montreal city weblog

Montreal North mayor bows out

2009-07-03T12:55:00.000-04:00

Marcel Parent, mayor of Montreal North borough, has decided not to run again for the position in November, citing his health – he's 77.

Meanwhile the mayor has lined up another candidate for the Plateau. Robert Pilon hopes to be elected in Mile End.

Paysages ephemeres brings summer

2009-07-03T12:50:00.000-04:00

The art group Paysages Éphémères is bringing a series of installations on the theme of summer vacations to Mont-Royal Avenue from the metro eastwards.

Water meter costs twice what they could be

2009-07-03T12:13:00.001-04:00

Montreal could be paying twice what it should for the new water meters, according to an estimate drawn up by Gaz Métropolitain in 2003 and comparing it to the deal struck with the Génieau consortium this year. The city is defending its choice, saying the specs changed in the meantime and the two estimates can't be compared. The contract is currently on hold.

Montreal women die in submerged car

2009-07-03T12:03:00.001-04:00

Four women from Montreal have been found dead in a car sunk in a lock near Kingston. There are a lot of unanswered questions so far.

Bixi to expand to new boroughs

2009-07-03T11:59:00.000-04:00

The Bixi has been so popular that the city's going to expand it to new boroughs with 2000 new bikes and 100 new stations this summer.

Dilallo's is 80 years old

2009-07-02T17:50:00.002-04:00

Dilallo's is an 80-year-old institution in this town, and A.J. Kinik goes to review the burgers at the Ville-Émard location.

(According to canada411, there are five Dilallo locations now – three below the tracks in Montreal, and two on the South Shore. There's also a mysterious Chez Di Lalla snack bar on Villeray and there's Da Lillo's on Jarry, which I assume are not related, but both of which gave me double-takes when I noticed them.)

Competitor queries water meter deal

2009-07-02T08:39:00.002-04:00

A possible competitor in the city's contentious water meter deal, excluded from the bidding process, has submitted a legal question about the process.

Moving Day: the aftermath

2009-07-02T08:27:00.001-04:00

More than 378,000 Quebec households moved yesterday and 71 are still without a new address in Montreal as larger families are finding it difficult to get affordable housing with enough rooms. Maybe more affordable housing units are helping in Montreal but other Quebec towns are feeling the shortage of larger apartments too. In any case, there are still vacancies in Montreal North, where it seems nobody wants to go live since last summer's riot.

Questions around Desnoyers sentence

2009-07-02T08:10:00.001-04:00

There are various questions around the trial and sentencing of Louise Desnoyers, particularly her state of mind when she killed her son, but she crossed into a more unforgiving country before she did it.

NY Times on our chefs serving seal

2009-07-02T08:03:00.000-04:00

The New York Times looks at Montreal chefs serving seal meat, with the misgivings of the journalist too.

Woman gets 15 years for filicide

2009-07-01T21:58:00.001-04:00

Louise Desnoyers, who drowned her son in Lake Champlain in 2006, received a 15-year sentence today in a Vermont courtroom despite the vigorous support of her colleagues and friends. She'll have to serve it out in the U.S.

Notre-Dame reopens after crash

2009-07-01T21:52:00.000-04:00

Notre-Dame East has finally reopened to traffic today after a truck ran into the railway viaduct on Monday: the authorities are clearly taking no chances with overpasses these days.

More men for the Canadiens

2009-07-01T21:49:00.001-04:00

Bob Gainey has signed on $83 million worth of new guys in the last two days. The team will be unrecognizable in September. Red Fisher calls the upsides and downsides as he sees 'em.

Difficulties getting to the airport

2009-07-01T14:22:00.000-04:00

Emphasis is placed on current difficulties getting to and from the airport while work is done on Côte de Liesse and Dorval Circle.

Bad trade for Hochelaga

2009-07-01T13:35:00.009-04:00

I was reminded of this scene recently while wandering around the Olympic Stadium area. I took the above photo in 2002 during the public squabble over whether this fountain, Riopelle's La Joute – the only major sculptural piece done by an artist better known for his paintings, and one of the few major pieces of public art in Hochelaga-Maisonneuve – would be taken away from this, its original setting, and moved downtown.

At the time it was still working as a fountain and visible to anyone who passed through the east-side Pie-IX metro entrance, as well as from the concrete walkway above. Claims that it was hidden away and neglected were spun as leverage to move it to its current location by the Palais des congrès. Various promises were made to replace it with another fountain or piece of sculpture after the removal. But this is how the space looks now:

I don't live in Hochelaga-Maisonneuve but I tend to think they wuz robbed.

At the moment, that entrance to Pie-IX metro station is under heavy renovation, so I suppose it's possible this is just a temporary measure. But it's been five years since the sculpture was taken away, so I wonder if any thought or budget has been given to the promise to find a replacement.

More on the cycle mover and moving day

2009-07-01T12:05:00.003-04:00

Another piece on the moving company that hauls with bicycle trailers, who will probably be just as busy as every other mover in town today; a number of households are in the street after not finding new digs. Overview of moving day in La Presse quotes "Christopher Dewolve" in Spacing, plus a look at moving family Clan Panneton.

Verdun and Montreal North to get rinks

2009-07-01T11:59:00.000-04:00

Verdun and Montreal North will get new hockey rinks from the Canadiens' foundation to help kids. They've already built one in Saint-Michel.

Communauto continues to grow

2009-07-01T11:52:00.000-04:00

The Communauto car-sharing service continues to grow as more people see the advantage of having the use of a car without the hassle of owning, parking and repairing it.

Public consultation office looks at Seville

2009-06-30T08:54:00.000-04:00

The public consultation office has looked at the project proposed for the Seville Theatre block and says it would be better to get permanent residents rather than the transient student population that's been envisaged. It also wants to see the tower lowered a bit.

Train route still too close to bomb factory

2009-06-30T08:51:00.000-04:00

This story's been percolating through local news for ages: the route chosen for the new Train de l'Est commuter train is unpopular because it passes too close by a factory that makes explosives for the Canadian forces.

City to protect Lachine Canal

2009-06-30T08:49:00.000-04:00

The city's going to build a facility to keep sewage from being washed into the Lachine Canal during downpours, as can happen now.

Moving house via bicycle

2009-06-30T08:40:00.000-04:00

A look at a small business which does house moves via bicycle.

Notre-Dame East still bunged up

2009-06-30T08:39:00.000-04:00

Part of Notre-Dame East is still closed after a truck barrelled into the railway overpass between Viau and Dickson yesterday: the condition of the overpass has to be checked out.

Old Port festivities for tomorrow

2009-06-30T08:36:00.000-04:00

Various festivities are planned at the Old Port tomorrow for those who aren't moving house or helping their friends do so.

Jazz fest prepares to open 30th season

2009-06-30T08:33:00.000-04:00

The jazz festival prepares to open its 30th season as Stevie Wonder performs tonight on the new Place des festivals.