Surely Leslie Neilsen isn't Dead---Yes he is,-& Stop Calling Him Shirley

                 Funny man & fellow Canadian has died at the age of 84.

LOS ANGELES - Canadian comic actor Leslie Nielsen, star of a string of madcap spoof movies including "Airplane!" and "The Naked Gun," died of complications from pneumonia in Florida on Sunday, a spokesman said. He was 84.

Nielsen is probably best known for playing the bumbling cop Lieutenant Frank Drebin in the "Naked Gun" franchise, but enjoyed a movie and television career spanning more than 60 years.

The spokesman said Nielsen died in a hospital near his home in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, surrounded by his wife, Barbaree, and friends at 5:34 p.m. EST.

Born on February 11, 1926, in Regina, Saskatchewan, the son of an RCMP officer.

Nielsen had two brothers Gordon and Erik, who became deputy prime minister in the Mulroney Conservative government. After being born in Regina, the actor moved around the west and the north with his family. The Nielsen boys were sent from their home in the remote town of Fort Norman, 300 kilometres from the Arctic Circle, to attend school in Edmonton. They went to the inner-city McKay Avenue School and Victoria High School in Edmonton, with the future actor graduating in 1942.

At the time, Nielsen once said, he was never the class clown.

“In those days, I was too busy trying to be Mr. Perfect. You try to be Mr. Perfect so that your parents can find nothing wrong with you. They have a lot of other things to think about like putting food on the table, so you just don’t want to rock the boat.”

However, he later suspected comedy was already in his genes during his school days after he discovered details of his Mountie father’s life.

“I remember seeing pictures of my father at RCMP Sports Days (sort of an athletic picnic), and he was in a clown outfit. He was the regiment clown.”

He got his first big break in 1950 with a "Studio One" television appearance, and came to Hollywood in 1954 to star in the film "The Vagabond King" for "Casablanca" director Michael Curtiz.

For the first 30 years of his career, Nielsen worked steadily in TV shows such as "Peyton Place" and "The Virginian," and built a reputation for playing authority figures such as the captain of the ill-fated cruise ship in the 1972 feature "The Poseidon Adventure."

But later generations got to know the silver-haired actor for his deadpan performances in comedies such as 1980's "Airplane!" and the "Naked Gun" trilogy.

As Dr. Rumack in "Airplane!", Nielsen delivered inane non sequiturs with a straight face. "Can you fly this plane, and land it?," he asks a passenger. "Surely, you can't be serious," the passenger exclaims.

"I am serious, and don't call me Shirley," Rumack replies.

"The Naked Gun" franchise had its origins in the short-lived 1982 TV show "Police Squad!" After it was canceled, creators Jim Abrahams, Jerry Zucker and David Zucker -- who had previously worked with Nielsen on "Airplane!" -- turned it into a feature packed with slapstick action and double-entendres.

Drebin, in a nod to Inspector Clouseau, delivered deadpan lines like "Nice beaver" as his girlfriend, played by Priscilla Presley, stood above him on a ladder clutching a stuffed animal. His character also beat up the Ayatollah Khomeini and scrubbed the birthmark from Russian leader Mikhail Gorbachev's head. The cast was rounded out by George Kennedy as Drebin's partner, and O.J. Simpson as their hapless colleague.

In the 1991 sequel, "Naked Gun 2-1/2: The Smell of Fear," the villain played by Robert Goulet, tells an unannounced Drebin he did not see his name on the guest list. "Nothing to be embarrassed about. I sometimes go by my maiden name," Drebin replies.

The final film, 1994's "The Naked Gun 33-1/3: The Final Insult" saw Drebin try to avert a disaster during the Academy Awards and go undercover in a penitentiary. An inmate asks where his prison number is. "It's unlisted," Drebin says. That film marked Anna Nicole Smith's first big role.

