March - Ville de Montréal Ouest

NEW! COUNCIL
communiqué
nouvea
CONSEIL
Chaque mois, voyez le bulletin du Conseil de Montréal-Ouest
au milieu de l’ Informer. Look for MW Town Council
du
newsletter in the middle of The Informer – every month!
Montreal West Viewspaper
communiqué
u!
March 2014, Vol. 42, No. 2
Special event
Cotton Tail Party
La fête du lapin
for 2- to 10-year-olds
Sunday, April 6
2-4 pm
at the Town Hall
Come and enjoy an egg
hunt, face painting, crafts
and a magic show!
Tickets are available at
the Community Centre.
Limited space. Cost per
child: in advance, $10; at
the door, $12.
INDEX
Art etc ............................ 3
Artists’ Showcase............ 4
Budget 2014 ............ 16-17
Community Centre ..14, 15
CRA .............................. 14
Environmentally yours ...... 6
Guides ............................ 13
Horticultural Society .......... 3
In memoriam .................... 3
IODE.................................. 5
Libraries .................. 10, 13
Mailbox .............................. 5
News from the pews .. 10-11
Réunion du Conseil ...... 19
Rotary ............................ 5
Schools........................ 8-9
Scouts .......................... 12
Town Council Report ...... 18
Vôtre en environment ........ 7
Sometimes it feels like people
are moved around like chess
pieces by some power we don’t
understand. I went with my wife
to Cartes Etc. on Sherbrooke and
Royal to deliver some of her pottery. I like poking around the
store with its eclectic display of
local arts and crafts. I noticed
some photography by a MoWest
resident and told Arlyle Waring,
the proprietor, “Here’s another
resident of our town.” That’s
when she told me that there was
a MoWest stained glass artisan
who has her work in the store.
Debera Temperton was delighted to find a store that supports local artisans to sell her
stained glass and hopes one day
to take advantage of the many
vernissages that Arlyle organizes.
Debera moved to NDG
when she married David Doubt
in 1975. They bought a house
on Percival Street in 1990 with
a 3rd floor attic studio, an ideal
dead end street to raise their two
girls. The family moved to
Westminster seven years ago
primarily because there was
room to add a big garage with a
studio above. The studio is a
huge open space with two skylights that make the whole area
come alive with light, a truly inspirational space to spend the
day designing her original
stained glass as well as paint,
which is her other passion.
She attended fine art classes
at Concordia while bringing up
her daughters. The focus on
glass began after working at a
local glass store. When she was
asked to design a window and
actually got paid for her effort,
she became hooked on the
medium and the idea of starting
a business. She began selling her
work in art and craft shows and
gift shops then went to The Buyers Market of American Craft in
photo: Maurice Krystal
by Maurice Krystal
Debera Temperton:
Studio Debera
Philadelphia and business mushroomed. She had to train part
time students to try and keep up
with orders and a one woman
enterprise became a business. At
some point Debera realized it
had grown too busy, so she has
scaled back somewhat. She now
sells her work in some 20 stores
instead of over 50 and participates in craft shows in Montreal,
Ottawa and the One of a Kind
Christmas Craft show in
Toronto. She is particularly fond
of MoWest’s Art etc. show
which she started attending two
years ago. “This show is a local
treasure, a place to meet your
neighbours and discover some
very talented artisans.”
Debera has developed custom
product lines to accommodate
her various stores. She has a line
of backyard birds for a chain of
nature stores, a special line of angels for Anges Neiges, a Montreal angel store, a collection of
Christmas decorations and a
beautiful Nativity scene which
is part of the permanent collection of the St Joseph’s Oratory.
She is always experimenting and
adding new twists to her designs.
She welcomes feedback and suggestions from customers which
have often inspired new work.
On top of her busy schedule
Debera finds time to volunteer
for MoWest’s Meals-on-Wheels,
participates on the ART ETC. committee and organizes fund raising
events for the Stephen Lewis
Foundation’s Grandmother to
Grandmother campaign supporting African grandmothers who
are bringing up their AIDS-orphaned grandchildren.
continued on page 3
2
Informerly Yours
10 Westminster North
Montreal West, Quebec
H4X 1Y9
The Informer’s role is to provide
MoWesters with information about
their Town and its citizens in order to
foster the small-town, close-knit atmosphere that makes Montreal
West a special place in which to live.
ISSN: 084741X
EXECUTIVE BOARD
Jeannette Brooker - Chair
Rick Lavell - Treasurer
Jane Williams
Heather Baylis
Véronique Belzil-Boucher
René Boucher
Jeanne Ragbir - Secretary
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Heather Baylis
489-7022
LAYOUT DESIGNER
Julia Ross
julia@ross.ca
AD MANAGER
Heather Baylis,
489-7022
montrealwestinformer@gmail.com
DISTRIBUTION MANAGER
Rhonda Schwartz 482-0227
MoWest Gold Medal winner
Congratulations to Iris Pouliot of Montreal
West on receiving the gold medal for piano from
The Royal Conservatory of Music. This medal is
awarded yearly to the student who achieves the
highest mark in his or her grade in the province
of Quebec.
Convocation and the Gold Medal ceremony
took place in Toronto on January 12 and Iris,
along with her mom Sophie and her MoWest
piano teacher Ingrid Tark, were in attendance.
The award presentations were followed by inspiring musical performances and a lovely reception
at Koerner Hall. Well done Iris!
RATES
Camera-ready art:
1/6 page – $45
1/12 page – $25
Professional card:
$125/year
Classifieds:
25-50 words – $10
25 words or less – $6
TASK FORCE
Axel Brinck
René Boucher
Lise McVey
Maryl Murphy
Jeanne Ragbir
Lydia Shuster
Rose Marie Smith
and those we omitted inadvertently
The Informer Is published nine times
a year (usually) on the last weekend
of the month except June, July and
December. Out-of-town subscriptions: $15 per year. Typesetting by
Informer staff, printing by King
Press. Extra copies available at
Town Hall and both libraries.
Funded, in part, by the Town of
Montreal West. Articles are printed
in French or English as submitted.
NEXT ISSUE DEADLINE
March 12
Taping for a contest
On Thursday, February 13 Musicanto Choir
finished their taping for the Sing for Saint-Justine
with Céline Dion contest at the MW United
Church.
It was a snowy February Friday night and we
(my husband Brian and daughter Ellen) were
making a night of it: an early supper and a movie.
We were attending the premiere of an indie film,
Three Night Stand, written and directed by Pat
Kiely (from NDG). Playing the lead roles were
Meaghan Rath and Sam Huntington, both from
the TV show Being Human.
I was at the premiere to celebrate and share
this special occasion with friend and colleague
Dr. Gail Mendonza and her husband Dana
whose daughter is Meaghan (Ballantyne N). We
were not alone.
It was a surprise to see the full capacity turn
out of friends and family from MoWest. I recognized many patients, Norma B and Michael P to
mention two. It was there that I witnessed the
strong sense of connection the people of Montreal
West have to each other. People were waving,
shaking hands, chatting about grandchildren and
showing photos of family on their smart phones.
Behind me Flora D was distressed that my secretary Cathy M and husband Mark could not
find two seats together.
Montreal West is a special place. I felt the
sense of belonging that night at the premiere.
This is a town where people know their neighbours.
from Dr. Jane Lee
P.S. We enjoyed the movie.
Send your congratulations,
condolences, good news and
whatever you want to crow about to:
montrealwestinformer@gmail.com or
call Heather at 489-7022.
A witty romantic comedy, Three Night Stand
starts in a lodge in the Laurentians, where a married couple of five years arrive to spend a weekend and rekindle their romance. They would have
never guessed who owns the lodge.
TVA Films. 14A
3
Phyllis Green
In memoriam
It has been three months since we lost
our very dear friend and co-worker Phyllis
Green. Phyllis worked at the Edinburgh
PSA (Parent Sponsored Activities) from
2002 and also at the lunch program for a
longer period of time. She is missed and
thought about nearly every day.
Phyllis was one of the most thoughtful
people you could wish to meet. She remembered each and everyone’s birthday with a
card, even if it were during the summer vacation Phyllis would find the time to put a
card through the door. She also sent Christmas, Chanukah and Easter cards. If you
were sick she would call to check up on you
and ask if you needed anything.
If you look in the dictionary under genuine it says, “truly what something is said to
be; authentic.” Phyllis was the genuine thing.
She was one of those few people you meet
in your lifetime that makes such an impression on you and someone you never forget.
Phyllis was the hub of our PSA kitchen.
She worked with Lina whom we always
laughed at and called her “surrogate daughter.” Phyllis kept an eye out for Lina like all
mothers do. They were a great team. Lina
teased and Phyllis good-naturedly took it.
Their motto in the kitchen was “What we
discuss in the kitchen stays in the kitchen.”
She loved the children and was always
fair, never giving more to one than another.
She ran a tight ship, but a happy one.
Phyllis knew my love of chocolate and
black licorice and on one of her many trips
to Plattsburgh shopping she found chocolate
licorice. After that, more often than not
when she had been on one of her shopping
The 2013 ART ETC.
show was a great success. We had lots of new
participants and many
more people were able to drop in over the
Saturday/Sunday dates. Our attendance was
higher than in previous years so thank you
MoWest for your support!
Everyone on the ART ETC. Committee
thanks all our artisans for their participation
and amazing wares. We would like to thank
Paula Cordeau for her enthusiastic and patient assistance. We would also like to thank
Frank Agostinelli from Public Works for
the amazing job he did and all his wonderful
help throughout the set up and actual show.
No matter how hard the ART ETC. committee
works, there would not be a show without
the efforts of people like Paula and Frank.
Special thanks, as always, to Joyce
Teiber and the entire Horticultural Committee for once again offering the Floral Café
in partnership with ART ETC. It is a wonderful addition to the ambiance of the event.
Vegetables as
ornaments in the garden
trips with her husband Bernie or daughter
Randy, I would find a package on my desk.
