The Westmount examiner, 16 juin 2005, jeudi 16 juin 2005

[" < \"à\" Camp MaroMac © 3 LE Du UA Summers of fun for kids Aa EU RS 0100 SINCE 1968 WW, maromac,.com fe \"Le Canadian Publication no: 1375822 Vol.70, No.23 - Thursday, June 16\" 2005 + (514) 484-5610 « 9,800 copies YOUR HOME EER iy DUNCAN TO RUN FOR CITY COUNCIL athleen Duncan, a former president of the Westmount Municipal Association and one of the driving forces in Westmount's anti-merger and demerger efforts, has filed her papers to run for the Ward 4 city council seat in the Nov.6 municipal election.Duncan, whose family has lived in Westmount for four generations her great- grandfather was a WMA vice-president is being supported by many well-known community leaders.A keen jogger and member of the Westmount YMCA, she has lived on Lansdowne Avenue for 11 years and is a mother of three children.aged five through 15 years.Among the more than 100 residents who have agreed to endorse her candidacy are former Westmount city councillors Barbara Moore and Muriel Kaplan, and former mayors May Cutler and Peter Trent.Trent told The Examiner that he chose to support Duncan taking into account the example she set during the anti-merger and demerger debates.\u201cI think you have to support people who are fundamentally clear about who they are, where they're going and what they believe in, and she certainly represents those qualities,\u201d Trent said.\u201cShe was always very clear as to where she stood.\u201d Duncan served for 10 years as a director of the WMA and four years as its president.During this time, she initiated workshops for landlords and tenants, as well as property valuation information meetings.For the past decade, she has been regularly attending city and borough council meetings and has been an active participant during question periods.(continued on page 3) Québec cl@sser .com : \\ 7 x FART OU EE .TE HE pe x 667436 GC H 0 U : Solving yau far ver 17 yeuls 4686 Sherkreoke SL VU GLEUCUE AL 2) 0G AN aL AS?2 Cavendish Wiel, QUSATLE wawweehauelidushioesseul Page 2 - THE WESTMOUNT EXAMINER - Thursday, June 16, 2005 Affiliated Real Estate Agent: Gregory Gineys Contact Info: Email: ggineys@sutton.com This magnificent property is composed of 3 prestigious residences, a private lake with it\u2019s beautiful sandy beach, a few shelters for small animals, private stable with 8 boxes for horses and nicely landscaped gardens with 3 ponds, in a peaceful and relaxing environment.This splendid property is fully renovated with excellent taste, for the discriminating buyer who appreciates top quality, outstanding views, and great resort location.You can have it all! Combining the old world elegance with today\u2019s comfort.$ 2 600 000 2023 BÉDARD AVENUE SAINT LAZARE, QUÉBEC Fabulous estate with panoramic view Affiliated Real Estate Agent: Marie-France Villette BE Contact Info: Office 450-682-4666 Cell: 514-829-9576 | Email: mariefrancevillette@hotmail.com dl CENTURY 21 MAX-IMMO BROKER & GROUPE SUTTON CENTRE Office 514-931-3314 [8 Cell: 514-995-1577 8 at Original woodwork with beamed ceilings Gorgeous interior design Private lake with sandy beach Beautifully appointed stables OUEST INC.BROKER FEATURES OF THE PROPERTY (continued from page 1) In 1995, in an effort to foster community spirit.she organized the Westmount Santa Claus parade.The following year, she also organized Westinount Creates, an | art festival to celebrate the diversity of culture and talent in Westmount.Duncan has also served as the coordinator of the Greene Avenue Merchants Association.sometimes linking activities between shop owners on Greene and Victoria avenues with those on Sherbrooke Street.Kathleen Duncan Among the anti-merger and demerger activities in Westmount and elsewhere in the province that Duncan took part in.she | organized a delegation to the National Assembly which resulted in action from Premier Jean Charest with regards to demerger legislation.She worked with the WMA to prepare and present a brief complementing Borough Mayor Karin Marks\u2019s and council's presentation to the commission reviewing the demerger law, and she also served on Westinount\u2019s demerger committee throughout the demerger campaign.Most recently she has been involved with St.Matthias\u2019 Church.chairing the choir committee.sitting on the executive committee, and running the Sunday School.If elected, Duncan said she plans to balance her interest in megacity and regional issues with local concerns by dealing with them all on an issue-by-issue basis.