January 29 th edition of the Free Press

8 – THE FREE PRESS – January 29, 2013 NDG NEWS
Montreal says ‘no’ to keeping
pper Lachine open
By Isaac Olson
During a recent Good Neighbourly
Relations Committee meeting, NDG
ouncillor Peter McQueen asked
ontreal’s Alain Trudeau, who heads
unicipal infrastructure renovations
round the incoming super-hospital, to
ommit to keeping Upper Lachine Rd.
pen during the reconstruction of the St.
acques St. bridge.
The city planner said “no.”
McQueen then told Trudeau that over
,000 area residents had so far signed a
etition to keep Upper Lachine open
hile St. Jacques St. is closed between
rud’homme Ave. and Addington St., but
Brian Gans
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Trudeau simply raised his palm to the air
and shrugged his shoulders.
This interaction took place during the
January 22 meeting — a regular information-sharing
gathering that includes
municipal, provincial and hospital officials
as well as residents, transportation
agency representatives and more.
McQueen’s questions were rooted in the
plan to close Upper Lachine Rd. between
Crowley Ave. and Decarie Blvd. while the
St. Jacques St. bridge over the highway 15
trench is being rebuilt by the province as
part of the Turcot interchange overhaul.
Westmount resident Roger Jochym
asked the McGill University Health
Centre’s Pierre Major if he supported the
building of a bicycle and pedestrian
bridge over the Decarie Blvd./de
Maisonneuve intersection. The bridge, he
said, would provide a fast, safe link for
people using the de Maisonneuve bike
path. Major said the MUHC instead supports
the city’s plan to build a small parklike
area on the closed section of Upper
Lachine and paint bike lanes on de
Maisonneuve.
Minh-Tam Nguyen, an engineer with
the city, said studies indicate there is not
enough space to build what would essentially
be two bridges next to the train
viaduct, over both Decarie Blvd. and
Upper Lachine. It would also, he said, be
too costly for the city.
Have you received services from one of the
following health centres?
Richardson Hospital, CLSC René-Cassin,
CLSC de NDG-Montréal-Ouest,
Henri-Bradet, St. Andrew’s,
Father-Dowd, St. Margaret’s Residence,
or Catherine-Booth Hospital.
At the end of the meeting, McQueen
showed the media the original plan for
the area dating back to 2007 that clearly
shows Upper Lachine closed and many of
the other plans the city has been pursuing
in recent months. It also shows a bicycle
bridge going over the intersection and
behind the buildings on the south side of
de Maisonneuve.
“There it is — the green dotted line,”
said McQueen pointing at the bike path
running along de Maisonneuve Blvd. “It
runs all the way from Girouard to
Claremont, clearly going beside the tracks
and over Decarie Blvd. Not on the street,
but clearly beside the tracks and clearly
behind the Metro station.”
The CSSS Cavendish Users’ Committee is here to help.
We can:
– Inform you of your rights and protect your interests.
– Improve the quality of your health and social services.
– Assist you in filing a complaint
CALL TODAY (514) 484-7878 (EXT. 1728) All calls are confidential.
uccavendish@gmail.com.
NDG councillor Peter McQueen points to the
2007 bike path bridge plan that was in the
original design for the intersection of Decarie
Blvd. and de Maisonneuve.
Photo; Isaac Olson
Real Estate Sales
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