That was Phyllis always thinking of others.
On her shopping trips Phyllis was not
just thinking of treats she had a passion.
Purses! Phyllis must have had one of the
largest collections of purses mostly big and
often flamboyant. Always one to dress well
she had to have a purse to match the outfit.
She would always come in with a big smile
after such a trip and we knew we had another purse to see and envy. Even at work
Phyllis always looked her best and wore a
smile to go with it.
We still call it Phyllis’s kitchen and if
someone does something she would not like
you can guarantee someone will say Phyllis
wouldn’t be happy and then we do it her
way. Phyllis still reigns in her kitchen. We
miss you Phyllis.
God bless.
from Jacqui Roye
The committee is already working on the
2014 edition We are presently holding our
jury where the new artisans are selected for
the show. We will be contacting successful
applicants with further information. Email
us at artetcmontrealwest@gmail.com
The 2014 edition of ART ETC. will be held
on Saturday, November 22 and Sunday, November 23 at the Town Hall. We hope to see
you all there!
from Cate Gregory
A feast for the eyes as well as the palate
– Gwynne Basen’s own kitchen garden,
that combines edible and ornamental plants,
is the takeoff point for the Horticultural Society’s March meeting. A passionate gardener, Gwynne chooses plant varieties for
their beauty and flavour.
Abbondanza is the name of Basen’s 60hectare hill farm in the Eastern Townships
where she has built orchards, gardens and
grown a range of edible and ornamental
plants, most of them heirloom plants.
Her dizzying list of accomplishments includes films, newspaper and magazine articles, lectures, television and radio
appearances, and workshops on soil,
mulching, composting, pest control and
how to grow flowers and vegetables.
To see how vegetables can make a statement in your garden come to experience
Gwynne Basen’s enlightening presentation
on Monday, March 17, at the Town Hall.
Debera Temperton:
Studio Debera
continued from page 1
Debera’s husband, David Doubt, is a
name on many Sutton Centre Ouest real estate signs along with Rick and Isabelle,
MoWest’s long time brokers. They were
neighbours on Percival and when David decided to change careers, he got his real estate
licence and joined Rick and Isabel’s team, a
move which has proven to be very exciting.
“I really appreciate David’s input, he has a
critical eye for colour and design trained by
his past experience in the printing business
and he is very handy when it comes to building and hauling my booth around.”
Daughters Jessica and Kimberly live
nearby in NDG. Jessica is working towards a
MA in Education at McGill, subs at Elizabeth
Ballantyne School, runs a catering business,
alabonnefemme.ca and is raising three small
children between two and six. Kimberly completed a BA in Political Science and works
downtown for the Bank of Montreal.
Debera’s boxes can be seen in the
Artists’ Showcase in the Town Hall until the
end of April.
As I was leaving she said she decided to
tell me why she kept her maiden name professionally. “Debbie Doubt doesn’t quite
sound right, besides I have no doubt about
what I’m doing!”
Studio Debera
debera@videotron.ca
URBAN EDGE
in MoWest Artists’ Showcase
Stephen Coull B. Comm.
Courtier en Assurances de Dommages
Broker in Damage Insurance
68 Westminster Ave. N.
514-481-1134
www.rccoull.com
Alexandre Kelemen, B.A. Econ.
Financial Security Advisor
1800 McGill College, Suite 1100
Office: 514-931-4242 ext. 2323
Cell: 514-572-9470
alexandre.Kelemen@f55f.com
A division of London Life Insurance Company
A hand-stitched Graffiti-Peace Wall is one of the highlights of the current Artists’ Showcase, on view at the Town Hall. Cynthia Nichols has used crocheted, knitted and embroidered yarn to create the rainbow, city skyline and other elements that make up this work
of art with a message.
Showcase newcomer Wendy Dodge also uses fabric as her medium. The red, blue,
green and beige rectangles and triangles in Wendy’s quilts are cheerful antidotes to the
grey days of winter. Print maker Annette Wolfstein-Joseph contrasts red high-heeled
shoes with furry pets. Photographer Alex Brzezinski has created a series of images of discarded sofas: forlorn, pillows askew or entirely upside down, all were photographed in
Montreal West.
Janice Hamilton went further afield with a series of collages incorporating her photos
of New York City. Elizabeth Ulin has drawn whimsical bicycles and tricycles into her pottery, while polymer clay artist Gaby Orbach has brought the urban theme to her jewelry.
Photographer Louise Chenevert has taken the urban edge theme literally with her photo
of a fox on Meadowbrook golf course.
The show will be on view until mid-May, when it will make way for the annual children’s art show. That exhibit is open to any MoWest resident under age 18, with works of
art made at home, at school or in an art class. To find out more, or to get an application
form, go to the MoWest website or pick one up at the office in the Town Hall, or call
Tammy Loftus at 484-1610 or e-mail her at tloftus@montreal-west.ca.
Dr. Mark Santaguida, O.D.
docteur en optométrie / optometrist
• examen de la vue
• lunettes
• verres de contact
• consultation laser
• eye exams
• glasses
• contact lenses
• laser consultation
514 481- 4791
43a av. Westminster Ave. N. Mtl West,QC H4X 1Y8
curtaincall.montreal@gmail.com
Honesty
Integrity
Hardworking
Enthusiastic
Please entrust me with the purchase / sale of your property
Photos: Alex Brzenski
4
5
Lunch
with Beny
Mailbox
Rotary Club
We had the pleasure of dining with our recently re-elected
mayor Beny Masella on Thursday, January
23. Beny has started an initiative – Coffee
with the Mayor – as a way to interact with
citizens and get a hands on feel for the heart
beat of our town. We were able to convince
him that not everyone eats breakfast and
that Lunch with Beny might prove to be just
as fruitful. We had several Town residents
in attendance along with our usual group of
questioning Rotarians. Beny pointed out
that he is half the man he used to be as he
has lost close to 200 lbs since becoming
Mayor four years ago. This weight loss is
more from healthy choices than stress – but
I’m sure stress has helped.
Beny said he was embarrassed by the
conditions of the roads in MoWest. Westminster needs rejuvenation with new lights,
benches, etc. It will be a 3-4 year project.
The arena has outlived its life and it is not
smart to continue to throw more money into
this rabbit hole. The mayor would like to
see a complex built that includes an arena,
community centre and library. He still needs
input from residents.
He also sees positive things coming from
the city of Montreal towards demerged
cities. Mayor Coderre has good relations
with the whole island of Montreal. The
mayor answered questions on potholes and
why roads in Ontario and northern New
York are in better shape. Beny also answered questions about the arena project
that was put forward eight years ago and
why now is a good time to look at this project. The last question dealt with the train
tracks and a long term solution to reduce
traffic at this crossing. We thanked Beny for
Response to letter
from Paul Kenton
With reference to the letter
submitted by Paul Kenton in the February
Informer, I would like to clarify that I expressed to Mr. Kenton both at a public
meeting and in writing that I believe in the
value of citizens' input and would be reviewing with Council the formation of a Finance committee, but that this would come
after a discussion of how this committee
could best serve the Town and what its mandate and membership would be.
Colleen Feeney
Councillor, Finance, Administration
and Human Resources
Mayor Beny Masella
his presentation and hope that he will come
and do “Lunch with Beny” again soon and
make it a regular event.
Rotary luncheon speakers
March 13: Lyette Lapointe: advanced funeral planning: your life; your
legacy.
March 20: Royal West Vice-Principal Jeff
Bateman and Ann MacKay:
Royal West Science Fair
March 27: Nicola Elkins, President, Westmount Rotary: philanthropy in
Canada
Our doors are open to the public if you’d
like to join us to sit in on one of our presentations. Our presentations are usually 20-30
minutes after lunch, starting at 1:10 pm.
Should you like to join us for an excellent
catered lunch the cost is $20 and we sit
down to dine at 12:30 pm. Hope you’ll
come and join us soon.
from Doug Yeats
HMS Victory Chapter
IODE celebrated its 70th
anniversary on February 11
at the Community Centre.
Congratulatory wishes and
cards were received from
National Chapter and from IODE chapters
in British Columbia and New Brunswick
and more. Fred Motton copied an older
custom and presented the Regent (aka President Janet King) with a corsage complete
with a red, white and blue ribbon and also
gave one to his wife Eileen who joined as a
Junior member 70 years ago. The mothers
of both Fred and Eileen were in IODE.
There was a beautiful cake.
We received reports from all the officers
in charge of activities. The Citizenship Officer reported a record number of 5135 volunteer hours performed by chapter members
in 2013.
At our March meeting we will be making up personal property bags (aka ditty
bags) for the women who arrive at Auberge
Transition. Last year we were fortunate to
have collected enough toiletries to fill and
deliver 46 bags: soap, facecloth, notepad,
pen or pencil, toothpaste and brush and so
on. The front porch at 131 Wolseley Avenue
North seems to be the depository. Thanks to
both the identified and the anonymous
donors. If you identify yourself, we can
thank you personally.
We sent $1,000 to one of the elementary
school in Lac Megantic, to be used at their
discretion for children affected by last summer’s disaster; the school plans to set up a
calm, quiet area where children can relax.
The same amount was sent to another
school by the Gaspé chapter.
We welcomed Ella Beck, mother of
Kathleen Coull, to our annual meeting; she
has recruited three new members for the
Gaspé chapter in the last year. We welcome
new members, too. Please join us on the
second Tuesday of most months, 2-4 pm at
the Community Centre. We will have something pleasant for you to do for others.
from Janet King
6
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POUR LE MEILLEUR SERVICE EN VILLE
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Dr. John Drummond
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•
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(514) 484 0521
•
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www.montrealwestdentistry.com
12 Brock Ave. North, Montreal West, Quebec H4X 2E9
Environmentally yours
Is living in a green community
important to you? Ready to make
it happen? Then here’s your opportunity! This year, the Environmental Action Committee (EAC)
will be broken up into three distinct subcommittees. Each group will tackle
a specific issue that impacts on our sustainability. This way, groups of like-minded, passionate people can work together on matters
that are most important to them. If you join
a subcommittee, your job will be to make
recommendations to Council on how the
Town can do better in your specific area. The
membership of each subcommittee will set
its own meeting schedule. Once a year, all
three subcommittees will meet as the larger
EAC to share their ideas. So which of these
committees grabs you?
