Catégorie : Reflet-News (Russell-Embrun-Casselman)

As The Nation continues to face challenges in recruiting and retaining firefighters, the municipality has confirmed the renewal of a long-standing agreement with Casselman for fire services, ensuring that certain areas of The Nation are covered by a fire station.

This 14-year agreement will take effect on January 1, 2024, and will remain in force until December 31, 2038. Under the terms of the agreement, the Casselman Fire Department will be responsible for providing essential services such as firefighting, rescue operations, and hazardous materials management in certain parts of The Nation.

The memorandum of understanding and report were presented at The Nation’s council meeting on September 23, and comes at a time when The Nation’s fire department is grappling with ongoing shortages of personnel and equipment, which ultimately led to the closure of the Fournier fire station on Sept. 1.

The closure, recommended in The Nation’s 2022 Fire Services Master Plan, was justified by a lack of volunteers, budget constraints, and equipment needs. Moreover, the Fournier station received few calls, and its coverage area significantly overlapped with those of the St-Isidore and St-Bernardin stations, making it difficult to justify the costs of keeping it operational.

Under the new terms of the agreement, The Nation will pay Casselman $559.86 per hour for firefighting operations. This new arrangement marks a shift from a fixed annual fee to a variable rate per intervention, reflecting the increasing financial pressures both municipalities face due to rising operational costs.

The Nation’s fire service has recently come under public scrutiny, raising concerns about its operational capacity. In response, The Nation’s mayor, Francis Brière, has requested a report on the state of the fire department, which will be presented to the municipal council on October 21. This report is expected to outline the department’s challenges and suggest possible improvements, although these improvements are likely to come with significant costs.

A fire department in the spotlight

Recently, The Nation dismissed five volunteer firefighters from the St-Albert station, citing new policies requiring mandatory training, certifications, and aptitude tests. The firefighters had requested a seniority clause that would recognize their training based on years of service, but this request was denied. Among those dismissed was Raymond Lavergne, who had been a volunteer at the St-Albert station for over 40 years.

The fire department has also faced criticism in recent months for slow response times and limited operational capacity. Additionally, one of The Nation’s firefighters passed away last month under circumstances that have not yet been disclosed by the municipality.

As The Nation strives to maintain its fire services despite budgetary constraints and public criticism, the renewal of the agreement with Casselman ensures the continuity of fire protection services for the community, although broader issues within the fire department remain under review.

Charles Armstrong, 37-year Canadian Armed Forces veteran, is Russell Township’s latest councillor following the Monday, Sept. 30, by-election.

As of Tuesday, Oct. 1, the unofficial vote count stood at 1278 for Armstrong, 878 for Jean-Yves Otis, 789 for Julian Hunt and 772 for Jevon Rudder.

Less than 23 per cent, 3,746, of the 16,407 eligible voters came out to cast their ballots.

‘‘Thank you to those who voted for me, who voted for a change in the focus of the Township — from a recreation complex project to the significant challenges related to future development of the municipality,’’ said Armstrong. ‘‘We will face these challenges together, through much consultation with the public.’’

Armstrong presented himself as a candidate focusing on transparency in procedures and updating the municipality’s infrastructure, looking at how to ensure community safety in regard to the heavy trucks travelling through Russell and Embrun. He voiced concern over the effectiveness of more punitive traffic control measures like speed cameras, stating that reduced speeding and increased safety is the goal, not generating revenue.

‘‘The Township is facing significant challenges related urban growth, including safe roads and managing our wastewater. I am looking forward to addressing these major concerns in the upcoming Official Plan review and the initiation of a wastewater treatment project,’’ said Armstrong.

The by-election was held due to the resignation of former Mayor Pierre Leroux after 14 years as serving Russell Township council, ten as mayor. Councillor Mike Tarnowski was nominated as Mayor following the resignation, leaving his councillor seat open for an election. Leroux currently serves as the Chief Administrative Officer of neighbouring municipality The Nation.