Nielsen also appeared in the 1996 spy spoof "Spy Hard" as Agent WD-40, and in 1998's "Wrongfully Accused," a parody of "The Fugitive." More recent acting roles included playing a buffoonish president in the 2003 Hollywood parody "Scary Movie 3" and its 2006 sequel. In the latter film's most memorable sequence, his character unwittingly addressed gagging diplomats at the United Nations while naked.

But Nielsen also had a serious side. During the 1990s, he took to the stage in "Darrow", a one-man drama about legendary "attorney for the damned" Clarence Darrow.

"I didn't want to go ahead and be pegged for doing only comedy, although comedy is burgeoning," he told Reuters in a 1996 interview. "I'd like to see how far I can stretch and keep on doing 'dumb and stupid' (comedy) and drama and if possible be accepted at both. There's a line with an audience you can't always cross over. Sometimes, they only want to see you being funny."

© Copyright (c) The Montreal Gazette                

YMCA

This is the history of the YMCA in Verdun from it's inception in 1918 to app. 1985. My Word text is on the bottom wich I had to scan but you will have to be enlarged in order to read it. If members are unable to enlarge it, please let me know as I will have to retype it here. This is the english version and the french version will hopefully be in the Verdun Messager this week and I am trying to have the english version also printed. I was able to trace the 5 locations that the Y exhisted during it's history. Look at the plan and map I was able to get from some of my contacts.

Guy

Here is my text on the YMCA:

The YMCA (Yound Men's Christian Association) Southwestern Branch played an important role in the development of the youth of Verdun in the 20th century. The "Y" as we called it, was first established in 1918 on Rielle street and terminated it's presence in Verdun in the middle of the 80s.

The Y had a modest beginning on Rielle street from 1918 to 1920 then moved to 88 Church street (de l'Église) from 1920 to 1924. Number 88 no longer exhists today but was situated at the end of Edna street.

After 4 years on Church street, the Y moved for the third time to 4241 Wellington street between Galt and Gordon (1925 -1929). After 2 years at that address, the Y took possession of the second floor.

Afterwards the Y bought the land at 1000 Gordon street and a new building was opened to the public on the 26th of january 1930. It is in this magnificient building wich according to it's administrators, combined beauty, utility and efficiency, situated between Bannantyne and the aqueduct (Champlain boulevard was not built at that time), that the Y had it's most glorious years.

Despite the fact that the Y was an english protestant association, us francophones where always welcome. I remember when I lived on Galt street in the 40s, me and my friends would go to the Y on Gordon street wich had supurb sporting facilities and we would benefit of the swimming pool, billiard tables, weight lifting, dance hall and gymnasium. Also there was a tennis court to the right of the building as well as a large playing field wich extended as far as the aqueduct fence for basball in the summer and a skating rink in the winter.

However, with the diminishing english population in the sector and consequently the diminishing membership, the administrators decided to sell the property in 1958 to the École Secondaire Margarita wich had their school constructed to the right of the Y building and a connecting corridor was constructed to have access to the building and specially use the supurb swimming pool. The Y on Gordon street was eventually demolished to be reeplaced by a residential complex.

I disccovered that the Y made a donation of all their files to the Concordia University and I spent a day at their archives on Maisonneuve boulevard and after consulting their corrresponce, it was apparent thay they where experiencing financial difficulties wich was of concern to the administrators, Their studies showed a movement of the anglophone population towards the western sector of Verdun.

That is why the Y bought a piece of land owned by the Douglas Hospital at the extreme left of their property on the border with LaSalle wich was named Verdun/LaSalle YMCA at number 7105 LaSalle boulevard and the new building was officially opened on the 29th of September 1959, It is interesting to mention that the Y would use on ocasion the Douglas Hospital sporting facilities including the swimming pool, according to old members.

