The mayor of Montreal, Denis Coderre, said Monday that the record of the site of the former Hippodrome remains a priority for him.
While many community groups in Côte-des-Neiges stopped him on the subject Monday morning, Mr. Coderre certify that the signing the agreement with the Quebec government so that it gives the site of the former Hippodrome Montreal to the City should be made shortly.
“I meet several ministers in recent weeks and folders, this is the question of the racecourse. It always takes more time to sign the contract, it is called a transaction of several million dollars, “said the mayor Monday afternoon.
The Community Development Corporation (CDC) of Côte-des-Neiges, which includes 50 community groups, said they were shocked to learn last week that the agreement made between Quebec and the City of Montreal in 2012 has still not been signed.
Snowdon Councillor Marvin Rotrand, then complained that it is impossible to find in the City documents a commitment to develop the site with residential, as it was agreed in 2012 with a profit sharing between Montreal and the province. He worries that large portions of the site has commercial or even industrial, municipal services as suggested to him.
“A vocation other than residential land for this would be totally unacceptable given the needs of the neighborhood,” assured Sheetal Pathak, a community organizer at the CDC Side-des-Neiges.
It supports the development of the site of the former racecourse with a target of 5,000 to 8,000 units, including 2,500 social housing according to their wishes, is more than necessary due to the statistical area.
“In side-des-Neiges, 4245 there are renters who pay more than 80% of their income on housing. There is a shortage of social housing in the area and very little land available to build now, “says Pathak.
When asked about the subject, Mayor Denis Coderre ensures that “the issue of social diversity [going to be part of the agreement], it’s always the same thing,” adding that he met Martin Coiteux, President of the Treasury Board in the coming days.
The City of Montreal has confirmed last week that the deed was not signed by the Government of Quebec. “The City is currently in discussions with the government to find the simplest procedure for the two parties to meet their obligations while maintaining the development objectives of the site,” had told Metro spokesman City François Goneau, in an email exchange. The latter said that the details need to be clarified with regard to “the regulatory, legal and technical procedures.”
Site development of the Montreal Hippodrome to take place from 2017 to 2025, according to the plans of the City. It has not confirmed whether a study is in progress on the various vocations of the site.
“We would like to know that everything is maintained, we keep the same schedule, but it would be really reassuring to know from Denis Coderre and Executive Committee very clearly. We want to be certain that the agreement as negotiated is maintained and we keep the residential use, “responded Jennifer Auchinleck, community organizer.
The CDC also wants a public consultation is organized by the Office de consultation publique in Montreal on the development of the project and the borough council Side-des-Neiges take a position in favor of residential.
The borough of Côte-des-Neiges said the mayor of the borough, Russell Copeman, was not available to answer questions Underground.
Translated by Bing
source: http://journalmetro.com/
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