After the official results are announced, Armstrong will start his term on Tuesday, Oct. 15, until Nov. 14, 2026. His inaugural council meeting will be on Oct. 15.

Un rapport commandé par le canton de Russell met en lumière la crise du logement abordable dans la municipalité, alors que les loyers dépassent les seuils de revenu et que les options de logement deviennent de plus en plus limitées.

Pour résoudre ce problème, le conseil municipal a approuvé un rapport sur le logement abordable, élaboré en collaboration avec Tim Welch Consulting Inc. (TWC), à la suite de consultations avec les parties prenantes et de réunions communautaires tenues plus tôt cette année. Le rapport de TWC a été accepté par le conseil le 23 septembre.

Le Comité du logement abordable et accessible a présenté un rapport détaillé décrivant la crise croissante au conseil en janvier 2024. Le personnel a ensuite travaillé avec des consultants pour mener une évaluation complète des besoins en matière de logement et élaborer un plan d’action stratégique visant à augmenter les options de logement pour les résidents de tous niveaux de revenus.

Selon le rapport final, la population de Russell a augmenté de 18,6 % entre 2016 et 2021, tandis que le développement du logement n’a pas suivi. La population plus jeune que la moyenne provinciale, combinée à une démographie en croissance rapide des résidents de 60 ans et plus, a créé un besoin pressant pour des options de logement diversifiées. Actuellement, 79 % des maisons à Russell sont des maisons unifamiliales, ce qui laisse un écart important dans la disponibilité d’unités plus petites et plus abordables.

L’un des constats clés de l’évaluation des besoins en logement est l’augmentation du coût du logement. Plus de 16 % des ménages de Russell vivent actuellement dans des logements inabordables ou inadéquats, et les personnes à faible revenu – en particulier celles qui bénéficient du programme Ontario au travail (OW) ou du Programme ontarien de soutien aux personnes handicapées (POSPH) – rencontrent des difficultés quasi insurmontables pour trouver des logements abordables. Avec des taux d’inoccupation constamment inférieurs à 3 %, les prix des loyers ont fortement augmenté, rendant le marché inaccessible pour de nombreux résidents.

En réponse à cette situation, le Plan d’action pour le logement présente des stratégies clés visant à augmenter l’offre de logements abordables et à garantir que le développement du logement soit plus inclusif pour les populations à faible revenu et vulnérables. L’un des principaux objectifs du plan est de promouvoir des initiatives de logements abordables en engageant des discussions avec les promoteurs, les membres de la communauté et les différents niveaux de gouvernement. De plus, le plan insiste sur la nécessité d’aligner les politiques de zonage locales avec les objectifs du comté et de la province, en mettant l’accent sur l’augmentation de la densité et de la diversité des logements.

Le plan cherche également à explorer des solutions innovantes en matière de logement, telles que les modèles de logement modulaire et coopératif, qui pourraient contribuer à résoudre les pénuries de logements de manière rentable. Le suivi des progrès et la garantie de la mise en œuvre efficace des initiatives de logements abordables sont également des aspects essentiels de la stratégie, la municipalité prévoyant d’introduire des systèmes de suivi pour mesurer le succès de ces efforts.

Pour mieux comprendre les besoins en matière de logement de la communauté, TWC a facilité plusieurs consultations publiques, notamment une réunion spéciale du conseil en juin, suivie d’une journée portes ouvertes. Lors de cet événement, environ 25 membres de la communauté ont eu l’occasion de poser des questions et de donner leur avis sur la manière dont la municipalité devrait aborder les problèmes de logement. Les commentaires recueillis lors de ces séances ont contribué à façonner les recommandations finales présentées dans le Plan d’action pour le logement.

« C’est un rapport très complet », a déclaré la conseillère Lisa Deacon en anglais. « Je suis ravie qu’il y ait une discussion stratégique […] Ce que j’apprécie dans ce rapport, c’est l’idée de réfléchir à ce que nous voulons pour notre communauté, nous voulons une communauté complète », ajoutant que l’inclusion du transport en commun et de l’accès aux services de garde souligne le caractère incomplet de l’offre de logements de la communauté.

