Pointe Claire to hold workshop on Village future

Convercité to show results of first report


By Kevin Woodhouse
www.thesuburban.com

Last spring, Pointe Claire residents were invited to take part in a discussion on the future of the Pointe Claire Village mandated by an outside firm, Convercité. Since then, the company has taken a litmus test of the Village, talking to residents, visitors and business owners on what direction the Village should take for a prosperous future while still reflecting the city’s heritage site.

On Saturday, Nov. 30, residents have been asked to participate on a workshop where citizens will work in groups to discuss the results of the company’s report and to decide the direction the Village should take for the coming years.

Mayor Morris Trudeau told The Suburban that once the public exercise is completed, Convercité will be completing a second report “and then the city will decide the next plan of action from there. One of the factors in the new Village will be that the city has recently purchased some land from the church.”

The St. Joachim church sold the land to the city that contained an older tennis court, parking lot and city pool. “Now that this land is city owned, it will definitely factor into the planning of the Village,” said Trudeau.

Newly elected district one councilor, Claude Cousineau, whose district includes Pointe Claire Village, told The Suburban that he is looking forward to seeing the company’s report as well as what the citizens and merchants will bring to the upcoming discussion because “once the dust settles, we will take our direction from the citizens’ suggestions.”

Cousineau, who spoke to many merchants and citizens on the topic of the Village’s revitalization during the recent election campaign, said that while everyone is “in favour of improving the Village, there is no specific direction or consensus on how to do that just yet.”

Claude Arsenault, who unsuccessfully ran for the District 1 seat and is part of the Pointe Claire Cultural Preservation Society, hopes that the process will yield positive results for the Village.

Arsenault and the society released a 21-page brief to the city last spring which detailed the need to preserve the heritage site, which is steeped in history.

“Residents need to remain in the Village to maintain its soul so it doesn’t become a phantom at night if there is only businesses,” said Arsenault.

He is hoping that the city safeguards the Village’s historical significance while keeping the area community oriented with many activities for residents and tourists alike.

“The heritage aspects must be maintained with a community point of view,” said Arsenault.

The workshop on the Pointe Claire Village’s diagnosis will take place on Saturday, November 30. Interested Participants are asked to register by phoning [514] 286-2663 x 28. The event is taking place at Marguerite Bourgeoys School, 3 Sainte-Anne Avenue in Pointe Claire.

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