Ensemble Montréal and more calling for free parking to be restored at Claude-Robillard Sports Complex

The Official Opposition at Montreal City Hall, alongside several sports associations and clubs are calling for free parking to be reinstated at the Centre sportif Claude-Robillard. The pricing was put in place in September and was set at $2.50 per hour or $11 per day.

Ensemble Montréal held a press conference on Thursday to denounce the parking prices at the sports complex.

Claude-Robillard employees, including coaches and athletes said these new measures were imposed without any prior notice.

“Users of the Claude-Robillard Complex come from all corners of Montreal and even Quebec, and many depend on their cars for access. By imposing this new tax on motorists, the Plante administration is compromising access to sports activities,” said Dimitrios Jim Beis, Official Opposition spokesperson for sports and Pierrefonds-Roxboro Mayor. “This demonstrates a blatant disconnect with the reality on the ground.”

The Crémazie metro station is located one KM away from the facility, but Ensemble Montréal points out that public transit is a not a viable option for many athletes and their families who often need to transport heavy or bulky equipment.

“It’s deplorable that the City of Montreal didn’t consult the organizations offering sports activities at Claude-Robillard Sports Complex before handing over parking management to the Agence de mobilité durable,” said Club Gymnix and International Gymnix President Émilie Baillargeon.

“The city did not act as a good partner. This decision has a major impact since it weakens the financial equilibrium of our organizations. It shows a lack of respect for us.”

“A user training at the Claude-Robillard Sports Complex between 15 and 30 hours per week will pay the same amount for parking as their gym membership at the facility (between $37 and $42 per month),” reads a press release by Ensemble Montréal.

The opposition also noted that referees and coaches earn around $25 per game but they’ll end up losing a third of their income in parking fees since they usually have to stay on site for nearly three hours during matches.

Some of the sports associations who use the complex are the Metropolitan Judo Club, the CAMO Diving Club, Montreal Archery Club, the Montreal Concordia Elite Karate Club, the Gymnix Artistic Gymnastics Club, etc.

“Having had the honor of participating in the Olympic Games, I train six times a week. Like many athletes, I live outside the city and public transportation, which requires three hours round-trip with all my equipment, is not a viable option. The parking cost of $11 per day represents a financial burden of about $2,500 per year,” said Virginie Chénier, Olympic athlete and representative of the Montreal Archery Club.

President of the Montreal Concordia Elite Karate Club Chanh Chau-Tran said that the City of Montreal needs to stop spinning in circles.

“City of Montreal officials will have to stop talking out of both sides of their mouths: on the one hand, they talk about promoting inclusive access to sports arenas; on the other, they introduce a policy of paid parking around these arenas,” he said.

In an email statement to CityNews, Mayor Valérie Plante’s office says that they are “sensitive to the impact of this change on the citizens who use the Centre. As promised at the outset, we are actively working on measures and adjustments to meet the needs of different types of users of the center.”

They add that, “at all times, users will still be able to use the free 15-minute drop-off, and other measures will be added in the coming weeks for sports and school buses.”

The Mayor’s office also claims that the parking lot is largely used by those who don’t frequent Claude-Robillard, “as it’s the only free space in the area, limiting access to center users. The parking lot is also loss-making, with annual costs of nearly $500,000 in snow removal, in addition to other costs that currently have to be borne by all Montreal taxpayers.”