Parmi les recommandations, il est proposé d’organiser des initiatives de sensibilisation visant à favoriser les relations avec les promoteurs immobiliers, comme une série de petits-déjeuners pour les promoteurs de logements. Le plan comprend également un programme éducatif visant à promouvoir l’utilisation des unités d’habitation accessoires, qui pourraient offrir davantage d’options de logements abordables pour les résidents. Un autre point fort du plan est de renforcer la collaboration avec les Comtés unis de Prescott et Russell afin de simplifier les politiques en matière de logement et de maximiser les opportunités de développement de logements abordables.

Le Plan d’action pour le logement souligne la nécessité de logements locatifs abordables, de logements à loyer indexé sur le revenu et de logements de soutien pour les populations vulnérables telles que les personnes âgées et les personnes handicapées. Il met également l’accent sur l’importance de créer des rôles dédiés au sein du personnel pour superviser le développement de logements et s’assurer que le logement abordable reste une priorité pour la municipalité.

Alors que la municipalité continue de croître, le conseil demeure optimiste que ces nouvelles initiatives contribueront à faire en sorte que Russell demeure un endroit où des personnes de tous horizons peuvent se permettre de vivre. Les prochaines étapes incluent une discussion stratégique lors de la prochaine réunion du conseil le mardi 15 octobre, au cours de laquelle le conseil décidera comment avancer avec les recommandations du plan et si des ajustements au budget 2025 seront nécessaires pour soutenir sa mise en œuvre.

A new appeal at the Ontario Court of Justice from a judgement back in 2017 compensated a then 16-year-old high school student with $40,000 plus a victim fine surcharge.

In September 2017, a 16-year-old high school student, not named due to her age, got her hair tangled in a rotating spindle at the Embrun Dairy Queen restaurant, resulting in a spinal injury.

Grisly details revealed in court documents claimed she and another employee heard a loud cracking sound as they struggled to turn the machine off.
Another employee went to retrieve the shift leader, who managed to untangle the employee’s hair from the spindle. She was stuck in the machine for seven minutes.

The blender with the rotating spindle originally came with a plastic safety guard but was removed by the shift leader, which was “common practice” for some employees and shift leaders, according to court documents.

During one of the high school student’s early shifts, she was told by one of her shift leaders that she was not required to use the guard. She said to have not received training about machine guarding or about occupational health and safety awareness in general. Dairy Queen has an employee handbook, but the student said she did not receive a copy, see the handbook in the workplace, nor did she see the operator’s manual for the machine.

The accident caused the teenager to be hospitalized for two weeks, had to wear a neck brace, was on bedrest for “quite a while”, and received 18 months of physiotherapy. She also missed a semester of school, which she had to complete online.

Two years after the accident, she says she still suffers long-term effects such as numbness, pain, headaches and certain limitations on her usual activities.

In 2023, the Dairy Queen was charged with failing to ensure the employee’s hair was confined and failing to ensure the machine was guarded, resulting in a fine of just $7,500.

Heard in June 20 of this year, the Court of Appeal revisited a decision made. The initial argument made was that the restaurant “must be considered at the local level when the offence is a local offence” which places the fine range from $5,000 to $10,000. On the other hand, at the time, the Crown asked for a $75,000 fine, plus the victim fine surcharge. The justice of the peace sentenced a fine for $7,500.

In 2024, the appeal court pointed out that the judgement “erred in law in restricting its consideration of the size of the corporation to the location operation” and should instead fall under the fine range from $40,000 to $90,000.

With the review, a fine of $40,000 plus a victim fine surcharge “is appropriate in the circumstances of this case to achieve the relevant sentencing objectives.”

Both the Embrun Dairy Queen franchise as well as the PR firm that represents Dairy Queen chose not to comment for this story.