Tender spot for trees?
The Tree Committee was formed last
year and is chaired by Councillor TaskerBrown. Its mandate is to develop Town
policies (by-laws, work practices, communication strategies, etc.) that protect and
maintain our green canopy. Many of us
moved to MoWest, seduced by the huge Silver Maples lining our streets. But as these
trees age and disappear, it’s our responsibility to plan for the next generation. If this
type of work is up your alley, let Councillor
Tasker-Brown know by emailing her at:
jtasker-brown@montreal-west.ca
Energised by efficiency?
The Energy Efficiency Committee will
look at how the Town can lower its green
house gas emissions and its energy budget.
Council is always interested in projects that
help save tax dollars and the planet at the
same time! This committee will collaborate
in a professional energy audit of the Town
which will then make recommendations to
Council. Should we be looking at geothermal heating in our Town buildings? LED
lighting for our street lamps? Electric vehicles in our fleet? In the past, the EAC has
been instrumental in getting solar panels to
heat the pool and radiant heating for the
Public Works garage. If you’d like to be
part of what we look at next, especially if
you have experience in the field, please let
me know.
Turned on by trash talk?
It may not be sexy, but diverting waste
from landfill is an important part of decreasing our environmental footprint. These
measures include recycling, composting,
hazardous waste collection and incentives
to reduce and reuse consumer products.
MoWest’s latest diversion program is our
door-to-door composting system. It’s gotten
off to a good start, but more can be done.
Right now 50% of our households participate but our goal is to reach 75% by year’s
end. So, is the Trash Talk Committee your
thing? I have to admit, I’m hooked on it myself. And we’re always looking for creative
new ideas. Several years ago the EAC instituted Free for All Day, for instance, where
residents put functional, unwanted items at
the end of their driveways for others to take
for free. The system continues to be a fun
way to encourage reuse. So, how about it?
Are you looking for ways to spread the
gospel of compost? Do you have a brilliant
new idea you’d like to share? Contact me
for some serious trash talk today!
Elizabeth Ulin
Councillor for Recreation,
Culture and Environment
Chair, Environmental Action Committee
eulin@montreal-west.ca
ANITA CONIDARIS
Consultation in
Decorating
and the ideal colour
palette for your home
Design d’intérieur
44 Easton Ave.
Montreal West
485-4639
Avanti West End
Domestic Help,
Experienced Nurses,
Babysitters,
Cleaning Ladies and
Companions
514-482-3631
7
Vôtre en environment
Vous importe-t-il de vivre
dans une communauté verte?
Êtes-vous prêt(e) à contribuer à
la mettre en place? Alors en
voici l’occasion! Cette année, le
Comité d’action environnementale (CAE)
sera divisé en trois sous-comités distincts.
Chaque groupe abordera une question précise ayant un impact sur notre durabilité.
Ainsi, des personnes passionnées et à l’optique commune pourront travailler ensemble sur les questions les plus importantes
pour elles. Si vous participez à un souscomité, votre tâche sera de faire des recommandations au Conseil sur la façon dont la
ville peut faire mieux dans ce domaine. Les
membres de chaque sous-comité fixeront
eux-mêmes leur calendrier de réunions. Une
fois l’an, les trois sous-comités se réuniront
pour une plénière du CAE afin de partager
leurs idées. Lequel de ces sous-comités
vous attire le plus?
Vous avez un faible
pour les arbres?
Le Comité de l’arbre a été formé l’an
dernier sous la présidence de la conseillère
Tasker-Brown. Son mandat est de mettre
au point les politiques de la Ville (règlements, pratiques de travail, stratégies de
communication, etc.) visant à protéger et
maintenir notre voûte de verdure. Nous
sommes nombreux à avoir choisi MontréalOuest pour ses immenses érables argentés
qui bordent nos rues. Mais au fur et à
mesure que ces arbres vieillissent et disparaissent, il nous revient de planifier la
prochaine génération. Si un tel travail vous
intéresse, informez-en la conseillère TaskerBrown par courriel au jtasker-brown@montreal-ouest.ca
L’efficacité vous énergise?
Le Comité d’efficacité énergétique examinera comment la Ville peut réduire ses
émissions de gaz à effet de serre et son
budget énergétique. Le Conseil est toujours
ouvert à des projets permettant à la fois d’économiser des taxes et de sauver la planète!
Ce comité collaborera à un audit professionnel de la Ville qui fera ensuite des recommandations au Conseil. Devrions-nous
envisager le chauffage géothermique pour
nos édifices municipaux? … l’éclairage
DEL pour nos lampadaires? … des
véhicules électriques pour notre flotte? Par
le passé, le CAE a joué un rôle déterminant
dans l’installation de panneaux solaires
pour chauffer la piscine et du chauffage par
rayonnement au garage des Travaux
publics. Si vous souhaitez faire partie des
prochaines étapes, particulièrement si vous
avez de l’expérience dans le domaine,
n’hésitez pas à m’en faire part.
La valorisation des déchets
vous intéresse?
Ce n’est pas bien excitant, mais valoriser
les déchets de manière à réduire la quantité
qui se rend au site d’enfouissement est une
manière importante de diminuer notre empreinte environnementale.
Ces mesures comprennent le recyclage,
le compostage, la collecte des déchets dangereux ainsi que des incitatifs pour réduire
ou réutiliser les produits de consommation.
Le plus récent programme de valorisation
de Montréal-Ouest est notre programme de
cueillette de compostage de porte à porte.
Il est bien lancé, mais nous pouvons faire
encore mieux. Présentement, 50 % des ménages y participent, mais notre but est de rejoindre 75 % des familles d’ici la fin de
l’année.
Est-ce que le comité « Parlons déchets »
vous attire? Je dois reconnaitre quant à moi
que j’y suis carrément accroc. Et nous
recherchons toujours la créativité et les
nouvelles idées. Il y a plusieurs années, le
CAE a institué une Journée bon débarras,
par exemple, pendant laquelle les résidants
mettent des objets en bon état dont ils ne
veulent plus en bordure de trottoir pour que
des passants puissent se servir, gratuitement. Le programme continue d’être une
façon amusante d’encourager la réutilisation. Qu’en pensez-vous? Cherchez-vous
une façon de prêcher l’évangile du compost? Avez-vous une brillante nouvelle idée
que vous aimeriez partager?
Contactez-moi aujourd’hui même pour
sérieusement parler déchets!
Elizabeth Ulin
Conseillère Loisirs, culture et environnement
Présidente, Comité d’action environnementale
eulin@montreal-ouest.ca
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Centre-Ouest Inc.
514-575-2419
mwilson@sutton.com
Mary Wilson
Courtier immobilier résidentiel
8
Elizabeth Ballantyne School
Theatre Club at EBS
Room 2 at EBS is filled with
the intense energy of the Senior
and Junior Theatre Clubs. The
Junior Club meets on Wednesday and the Senior Club meets
on Thursday, both after school.
Drama is a Home and School
sponsored activity. Under the
supervision of Daveen Garland, this year’s group will produce Hamelin Rats, the
Musical, an adaptation of the
Pied Piper of Hamelin.
Originally from the UK, Ms.
Garland has taught drama at the
school for several years. She
holds a theatre degree from
Concordia and has worked on a
professional level as a stage
manager and director.
It is not easy finding a play
which can be produced successfully at an elementary school.
Ms. Garland explained that she
chose this year’s piece because it
had many fun smaller parts such
as mice, rats and children which
will be played by the Junior
Club. The Senior Club will play
the adult roles.
Valuable skills learned
Drama lessons are not only
for aspiring actors. The students
enrolled in this extracurricular
activity acquire many valuable
skills. The participants become
more comfortable with speaking in public. The breathing and
warm up exercises help them to
relax and become focused be-
École des Amis-du-Monde
fore they practice a scene. According to Ms. Garland,
“Drama class allows the children to express themselves in
ways that they could not inside
the classroom.”
More than actors needed
Theatre is a very inclusive
activity at EBS. For the children
who would like to participate in
the production, but would rather
not appear on stage, there is a
set and costume design group
that meets every Wednesday at
lunch. This varied group of students are able to put their creative and artistic talents to work.
While some kids are busy covering biscuit tins with papier
mâché and yellow paint to simulate cheese chunks, others are
busy sewing fabric scraps into
grain bags. According to Ms.
Garland, the students are involved in every step of the
process. The group began their
session by reading the script and
looking at photos of people in
costumes. They discuss how different props can be reproduced
using recycled materials. Parent
supporters are happy to provide
materials such as old paint, bed
sheets and oversized cardboard
boxes as they anticipate the final
production which will run for
two performances in April.
from
Caroline Dick-Semergian
Les récrés amusantes des Amis-du-Monde
Nous avons des récréations intéressantes pour nous occuper, à
l’intérieur et à l’extérieur.
Les récrés intérieures amusantes ont lieu une fois par semaine.
Elles nous offrent des jeux de table et des jeux plus actifs comme
Twister, avec de la musique d’ambiance qui nous plaît beaucoup.
Pour pouvoir participer, il faut s’inscrire avant la date limite. Et
pour jouer à l’extérieur, madame Denise organise régulièrement
de grands jeux pour faire bouger tout le monde. N’hésitez pas à
participer, c’est garanti à 100 % que vous passerez une belle récré!