However, it again became evident the the lack of money and the small number of members could not go on and the LaSalle boulevard building was closed in the middle of the 80s.ending approximately 65 years of valuable service to the Verdun and surrounding population,

Guy Billard

Société d'Histoire et de Généalogie de Verdun

(15th year of valuable service to the population of Verdun) 

 

  

 

 

 

McGill Youtube Video a Big Hit

           Here we are at the end of November, or as they deemed it this year 'Movember' ,where to bring awareness to everyone of Prostrate Cancer....... Men were supposed to let their moustache grow for this month of November  Here's the Montreal Gazette story from todays online Gazette:

Today is SUNDAY NOVEMBER 28, 2010

McGill management students got the YouTube moves for Movember

By PEGGY CURRAN SUN, NOV 28 2010 UNIVERSITY CITY

MBA students at McGill's Desautels Faculty of Management have put together a funkyYouTube video to help raise awareness and cash for treatment and research on  prostate cancer and men's health issues.

What's not to like about a video that features Lisa Simpson and Captain Kirk?

It's their contibution to Movember, the same get hairy for cancer awareness campaign that led Carey Price and other Montreal Canadiens to sport mustaches over the last month or so.

Check out the video for yourself...

 

True or Not,....an interesting 'tale' at the very least.-----------or is it HorseCrap ?

Do you believe this?

  
 

Railroad tracks.    The   US  standard railroad gauge (distance between the rails) is 4 feet, 8.5 inches. That's an exceedingly odd number.    Why was that gauge used? Because that's the way they built them in England , and English expatriates designed the   US  railroads.   Why did the English build them like that? Because the first rail lines were built by the same people who built the pre-railroad tramways, and that's the gauge they used.   Why did 'they' use that gauge then? Because the people who built the tramways used the same jigs and tools that they had used for building wagons, which used that wheel spacing.   Why did the wagons have that particular odd wheel spacing? Well, if they tried to use any other spacing, the wagon wheels would break on some of the old, long distance roads in   England , because that's the spacing of the wheel ruts.   So who built those old rutted roads? Imperial   Rome built the first long distance roads in Europe (including   England ) for their legions. Those roads have been used ever since.   And the ruts in the roads? Roman war chariots formed the initial ruts, which everyone else had to match for fear of destroying their wagon wheels. Since the chariots were made for Imperial   Rome , they were all alike in the matter of wheel spacing. Therefore the United States standard railroad gauge of 4 feet, 8.5 inches is derived from the original specifications for an Imperial Roman war chariot. Bureaucracies live forever.   So the next time you are handed a specification/procedure/process and wonder 'What horse's ass came up with this?' , you may be exactly right. Imperial Roman army chariots were made just wide enough to accommodate the rear ends of two war horses. (Two horses' asses.) Now, the twist to the story:   When you see a Space Shuttle sitting on its launch pad, there are two big booster rockets attached to the sides of the main fuel tank. These are solid rocket boosters, or SRBs. The SRBs are made by Thiokol at their factory in  Utah The engineers who designed the SRBs would have preferred to make them a bit fatter, but the SRBs had to be shipped by train from the factory to the launch site. The railroad line from the factory happens to run through a tunnel in the mountains, and the SRBs had to fit through that tunnel. The tunnel is slightly wider than the railroad track, and the railroad track, as you now know, is about as wide as two horses' behinds.   So, a major Space Shuttle design feature of what is arguably the world's most advanced transportation system was determined over two thousand years ago by the width of a horse's ass. And you thought being a horse's ass wasn't important?

.......................True Story ----------------Well you Decide:.............Cheers !! HF&RV

Happy Thanksgiving to Our Members Below the 49th

                         Have a great long weekend for your thanksgiving ..........Enjoy your visits with family & friends, and take the friday off too,for an extra long weekend......

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

       ...............Have Fun & Remember Verdun, Happy Thansgiving ...........................