For food-preneur Maryse Lapalme, it’s a classic story of vocation yielding the right of way to avocation when she changed lanes from her career as a Chartered Professional Accountant and into the kitchen working with food and teaching others about it.

“It was probably around 2009,” says Lapalme, who says food and cooking is a true passion. “I decided I wanted a change, so I started the Academy.”

Located on Notre-Dame Street in Embrun, Académie du gourmet provides a wide range of foods, kitchen tools and services that, according to Lapalme, the community around her has embraced.

Passion and demand have intersected. Lapalme says that 15 years ago, there was a gap in the range of healthier ready-made foods that were then available, noting, however, that there was mostly an abundant supply of deep-fried foods consumers could buy.

But times changed and so did peoples’ awareness of the importance of a healthy diet.

“It has gotten a lot better now, including at grocery stores, but we focus on making healthier foods and prepare our menu from scratch,” she says.

The Academy’s meals-to-go, made weekly in the Academy’s kitchen and with a relatively small staff, feature local ingredients and avoid preservatives and additives whenever possible.

Citing what she discovered was a “need” in the community for healthy and convenient ways to feed a busy family, in the freezers and fridges at the venue are ready-made meals including roughly 15 soups in rotation, shepherd’s pie, salmon dishes, pasta sauce, beef Bourguignon and a variety of baked goods, among others dishes.

Tradition plays a role in her cooking, and Lapalme, who is also a certified holistic nutritionist, says her meat pies are very traditional, “very French Canadian.”

“It’s Christmas time stuff,” she says. “But I make the meat pies year-round.”

There is also a selection of bulk foods for purchase with customers bringing their own eco-friendly containers including nearly two dozen oils and vinegars (such as balsamics) and various grains, spices, cheeses and locally roasted coffee.

Lapalme loves her electric smoker, too: she smokes scallops and duck, but smoked salmon is a favourite for both hot and cold smokes as well as candied. It’s then vacuum sealed and has a good shelf life, she says.

“People come in just for our smoked salmon. It’s very tasty,” says Lapalme adding that her kitchen will be smoking spareribs this week and making an accompanying home-made barbecue sauce.

Twice a week, Lapalme and staff prepare a full meal – soup, main course and dessert – for the local Meals on Wheels organization that delivers supper to elderly people and people with limited mobility.

Just about everyone interested in food loves some sort of culinary equipment, and it’s another of Lapalme’s passions to offer a selection of kitchen tools as part of her retail line. As Lapalme describes it, she “really likes” good kitchen gadgets.

The store also carries a number of personal care products like soaps, shampoos and lotions.
Despite the word “academy” that is part of the business’s name, implying as it does a sense of institutional rigour and formality, it’s easy to tell that Lapalme’s approach to food and cooking is casual and accessible. When she talks about the Academy’s services, she does so as educational but also entertaining and engaging.

“We are not a place where you come to get a title, or papers, or anything like that,” Lapalme says. “It’s for the fun of learning about cooking and food which is my passion.”

And that leads to the instructional element: a good part of that passion around food derives from teaching: she gives demonstration classes for groups as large as 24 people and hands-on cooking classes for 12. On occasion, guest chefs from Ottawa visit to teach Thai or Italian cuisine.

After a having given adult cooking classes and doing kids’ birthday parties, participants asked Lapalme about teaching kids some of the basics of the kitchen – it’s now a key component of her business that she’s been doing for about a decade.

“We start the classes for eight-year-olds. They come on Saturday for a two-hour class and start with knife skills. We make soups and move on to chicken cordon bleu. I have high school students helping us out.”

Lapalme confesses that her love for food and making a variety of dishes for her customers – often from family recipes like her mother’s shepherd’s pie – is satisfying, but at the same time the classroom continues to inspire her.

“I learned years later when I started this business that I really like to teach,” she says.

To take a page from a Martha Stewart cookbook, sharing knowledge is a “very good thing.” The traditions of culinary skills and local foodways being passed down to the next generation both connects people and contributes to community building.