Par Auréliane Fréchette
Magnifiques olympiques
Les élèves journalistes ont exploré le monde merveilleux de
Sotchi le mois dernier. Au programme des recherches sur certains
sports moins bien connus, des thématiques en photographie et en
dessin. Pour couronner le tout, deux émissions spéciales sur les Jeux
Olympiques de Sotchi ont été diffusées durant la quinzaine
olympique. Nous partageons avec vous le travail de deux élèves sur
le thème du patinage artistique: « L’un des sports présenté à
l’Olympiade sera le patinage artistique. C’est très beau ce sport dans
lequel une ou deux personnes peuvent danser sur la glace et faire
des sauts et des pirouettes sur la musique. Si quelqu’un veut devenir
patineur ou patineuse, il faut commencer le plus tôt possible et le
plus tôt possible, c’est à 4 ans. Moi, j’ai commencé à 6 ans. Pour
être bon patineur, il faut aimer patiner, aimer s’entraîner, ne pas
avoir peur du froid, être flexible et être prêt à se présenter au concours. Je n’ai encore jamais fait de concours, mais j’ai une danse et
en septembre, je vais avoir mon premier concours. »
Par Mar’ya Chumbaev dessin de Yulia Bogdanova
Lorsque dictée rime avec partage…
La dictée PGL est un projet pour améliorer notre vocabulaire.
Cette année, le thème pour la dictée PGL est « l’eau ». L’objectif
de cette dictée est de ramasser le plus d’argent possible pour construire des écoles dans les pays pauvres et leur donner de l’aide
pour l’éducation des enfants. La moitié du don revient à notre école
pour de nouveaux projets et du matériel. Un très grand nombre d’écoles du Canada participent à cet événement. L’eau c’est une
ressource à protéger, une ressource à partager.
Par Gabrielle Murray et Amélie Tao
Senior Theatre Club rehearses Hamelin Rats
Article produit avec la collaboration de Nathalie Grégoire,
Petrina Lee Poy et Brigitte Rivard.
9
Edinburgh School
A reminder for
our “newer” parents: our official
school web site is
www.emsb.qc.ca/Edinburgh/
index.html. If you miss an announcement, a calendar or a letter, you may find it on the
website or may call the office
for further information.
Our second term report cards
will be handed out Friday,
March 14, after the spring break.
Registration
for 2014-2015
We are currently registering
siblings for next August. If you
have not dropped by yet and do
have a child to register, Natasha
will help you out this week. Note
that we are closed for lunch between 11 am and 12:30 pm.
Registration for new children
began Monday, February 3.
Please remind your neighbours
who have young, school-aged
children of this.
Speaking of Natasha, she
and Ms. Pina have been running a “Girls Group” twice a
week at lunch time. They are
both doing this on their own
time and this is another example
of the wonderful and conscientious staff at Edinburgh.
Information regarding
school drills
Royal West Academy
have more practice drills before
we finish the year. We now have
plastic guards on the fire-alarm
pull stations in the gymnasium.
Every once in a while a ball
would hit the pull station and
we would have an unscheduled
fire drill. With the help of the
EMSB Buildings and Grounds
Division, this problem has now
been rectified.
Events
You should have received a
notice that your child will be
participating in La Dictée PGL
early in February. The children
are now hard at work studying
the words they will be spelling.
This initiative helps our children with their French instruction while fund raising and
helping other children in francophone countries.
Last, but not least
We are well into the deep
freeze and can only come out a
bit warmer – eventually. Please
note that each day we try to
weigh all the factors – temperature, wind chill factor and the
amount of ice on the playground
– when we decide whether to
have indoor or outdoor recesses.
We understand the children
need exercise and fresh air, but
will not risk their safety. Thank
you for your cooperation.
So far this school year we
have had three fire drills and
one lock-down drill. We will
from Emmanuelle Chassé
Catherine Gardner
Real estate broker
Courtier immobilier
Groupe Sutton
Centre-Ouest Inc.
514-793-5608
cgardner@sutton.com
Policier (Canadian Pacifique) Mark Hawkhurst donne des conseils
sur la prévention dans le cadre de L’Opération Gareautrain
Les agents sociocommunautaires du Poste de quartier 9 MarieChristine Nobert et Vincent De Angelis ont organisé des kiosques
de prévention dans le cadre de l’opération Gareautrain à l’école
Royal West Académie le lundi 10 février dernier.
Plus de 700 jeunes étudiants ont reçu des conseils de prévention
des inspecteurs de l’AMT (Agence métropolitaine de transport),
des policiers du Canadian Pacifique et de la Sécurité publique de
Montréal-Ouest.
Nous organiserons aussi le matin du mercredi 30 avril prochain
des grands kiosques extérieurs à la gare de Montréal Ouest, avec
les mêmes partenaires, dans le cadre de la semaine de prévention
ferroviaire du 28 avril au 4 mai.
Slogan de l’opération : Regardez, écoutez et restez en vie !
Site internet : operationlifesaver.ca et operationgareautrain.ca.
Dr. Michael J. Wexel
Chiropractor
Neck Pain
Headaches & Migraines
Stiffness
Sports Related Injuries
Wellness & Preventative Care
Low Back Pain
Muscle Pain
Numbness & Tingling
Nutritional Counseling
CSST & SAAQ
773-7246
18 Westminster N., Suite 110
Call For An Appointment Today So You Can Feel Better Tomorrow.
10
News from the Pews
MW Presbyterian
Hours / Horaire
Monday - Thursday / lundi - jeudi :
9 h 00 - 12 h 00; 13 h 30 - 18 h 00
Friday / vendredi :
9 h 00 - 12 h 00; 13 h 30 - 17 h 00
Saturday / samedi : 13 h 00 - 16 h 00
Spring is almost here! We hope everyone
is having a great March Break! The library
will be open our regular hours.
Origami workshop
The library will be hosting an origami
workshop for children ages 8-12 on March
15 from 2-3. We’ve invited Indra Singh to
teach the workshop. Indra is an origami
teacher at Au papier japonais and has lots
of experience working with children and
adults. The cost for the workshop is $13
which includes the one-hour workshop and
the beautiful origami paper. Please call the
library to register as spaces are limited.
Skate-a-thon thank you
We would like to thank Elizabeth Ballantyne School and everyone in the community who helped make the Skate-a-thon
fundraiser a success. The school was very
generous and we’ve been able to purchase
lots of new books with the money raised.
Keep your eyes open for books with the
special Skate-a-thon book plates on the inside front cover!
As always keep checking our Facebook
page for news and our website for new
books coming into the library!
Theopiste (Theo)
Hondzoglou
bur.: (514) 483-5800
fax: (514) 483-2699
mobile: (514) 898-3821
hondzoglout@sutton.com
Groupe Sutton – Centre-Ouest Inc.
5800, avenue Monkland
Montreal, QC, H4A 1G1
Looking back
We are still talking about and reliving
our gospel service, honouring Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King, held on January 26. I am sure that, if it had been
possible, the roof would have lifted off the
church – not that we would have wanted to
lose our new roof! We weren’t dancing in
the aisles – but almost. Nobody, including
our friends from Tyndale St-Georges,
wanted the service to end.
Thanks go out to Sampson Afoakwah,
Student Minister, Jen de Combe, Director
of Tyndale St-Georges, and Iva Gray,
soloist, for their participation and leadership. Also to: Chad Linsley, pianist and
music director, Amelia McMahon, soprano, Kevin Dean, trumpet, Tim Nolan,
bass, and Dave Laing, drums, for the excellent and uplifting music.
On Saturday, February 1, many of us
went to a hockey game at the Concordia
Athletics Complex to support and cheer
on one of our loyal members: Gabrielle
(Gaby) Davidson who plays for the
McGill Martlets. The Martlets won 5-1
against the Concordia Stingers with Gaby
scoring two of the goals. Gaby leads all
CIS scorers with 28 markers in only 19
games. Her proud parents are Howard
and Guylaine Davidson. Howard, his
parents and sister lived in MoWest for
many years.
Marriage blessing
On Sunday, February 9 the marriage
of Albert Sekoh and Solange Takougang was blessed by Rev. Joel Coppieters as they reaffirmed their vows to one
another.
Baptism
Oriane Nduyong Sekou and Kaelan
Sibanou Sekou, children of Albert Sekoh
and Solange Takougang, were baptized on
Sunday, February 9 by Rev. Joel Coppieters, Interim Moderator. Oriane and Kaelan are the grandchildren of John and
Martha Sekou and Jean and Elisabeth
Takougang.
Apology
My sincere apology to Campbell Tilley
for having omitted his name in the baptismal notice for his grandson Liam
Werner Tilley.
Looking ahead
We are looking forward to welcoming
many of you to our first card party of the
New Year on February 21.
Our friendship service and luncheon,
with our friends from Tyndale St-Georges
as guests, will be held on Sunday, March 23
at 10 am. Special music will be provided by
the AEternal group.
We will be holding an African gospel
concert on Saturday, April 5 at 7:30 pm. Details to follow in the next issue.
Ongoing
Bible Study on Wednesdays at 7 pm in
the church parlour, 160 Ballantyne N. entrance.
Weekly Sunday services and Sunday
school at 10 am followed by a social hour.
You are most welcome to join us for any
of our services and/or events. Please call
Mildred at the church office for further information: 484-7913 – weekdays 9 am noon.
from Janet Dimock
11
MW United
...the brick one
Can you believe
how late Easter is this year?
Our gardens could well be sprouting daffodils and tulips for Easter. The reflective
time of Lent only begins on March 5 with
Ash Wednesday. So March has time to
come in and out like lions or lambs, hopefully bringing winter to a close. Interestingly enough, 2014 is a year when the
Julian and Gregorian calendars are aligned
for Easter. So we join with our Orthodox
neighbours (Greek, Ukrainian, etc.) in celebrating on April 20.
While the first Sunday in Lent, March 9
will be marked by offering Communion in
the worship service, on the subsequent Sundays, an optional Communion service will
be offered immediately following worship
in the Bethlehem Aisle. This tradition was
begun by Dr. Campbell Wadsworth in the
1950’s and continues to be worthwhile.