Quebec to remove all seats in the Legislature Building, All Politicians will now have to stand in a Shower Stall,as Premier Charest 'vows' to 'Clean Up Corruption'

                    Just like the mandatory foot bath before entering the Natatorium (remember that little pool by the door)....all elcected officials in Quebec I suspect will now have to shower while doing Gov't business,.....the ebattled Premier Vows to Clean Up Corruption under the constant barrage of allegations re: Labour/Construction corruption ......and that old Sow Marois hope to topple the present day Gov't & become the new head thief, & she should know about corruoption as she & her husband 'stole' land to build their own little castle on, and she claims to be the  hop for the provinvce........hahahahahaha

QUEBEC – Premier Jean Charest promised Wednesday to adopt permanent measures to combat corruption and collusion to fix prices in Quebec’s construction industry.

“There has to be a cleanup,” Charest said in the debate on a Parti Québécois non-confidence motion in his government, over its refusal to name a public inquiry into the construction industry.

“All forms of corruption and collusion are unacceptable,” the premier said, adding his government takes “very seriously” media reports about irregularities in the construction industry.

But PQ leader Pauline Marois said Quebec is embroiled in a “serious crisis” because of the allegations, which mean the government may be paying 30 per cent more for its $40-billion infrastructure renewal program than it should.

And “not too far away, there is a Quebec Liberal Party fundraiser,” the PQ leader said, linking the allegations of corruption with Liberal fundraising practices.

Marois noted a media report Wednesday, quoting municipal and police officials, who say since the reports of price-fixing and the creation of the Operation Hammer police task force, waterworks and paving contracts are costing Montreal 36 per cent less.

Marois said the PQ supports the police operations, but insisted the need for a public inquiry remains.

“Only a public inquiry can demonstrate that there is a system and can attack that system,” Marois said.

The PQ leader appealed to Liberal MNAs to join the PQ in voting for the motion, defeating the Charest government an triggering a new election, saying it was a question of “the common good over partisan interest.”

She said in the two years since Charest won the 2008 election, Quebec has gone “from disappointment to disappointment,” suggesting “no one is at the helm of the government.”

Charest’s 2008 election theme was that the minority government elected in 2007 made it difficult for his to govern, arguing the province needed “one pair of hands on the steering wheel.”

Marois said in the nearly two years since the last election there have been indications of Mafia infiltration in the construction industry, confirmation of collusion to fix prices.

As well, the PQ has correlated donations to the Liberal Party with the granting of permits to operate private daycare centres.

After denying the evidence, Marois said, Tony Tomassi, the Liberal family minister, was replaced by Yolande James. Marois noted James has restored the PQ system of granting subsidized daycare permits.

Marois also referred to allegations by former Liberal justice minister Marc Bellemare that Liberal fundraisers influenced his choices in naming judges.

“Quebecers are losing confidence in their institutions and their elected officials,” Marois said.

“It’s getting worse,” she added, referring to the admission by two rival politicians, from the PQ and Liberal Party, that Laval Mayor Gilles Vaillancourt offered them illegal cash donations.

As well, David Grégoire, a losing Liberal candidate in the 2008 election, says he accepted two illegal cash donations, one from a municipal official, the second from a construction executive.

Marois noted an online petition, calling for Charest to resign, now has over 230,000 signatures, and Charest should leave his position.

Charest rose at that moment and left the assembly, but returned to deliver his rebuttal.

He said his government established Operation Hammer, with a $30-million budget and over 70 provincial and Montreal police, as well as Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers, to look into the allegations.

The Liberal government also created an anti-collusion squad in the transport department and has given itself new powers to probe the activities of construction companies and disqualify offenders from bidding.

In total, Charest said, more than 500 people are looking into the construction allegations.

He criticized the opposition parties for using parliamentary immunity to make allegations, saying he has been in politics for 26 years – half his life – and “integrity” is his guiding light.

And he appealed wit the opposition to adopt codes of ethics his government has proposed by the National Assembly and municipal governments, as well as changes to tighten up Quebec’s party-financing law.

“I extend a hand to the opposition so we can adopt these laws before Dec. 10,” Charest said.