\u201cHaving attended council meetings, the majority of your focus is on your local community and their issues, because they are the most important issues and that\u2019s why you're elected\u2014to represent your constituents,\u201d she said.\u201cHowever.there are farther-reaching issues.like the demerger and regional issues that come up.And as it\u2019s necessary.I would do whatever I could to contribute towards participating with the rest of council and making hopefully the best decision for Westmounters.\u201d Although it was recently revealed that 6.MUHC has no immediate plans to build on the Westmount side of the Glen Yards, Duncan said certain consequences of the superhospital's construction in NDG.such as increased traffic.could end up affecting Westmount.\u201cThere could be implications for everybody's quality of life.\u201d she said.\u201c1 think we have to.remain vigilant in watching how the MUHC develops that land.\u201d AGT EEG LOCAL NEWS M.U.H.C.SURE SHRINERS WILL STAY Glen Yards decontamination operation continues while the future of the Shriners Hospital site remains uncertain Martin C.Barry ome Shriners, determined to move their organization's only Canadian children\u2019s hospital from Montreal to Ontario, may be alleging a toxic health risk at the Glen Yards because of a smear campaign undertaken by other interested cities, says the chief planner of the McGill University Health Centre.Jean Dufresne was reacting to claims, made earlier this month in a report written bv a senior-ranking Shriner that the MUHC's Glen Yards site is too contaminated with landfill, refuse, hydrocarbons, diesel oil and an assortment of metals to serve as the Shriners Hospital's future location.\u201c1 have to put it (down to) either a smear campaign by other cities or just misinformation.\u201d he said in an interview with The Examiner.Although the Shriners\u2019 Hospital has been in Montreal since 1925, the current location on Cedar Avenue is considered too small for expansion.For some time now, the organization has been contemplating moving to the future MUHC site in the Glen Yards.The former Canadian Pacific Railway yard is currently undergoing a year-long, $28.5 million soil remediation operation.leading up to the anticipated start of construction next June.Since May 20.up to 100 trucks a day have been transporting soil from the Glen Yards to a decontamination site in southwest Montreal.less than a kilometre away.The Shriners are expected to make a final decision on the location of their new $100-million medical facility at a convention next month in Baltimore.Maryland.The decontamination of a corner lot in the Glen Yards reserved for the Shriners Hospital is to be concluded at the end of this month.In the meantime, competition between Montreal and proposed destination London.Ont.has become fierce.Dufresne said he remains confident Montreal will prevail when the facts about the Glen Yards have all been tabled.\u201cIt\u2019s going to be very easy, from a factual point of view, to correct.\u201d he said.\u201cIt's a race; everybody knows it's arace.Our case is so good on decont- 2 _ Photo: Martin cl Loading ramp at the Glen Yards, where contaminated earth is weighed before being trucked away to a nearby decontamination site.amination.We're up to schedule.it's going to be finished by the end of this month.It\u2019s going to be certified by the end of this month.\u201d Despite Dufresne\u2019s assurances, John IFretz, a Lansdowne Avenue resident, said he remains doubtful.While approaching a cluster of trees on the vard\u2019s south-eastern side in March last year.Fretz noticed, nestled in their midst, an assortment of industrial containers which appeared to have been dumped.The rusted steel and plastic drums 19 in all.according to Fretz- were oozing a chemical which he could not identify.Leaking onto the surrounding ground, the unknown substance formed an ankle-deep pool of oil.Although the mess was thoroughly cleaned up, the experience left Fretz with doubts about the overall state of the Glen Yards.\u201cAre the Shriners oversensitized?\u201d he said.\u201cWhen the Shriners said it was really polluted.I really thought about everything that was out there and how bad it could possibly be and who was really telling us the truth.\u201d Fretz, who used to stroll regularly with his dogs in the Glen Yards before they were recently fenced off for the MUHC'\u2019s project, said he is going to miss its natural green space, even though the MUHC intends to create a parkland on the eastern half of the site.\u201cThere was an area that was really quite beautiful on the south-cast side.H was like a meadow, complete with foxglove.TH was abmost like a little countryside.Honestly, 1 used to sce people camping there.Some people brought chairs.It was quite a nice little spot.