September 27 - Westmount Independent

6 – WESTMOUNT INDEPENDENT – September 27-28, 2011Letters to the EditorReserved bus lanes will uptraffic on nearby streetsIn your September 20 issue, you have astory about the probable implementationof reserved bus lanes during the morningand afternoon rush hours. (“Reserved buslanes expected to have huge impact,” p. 1).Since the city’s ill-conceived revampingof the Sherbrooke St. traffic light systemin the Claremont-Grosvenor corridorabout two years ago, we have seen a largeincrease in the congestion, tailbacks andthe blocking of intersections by motor vehiclesin the area.Now we are informed that this maineast-west artery is to be even more reducedin carrying capacity through a plan by agroup of faceless bureaucrats to make reservedbus lanes during the busiest traffichours of the day.I can only imagine how this will increasethe traffic congestion on the surroundingresidential streets, as well ascausing even larger traffic jams on SherbrookeSt.Oh, and let’s not forget the increase inair pollution from all those idling vehicles.The traffic jams, increase of road rage andthe ensuing impatient and dangerous drivingwill be interesting to say the least.Gene Kruger, Côte St. Antoine Rd.WeeklyPresstime: Monday at 10:30 amPublisher & editor-in-chief: David Priceeditor: Kristin McNeillChief reporter: Laureen SweeneyLetters & Comments:We welcome your letters but reserve the right tochoose and edit them. Please limit to 300words and submit before Friday 10 am to beconsidered for publication the following week.Please check your letter carefully as we may beunable to make subsequently submittedchanges. If you do make amendments, please“redline” them instead of resending the wholeletter. Email any letter or comments toindie@westmountindependent.com.WESTMOUNTINDEPENDENTWe are Westmount.Why no enforcement oftraffic laws for cyclists?A recent letter from Mme. Pecknoldabout cyclists riding on the sidewalk underthe very nose of Service de police de laVille de Montréal (SPVM) officers illustrateswhat has been painfully obvious foryears: cyclists haven’t obeyed traffic lawsin Westmount since the island policeforces were merged.A philosophical question: is the non-enforcementthe result of orders from theSPVM’s (nominal) civilian superiors? Orfrom somewhere up the SPVM hierarchy?Or do individual officers decide propriomotu whether or not to enforce the law?In any case, be sure to look both waysbefore getting off the curb when you arecrossing on a pedestrian signal.Jean Turgeon, Mount Stephen Ave.Arena/pool project:What happens now?The Independent’s recent story on thearena/pool project (“Lemay out, consortiumsought,” September 20, p. 1) bringsto mind the following questions addressedto project chair Patrick Martin:• Noting that the arena/pool project willnow be tendered on the basis of incompletearchitect’s plans and specifications,the city’s project description for tenderingHow Can We Help You?Stories and lettersKristin McNeill: 514.223.3578indie@westmountindependent.comAdvertising & SalesArleen Candiotti: 514.223.3567advertising@westmountindependent.comAccounting & Classified adsBeth Hudson: 514.223.6138office@westmountindependent.comAudited by14,202 copiesOwned and published by:Sherbrooke-Valois Inc., 310 Victoria Ave., #105, Westmount, QC H3Z 2M9Fax: 514.935.9241will have to be prepared in considerablygreater detail. How much time will it taketo make the necessary revisions to theproject description?• Will the final project description be availablefor public review at city hall and/or atthe Westmount Public Library, and if so,at what stage in the contractual process?• To what extent will other contractual documentationfor tendering be made availablefor public review and when?• Is it planned that the two undergroundhockey rinks will be located on the samelevel or one above the other?• Will the arena’s drainage system be configuredfor a gravity feed into the city’ssewer system, and, if not, what provisionwill be specified to assure that the undergroundfacility will not be endangered byflooding in the event of a power failureduring heavy rain?John Dorey, Victoria Ave.Decisions by referendanot democratic idealI write in connection with the report onthe September 20 article in the Independentregarding the use of referendum to settleany proposed change in land use.(“Trent defends democratic referendumprocess,” p. 7).I have not had the opportunity of readingthe presentation made at the hearingon Bill 58. However, the article states thatallowing citizens to participate in the decisionprocess by means of a referendum isa “fundamental” hallmark of democracy.I take issue with this statement. In fact,most people are able to accede to the viewsof their elected representatives, i.e. one assumesthat a Conservative, Liberal or NDPmember of parliament will vote accordingto the party’s stated platform. In fact, referendaare generally used for divisive matterssuch as conscription or, more recently,separation.As far as I am concerned, once a representativeis elected, be it in the municipal,provincial or federal arena, he or she isempowered to vote as they deem to be appropriatein the circumstances.I certainly do not consider referenda tobe more democratic than “one man onevote” or “no taxation without representation.”Ethel Joan Adye, Prince Albert Ave.Open letter to MayorTrent: Design/buildchanges input optionsI noted with astonishment the move toa “design/build approach” to thearena/pool project. That a project of thiscomplexity should be started without finalplans in place, which the community hashad an opportunity to vet, is hard to believe.At the August meeting of city councilyou made several commitments in the interestsof transparency and good governance.The “design/build approach”seems to fly in their face.1. How will citizens have a roughly twomonthwindow to comment before it goesto tender(s) if there will be no final projecteven after the tender?2. How will citizens be allowed to expresstheir views on significant changes tothe project if such changes may well occuras mid-course corrections?3. Isn’t the move to this radical newprocedure in and of itself a significantchange that citizens should have a chanceto comment upon?In the interests of transparency, thereare several items which need to be addressedat this juncture:1. What was the last cost estimate furnishedby the Lemay group before its contractwas cancelled? Did this cancellationimpose any financial penalties upon thecity?2. Does the commitment to hold expendituresto $37 million include the costof the reconstruction of the water andsewer lines announced by arena/poolchair Patrick Martin as the “launch [of]construction work for the WestmountRecreation Centre”?3. If not, are there any other expenditureswhich will be incurred due to theproject which have not been included inthe $37 million figure? What are they andhow much will they cost?Given your own commitment to democraticgovernance, I am comfortable inthanking you in advance for providingthese responses in a timely fashion.Nathan Bossen, York St.Thanks for the bixisI would like to publicly thank the Bixipeople for bringing their bikes to Westmount,and the city of Westmount for lettingthem do so.Commuting to and from work has beena pleasure this summer, knowing I canjump on a Bixi whenever I want.I’d also like to thank 99 percent of Westmountroad users for respecting eachother while driving or riding or walking.Apart from the very occasional exception,I’ve seen all our road users give each otherthe space they need to drive/ride/walksafely.Mark Styles, Sherbrooke St.Electronic Independents availableEnjoy the Indie at supper timeon Tuesdays! Sign up by writing us:office@westmountindependent.com.