In the unlikely event his government is defeated, when the motion is voted on later in the day, Quebecers would be plunged into new election on Dec. 27 “between Christmas and New Years,” he said.

The PQ is to decide on its next election program at a convention in April.

Charest said going into a snap election, the only platform the PQ would have to campaign on would be its goal to make Quebec a sovereign state.

Gérard Deltell, leader of Action démocratique du Québec, noted more than 80 per cent of Quebecers want a public inquiry. “Eighty per cent of Quebecers can’t be wrong,” Deltell said.

kdougherty@montrealgazette.com

........Isn't that nice ,Vow to clean up corruption ,usually happens only when you've been caught with your hand in the cookie jar,...what abunch of thieves,......

I still think our little province here on the left coast ,is trying it's hardest to win that 'most corrupt province' award .....but just when you think you've got a chance,Quebec pulls out some new tricks.......................hahahahahaha          

Another Landmark? Disappearing:

 While many honoured the memories of Canada's fallen soldiers this month, the city of Montreal was issuing a demolition permit for what long has been known as the city's church for soldiers.

The Centre hospitalier de l'Universite de Montreal will use that permit to demolish the former Trinity Anglican Church, which has stood at thecornerof St. DenisSt. and Viger Ave. since 1865.

The church -rechristened Eglise St. Sauveur after the First World War -is to be torn down starting this

week by St. Pierre Excavations, which will kick off the destruction by levelling four adjacent greystones that used to house tourist rooms and apartments on the block bounded by Viger, la Gauchetiere St., St. Denis and Sanguinet St. to make room for the superhospital.

Trinity Church, at 1010 St. Denis, was built in Early English Gothic style with Montreal stone. It was 51 metres long by 23 metres wide, with a height of 51 metres. It had a seating capacity of 1,250.

The church contained a nave, side aisles, a chancel, a tower and a basement but was best known for its massive stained glass windows.

A representation of its original steeple -built in 1866 with a $10,000 donation from Mrs. William Molson and claimed by fire in the 1920s -is to be integrated into the new project.

The church is known for its close association with the local military from the day Bishop Francis Fulford laid its cornerstone in June 1864.

The church replaced its namesake predecessor on Gosford St., which opened in 1840 and also welcomed worshipping warriors from nearby barracks before it was turned over for military purposes.

In 1909, the church founded the Last Post Fund for military funerals. The Last Post Fund has since spread throughout Canada and has paid for the funerals of more than 150,000 Canadian war veterans.

The Trinity congregation moved west to a new facility at Sherbrooke and Marlowe Ave. in Notre Dame de Grace in 1926; the church on St. Denis became a Catholic church variously described as Lebanese, Syrian or Melkite. It remained open until 1964 and was noted as the church in which Rene Angelil was baptized.

"It was an important and beautiful church, but it wasn't one of the downtown churches chosen to be preserved," said veteran preservationist Michael Fish, who has closely tracked the fate of the building.

Investors inquired about turning it into a dance hall or a concert venue. Instead, those planning the superhospital claimed a need for the land.

For some time, the property went unprotected and in 2006 squatters entered and smashed the stained glass windows, which were later covered in plywood.

Heritage Montreal's Dinu Bumbaru says he believes the CHUM has enough land available across the street and there's no need to raze the church. The house of worship could have added much to the new facility, he contends.

"The new hospital building will probably have a space about the size of the church where they'll want people to congregate," Bumbaru said.

"It will have drywall and dropped ceilings and art in the corner rather than use this great gothic cathedral; that's how they will dehumanize this space."

While the preservation and integration of the church steeple might be seen as a partial victory, facadism -as the practice is known -doesn't entirely satisfy Bumbaru.

"In the 1970s, that practice became popular because it seemed to be the best we could do," he said, "but now we're in 2010 and you would expect our generation would find better use for such facilities.

"We should define the project to fit the place, rather than make the place fit the project."

A CHUM spokesperson says all the stained glass windows from the church will be handed over to nearby religious orders.