Speaking of traditions...
Our traditional spring-time military
whist will be held Friday, March 28 at 7 pm.
Places can be reserved by calling the office.
At $8 per person, it is always a good time.
Gather your foursome then come to enjoy
delicious desserts, prizes, and great fun.
Twelve years have now passed since our
first Labyrinth Walk was held in
Wadsworth Hall on February 28, 2001.
Does that make it a tradition yet? Perhaps
it does, although for those who have yet to
explore this calming walking meditation, it
might feel like something quite new. Far
from new, these ancient pathways have offered their silent invitation to solve problems and/or bring peace and wisdom for
many millennia. If you have tried it, but not
for awhile, think of it as rediscovering an
old friend with whom you can simply reconnect with ease.
Traditionally we meet for worship and
Sunday school at 10 am, led by Rev. Janet
Bisset and Brenda Murray respectively.
Office hours are 9:30-2:30 Monday-Thursday. Messages can be left at 482-3210. You
are always welcome.
from Susan Upham
News from the Pews
St. Ignatius
of Loyola
St. Philip’s
Olympics and Lent
Spring is just around the corner, but that
means that Lent is too. Just like our Canadian athletes had to put in time and effort in
order to be successful at the recent
Olympics, so too do we need time to prepare ourselves for the coming Easter celebrations. Lent gives us the opportunity we
need to renew and reconnect with the Lord.
Lenten journey
Please join us as we begin our Lenten
journey on Ash Wednesday, March 5, at either the 9 am or 7:30 pm Mass where we
will distribute ashes. These serve as a reminder of our own mortal frailty and are a
sign of our repentance and sorrow for sin.
Parenting teenagers
On Tuesday, March 11 we will begin a
five-week course on parenting teenagers.
The Parenting Teenagers Course was developed by Nicky and Sila Lee, authors of
The Marriage Book and The Parenting
Book. During the sessions you will discover practical tools to help you meet the
challenges of raising teenagers in the modern world. The course offers useful and informative advice for making already strong
families great as well as helping you discover that you are not alone in the challenges you face.
For more information please call Carol
Eaton-Jensen at 481-9124 or take a look at
our website www.st-ignatius.ca/blog/.
Lent begins on March 5. Our traditional
Ash Wednesday service will take place that
evening at 7:30 pm.
On Tuesday nights during Lent, we will
join in the Primate’s Bible Study, “Becoming the Story We Tell,” entering into the biblical drama in order to live out our
baptismal calling. We gather for Eucharist
at 7:30 pm and then Bible study from 8 to 9
pm. The series will begin on March 11.
The annual mid-Lent pancake brunch,
hosted by the men of the parish, will take
place on Sunday March 23, at 11:30 am.
Tickets are available from the church office
481-4871.
Thanks to a generous donation, we now
have a beautiful baby grand piano gracing
the stage in the Memorial Hall. This piano
will be available for a fellowship hymn
sing and other church events, for Miss Iris’
ballet classes and for other rental functions
in the hall.
DR. SUSAN MCDONALD
Dentist • Dentiste
73 WESTMINSTER N.
MONTREAL WEST
H4X 1Y8
Dr. Michael J. Wexel
Chiropractor / Chiropracticien
Tel: 773-7246
E-mail: drmjwexel@videotron.ca
18 Westminster N., Suite 110
Montreal West, QC H4X 1Y8
from Fr. Michael Leclerc
Donna Nicholson
481-3406
486-4411
35 years ++
Let my Experience Work for You
Serving the Montreal West area
in the buying and selling of homes.
For an informal rendez-vous,
please call.
481-3406
12
MW Scout Group
Beavers
Our Beaver colony has been
very busy since the New Year.
We assembled and decorated
our Beaver Buggies before racing them in
front of cheering friends and family. The
buggies had racing stripes, googly eyes and
penny weights to make them run faster.
Everyone is a winner in Beavers, all receiving a new badge for their vests.
We had a very special meeting at the end
of January. Two of our Beaver moms came
in to help us celebrate Chinese New Year,
sharing treats to eat and giving red packages
filled with old Chinese coins and chocolate
ones wrapped in gold paper. We did our own
version of the Dragon Dance using special
masks made by leaders Wolverine (Kevin
Clarke) and Tic Tac (Jessica Lonardi).
Everyone made paper dragons with fire
coming out of their mouths.
Before heading off to winter camp (next
article) we practised skits and cheers to impress the Cubs and Scouts. We continued
the Olympic theme by spending a night outdoors at the arena skating, playing hockey,
snowshoeing and of course having a warm
cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows.
Founder’s Week was celebrated by a return
visit of Lord Robert Baden-Powell (Hawk-
Palmtop / laptop specialists since 1986
Wireless Pentium-M notebooks
$299+
Virus removal and repairs
Richard Eckerlin
President
37 Westminster Ave. N.
438-938-6240
We environmentally recycle old and
broken laptop/notebook computers.
www.mwsg.ca
eye – Bob King). The Beavers tried some
old fashioned games that originated when
Robert Baden-Powell was alive – sack race,
penny toss, hoop roll, egg and spoon race
and three-legged race. We need the March
Break to catch our breath.
Winter camp
Going to camp is always exciting but this
year was special as we had our own mini
junior Olympics. Sixty Beavers, Cubs,
Scouts, Venturers, leaders and parents
headed up to Camp Tamaracouta on Friday,
February 7 settling into our cabins and cabooses. (not a lot of sleeping that first
night!). Free time Saturday morning to tube,
toboggan and build our Olympic Rings
(thanks to our three Beaver dads - Erik
Roter, Trent Semeniuk and Jim Atkinson). Everyone was divided into Olympic
teams representing five European countries.
Small flags were made and cheers practised.
After lunch the games began with an opening parade and delivery of our torch on
snowmobile. Thanks to the Brownies and
Guides for lending us their torch. Leaders,
Scouts and Venturers ran the special events
as the teams circulated. Norway and Sweden were the top teams with the other three
close behind. All participants received a junior Olympic crest and pin. We had a great
campfire that night in the dining hall and
Sunday morning was free time once again
to tube and snowshoe. Many thanks to the
leaders, parents, Scouts and Venturers for
making this a great weekend!
Cubs
Several of the Cubs joined in the fun at
the group winter camp at Tamaracouta in
early February. There was also a leader and
five cubs from Baie d’Urfé who were in-
vited to come along. They all piled onto the
bus with sleds in hand, ready for a weekend
of winter fun. And that’s just what they got.
Even the weather cooperated, with crisp
sunny days and clear nights. The games
were opened by an Olympic torch brought
in by Hawkeye (Bob King) on snow mobile. They rotated through games like curling, hockey and sled races collecting points
for their countries for the rest of the afternoon. The evening brought an indoor
campfire with fun songs and lots of creative
skits. On Sunday, the fun continued with a
snowshoe hike, a game of broom ball and
an impromptu snowball throwing contest.
After packing and cleaning up, they
boarded the bus happy and tired, with the
memories of all the fun they had.
Later in February, the Cubs will have a
Founders’ Day party to celebrate the birthday of the founder of Scouting, Robert
Baden-Powell. At another meeting they’ll
learn all about the care and use of some
common tools.
Then at the end of February and into
March they’ll start working on the always
popular Kub Kars!
Scouts
The MoWest Scout Troup has been continuing its regular weekly meetings at
Royal West academy. We played our annual
broomball game a few weeks ago. That was
all great fun, but the real highlight of this
month was winter camp. Scouts went up on
the weekend of Winter Olympics weekend
at Tamaracouta. We were invited to help
with the Beavers and Cubs, to run the activities and to have a good time. A couple
of us, namely Caleb Foster and I, slept outside the second night; thanks to the camp
for lending us sub-zero sleeping bags. We
are now looking forward to a similarly
good time at spring camp and a cross-island
bike trip on PEI in the summer.
from Isaac Million-Lovett
Garden supplies
Our annual fundraiser will run the
month of March. Order forms were included in this issue of The Informer. If you
are not approached by a member of our
Scout group by the end of March please call
one of the following numbers and we will
make sure that your order is picked up. The
residents of MoWest and neighbouring
communities have always been very supportive of the MW Scout group. There is
something for everyone in the list, including popcorn. If you would like to make a
donation in lieu of garden supplies, we can
give you a tax receipt. Thank you for your
help. Call: Dave Wood at 487-6272 or Bob
King at 481-6523.
13
Guiding
Grades 2 and 3 sang and
danced and entertained residents
at St. Andrew’s Home for 90 minutes on February 12 and still had
more energy than their leaders as they left !
Stone soup!
The Brownies had also made Stone Soup
at the end of January. Each girl brought a
vegetable towards the Stone Soup, actually
there were mostly carrots, but with a few
potatoes and an onion and some (precooked) beets, each girl washed, peeled and
chopped and, with a little adult help, made
soup. No fingers were chopped and the
blended soup. After the girls had a taste,
was given to a family. The textbook example, Bone Button Borscht, was read to them,
and they were unanimous that no buttons,
nor stones, went into our soup. If you do not
understand, ask one of the girls.
Meanwhile the Sparks were exploring
science: what colours leach our of wet
Smarties? Why? And how to eat a virtual
campfire… plus many other (leader’s) creative ideas that were fun, but not academic.
The guides were having much loud fun
making a video, with music to follow.
Winter camp
Forty-seven girls from Monklands District went to winter camp! at Notre Dame
de Fatima on Ile Perrot. The camp provided
excellent food, with the girls sleeping indoors on good bunk beds, and there was lots
of snow for fun at temperatures just below
freezing.
from Janet King
45 Westminster South
481-7441
Hours
Monday - Thursday
10 - 12, 2 - 4, 7 - 9
Fiction
Baker, Jo
Longbourn
Beah, Ishmael
Radiance of Tomorrow
Cornwell, Bernard
The Pagan Lord
Harris, Robert
An Officer and a Spy
Kidd, Sue Monk The Invention of Wings
Von Kreisler, Kristin
An Unexpected Grace
Mysteries
Evanovitch, Janet
Fossum, Karin
LaPlante, Lynda
Nesbo, Jo
Sanson, C.J.
