Montreal North mayor denounces Plante for inaction on long-promised sports centre
Posted October 10, 2023 11:44 am.
Last Updated October 10, 2023 5:30 pm.
The mayor of Montreal North is deploring the municipal government for failing to move forward with its election promise of building a sports centre for the borough.
“This broken promise is unjustifiable,” Montreal North Mayor Christine Black said Tuesday.
BACKGROUND: Montreal North, hometown of 3 NBA stars, still waiting for promised sports centre
Building a sports and recreational centre, which Montreal North does not have, was presented as a top priority during Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante’s re-election campaign in 2021.
But no funds were allocated for the project in the city’s 2022 budget or the 10-year capital expenditure program (PDI).
“We understand that this is a major project, but the patience of Montreal North residents has a limit,” said Black.
Montreal North elected officials say the city has proposed to build a swimming pool for the borough, with construction beginning in 2029. That’s a far cry from a major sports centre, Black says.
“We went from an aquatic and sports centre, which was to be built within the current mandate, to a swimming pool which will not see the light of day before the end of the next mandate,” Black said.
‘Montreal North is next in line’
In a statement to CityNews, Plante’s press attaché says it has put aside $80 million of the PDI for Montreal North’s aquatic sports centre.
“We just started construction on the Pierrefonds-Roxboro aquatic sports centre last month and the one in Montreal North is next in line,” said Catherine Cadotte. “We are currently working with the borough on pre-project studies so that we are able to properly plan the next stages of the schedule.”
“We are counting on their collaboration to achieve them quickly and enable a project that serves the population while respecting their ability to pay.”
Cadotte says the City of Montreal wants the project “to be implemented as quickly as possible.”
Montreal North: no money for sports and recreation centre (January 2022)
Last week Black met with Isabelle Charest, Quebec’s minister responsible for sports, recreation and the outdoors, to urge the province to fund part of the project.
The borough mayor is calling on the Plante administration and Quebec government officials to move forward with the promised project.
“Montreal North residents can count on our local administration, which will continue to be vocal on this issue. Unlike others, we will not let them down,” Black said.
