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Two Mountains mayor Marc Lauzon says he has not given up the idea of converting the auditorium of the Polyvalente Deux-Montagnes into an entertainment venue using municipal money — even though most residents have already indicated their opposition in a referendum register.
Off for now
Replying to a line of questioning on the PDM issue from Dave Palmer of Seventh Avenue, Lauzon said during the April 8 city council meeting that the $550,000 project “is dead the way we have decided, so of course we don’t work on that right now.”
But insisting that the administration chose not to follow through with a referendum so as not to waste money on a consultation, Lauzon said he doubted residents were properly informed of the benefits an investment in the PDM would have for Two Mountains, and so he has not given up altogether on the project.
‘Good project,’ mayor says
“I’m very convinced this is a very good project,” said the mayor, adding that he felt he and the councillors who support him are at fault for not presenting it more effectively before the register was held in February. “If we take the time to explain to all of the population what is involved with having that kind of infrastructure in Deux-Montagnes for our population, for our businesses, for our tax revenue, for our community, maybe the people they are going to understand.”
Lauzon’s dream of pursuing the PDM project got a boost earlier this month, when the City of Boisbriand announced that it will be building a multi-purpose 400-seat performance hall at a cost of $8.5 million. The Quebec Ministry of Culture has confirmed that it will be paying $4.2 million of the cost. The hall will be located in the Faubourg Boisbriand residential development, which is on the former site of the old General Motors plant at the intersection of the Laurentian and North Shore autoroutes.
Other cities’ projects
Further to the north, the City of St. Jérôme announced three years ago that it plans to build an 860-seat performance hall at a cost of $18 million with the help of private investors and grant money from Quebec. To the south, the City of Laval’s Salle André-Mathieu performance hall was created in partnership with Collège Montmorency. It does brisk business, owing perhaps to the fact that it is conveniently located a short distance from the A-15 and is across the street from Laval’s Montmorency Metro station.
Despite all this, Palmer was not impressed. “How far in the hole is Boisbriand?” he asked, referring to its accumulated debt. While the mayor insisted that sometimes public money is well spent when it promises good return on an investment, Palmer shot back, “It’s a waste.” He went on lambasting Lauzon. “Why doesn’t the council as a whole ask the people?” said Palmer.
Palmer lambastes mayor
“Why is it always what Marc Lauzon wants? Your whole problem is that for four years you were in power and you had whatever you wanted because you had the whole council and the people never had a say. And you cannot take no for an answer. That’s your whole problem.” While the mayor envisions Two Mountains some day having a performance hall, some residents question what would happen to the Olympia, the show venue the city already operates. The mayor has so far said little on that, although it is perhaps too early in the process.
Another project Lauzon appears determined to see through, even though a majority of Two Mountainers who responded to a recent phone survey rejected it, is an intermunicipal agreement that would give at least some Two Mountains residents access to the new Saint-Eustache swimming complex at the same rate paid by Saint-Eustache residents. According to the results of the survey which were released in early April, 74 per cent of respondents said no to the proposal, which would have cost Two Mountains $333,000 or $50 annually per address.
Seeks new agreement
Given that 20 per cent of the Two Mountains residents surveyed said they were ready to pay for the service, Lauzon said in a statement, “We will now try to work out another agreement with Ville de Saint-Eustache that will meet the needs of those 1,500 or so families.” He said managers with the City of Deux-Montagnes will be getting in touch in the coming weeks with officials in Saint-Eustache to try and forge a new agreement that will satisfy both parties and meet their needs, without penalizing the residents who do not wish to use the service.