Food writer Andrew Coppolino lives in Rockland. He is the author of “Farm to Table” and co-author of “Cooking with Shakespeare.” Follow him on Instagram @andrewcoppolino.

Jevon Rudder, owner of the Homestead Pub since 2018, has decided to add his name to the list for the upcoming Russell Township 2024 municipal by-election.

Before getting into the restaurant industry, Rudder spent 15 years in the military, the bureaucracy of which he believes prepared him for the politics of being a councillor. Prior to that, Rudder spent 10 years in Toronto as a project manager before moving to Russell over a decade ago.

Having lived in the community for many years, Rudder has seen firsthand the expansion and diversification of the community. However, he also noticed that there’s nobody on council he can relate with.” At 53 years old, Rudder believes he is right in ‘‘that sweet spot” where he feels he has enough life experience to be a voice to the people that have been a part of the community while still representing the newcomers and a younger generation.

Rubber is proud to be a business owner.

“Seeing the businesses around here, some of the struggling, I believe in keeping things local to stimulate the economy and stimulate the sense of community, and kind of change the culture a little bit while still keeping it the same.”

Rudder adds he doesn’t want the culture of the municipalities to change, due to the current growth, while still being open to new residents, ideas, and businesses.

If elected, Rudder is not worried about managing both being a councillor and a restaurant owner. Surrounded by two business partners, Robin Wheatley and his wife Meaghan Rudder, he is able to still be present at the restaurant while managing the responsibilities of being a councillor.

As the owner of a public restaurant, Rudder said he hopes people take advantage of the fact that he will be more accessible than before.

“If you are putting yourself out of the way to come in and talk to me, I’ll find some time for you. And if I can’t find the time right at that second, I can make an appointment,’’ said Rudder. ‘‘If people do come in and take advantage of the fact that I’m sitting here and if I can find the time, depending on what they’re talking about, I may be able to answer their question quickly.”

If elected, Rudder plans to stimulate the economy by being the voice for small businesses and generating community involvement through events. He hopes to bring in new revenue streams into the municipality as well.

Another group Rudder plans to look out for are the farmers.

“The farmers are not getting their voices heard. Some of the issues that they’ve been talking to me about seem like there’s just some bureaucracy and red tape there that somebody needs to cut through,” said Rudder. “They feed all of us. And at some point, they get kind of pushed to the side. In the end, they don’t have a voice.”

Election Day is Sept. 30. Voters can vote online or by phone anytime starting Sept. 26 at 9 a.m. until Sept. 30 at 8 p.m. All election information can be found on the Russell Township website.

Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) from the Russell and Hawkesbury detachments arrested a 28-year-old from Embrun after an investigation into threats involving a firearm.

On Monday, Sept. 16, members of the Hawkesbury detachment of the OPP, received a call regarding threats being levelled involving a firearm. Police from both crime units at the Russell and Hawkesbury detachments responded with assistance from the OPP Emergency Response Team. K-9 unit, Repeat Offender Parole Enforcement Unit, Forensic Identification Services and Provincial Weapons Enforcement Unit.

Following the investigation, a 28-year-old from Embrun was arrested and charged with possession of a weeping for dangerous purpose, possession of a loaded and prohibited or restricted firearm, careless use of a firearm, three counts of uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm, uttering threats of damaging or injuring an animal, and two counts of possession of a firearm contrary to a prohibition order.

Officers seized a 12-gauge shotgun with a sawed-off barrel and ammunition.

The accused remains in custody awaiting a bail hearing.

Un pompier de La Nation est décédé, mais les détails manquent, alors que des discussions en ligne portent sur les défaillances des services d’urgence de la région.

Le syndicat représentant les paramédicaux des Comtés unis de Prescott et Russell (CUPR), la section locale 7911 du SCFP, a publié une déclaration de condoléances sur sa page Facebook, faisant référence au pompier décédé. 