\u201d Apart from the remediation operation, Dufresne confirmed that archeological digging was recently taking place in the Glen Yards to recover remnants of an old homestead that once belonged to the Docarie family, \u201cThere was a historical paper which showed that there was La Ferme Décarie,\u201d he said.\u201cThere was à property owned by some Décaries, à very old family in this area.\u201d Dufresne described the archeological operation as \u201can exploration to sce what was there before and how it fit into the overall picture of what we know about the area.\u201d He added that the dig ended about three weeks ago.\u201cThe expert identified a certain number of areas that looked as if they should have trenches dug into them, and trenches were made up to a certain distance.\u201d CENTRE CANIN PUPPY.FRsONS \u201ca - Tonte et toilettage par \u201c\u2014 Endroit climatisé 1 » M des professionnels - Venez visiter su rendez-vous WWW.DUPD etfrisson com http:/ /www.royallepage.ca westmount1@royallepage.ca - Pension chien et chat court et long terme 3663 Boul.St-Jean Baptiste P.A.T.645-8080 REALTOR ACCORDING TO G.- Asphalt * Uni-Stone Les Pavages Spinelli inc.Serving Westmount for over 11 years B Free Estimates | Carlo : 327-6462 / 494-4981 » Cement Work * General Work AY IN WESTMOUNT M.R.B.STATISTICS ROYAL LEPAGE HERITAGE Courtier immobmer agres Franchise indépendante et autonome de Royal lePans oY - # > / + \u20ac aB@g - c00T 91 AUN epsnu_ - YININEAZ INVOINCSIV IH: Page 4 - THE WESTMOUNT EXAMINER - Thursday, lune 16, 2005 LOCAL NEWS A fond farewell to John and Shirley Lehnert fter 32 years of living in Westmount, former city councillor John Lehnert and his wife Shirley, a professor at the McGill School of Medicine, recently upsized to a larger house with two bathrooms in NDG to accommodate visiting adult children and grandbabies.When their two children grew up, they moved to the States and between them have given the Lehnerts three grandchildren all under three years.\u201cWe want to see them,\u201d said Lehnert, \u201cbut with just one bathroom it was very difficult.\u201d So in their latter years when many of their friends are downsizing and moving to condos, the couple sold their home on Lewis Avenue and left Westmount for NDG for a home that can easily accommodate the family when they come home.John will continue to write his two essays a month that he publishes in www.ripostejournal.com., an e-journal he publishes online to inform and entertain readers with pertinent stories about public policy the world, the arts and travel, written by him and guest submissions.Babar Books to fill Double Hook space The suspense is over The word is out.Maya Byers, owner of Babar Books in Pointe Claire, will open her second store in the space now the home of the Double Hook Book Shop on Greene Avenue.The popular children\u2019s bookstore has been in operation in Pointe Claire for 19 years.Byers offers the same format of activities Double Hook customers have enjoyed for 30 years, including book readings (called story time), book launches and author visits\u2014 but for children.In addition, Byers promises to maintain the cozy and welcoming spirit the Double Hook has been renowned for.After renovating the space to accommodate a children\u2019s book- Real Estate Delightful cottage me nunt condition Designer kitchen, 3-1 brms, 3 baths, ae, large deck, parking, SS9S.000 NES 3 Westmount Adj.- 3509 Marlowe Beautiful detached + brm (formerly home, woodwork, ground floor den, tm- shed bamt, garden, parkmg.$599,000 suite, $849,000 RE/MAX Westmount ing.Chartered Real Estate Broker 1330 Greene Avenue, Westmount.(514) 933-6781 syIviel@remax.net / regmorden(@ remax.net Westmount - 64 Columbia Montreal West - 38 Batlanty ne North Westmount - 627 Victoria Thiee stones oF charm.restored with love + brms, woudwork, a, lovely back bal- com, 2 level deck, 2 parkings SSIS,000 Large family home on great street! Spacious kitchen, + brms, guden.dou- es aa ; : Westmount - 606 Belmont Westmount Adj.- Jewel ora house.steps to Murray Park Large deck.ae, garage, garden.in-law ble garage.Reduced $699,000 store, Byers will open the second Babar Books in September.New owners at IGA After several months of speculation at the IGA in Place Alexis Nihon, the store has been reopened by new owners, Josee la Plante and Dominic Rheaum.The couple has each been in the industry for 15 years.since they were 15 years old.\"With our experience, we know the business, we know what our customers need, and are going forward not backwards.