© Copyright (c) The Montreal Gazette

Going out on a limb here,but I think All of You Remember a scene like this:

 Well , do you ?           hahahahaha                HF&RV

Guess Who's Coming to Town Today ? ----------------> Santa !!

              The Santa Claus parade appears on StCatherinme today (probably on as I type this.Remember way back when,it was a big deal to see Santa climbing the ladder at Eatons ....................have you been naughty or nice this year ?

MONTREAL- Parents toting their well-bundled children in snowsuits are lining Ste. Catherine St. this morning, waiting for the arrival of Saint Nick.

Organizers say they expect around 300,000 Montrealers will turn up for the 60th edition of the Santa Claus parade, which runs from Fort St. to Phillips Square starting at 11 a.m.

The parade features 1,000 characters, 20 floats, bands, singing and dancing.

For more information, go to www.defileduperenoel.com.

© Copyright (c) The Montreal Gazette                               .......Cheers !! HF&RV

Pat Burns.-'''''''''''''''''''' Loses battle with cancer

            One time Montreal Canadiens tough guy coach,.died today. He seemed to face his losing battle with a lot of guts,and he knew he wasn't going to win........   A good coach with several original 6 teams, Montreal, Toronto, & Boston........he finally won a Stanley Cup with the New Jersey Devils,.............................Pat Burns was only 58.

YMCA

Les and Bill,

I have made some major discoveries on the YMCA in Verdun in the 20th century. I am writing an article on the evolution of the Y from its inception up to the end. There where 5 different locations. I will not divulge all my research at this time as I am preparing an article in french for our society (SHGV), for the Verdun Messager and also in english for this site so I will keep the suspense going for a little while longer. However, I will mention at this time that I have discovered that all the YMCA Verdun branch files where taken over by the Concordia University and I made contact with a key person, arranged a meeting and spent the full day yesterday (tuesday) at the University going through several files going as far back to the 20s. Needless to say, a fascinating experience wich I hope to repeat in the near future.

With the help of Bill, I can now confirm that the building that he pointed out to me on the Google map, is the correct one situated at 7105 LaSalle Blvd, Verdun (extreme limit with LaSalle) on a former Douglas hospital piece of land. With the enclosed photo of the front page of the January 21st 1960 Annual Report, we can recognise the building.

One piece of information that I have not yet discovered is the date that the Verdun/Lasalle branch closed down for good, ending what has been approximately 70 years of valuable service to the youth of Verdun.

I think Bill can help me on this. Also, Bill, we would like to hear more anexdotes of your souvenirs at this Y branch. I seem to have read somewhere that Y members used the Douglas pool facilities.

Guy

A visit back in pictures.................

         I have a bunch of photo albums from over the years,so I know I have posted many in diffrent albums & in msg boxes , and so this album (which I'll post in the first comment box under this thread/topic heading, so you can watch as a slide show instead of individually clicking through them....) They have been posted over the years,but you may get a kick out of seeing some various old photographs from around our old stomping grounds.......................                                                  HF&RV  ....................

Verdun Metro Station

While in the area I took this photo of the metro station at the corner of Ross and Church. Notice the Bixi bykes. Only a couple spaces out of about 20. Does not seem to be very popular at that station.

Guy

Be Carefull,Some Scumbag Low-Life is trying to send trojan virus in the way of a PM. If you do not recognize the person contacting you then don't bother opening it,Just delete it.

         Warning Be Carefull everyone , Someone tried to send me a Virus (via a personal message here on Multiply,in the form of a video. They claim to know you and want to send you a personal video.......  My Computer security & anti-virus worked perfectly , but I wanted to Alert all of our members to be aware of some Low-Life's trying to infect your PC or Laptops...........  

I also informed Multiply of the ID : of the person or persons trying the stupidity,here is a copy of my message to Multiply..I'll keep you all informed of any feedback.

I do my best to keep scumbag;s off this site ,so I advise you all to just be aware.