Temple, Peter
Takedown Twenty
Eva’s Eye
Backlash
Cockroaches
Dominion
Dead Point
Non-fiction
Steiner-Adler, Catherine
The Big Disconnect
Fassett, Kaffe
Quilt Grandeur
Goldstein, Slavko
1941 The Year that Keeps Returning
Hatfield, Chris
An Astronaut’s Guide
Lessing, Erich
The Louvre: All the Paintings
National Geographic Four Seasons of Travel
DVDs
Downton Abbey Season 4, Detective Montalbano, Treme Season 1, Dirty Rotten
Scoundrels, Titanic
FAMILY LAW
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tel. 514.866.4666
fax 514.866.4667
JANE F. LEE, B.Sc., D.D.S.
Chirurgien Dentiste - Dental Surgeon
63 WESTMINSTER N
MONTREAL WEST
H4X 1Y8
369-0255
14
MW
50+
Club
Outings and events for
March
11 Marguerite Bourgeoys
Museum
12 Movie: Last Vegas (2013)
14 St. Patrick’s luncheon
18 Soup’s on: Constellations,
speaker Bruno Stenson
25 Bridge:
new teams are welcome
2
4
8
10
April
IMAX: Titans of the Ice Age
Movie matineé: Diana
Diners’ Club: Baton Rouge
Soup’s On: Asia’s Ancient Superhighway, Speaker: Hassan
Elshafei
15 Collette Travel presentation
22 Earth Day tea
24 Upper Canada Playhouse: The
Summer of Love
29 Bridge
Visit us on the web
http://www.bonder.com/
LIBRAIRIE BONDER INC.
BONDER BOOKSTORE
INC.
52 Westminster Avenue N.
Montreal West, Quebec
H4X 1Z2
Tel: (514) 484-7131
Fax: (514) 484-3745
E-mail: bonder@bonder.com
CALL FOR ANY BOOK IN PRINT
New York City:
April 27 - May 1
Shaw Festival:
August 25 - 28
For more information on
50+ activities and special events
or any suggestions for speakers or
entertainment, please call:
Tammy Loftus
484-1610
Foot clinics
March 12 & 26
April 9
Fees for services:
$40 for the first visit and
$35 for subsequent visits
by appointment only
484-6186
Summer 2014
Employment
Application deadline: March 21, 4 pm
Public Work Summer Students
Positions will begin the week of May
12 and end the week of August 25
(approximately 16 weeks).
Applicants should send their
CV via email to
publicworks@montreal-west.ca
Spring registration.
It’s coming soon!
This spring, the CRA is proud to provide
a variety of fun and stimulating activities
for children of all ages, such as: micro soccer, soccer, baseball, Gymfit and rugby. All
program details can be found at mwcrasports.ca. Once registration is open on the
CRA website an email will be sent out to all
CRA members.
Child Fitness Tax Credit
Your Child Fitness Tax Credit receipts
for 2013 will be emailed to you. Please contact us at infocra@mtlwestcra.ca if you
have any questions.
Pub night is here!
Mark it in your calendars! The CRA is
hosting a fundraiser at the Town Hall on
March 22 at 7 pm to raise money for our
sports programs. Live band, dancing and
good times to be had by all. Tickets are $10
(in advance) or $15 at the door and can be
purchased at the Community Centre and at
the CRA office at 220 Bedbrook.
Suggestions/feedback?
We thank all of our participants for supporting the programs that we offer. As always, we encourage your suggestions and
feedback.
You may contact our Program Manager,
Samantha Mitra, by phone at (485-8598)
or by email (infocra@mtlwestcra.ca, crasytinis@mtlwestcra.ca). Samantha is happy to
assist people with any questions they may
have about any of our programs and welcomes your feedback.
15
Spring Community
Centre Registration
Registration is ongoing for all our programs. The spring session begins the week
of March 31, for 10 weeks. Consult the web
site montreal-west.ca or call 484-6186 for
more information.
Youth Fit Program
This program is a great way to introduce
your child to functional exercises that will
support them in their sport or fitness level
and to help them develop a stronger sense
of their capabilities. The program will ensure proper exercise mechanics with squats,
push ups and other exercises as well as
work on speed, quickness and agility training. Tools that will aid in their development
range from the TRX suspension training to
cones, speed ladders and bosu balls. The
program will also involve active stretches
leaving the fitness/sport enthusiast feeling
renewed, restored and relaxed.
Day: Mondays, starting April 28
Time: 4-5 pm, ages 11-13 years
5-6 pm, ages 13-15 years
8 weeks
Cost: $75 for residents;
$85, non-residents
Place: Hodgson Field
Limited spaces available.
Small class size.
Zumba for kids
There will be a Zumba Kids class offered on Tuesday from 4:15-5:15 pm for 812-year-olds at the Town Hall, starting April
8. The cost is be $75 for 12 weeks. Please
call the Community Centre at 484-6186.
Community Centre
March Break Madness
Day Camp
and Pool
March 3-7
(5- to 12-year-olds)
Full week:
$205 resident
$215 non-resident
Daily fee:
$55 resident
$65 non-resident
• Monday: Funtropolis,
theme: Hawaiian day
• Tuesday: tubing at Mont-Avila.
• Wednesday: cabane à sucre
• Thursday: Aquadome and bowling
• Friday: pizza making, movie and
Captain Catalyst
Call for more information: 484-6186.
Don’t miss out on a super-fun summer at
the Day Camp and Pool! New activity
brochure will be online at the end of February and a physical copy will be delivered in
mid-March so check out all our new activities and register early to get the early bird
discount! Information: consult our website
montreal-west.ca, facebook.com/montrealwest or call 484-6186.
Summer employment
March Break
Hockey Camp
You may submit a cover letter and résumé at the John A. Simms Community Centre, 8 Westminster Ave S.
Fax: 485-8596.
Email: ckearney@montreal-west.ca to
the attention of Christopher Kearney.
Prepare for your playoff run or polish
your skills!
MoWest Hockey Director Eric Rayment and his Hockey Montreal coaches
will be offering a March Break program at
the Legion Rink, March 3-7.
A full-day hockey program with three
hours on ice focusing on skill development
and fun. Daily on ice includes: one hour of
power skating, one hour of puck skills and
a one hour game. The rest of the day will
be filled with fun off-ice activities.
For more info, please contact Eric at
969-5595 or eric@hockeymontreal.com.
• Day Camp Counsellors
• Community Centre Animators
• Pool Cashier
• Day Camp Specialist (arts &
crafts, cooking, dance, drama,
karate, music, pottery, sports,
tennis, etc.)
Thank you!
The Pool and Day Camp would like to thank the following donors for the generous contributions to this years Santa's Breakfast event. We could not have done it without their
support: IGA Pagano/Shnaidman, Super C, Fruit Bowl, Westminster Florist, Pharmaprix
Melissa Ross and Deli Snax.
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BUDGET 2014
16
Dépenses / Expenses
Par service / By department
Conseil / Council
Administration
Sécurité publique / Public Security
Travaux publics / Public Work
Hygiène du milieu / Environmental Health
Inspection et permis / Building Inspection
Récréation, culture et parcs /
Recreation, culture and parks
Dépenses en capital à même les revenus /
Capital expenditures out of revenues
Service de la dette / Debt Charges
Quote part Agglomération /
Agglomeration remittance
DÉPENSES TOTAL EXPENSES
Par objet / By type
Salaires et bénéfices / Salaries & benefits
Service de la dette / Debt charges
Déchet, recyclage, compostage /
Sanitary removal, recycling, compost
Déneigement / Snow removal
Subventions / Grants
Immobilisations / Capital expenses
Assurances et réclamations /
Insurance and claims
Honoraires prof et techniques /
Professional et technical fees
Location, entretien et réparation /
Rental, maintenance and repair
Équipement et fournitures /
Materials & supplies
Huile, essence, électricité, chauffage /
Oil, Gas, Electricity and Heating
Eau / Water
Autres / Other
Quote part CMM / remittance
Quote part Agglomération / remittance
2014
2013
$
$
% de /
of total
%
152,545
1,296,411
373,964
2,724,433
736,385
121,464
127,933
1,369,716
334,414
2,773,048
757,058
107,863
1.1
9.0
2.6
18.8
5.1
0.8
1,989,584
1,953,365
13.8
152,537
1,780,911
192,550
1,753,568
1.1
12.3
5,131,227
5,055,396
35.5
14,459,461
14,424,911
100.0
4,077,251
1,780,913
4,023,064(1)
1,753,568
28.2
12.3
262,260
404,200
155,650
152,537
301,000
430,000
154,650
192,550
1.8
2.8
1.1
1.1
125,000
163,000
0.9
881,898
922,945
6.1
328,801
274,540
2.3
561,451
545,750
13.9
294,972
100,000
102,143
101,159
5,131,227
312,900
100,000
91,340
104,208
5,055,396
2.0
0.7
0.7
0.7
35.5
14,459,461
14,424,911
Budget Commentary
Council’s objectives with this budget
were to ensure that the tax increase for the
average valued home be limited to the Consumer Price Index (.8% for Montreal) or
lower, while maintaining services at the
current level.
We have met that goal. Local operating
expenses decreased by 0.4%. This was offset by a 1.5% hike in our remittance to the
Agglomeration Council for regional services, resulting in an increase in total expenditures of 0.25%. Despite having to absorb
a cut from the government due to a change
in the PST reimbursement formula, we
were able to balance our budget with only
a 0.2% increase in the tax bill of the average valued home, the smallest tax increase
in many years.
The Town will continue with our capital
program for infrastructure renewal and repair with the help of government grants.
Funds have also been allocated for several
other projects that will be financed through
either the operating or working funds.