\u201d said Rheaum.They have already demonstrated commitment to community.Last week they donated 2,000 grocery bags to the Rotary garage sale.Art at the Manoir This week artist Rose Maloukis began unusual art classes for residents at Manoir Westmount.Maloukis describes all the sessions of art making as suitable for everyone, particularly those who have had little or no experience.The projects are simple and fun to do.\"Students tell me that after an art lesson the world looks a little different.The creativity carries over into their everyday lives.\u201d Participants need only bring a willingness to play and enjoy the process of creation.\"We will use ordinary materials and create extraordinary results.\u201d Maloukis has been making and teaching art for more than 15 years.Her work has appeared in the Montreal Museum of Fine Art.The Artist's Magazine, and the collection of The Royal Bank.as well as other corporate and private collections.More than just Pilates Westmount residents Andrew Medland and Judy Underhill recently opened the Studio Praxis Pilates on Victoria Avenue.The top-tier Pilates training facility is equipped with all pieces of Pilates equipment and accessories.Their team of fitness professionals include senior instructor Sally Knight, who is recognized as one of England's most distinguished fitness trainers.Studio Praxis has a team of six full- and part-time instructors.all of whom have completed Stott Pilates certifi- TEN a, a) 074 St-Sulpice Detached contemporary beauty, large open spaces.Wonderful fight! Double garage.S798,000 Cave em.Sylvie Lafrenière / Reg Morden We Take EX, of hou v 40818452 LEARN GUITAR Tim Dobby Classical guitar for all occasions Call for info 614 935-4278 819219 email: tim_dobby@hotmail.com | cation courses.The centre is a licensed Stott Pilates training centre; the only one in Quebec.Developed by health professionals.Stott Pilates is an anatomically based approach to the original exercise method.It is progression in Pilates that incorporates modern exercise, science and rehabilitation principles, eliminates contraindicated movements and emphasizes neutral alignment.core stability and peripheral mobility.The centre offers 35 group classes a week plus private and semi-private training on all pieces of Stott Pilates equipment.Westmounter opens Creative Clinical Solutions Branko Kajze is one of three partners who recently opened Creative Clinicggy Solutions.a unique psychotherapy a counseling centre for children and adults, on St.Catherine Street.The centre offers action-based therapies, including art and drama therapy that focus on ability rather than disability.\u201cWe offer our clients constructive and creative ways to cope and adjust to change and difficulty in their lives,\u201d said partner Jane Riggs in a press release.Some Westmount residents already had the opportunity to learn about the centre at a Wellness Fair held earlier this year at The Study.Gazette editor moves to Westmount Welcome to Andrew Phillips and Rena O'Kada, who recently moved to Westmount.Phillips has been the editor in chief of the Montreal Gazette since returning to Montreal in October 2004.O'Kada is a freelance journalist.Ironically, when Phillips graduated from Westmount High School in 1970 his family lived around the corner from where he just moved.Whatever happened to?Susan Stern, Westmount resident and former owner of the A.L.Van Houtte bistro on Sherbrooke Street, recently accepted the new position as executive director of the Canadian Friends of the Weizmann Institute of Science for Eastern Canada, a world-renowned institute in Rehovot, Israel.At any one time, Institute researchers are focusing their efforts on more than 1,000 science research projects.In addition, the young science division of the Institute has developed educational programs for students.The Institute recently brought Dr.Joseph Elran, a scientist from the Institute, to Selwyn House and other schools, who dazzled the students with enriched math and science activities.Stern is in the process of planning a fall lecture series of visiting scientists from various fields of research.RESORT in Ottawa short course brookstreet ® Surprise your senses with a unique blind tasting at Perspectives, our four-diamond restaurant ® Relax and recuperate at Au Naturel, our lavish spa featuring product lines exclusive to us ® Tee off at our Championship golf course, The Marshes, and European PGA-approved ® At your leisure, enjoy steamrooms, whirlpools, indoor and outdoor swimming pools Visit our website for, Packages es at le (7 613 271-1800 1 888 826-2220 Ottawa ON Canada www.brookstreetresort.com LOCAL NEWS Bike safety ranks high on police list of summer concerns Gary Francoeur M ontreal police will be out in full force over the next several weeks in an effort to curb bicycle-related accidents and educate the public about cycling safety.The effort is part of a bicycle-safety campaign that kicked off on May 30 and will continue until June 26.