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André Savard: local services at the top of his list

In charge of the public works and traffic commission

par Pierre Lussier
Voir tous les articles de Pierre Lussier
Article mis en ligne le 29 mars 2007 à 16:00
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President André Savard points to the borough's arteries that are getting a closer look by his commission.

André Savard: local services at the top of his list

In charge of the public works and traffic commission

Borough councillor André Savard found a perfect fit when he accepted the presidency of the public works and traffic commission, a responsibility for which he thanks mayor Claude Trudel for his faith in him.

André Savard enjoys the contact with the public and this commission has a number of files that necessitate constant contact and feedback. Questions regarding road and sidewalk maintenance, pedestrian safety and the problem of excessive speeding are just some of the issues he will be tackling. These are all local services, services that affect residents the most. Savard is assisted in his work by vice-president Paul Beaupré and councillor Marc Touchette, as well as borough management, Pierre Boutin, Martin Roberge, Jean Cardin, Jean-Pierre Bédard and police officer Denis Laplante. All decisions taken by the commission must be approved by the all council members.

Parking

Criticized for increases in parking rates, Savard states that the increases in the borough have been much more modest than the ones imposed in the boroughs of the former city of Montreal. The commission also created a repertoire of municipal parking lots, according to their use. There are institutional parking lots, such as the one at the hospital, commercial parking lots, such as the one behind Wellington Street, residential parking and recreational parking, like the one south of the Auditorium, which is free. "We want our monthly parking fees to be comparable to the price of a monthly bus pass, motivating the public to favour public transport," he stated.

Woodland Street

Among extensive work planned for 2007 are complete repairs to Woodland Street (the section between Bannantyne and Champlain boulevard). Savard estimates that this will definitely be done this year and it will be considered major work, because the sewers will have to be replaced, as well as the road and the sidewalk will have to be repaired. Work of this magnitude requires the cooperation and coordination of all other public services, such as Metropolitan Gas and Hydro-Quebec, as well as a financial commitment. The City of Montreal will be contributing $1.6 M and the borough $700,000 for the project.

Pedestrian safety

Educating should come before reprimanding, according to Savard, when it comes to the file of pedestrian crossings. The borough has spent a lot of money in providing Verdun with pedestrian crossings, installing signs and tracing lines. The councillor is aware that many drivers do not respect the crossings, which necessitate a complete stop for drivers when a pedestrian is attempting to cross. This is the law, but only 5% of drivers seem to conform to it.

Many drivers are afraid that cars behind them will ram into them and pedestrians are afraid to cross because they don't know if motorists will stop for them. Raising awareness is the number one priority, but once people have been made aware, it's up to the police to get involved and hand out the necessary penalties.

Excessive speed is also a major concern for many residents. The commission president is well aware of the speeding that takes place on LaSalle Blvd near the Douglas Hospital and he promises to find a solution. The same goes for Champlain, Galt and 5th Avenue. The commission has studied the problems in 4th and 5th Avenue and Champlain and intends to do something about in the spring.

The commission, presided over by Savard, has a number of files, both for Verdun's mainland and L'Ile-des-Soeurs, which it's studying. Snow removal, the installation or not of stop signs, speed bumps, the Island's entrances and exits, the transportation of earth on the Island for the number of projects taking place there, etc.

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