Le message comprenait deux tags faisant référence à la sensibilisation à la santé mentale pour les urgences et les premiers intervenants.

Aucune déclaration faisant directement référence à l’incident n’a été publiée par la municipalité, ni par le service d’incendie, mais une image de l’insigne du service d’incendie de La Nation entouré d’un ruban rouge est affichée sur la page Facebook du service.

De plus, le maire de Clarence-Rockland, Mario Zanth, a également fait part de ses condoléances en ligne.

En vertu d’un accord entre les deux municipalités, le chef des pompiers de Clarence-Rockland est également le chef des pompiers de La Nation.

Les événements antérieurs ne sont pas liés

Plus tôt la semaine dernière, le mardi 17 septembre, La Nation a envoyé un communiqué de presse présentant ses « plus sincères condoléances à la famille et aux amis touchés par cette perte récente ». 

Un porte-parole de La Nation a indiqué que les deux événements n’étaient pas liés.

Le communiqué faisait référence à un « récent incident tragique qui s’est produit à St-Albert » et indiquait que la municipalité était au courant des informations erronées qui circulaient sur Internet. 

La Nation a déclaré que les commentaires en ligne suggèrent que les récents changements de personnel à la caserne de pompiers de St-Albert ont eu un impact sur les capacités d’intervention du service. 

« Nous tenons à rassurer le public que ces changements nécessaires n’ont pas compromis nos opérations. La caserne continue d’avoir une équipe de pompiers de garde et, comme pour toutes les autres casernes, les casernes voisines sont prêtes à apporter leur aide si un soutien supplémentaire est nécessaire », peut-on lire dans le communiqué.

La caserne de Fournier a été fermée récemment, le 1er septembre, une décision prise par le service dans le cadre du plan directeur de lutte contre les incendies de la municipalité adopté en 2019.

Le communiqué poursuit en indiquant que les pompiers sont tenus de participer à une formation continue et de maintenir « les normes élevées de sécurité publique que [la] communauté mérite ».

« Bien que ces exigences municipales en matière de formation soient en place depuis un certain temps, les récents changements apportés par la province ont introduit des normes de formation obligatoires supplémentaires pour les pompiers de l’Ontario », a déclaré la municipalité. « Nous nous engageons pleinement à soutenir nos pompiers dans le cadre de ces nouvelles exigences en couvrant tous les coûts associés et en les indemnisant pour le temps qu’ils y consacrent.

Malgré ces assurances, La Nation a déclaré que le manque de personnel est en train d’être résolu, un problème auquel sont confrontés de nombreux services d’incendie ruraux.

Jean-Yves Otis, résident d’Embrun depuis 18 ans, souhaite devenir le prochain conseiller municipal de Russell afin d’améliorer les routes d’Embrun, de respecter le budget et de renforcer le travail d’équipe au sein du conseil.

Résident d’Embrun depuis 2006, M. Otis a toujours été intéressé par le service à la communauté. Deux ans après avoir emménagé dans le village, il s’est joint au Club Joie de Vivre d’Embrun, un club pour les résidents âgés de 50 ans et plus. En 2013, il est devenu président du club, poste qu’il a occupé jusqu’en 2023.

« Je suis quelqu’un qui écoute beaucoup les gens. J’ai remarqué que la municipalité n’est pas toujours à l’écoute des gens », a déclaré M. Otis.

S’il est élu, M. Otis souhaite continuer à aider la communauté. L’un de ses objectifs est d’améliorer les rues de la municipalité, principalement à Embrun. Il estime que les routes de Russell sont beaucoup plus belles et mieux entretenues que celles d’Embrun.

Selon M. Otis, les cinq règles que la municipalité doit suivre pour respecter le budget sont les suivantes : tenir une bonne comptabilité, connaître à tout moment l’état des finances, suivre les entrées et sorties d’argent des comptes bancaires, anticiper les dépenses prévues et épargner.