\u201cWe'll be making sure cyclists follow the laws, which includes stopping at red lights and stop signs,\u201d said Constable Nathalie Valois of the Montreal police depart- Gores roads and traffic section.\"We will not be tolerant.hose who break the law will be penalized.\u201d Cyclists aren't the only ones targeted by the campaign.Motorists who do not respect cyclists\u2019 rights on the road will also be reprimanded.and officers will inform children about the importance of wearing helmets, respecting traffic signals and staying off the sidewalks when cycling.\u201cIt\u2019s important to reach children early so they can develop respect for the rules and learn to become safe cyclists,\u201d Valois said.Two people were killed and 781 others were injured, 58 severely, in bicycle-related collisions in Montreal last vear.Those numbers are simply unacceptable, Valois said.\"There are still some improvements we can do to make the streets safer.\u201d she added.Despite the high number of bicycle-related accidents.cycling remains the safest mode of transportation in the province, according to Vélo Quebec.a non-profit organization collaborating with Montreal police for the safety campaign.About 20 people die in bicycle accidents every vear in Quebec, while 100 pedestrians and 450 drivers die in that same period.\u201d said Patrick Howe, a media relations officer for the organization.\u201cHowever you decide to travel, it comes down to being safe and using good judgment.\u201d Computer thieves on the loose The next time you leave your car unattended.be sure to take your laptop computer with vou.That's the warning coming from Montreal police after several computers were stolen from cars in Westmount over the past several weeks.Police are busily searching for information on the two thieves responsible for the mini crime spree.The suspects would roam the streets for cars where computers were left in plain sight.said Constable Caroline Gauthier of Station 12, \u201cWe're urging residents to remain vigilant and to report any suspicious behaviour.\u201d The suspects are described as two Middle Eastern men about 25 years old.They used a small, beige late-model car to carry out their crimes.The exact number of laptops robbed was not immediately available.Library programme a hit with readers A couple of months ago it was reported that the Westmount Public Library was starting a FastReads service, offering a new collection of high-demand books for one-week loans, available to library patrons for a week without reservations or renewals being possible.Library members have responded enthusiastically: this collection accounted for almost 500 loans last month.It appears there are a lot of readers who can read a book in even less than one week.Encouraged by this show of interest, the Library has expanded the scope of this service.The FastReads collection will now also include exhibition catalogues to museum exhibitions, such as the recent Egyptian show at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.and titles in the news where high interest is expected.Thomas Friedman's \u2018The World is Flat\u2019, a timely update on globalization forcefully illuminated by one of the most respected journalists writing today, and Joseph Bovden's well reviewed first novel \u2018Three Day Road\u2019, QI Assorted sizes from i £0 $20.49 to $33.99 0 &\u2019 Order early! ; pie Ep: be so lifes fll of every, celebrations! i = : 4890 Sherbrooke W.(corner Prince Albert) A gl) LS 485-6583 © vorcome move KE 4 Treat your Dad to a delicious Dairy Queen frozen cake! It were included in FastReads last week Library Director Ann Moffat encourages evervone to drop in to the Library often to check out what is in on the FastReads shelves just beyond the circulation desk.There are now 103 books in the collection.The Library has also received gifts for the collection\u2014readers who buy the newest books, read them but then are willing to pass them on to other readers.The choice changes daily.Recent additions included Jane Fonda's candid memoir \"My Life So Far\u2019.Rebecca Wells's latest book \u2018Ya-Yas in Bloom\u2019 and first-time author Marina Lewycka's \u2018A Short History of Tractors in Ukranian\u2019.The FastReads service has turned into another success story for the Library and its members.ACTER tureg DDE Ne SPARRING A TE de DHHLABSATHN O2 The theft of laptop computers has become a significant problem in the past few years, according to the Insurance Bureau of Canada, who urge people not to leave the portable equipment in their vehicles.