Will Bono buy a condo at Blue Bonnets?
Toronto - I have been trying to get a few minutes with Montreal City Councillor Marvin Rotrand for some time now to discuss the U2 concert planned for the Hippodrome Blue Bonnets complex. Interestingly, it took a trip to Toronto for that meeting to occur. While attending the recent Federation of Canadian Municipalities Conference (FCM) in the Ontario capital, I was heading up the escalator at the Sheraton Centre when I spotted Rotrand going the opposite way. He was engaged in discussion with Maria Tutino, the mayor of Baie d'Urfé, who had some transit issues on her mind. With the U2 concert postponed due to lead singer Bono's back surgery, Rotrand concurred with officials from Evenko in last week's column that the Blue Bonnets facility should indeed be available in the summer of 2011. "We expect a housing development there," he said, "but it would be really optimistic to think that would happen by next year. So much must be done in the interim." The property was actually purchased by the city of Montreal in 1991 from a private company. Jean Doré was the mayor at the time, but he lost his next election to Pierre Bourque before he could move on his objective to build housing there. Bourque subsequently sold it to the Quebec government for a song. They eventually flipped it to Attractions Hippiques, owned by Senator Paul Massicotte. He could not make a go of it and the Hippodrome went bust. While the city of Montreal has the first right of refusal on any sale, they do not have the millions to purchase it. "We 5775Cavendish blvd, Côte St-Luc
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¢ ea. 1 69 89 lb. ea. ¢ lb. will work with the promoter in order to realize our vision of affordable housing," Rotrand said. "I see at least 6,000 units being built." On the U2 front I asked Rotrand how they planned to deal with the number of vehicles trying to park in the area, with 160,000 tickets sold for two nights. "We have a plan," he said. "For one thing, the Montreal Transit System was going to establish a special shuttle service in which people would park very far away. We will be ready when those concerts do take place." And maybe Bono will build a condo there! Meeting Iggy: While at the FCM I finally got to meet Federal Liberal Party leader Michael Ignatieff. He took the time to mingle with delegates at a Toronto City Hall cocktail party. Following his well received keynote address he took many questions. One came from Peter McQueen, the rookie Projet Montréal city councillor. "You are looking for innovative transit solutions in Montreal," he said to Iggy. "We have been waiting a long time for a train to the airport. I am not saying I am a Liberal voter now, but I could become one."99
¢ 500 g ea. Iggy praised the Canada Line in Vancouver, which provides service to and from the airport. "Our cities cannot afford an hour to get to the airport," he responded. "This is a national priority. The Canada Line in Vancouver can move the dial to other cities." COHEN CHATTER: Racing to the gate to catch my flight to downtown Toronto, I had to stop to say hello to a legend. Dressed to the hilt in a sharp suit and walking gingerly was the great former Hab Dickie Moore whom I got to know 30 years ago when we collaborated on a project. "I am going to Toronto for my grandson's high school graduation," said Dickie. "He is one of the top in his class."... Sadly missed at the conference was TMR Mayor Vera Danyluk, who must step down from her post due to illness. I have known Vera for 25 years. It was just last year I bumped into her in the aisles of the Provigo on Lucerne where she could barely walk an inch without responding to a constituent. And she answered each question with a huge smile. Item of interest? e-mail mcohen@thesuburban.com, call 514-484-1107 ext. 307 or fax 514-483-7213.6444 Somerled
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