With a limited tax base, Council is
mindful of the tax burden which residents
sustain, and will continue its careful
scrutiny of expenses in order to optimize
your tax dollar.
Colleen Feeney
Councillor, Finance, Administration
and Human Resources
100.0
(1) Montant de 16,340$ reclassé dans Autres / Amount of $16,340 reclassified to other
Programme d'immobilisations / Capital Program
Infrastructures
Bâtiments /Buildings
Véhicules / Vehicles
2014
$
2,000,000
332,872
250,000
2,582,872
2015
$
1,000,000
50,000
30,000
1,080,000
2016
$
750,000
50,000
30,000
830,000
DR. HEATHER FOX B.S ., D.D.S.
C
Dentist
16 Westminster N. #315
Tel: 487-4577
Fax: 487-8376
Commentaire
sur le budget
L’objectif du Conseil pour ce budget
était de limiter l’augmentation de taxes pour
la maison moyenne à l’indice des prix à la
consommation (0,8 % pour Montréal) ou
plus bas, tout en maintenant le niveau actuel
de services.
Augmentation de seulement 0,2 %
Nous avons atteint cet objectif. Les
dépenses opérationnelles locales ont
diminué de 0,4 %, mais une hausse de 1,5 %
de notre quote-part à l’Agglomération pour
services régionaux a résulté en une augmentation globale des dépenses de 0,25 %. En
dépit d’une coupe du gouvernement découlant d’un changement au calcul du remboursement de la TVQ, nous avons réussi à
équilibrer notre budget avec une augmentation de seulement 0,2 % du compte de taxes
de la maison d’évaluation moyenne, la plus
petite depuis plusieurs années.
Programme d’immobilisation
La Ville poursuivra son programme
d’immobilisations pour le renouvellement
et la réparation des infrastructures à l’aide
d’octrois gouvernementaux. Des fonds ont
aussi été octroyés à plusieurs autres projets
dont le financement proviendra des fonds
d’administration ou de caisse.
Avec une assiette fiscale limitée, le Conseil est soucieux du fardeau fiscal que supportent les résidents et continuera à scruter
minutieusement ses dépenses dans le but
d’optimiser vos taxes.
Colleen Feeney
Conseillère, Finances, Administration
et Ressources humaines
Taxes
2014
2013
11,044,516
39,301
1,230,935
453,000
101,160
400,000
11,001,434
25,929
1,033,733
463,000
104,204
430,000
76.4
0.3
8.5
3.1
0.7
2.8
248,437
13,517,349
251,408
13,309,708
1.7
93.5
484,500
100,000
449,000
100,000
3.4
0.7
73,000
0
90,000
73,000
277,400
70,000
0.5
0.0
0.6
147,866
46,746
102,503
43,300
1.0
0.3
$
Résidentiel / Residential
Lot vacant / Vacant Lot
Non résidentiel / Non residential
Taxe Eau / Water Tax
CMM / MMC
Droits de mutation / Duties on Transfer
Reçu en lieu de taxes /
Payment in lieu de taxes
Autres/ Other
Loisirs et Culture
Recreation and Culture
Contraventions / Tickets
Stationnement et permis /
Parking and Permits
Compensation TVQ /PST Recovery
Intérêts / Interest
Intérêts à recevoir sur subvention /
Interest receivable on Grants
Autres
REVENUS TOTAUX / TOTAL REVENUES
17
942,112
14,459,461
$
1,115,203
14,424,911
% total
%
6.5
100.0
Comparaison du compte de taxe / Taxation comparison
Résidentiel / Residential
Résidence valeur moyenne / Average value residence
Rôle 2014 - 2016 Roll: 616 500$
Valeur imposable / Taxable value
2014
$
616,500
2013
$
524,850
Taux / Rate (/100$ d’évaluation / valuation)
CMM (/100$ d’évaluation / valuation)
7,462.01
65.96
7,444.67
68.27
7,527.96
7,512.94
Augmentation relative à 2013 / Increase over 2013:
% Augmentation / % Increase:
Taux de taxes / Tax rates
Taxe foncière générale /
General property tax
Immeubles 6 logements + /
6 Units or more
Immeubles non résidentiels /
Non-residential building
Lots vacants / Vacant lots
CMM / MMC
$15.12
0.20%
2014
Local
2014
Agglo
2013
Local
2013
Agglo
0.7169
0.4935
0.8372
0.5812
0.7169
0.4935
0.8372
0.5812
2.1039
1.4337
1.5270
0.9870
0.0107
2.4222
1.6745
1.7862
1.1624
0.0130
18
Town Council Meeting: January
by Carol Foster
With as many people at the
Council table as residents in
the audience, Mayor Masella
opened the January 2014 Council meeting.
The Mayor mentioned topics discussed
at the second Coffee with the Mayor gathering, which covered train noise, services
for young families and his vision for the
Town’s future including a redesign of the
arena’s current structure and the incorporation of additional facilities for the Town.
He added that efforts are already in
progress to develop a plan to beautify the
commercial section of Westminster. Gaz
Métro has been notified that the major infrastructure work planned for Brynmor
would create the ideal time for a gas line to
be installed on that street. Residents who
might like to use gas in their homes should
notify Gaz Métro if they are in favour of
this opportunity. The mayor of Montreal,
Mr. Coderre, was praised by Masella for
urging the provincial government to speed
up its plans for the overhaul of the publicpension contributions.
Further items on the agenda included the
news that an agreement has been signed by
the Union of Municipalities and Gaz Métro
which ensures municipalities will receive a
reimbursement of 2% of the value of work
done in their town to compensate for the
costs they incur as a result of this work. All
old union grievances have now been settled
and membership in a work health and safety
group has been renewed.
Councillor Ulin announced that the first
round table for young families would be
held in February and, due to the recent
frigid weather conditions, the outdoor rinks
are in excellent condition. In view of the
fact that this weather will not last forever,
suggestions for themes for the summer park
events are being requested. Participation in
the brown bin program continues to be
good, but the objective of 75%of residents’
participation has not yet been reached. The
Environmental Action Committee is being
revitalized and is being divided into three
sub-committees: waste management, energy efficiency and tree policy. The second
Council Communiqué will appear in the
February Informer. Comments are welcome.
Councillor Feeney reviewed the local
portion of the Town’s budget for 2014 and
reminded everyone that this budget cannot
be finalized until the Agglomeration budget
is published, which is expected in a few
days. Because of this, there will be a delay
in the issuing of the tax bills as well as the
dates by which they must be paid. Further
information will be published on the Town’s
E-bulletins.
The Public Works Department is joining
Council’s efforts to improve communication with the public and is preparing to add
information on the Town’s website concerning the many questions they receive. This
new information will be ready in a few
weeks according to Councillor Torres.
Councillor Tasker-Brown reviewed,
once again, the rules for snow removal by
contractors, and she reminded residents that
it is time to renew dog licences. The Traffic
and Safety Committee (TSC) continues to review all requests received from residents
and, although the current committee members enjoy their work and none want to leave
their posts, new members may be welcomed.
Tasker-Brown also explained the draft
bylaws pertaining to the limits on daycares
and garden centres and invited comments
from residents on both issues.
Question Period
The curb extensions continued to evoke
criticism. A Ballantyne resident complained
that the extensions on Westminster have
created additional traffic on his street.
Tasker-Brown suggested he make a formal
request to the TSC for a review of his observation. Since a study of traffic on Ballantyne done last June is available, a
comparison of any differences can be easily
evaluated.
Another resident explained that she
found turning onto Westminster from Parkside when headed towards the hump can be
quite dangerous because the lane delineations around the new extensions are not
clear. The Mayor promised the lines will be
repainted in the spring.
When questioned about the schedule to
repair the poor road conditions on Ballantyne, the Mayor explained that logically
work on road surfaces and sidewalks should
not take place before the underground pipes
are replaced. The government makes the decisions concerning which streets it will allocate money for infrastructure repairs and
Ballantyne is not yet on its list.
Councillor Ulin received warm thanks
for implementing the organic waste program. A question about how to contest a
property evaluation was answered by the
Mayor who noted the procedure to follow
and the forms required are available in the
Town Hall Office.
A few questions concerning the budget
were raised. Asked if the settlement of the
old union grievances involved money, the
answer was that there was a cost and the
resident was told he could get more information from the Director General after the
meeting. When the sum of $2 million being
added to the debt the Town already carries
on its books was questioned, the Mayor
pointed out that since some old debts have
been retired, the new loan does not increase
the total indebtedness of the Town. The idea
of forming a budget committee, first put
forward by one resident at an earlier meeting, was brought up again.
Referring to the Urban Department’s
agreement to yet another minor exemption
request involving lot measurements, a resident asked, why not issue a blanket exemption since so many houses in the Town were
built before more precise measurements became available. The response from the
Mayor was that each case had to be evaluated because differences do occur. However, attempts will be made to process these
requests more quickly and to lower the present fee of $1,200, which is too high
The last incident brought to Council’s attention involved a contractor’s method of
snow removal which inconvenienced a resident and the meeting was then adjourned.
19
Réunion du Conseil : janvier
par Carol Foster
traduction par René Boucher
Le maire Masella a ouvert la
séance de janvier avec autant
de personnes à la table du Conseil que dans l’assistance.
Le maire a mentionné les sujets discutés
lors du second Café avec le maire, dont le
bruit des trains, les services aux jeunes
familles et sa vision de l’avenir de la Ville
incluant la modification de la structure
actuelle de l’aréna et l’intégration d’installations additionnelles pour la Ville. Il a
ajouté que des efforts sont déjà consentis
pour préparer un plan d’amélioration du
secteur commercial de Westminster. Gaz
Métro a été informée que les importants
travaux d’infrastructure planifiés pour
Brynmor offriraient l’occasion idéale pour
y installer une conduite de gaz. Les résidents qui souhaiteraient utiliser le gaz chez
eux devraient en informer Gaz Métro s’ils
sont favorables à cette occasion. M. Masella
a félicité Denis Coderre, maire de Montréal
qui a incité le gouvernement provincial à
accélérer ses plans pour la refonte des contributions aux régimes de retraite publics.
