September 27 - Westmount Independent

14 – WESTMOUNT INDEPENDENT – September 27-28, 2011New proposal for arena site ‘inclusive’ or ‘tunnel visioned’?By Laureen SweeneyAn alternative concept for thearena/pool project proposed by a group of20 residents calls for outdoor and indoorpools at the current arena/pool site withtwo NHL-size ice rinks across St. CatherineSt. on the site of the city’s PublicWorks yard at the foot of Bethune.“This is a concept that embraces theneeds of both the hockey players andswimmers,” architect David Ludmer toldthe Independent.Ludmer distributed the plan September21 as a letter to Mayor Peter Trent, thoughhe had not received it when the Independentcalled for a comment.“It’s an attempt to show that there areother alternatives,” Ludmer said.Interestingly, the letter is not signed byPatrick Barnard or the Save the Parkgroup, which contends the project shouldbe downsized. “I knew it was in the works,but I have not seen it,” Barnard said of theletter.Trent said he would not comment on aletter he had not received.Project chair Patrick Martin said: “Do Iunderstand then that Mr. Ludmer wantsus to move the Corporation Yard to WestmountPark?”Site said to be too dangerousThat’s one of many reasons building anarena at the site is “on the verge of impossible,”said a knowledgeable source whoasked not to be named. Another site wouldhave to found for the busy CorporationYard since the comings and goings ofheavy work trucks and the city operationswould make it too dangerous.In addition, the site, with restricted access,might not be approved by the fire department.The area, which also containshuge underground fuel tanks at the locationof the proposed arena, is wedged betweenthe Ville Marie Expressway, CPtracks and a steep drop offour to five storeys to thewest onto Glen Rd. andthe Hydro Westmountpower facility.Attempts to widen thecurrent one-lane Bethunetunnel under the tracks –if even feasible in the tightarea – would likely involvea lengthy negotiatingprocess with CP and be extremelycostly, said thesource. Similar work atDecarie is estimated to becosting some $7 million.In the city’s emergencypreparedness plan for thesite, the only way the citycould provide a secondaryexit was by arranging withCP to provide a flagman tohelp with the evacuationof city vehicles over thetracks to the east in thearea of Blenheim Place incase of disaster.While the new arenaplan might look good onpaper, the source said,“you could say it’s tunnelvision.”Even though the cityhas now launched the firststage of tenders to find abuilding consortium, Ludmersaid he believed there was a windowof opportunity to explore an alternativenow. “That’s the point of it.”He also believed more services could beprovided within the same budget througheconomies realized by the use of “standardtried-and-true building techniques” andabove-ground construction at the Yard.Ludmer had asked at a recent councilmeeting for a list of sites that had beenconsidered for the new recreation centre,Proposal submitted by David Ludmer and group after city council approved launch of qualifying tenders September 19.but said he not yet received one.Unused syringes foundin parking lotAbout 40 unused syringes along withempty wine bottles were found in theMetro store parking lot on Victoria by storepersonnel September 21 at 8:45 am, PublicSecurity officials said. The syringeswere turned over to the unit for appropriatehazardous waste disposal.New workshop truckfor HydroCity council agreed September 6 to replacea Hydro Westmount “workshop”truck in service more than 20 years. Thenew Ford XL chassis dual cab truck willbe bought for $55,990 and a custommadeutility truck body for $22,492 installed.SPACIOUS LOFTS | CONTEMPORARY CONDOS | ROOFTOP VILLASA SUSTAINABLE INVESTMENT __ __ __ AN INNOVATIVE CONCEPTA DYNAMIC NEIGHBOURHOODCONTEMPORARY SPACESOpening HoursMonday - Thursday: 4 pm to 7 pmSaturday & Sunday: 12 pm to 5 pmOr call for an appointmentLionel-Groulx / AtwaterJardins Westmount3555 St-Antoine W.Westmount, QCSales office: 514 313.8877www.jardinswestmount.ca