MONTREAL — Like anyone celebrating a birthday, Montreal wants to look its best for its 375th anniversary next year.
Dozens of projects are underway around the city in preparation for the event.
“We are doing a lot of things to make the city shine,” said Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre.
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However, the official opposition at City Hall is worried that tight deadlines are driving up costs.
“This project is overpriced,” said Projet Montréal councillor Alex Norris, in reference to the city’s plan to install 27 tree-trunk-shaped granite blocks around Mount Royal.
“There’s little added value to justify it and we fear it’s part of a pattern involving Mayor Coderre’s legacy projects for the 375th anniversary of the City of Montreal.”
The price tag has increased to $3.45 million; that’s 27 per cent more than the anticipated cost.
“Every time that we have that kind of equation, we have to take a look at it,” said Coderre.
“They said that everything was OK.”
Yet, the value of the installations has Projet Montréal stumped.
“What’s the point exactly of these granite structures?” Norris said.
“Do we really need these blocks of granite scattered all over the mountain? We think not. We think this isn’t good use of taxpayers’ money.”
Coderre defended the blocks as art, and added seating for park-goers.
“Very cool but yeah, does seems a little excessive in terms of cost,” said John Kerpan, a tourist visiting from Chicago.
“We can spend the money somewhere more useful, you know?” said Montreal resident Feguel Exume.
The anniversary projects aren’t the only one’s flying over budget.
The Mordecai Richler gazebo is now reportedly costing taxpayers around $720,000 — almost double the original estimates.
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“I understand people won’t be pleased about it, but I think there is a cost for patrimoine,” said Coderre.
The renovations for the gazebo were announced in 2011.
“It is an absurdly overpriced project that has lasted far too long,” argued Norris.
“It has been badly mismanaged by the central city.”
Five years later, it is no closer to completion.
“Maybe they’ve got artisans and metal workers and craftsmen and woodworkers and they’re doing something that’s going to be beautiful,” said Montreal resident Kirsten Weisenburger.
“If that’s the case, great. I just don’t know that that’s what’s happening with all that money.”
As for the granite sculptures, Norris said the city needs to ask itself some basic questions before launching into elaborate urban art projects.
“There has to be a limit,” he said.
“At a certain point, we have to say ‘enough’; that we’re not just going to accept any project, at any price, so that Mayor Coderre can say, ‘I’ve left a legacy.'”
The project isn’t set in stone; it’s still pending government approval.
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