Lives & Legacy

The small town of Terrasse Vaudreuil has been making headlines across Quebec, Canada and the globe this past month, following its novel move to recognize the rights of trees on its territory.

Xavier Villeneuve, an 18-year-old standout hockey defencemen from Les Cèdres, experienced last month what most young players can only dream of — hearing his name called at the annual NHL Entry Draft.

JOSHUA ALLANThe 1019 Report – Local Journalism Initiative After approving, and then postponing the funding to create much-needed additional space for municipal office workers in the small town of Pointe des Cascades, the provincial government recently announced it finally will be providing financial assistance leading the municipality to finally move forward with its plans. The Quebec government made good on its commitment to fund the lion’s share of the project to convert a former church presbytery into additional municipal office space last month. It had abruptly postponed its pledge to deliver the funds last fall. About $630,000 in provincial funding will now go toward the project, estimated to cost a total of about $900,000. Work is scheduled to begin this fall. Describing it as “a little Christmas gift before the (Quebec) election,” Pointe des Cascades Mayor Peter Zytynsky said he is happy. “We’re not complaining.” There had been “a lot of long faces last year” when the town was informed that the Coalition Avenir Québec government opted to suspend the funding that had originally been committed to in 2022 until April 2027, without providing a reason for the delay, he said. Zytynsky had penned a letter to the government last November, asking them to reconsider. He had also brought up the issue with Quebec Ministry of Municipal Affairs officials and Soulanges MNA Marilyne Picard. “Then, all of a sudden, last month we get a letter saying, ‘Your project is a go, start where you have to start,’” Zytynsky said. The town had acquired the former presbytery about 10 years ago. It sits a few doors down from the town hall along Chemin du Fleuve. The nearby church had since been converted into a public library. The town’s current municipal office is located at a former Caisse Desjardins building. Zytynsky said the town had acquired the building to use as municipal office space sometime back in the 1970s. The small building, which has only one washroom, was sufficient for back when the town had only a couple of municipal office workers. But as the town has grown, both in population and in number of municipal employees, the small space became too packed, Zytynsky said. “There’s no room, it’s very small,” he said. “I have to put our activities person in the library. I’ve got to put another person in the community centre.” The project will see the interior of the building renovated, which has already been gutted. Minor exterior work will also be done, including the installation of an access ramp. The town has already gone out to public offer for this project and is currently waiting for bids. “And then, if everything goes well, we hope to break ground in October,” Zytynsky said. While the government has committed to providing about $630,000, the remaining $270,000 needed to fund the project will likely come out of the town’s surplus, Zytynsky added, though this is still being discussed. You are unauthorized to view this page.

In real estate, “location, location, location,” is the saying used to list the three most important factors in determining a property’s value. This could be especially true with the much-anticipated opening of the Vaudreuil-Soulanges hospital next year, as proximity to the health-care hub appears to be already boosting property prices in the region, say veteran real estate brokers.

As opposition to a proposed high-speed train line from Quebec City to Toronto mount in a number of rural towns in Quebec and Ontario, officials in Pointe Fortune and Rigaud are demanding officials with the Crown corporation that aims to build the rail line answer questions about how their territories will be affected.

Vaudreuil-Dorion’s annual Festival de cirque will mark its 20th edition later this month, celebrating acrobatics, dance, juggling, street art and many more features of circus-inspired performances.

Amid growing concerns about pedestrian safety in Rigaud’s village core, the town is planning to install overhead flashing lights at crosswalks later this summer, with more safety measures to potentially follow, said Mayor Charles Meunier.

Plans for a 45-unit affordable housing project in St. Lazare are in motion, with the city hopeful shovels will be in the ground later this year to start construction, according to the mayor.

Saddle up! This Saturday, St. Lazare will celebrate its fourth annual Horse Day — a celebration of the majestic animals that have long been part of the town’s identity.

A long-time resident of the densely forested Oakridge Road in St. Lazare is calling for a group of centuries-old white pines to be preserved as the private road is set to be municipalized as part of a development project.