« C’est bien beau d’avoir un budget, mais à un moment donné, si vous ne le suivez pas, vous arriverez à la fin de l’année et vous aurez beaucoup dépensé, mais l’année suivante, vous aurez moins d’argent. »

M. Otis estime que la municipalité manque de travail d’équipe. Comme il s’agit de l’une de ses forces, il est convaincu qu’en étant présent aux réunions du conseil et en prenant des décisions concernant les routes et les finances de la municipalité, il sera en mesure d’amener les conseillers et le maire à prendre ensemble de meilleures décisions pour les résidents.

Pour s’assurer d’atteindre ses objectifs, M. Otis prévoit de prendre des mesures et de communiquer avec le conseil et les résidents.

« Si vous ne parvenez pas à une conclusion, vous devez continuer à en parler jusqu’à ce que le problème soit résolu. Je dois défendre ce en quoi je crois », a déclaré M. Otis.

Le jour du scrutin est le 30 septembre. Le Centre de ressources pour les électeurs sera ouvert de 9 heures à 20 heures. Tous les renseignements sur les élections sont disponibles sur le site Web du canton de Russell. Le nouveau conseiller commencera son mandat le 15 octobre et le terminera le 14 novembre 2026.

The ground has been broken on Russell Township’s new $100 million recreation complex. 

The ceremonial start to construction was held on Tuesday, Sept. 17, with around 50 people present, including the Mayor of Russell Township Mike Tarnowski, Member of Provincial Parliament Stéphane Sarrazin, and Russell Chief Administrative Officer Richard Godin, among others. 

“This complex is more than just a building; it symbolises the future of our township where the health and wellbeing of our residents are at the forefront,” said Mayor Tarnowski during his speech. “Today’s ground-breaking – of course, they’ve already started – marks a very, very important addition to this complex.” 

With an initial estimated cost of $104 million, the project is the largest project the municipality has undertaken. 

“I’m very happy we’re here. As it has been said, we’ve been working on this project for years,” said former Russell Mayor Pierre Leroux, who kicked off the project in earnest during his tenure before resigning to work as Chief Administrative Officer of the neighbouring municipality of The Nation. “My name won’t be on the plaque, but that’s okay.” 

Back when Leroux was a municipal councillor in 2010, the project was already a discussion. Then in 2014, he kept pushing for the project to go in that direction. 

“It took a while, but we got there,” Leroux said. 

Although the project has been in the works for many years, public consultations and community involvement has been near constant since 2020. 

The Recreation Complex will have three ice rinks with a total capacity of under 500 seats and 260 standing room, 12 change rooms equipped with gender-neutral facilities, a 25-metre indoor pool with six lanes, a dry sauna, a fully accessible and inclusive changing room, a 10,000-square-foot community hall made to be divisible into three sections to allow for three separate venues, and a fully equipped kitchen. 

The land that will play home to the Recreation Complex also has the Jonathan Pitre Accessible Park, the sports dome, tennis court, basketball court, and the New York Central Fitness Trail. 

The project should be completed in fall 2026. 

“It’s only the beginning,” said Tarnowski. “This is our opportunity to show it to the public. It’s exciting to see the project begin, even though the project already began last year, but now it’s moving forward for real.” 

During the presentation, the Mayor revealed that Stéphane Sarrazin, MPP for Glengarry-Prescott-Russell, aims to help the municipality to obtain grants to help finance the complex. 

“There’s nothing official yet,” said Sarrazin. However, he mentions that in August of this year, the Ministry of Sport and Recreation announced they are accepting applications for the new Community Sport and Recreation Infrastructure Fund (CSRIF) as part of the 2024 budget. The province will be investing $200 million to help municipalities update sports and recreation infrastructure between $150,000 and $1 million and build new ones for up to $10 million. 

“If we look at the project as it is, it meets all the criteria for this program, so we’re really hoping for good news. We can never say it’s a sure thing, there’s a selection committee at the ministry, but we’re really expecting to get maybe 10 million from the province for the project,” said Sarrazin, who expects to hear back from the government by late fall.