\u201cNever leave valuables out in plain view,\u201d suggested Alexandre Royer, à public relations officer for the association.\u201cBring them inside vour house or at least put them in the trunk of the car If you do the latter, be aware of vour surroundings and make sure no one is watching as vou do it.\u201d ANOTHER JUST LISTED! ) TT Adj.5267 Côte St.Antoine #202 2 bedrapm, 2 bathroom 1 LS condo.\u201cBust 1 year old; ne upied.[2-1 locatioggin the building overlooking a beautiful, peaceful gardengonveniently located.Hardwood flo [TT elevator, abundant storage, ge nterggm, + [CRE LX] AGENT IMMOBILIER AFFILIÉ AGENT #7 remax WESTMOUNT AGENT # For art OF RE/MAX QUEBEC 386-2902 www.briandutch.com PUY RE/MAX WESTMOUNT Inc.rtered Real Estate Broker/independently o & operated 4 Ductless Split-System IY LD Can Revolutionize Indoor Climate Control A perfect solution for 4 bedroom semi-detached cottages with a skylight 5400 Decarie Blvd.1) | A R ue LU corner he CPR PEE) = SOUT 81 2001 NEPSINUE = YININENG INDOINGSIMZ s abey Page 6 - THE WESTMOUNT EXAMINER - Thursday, lune 16, 2005 LC his time last year, we were all going through the flames.Westmount's fate was placed in the community reached fever pitch.Although there was also a i federal election campaign in full y, ill À swing, all eyes / i {li / 47 \u2018| the municipal Wayne Larsen : front as \u2018Yes\u2019 and .\u2018No\u2019 camps of the demerger referendum clashed bitterly during the last full week of their respective campaigns.Both sides were determined to save Westmount from what each claimed would be lengths to convince everyone else that they were right.They had been holding public meetings, canvassing the community door-to-door and sniping at each other in the pages of The Examiner.Pro-merger signs were stolen from front lawns, demerger signs were stolen from front lawns, and both sides were accusing the other of foul play on a the entire embattled island.While the vast majority of Westmounters were clearly against the \u201cOne island, one city\u201d idea ever since then- mayor Peter Trent reported rumblings in that area way back in the mid-1990s, the *Yes\u2019 side took nothing for granted and kept plugging away in a well-organized and fiercely years.The \u2018No\u2019 side, in à classic case of far too little far too late, could not convince very many people to give up the advantages of an autonomous Westmount for the less attractive megacity life.They were heavily outnumbered, and the product they were selling was widely acknowledged to be But, to their credit.they never gave up-even when things got absurd.In a last-ditch effort to garner more support in Westmount, Mayor Gérald Tremblay held a town- hall meeting at the Serbian Orthodox Church on Melville Avenue, only to be disappointed not only by the low turnout but by the fact that many of those who did attend were not Howard Hoppenheim, who asked those in attendance to stand up if they lived in Westmount, and not many did.This sudden influx of \u201cout-of-towners\u201d was so evident that even across the street, at the local soccer field, startled parents were turning around to see where all the cigarette smoke was coming from-\u2014a dead giveaway in butt-free Westmount.to be one of The Examiner's finest moments.The biggest story in Westmount's history was unfolding in the weeks leading up to June 20.and sure enough.The Examiner was in the middle of it all- even becoming part of the controversy as members of both camps accused us of devoting too much space to the other side! Martin C.Barry honoured for his work that night in the crowded, emotionally charged city council chamber as the referendum results were announced.At the 2004 Quebec Community Newspapers Association's excellence awards ceremony held last month, he won first place in the news story category for his report on the referendum results in with his shot of former mayor Peter Trent- -the long embattled leader of the demerger forces- hugging Borough Councillor Cynthia Lulham in relief and triumph just as Westmount's demerger victory was officially announced.Marty had to elbow his way through the crowd and stand on a chair to get that shot, but it was certainly worth it.hands of its citizens as the politics in this seemed to be on certain fiscal disaster, and everyone was going to great regular basis a microcosm of what was happening across passionate campaign that was carried out