Également à l’ordre du jour on retrouvait
la nouvelle de la signature d’une entente
entre l’Union des municipalités et Gaz
Métro qui assure aux municipalités un remboursement de 2 % de la valeur de travaux
effectués sur leur territoire en compensation
des coûts qu’elles supportent en raison de
ces travaux. Tous les vieux griefs syndicaux
sont maintenant réglés et l'on a renouvelé
l’adhésion à un groupe de santé et sécurité
au travail.
La conseillère Ulin a annoncé que la
première table ronde pour les jeunes
familles se tiendrait en février et qu’à cause
des récentes températures glaciales, les patinoires extérieures sont en excellente condition. Mais puisque ces conditions ne
dureront pas éternellement, on est à la
recherche de thèmes pour les événements
estivaux dans nos parcs. La participation au
programme des bacs bruns demeure bonne,
mais l’objectif de 75 % de résidents participant n’est toujours pas atteint. Le Comité
d’action environnementale est en relance et
se scinde en trois sous-comités : gestion des
déchets, efficacité énergétique et politique
des arbres. Le deuxième Communiqué du
Conseil paraîtra dans The Informer de
février. On invite les commentaires.
La conseillère Feeney a révisé la portion
locale du budget de la Ville pour 2014 et
rappelé à tous que ce budget ne pouvait être
arrêté jusqu’à ce que le budget de l’Agglomération soit publié, ce qui devrait se
produire dans les prochains jours. Ce retard
repoussera l’émission des comptes de taxes
et des dates d’échéance des paiements. Des
renseignements additionnels seront diffusés
dans le bulletin électronique de la Ville.
Le Service des travaux publics joint ses
efforts à ceux du Conseil pour améliorer les
communications et prépare des ajouts au
site Web de la Ville, en réponse aux nombreuses questions soulevées. Selon la conseillère Torres, ces nouvelles données
seront disponibles dans quelques semaines.
La conseillère Tasker-Brown a de nouveau révisé les règles du déneigement par
les entrepreneurs et a rappelé aux résidents
que le temps est venu de renouveler les permis pour chiens. Le Comité de la circulation et la sécurité (CCS) continue à
examiner les demandes des citoyens et, bien
que les membres actuels aiment leur travail
et qu’aucun ne souhaite laisser son poste,
on pourrait accueillir de nouveaux membres. Mme Tasker-Brown a aussi expliqué
les projets de règlements sur la limitation
du nombre de garderies et de centres de
jardins et a invité les commentaires des résidents sur ces deux sujets.
Période de questions
Les avancées de trottoir provoquent toujours des critiques. Un résident de Ballantyne s’est plaint que les avancées sur
Westminster créaient un achalandage accru
sur sa rue. Mme Tasker-Brown lui a suggéré
de déposer une plainte formelle au CCS
pour examen de ses observations. Comme
une enquête de circulation sur Ballantyne a
été effectuée en juin dernier, on pourra
facilement évaluer les écarts potentiels.
Une autre résidente a expliqué qu’elle
trouvait dangereux le virage de Parkside sur
Westminster en direction du pont en dos
d’âne parce que le marquage des voies aux
environs des avancées n’est pas clair. Le
maire a promis que les lignes seraient
repeintes au printemps.
Questionné sur le calendrier de réparation
de la chaussée sur Ballantyne, le maire a expliqué que, logiquement, on ne devrait pas
entreprendre de refaire la surface de la rue et
les trottoirs avant que les conduites souterraines ne soient remplacées. Le gouvernement décide à quelles rues il allouera des
sommes pour réfection des infrastructures et
Ballantyne n’est toujours pas sur sa liste.
On a chaleureusement remercié la conseillère Ulin pour la mise en place du programme des déchets organiques. En réponse
à une question sur comment contester l’évaluation foncière, le maire a indiqué que la
procédure et les formulaires requis sont
disponibles au bureau de l’hôtel de ville.
On a soulevé quelques questions sur le
budget. On voulait savoir si le règlement
des vieux griefs syndicaux comportait des
sommes d’argent; on a répondu qu’un coût
s’y rattachait et indiqué au résident de s’informer auprès du directeur général après la
réunion. On s'est interrogé sur la somme de
deux millions de dollars ajoutée à la dette
déjà inscrite aux livres de la Ville; le maire
a fait remarquer que comme on avait retiré
de vieilles dettes, le nouvel emprunt n’augmente pas l’endettement total de la Ville.
L’idée de former un comité du budget,
comme un citoyen avait proposé lors d’une
réunion précédente, a de nouveau été
soulevée. En référence à l’approbation du
Service d’urbanisme d’une autre demande
de dérogation mineure concernant les dimensions d’un terrain, un résident a suggéré
d’émettre une dérogation générale puisque
tellement de maisons dans la ville ont été
construites avant que des mesures plus précises ne deviennent disponibles. Le maire a
répondu que chaque cas devait être évalué
parce que différent. Cependant, on tentera
de traiter les demandes plus rapidement et
de réduire les frais actuels de 1200 $ jugés
trop élevés.
Le dernier point porté à l’attention du
Conseil concernait la méthode de déneigement d’un entrepreneur qui cause des inconvénients à un résident. La séance a
ensuite été levée.
The dogs of Montreal West, in print!
photo © Chris Tobin
20
COMING EVENTS
Please call the Editor: Heather at 489-7022
e-mail: montrealwestinformer@gmail.com
Next deadline: March 12
MAR
Wed 5 Ash Wednesday service.
St. Philip’s. 7:30 pm.
Tues 11 Lenten Bible study.
St. Philip’s. 7:30 pm.
Mon 17 MW Horticultural Society presents
Gwynne Basen on vegetables as ornaments in the garden. Non-members, $5.
Town Hall. 7:30 pm.
Sat 22 Pub night sponsored by the CRA to to
benefit the sports programs. Town Hall.
$10 in advance or $15 at the door. 7 pm.
Sun 23 Friendship service and luncheon.
MW Presbyterian. 10 am.
Pancake brunch. St. Phlip’s.11:30 am.
Wed 26 Coffee with the Mayor.
Town Hall. 7:30-9 am.
Fri 28 Whist and dessert. MW United. Tickets
$8 from church office, 482-3210. 7 pm.
Sun 30 Afternoon Labyrinth Walk. Wadsworth
Hall. MW United. Socks or slippers. 2-4 pm.
Mon 31 Town Council Meeting. Town Hall. 8 pm.
APR
Sat
Sun
5
6
African gospel concert.
MW Presbyterian. 7:30 pm.
Cotton Tail Party/La fête du lapin.
Town Hall. 2-4 pm.
Classifieds
SUMMER RENTAL: MoWest executive family house Our elegant family home, fully equipped and beautifully furnished for professionals.
Four bedrooms, two bathrooms. On a tree-lined street. Lovely backyard with garden and deck. Available late June for two months. Includes utilities, two-car parking, bikes, etc. Robert at 507-2802.
By the time this issue goes to print, my daughter’s long-awaited
dream should come true – we are getting a dog! For the last couple
of months, this is all we’ve been talking about, researching on the
internet, asking advice from the neighbours (good thing we live
next door to two Portuguese water dogs, a lab, a husky and a baby
Samoyed) and occasionally stopping strangers on the street to inquire about their dog’s breed.
So when, sitting at Totem having tea, my daughter noticed a calendar titled The Dogs of Montreal West; I naturally got very curious.
That brought me to meet Chris Tobin, the person who came up with
this idea. And, of course, his dog Duff, an adorable four-year-old
Scottish terrier, actively participated in the conversation.
Artist and graphic designer, Chris has been living in Montreal
West for nine years. I remember his Spoons painting from the exposition back when we had Atelier Quartz on Westminster. Chris
works in water colours and oils, does children’s portraits and abstracts, offers painting and drawing classes. After doing Fine Arts
at Concordia, he studied computer graphics
at Dawson. Always
searching for new
ideas and inspirations,
he got interested in
photography.
Two
years ago, he was
looking for a new
project – and (not
without Duff’s help, I
suppose) that’s how
the dog calendar came
about. “I realized I’d never lived in a neighbourhood with so many
dogs,” says Chris.
And who knows all the dog owners in Town? Linda Hammerschmid! She’s the one fighting for a dog park in Montreal West.
She loves dogs; they are her life. Linda put Chris in touch with people and the response has been great. The sales tripled this year and
part of the profit is soon to be donated to SPCA. More copies are
still available through Chris’s website.
This year, Chris took pictures of 30 dogs. Dedicating a page to
each of them, he designed several versions of the calendar, to make
everyone feel special. He got nipped only twice.
The models and settings varied greatly. Looking at me from the
calendar cover, proper and dignified Lincoln (our Mayor’s dog),
is calmly guarding his house on Ballantyne. Linda Hammerschmid’s golden retriever Mac (January) enjoys watching leaves.
In their home south of the tracks, two well-mannered Highland terriers Buffy and Dex are neatly seated on a leather chair that was
commissioned specially for them. René and Véronique Boucher’s
Albert got the Halloween month: big and black, he’s running in
the foggy ravine down by the tracks...
In a couple of months, Chris is planning to start the calendar for
next year. New models are always welcome! If you want to see
your dog in print, email Chris and set the time for the photo session.
It’s free. But then you’ll probably want to buy the calendar anyway,
won’t you? It’s a cute idea, one of those that make us feel like a
close community that we are. And it’s for a good cause!
Here is how to get in touch with Chris:
website – www.chris-tobin.com,
email – chris61@videotron.ca.
Chris is also planning to make a calendar of gardens of Montreal
West. We are the Garden Suburb, after all.
Julia Ross
The Informer
P.S. “So, Mom, are we getting our dog in the calendar?” my
daughter Sasha asks.