                                ......Cheers !! HF&RV......................................

I am reporting from the group verdunconnections2 because ...
someone with the Multiply ID:  sarathyth3387   Tried to send me a Virus,via a video...My anti virus & security protected me ,However maybe they are trying to infect others at Multiply. Can you look into this for us.As I would like to protect our members from abuse.         Thanks

           the ID: that tried sending me the virus is   sarathyth3387  a Multiply ID:

Ps: the Virus Warning picture is for Illustration purposes only & not the Threat that appeared............    I wonder if when the Multiply site was down the other day,that someone hacked in?????  I'll wait to hear from Multiply.............  

                                   ---------Cheers , HF&RV...............................................

YMCA

Les,

The top photo shows the corner of LaSalle and Senecal where the YMCA was supposedly situated after leaving Gordon street. The address in the Lovell directory specifies 7501 LaSalle, however the build on the corner is 7505. It is a fairly new building and no doubt the Y was demolished. The house to the right has no. 7497 and I spoke to the owner who was outside but he lives there since 2005 so he could not help me. If you can get hold of a photo of the Y at that corner this would help me in my research.

The next 4 photos shows where the Y was situated around 1928 just before moving to their new building on Gordon street. I included an old photo wich confirms that it is the same building showing the second floor local of the Y. As you requested, I took a photo of the address, While I was there, I took a photo of the series of buildings across the street where you lived.

Guy 

 

 

Floods in Verdun Early 1900s

Another old photo (middle) I found in our archives yesterday of the original dike wich dates back around the 1900s. The original dike was built in 1896 as shown on the map and wich started at Pte St Charles, went along the river and turned north between Willibrord and 1st avenue where the present city hall is situated. The dike had to be heighthened at various stages as it was not high enough to hold back the river during the spring floods. There was a disastrous flood in 1904.

Guy

Artificial Rink Willibrord Park

I was in Verdun today and took several pictures including these 2 photos of the artificial rink under construction. As you can see, there is still a lot of work to do including the landscaping and there is plenty of construction equipment surrounding the grounds. However, the cement over the refrigeration plumbing is completed so hopefully the rink will be ready for the coming winter season. A reminder that the Canadiens hockey team is financing the project wich includes 4 other artificial rinks in the Montreal area, a toal of 5 rinks, a generous corporate move on their part.

Guy

Remembrance Day Novemebr 11th-----Lest We Forget

                     

..

3 Billion,a super deal at half that price......Turcot enema 2b rammed through.

            MONTREAL - The Quebec government unveiled its long-awaited new plan for the Turcot Interchange on Tuesday morning.

The new plan is to cost $3 billion, double the price tag of Transport Quebec's original project, unveiled in 2007.

That plan was widely criticized. Opponents complained it would increase capacity to 320,000 cars, encourage urban sprawl and do nothing to cut car use.

Under the new plan announced Tuesday, car capacity will remain at about 300,000 and a reserved bus lane will be added between Ville St. Pierre and the Ville Marie Autoroute.

New corridors will be added for potential future public transit projects, including an airport train shuttle and a Lachine-downtown tramway.

There will be fewer residential expropriations than originally anticipated; 106 residents will have to find new apartments.

Construction on the new turcot is to be completed in 2018. Officials said they will build the new structures parallel to and under current structures to minimize the impact on traffic .

Built in the mid-1960s, the Turcot - a tangle of highways and access ramps west of downtown Montreal - is where Highways 15 and 20 and the Ville Marie Expressway converge.

In April, Montreal mayor Gerald Tremblay said the the original plan was not good enough.

He wanted a "new vision" that would have included a circular interchange that would take up less space; a tramway linking downtown to Lachine and LaSalle; two lanes for cars, instead of three, dedicated lanes for buses, taxis and carpoolers and a housing development next to a major new green space.

Tremblay was to react to the new plan on Tuesday morning.

                                       ..........HF&RV