over several vastly inferior to the demerger alternative.even Westmount residents.Inside.this was exposed by As the late John Sancton pointed out at the time, this was It was therefore gratifying to see our regular freelancer Westmount.He also won first place as a news photographer And yes.once again, John Sancton was right.mere Fr 1 ee Fc Ja V7 LEADERSHIP CAMPAIGN UNFINISHED WESTMOUNT he good city is never finished.While all cities share similar problems and obligations, it is the small enhancements that give citizens special pride and pleasure.And some of them don't even cost much money.Okay.okay.so Westmount has a few that do cost money: the greenhouse.the bowling green, the outdoor rinks\u2014ail expensive, considering the size of our citizenry that actually uses them.But we like them.we like the idea of them, and no one dare suggest discontinuing them.As 1 found out when.as mayor, | said that since our outdoor rinks were skateable so few winter days and.even then.so few skaters were to be seen on them, thousands of dollars in savings might be realized if thev were discontinued.Protests descended like a snowstorm.One particularly irate gentleman said he liked the rink near his house.not because he ever used it.but because he liked to look out his window and see it! For many.those outdoor rinks were reminders of their youth.when the only rinks were outdoors.My feeling was that if we were going to have six outdoor rinks.why couldn't we have one real beauty?Under the trees and winding around the little island on the waterway in Westmount Park.with Christmas lights and music playing.Now that would be a place for families to gather to provide memories.1 did manage to add a few enhancements that didn\u2019t cost much and that now seem a part of our ongoing city: the lights outlining our city hall each holiday season.the stained glass windows in our council chamber.and the paintings donated by our artists that decorate our city offices.One I did not manage to get, and that is now gone forever: the preservation of the old cast-iron fire alarm stands that once stood sentinel on our street corners from a time when even Westmounters did- n't have telephones.When | found out they were being auctioned off\u2014-my son Adam bought one which he still treasures in his back garden\u2014 I rushed to see what was left of them.Some 30 lav rusting in the citv vards.What might be done with them?Realizing that only if 1 got the support of a name would I get our stolid council to move on them.1 phoned Melvin Charney.1 admired the sculpture garden he created across from the Canadian Centre for Architecture.Would he consider designing something with our alarm stands?Alas, he was too committed to other work.so sic transit gloria.But there are a few other enhancements that are still possible.some costing very little.Just in case our elected officials can take time from the urgent work of restoring our city to as much of its pre-merg- er status as possible\u2014wouldn't it be nice if: 1.If we had a little outdoor tea room off the art gallery of Victoria Hall, where we could sit, sip and talk with friends of a summer afternoon or evening.2.If one of our remaining greenhouses were turned into a cactus garden.As far back as the 1940s.I would go down of a winter's afternoon to sit in the cactus greenhouse of Montreal's Botanical Garden to contemplate summer.Cactus is the perfect plant for a cold climate greenhouse.Inexpensiv to keep up.requiring little feeding.it can take any heat in summer and survive winter cnld as long as the temperature is just above freezing.(continued on page 7) The Bustmenut # Publisher Gordon Brewerton Classified Boxed Ads Tel: (514) 685-4690 ext 245 Production Manager Jean Gauthier e-mail: publisher@transcontinental.ca Classified Ads jel Gon aaa | Graphic Designer Emanuela Niculescu RER Editor Wayne Larsen ext 32 Reai 1 Offi \u201c or Printing Transcontinental Printing Df +.BOO WINNER egional Office Division Transmag CCNA BETTE smal far @ranscontinentat us ; Q Saye = madlaisemwetranscontinentatca Hebdos Transcontinental Western Montreal 10807.tue Mirabeau TOMPETTION Administration Debbie Dore et 28 3077 Des Sources, Dollars des Ormeaux Qc H9B 270 vile d'Anjou, Qc, H1} 117 245 Victoria Ave., Suite 10 Advertising Consultants Sandra Coban ext 24 Regional Manager Conger Brewerton | Distribution Transcontmentat Media Inc 4 Harvey Aisenthal ext 25 Circulation : Publ-Sac Montres Westmount (Québec) H3Z 2M6 Janice Proctor vxt Le Westmount framine 9800 copres 337.6920 Nn rt The West End Chrono 35000 copies - \u2019 - (514) 484-561 0 Fax: (514) 484-6028 Aileen Candiott eat 3 The Chronicle