Christmas Communion. MW Presbyterian. 10:30 am. Festival of Lessons and Carols. St. Philip’s. 5 pm. Mon 14 MW Horticultural Society presents Dawn Smith’s Christmas floral arrangement demonstration. Non-members, $5. Town Hall. 7:30 pm. Wed 16 Coffee with the Mayor. Town Hall. 7:30- 9 am. Sun 20 Carols and Christmas pageant. MW Presbyterian. 10:30 am. Christmas service of Lessons and Carols. St. Ignatius. 7 pm. Mon 21 Town Council Meeting. Town Hall. 8 pm. Thu 24 Feast of the Nativity. St. Ignatius. Family Mass at 4:30 pm. Mass at 7 and 10 pm. Christmas Eve service. MW Presbyterian. 5 pm. Family service. St. Philip’s. 5 pm. Family service. MW United. 5:30 pm. Communion service. MW United. 9 pm. Christmas Eve Eucharist (Midnight Mass). St. Philip’s. 11 pm. Fri 25 Christmas Day Communion. St. Philip’s. 10 am. Christmas Mass. St. Ignatius. 10 am. January Sun 10 Mon 18 Wed 20 Sun 24 Mon 25 Sunday school and Nursery service resume. MW United. MW Horticultural Society presents Albert Mondor on extreme horticulture. Everyone welcome. Non-members, $5. Town Hall. 7:30 pm. Coffee with the Mayor. 7:30- 9 am. Afternoon Labyrinth Walk. MW United. 2-4 pm. Town Council Meeting. Town Hall. 8 pm. Sunday, December 20 Legion Memorial Rink Time: 1 to 2:20 pm Come join Santa for a free skate! Pickup hockey and free skate holiday schedule For pickup hockey a full facemask, neck protector and gloves are mandatory. Tuesday, December 22 Wednesday, December 23 Free skate: 3:30-4:50 pm Novice/Atom: 5-6:20 pm Pee Wee/Bantam: 6:30-7:50 pm Midget and up: 8-9 pm Sunday, December 27 Free skate: 4-6 pm Monday, December 28; Tuesday, December 29; Wednesday, December 30 Free Skate: 11 am – noon Novice/Atom: noon-1:20 pm Pee Wee/Bantam: 1:30-2:50 pm Midget and up: 3-4:20 pm Free skate: 4:30-6 pm Thursday, December 31 Free skate: 9-10 am Novice/Atom: 10-11 am Pee Wee/ Bantam: 11 am-noon Friday, January 2 Free skate: 11 am-noon Novice/Atom: noon-1:20 pm Pee Wee/Bantam: 1:30-2:50 pm Midget and up: 3-4:20 pm Free skate: 4:30-6 pm JANE F. LEE, B.Sc., D.D.S. Dr. Michael J. Wexel Chirurgien Dentiste - Dental Surgeon Chiropractor / Chiropracticien Tel: 773-7246 E-mail: [email protected] 63 WESTMINSTER N MONTREAL WEST H4X 1Y8 369-0255 18 Westminster N., Suite 110 Montreal West, QC H4X 1Y8
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