Pierrefonds residents prepared to sue over daycare plans

Eldor Daigneault Street in Montreal’s Pierrefonds-Roxboro borough is part of a quiet and residential neighbourhood.

However, a new neighbour may soon be moving in — and it’s creating a buzz.

Residents in the area say the borough has approved a plan to put a daycare on their street.

READ MORE: Pierrefonds daycare in shock after outdoor toys disappear

They insist that, though the stretch of land is zoned commercial, they aren’t happy with how the borough is handling the change.

“At the moment, the planning states it’s for 80 children,” said local resident Mufazzal Sham.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "At the moment, the planning states it's for 80 children," said local resident Mufazzal Sham.

“So, that’s 80 sets of parents coming and going morning and evening. Add that to the residents who are trying to leave in the morning, they are faced with the prospect of sitting at a traffic light for 15 to 20 minutes just to get out onto Gouin Boulevard.”

The daycare would be located on Eldor Daigneault and cars would enter and exit through the street.

READ MORE: Donations pour in to Pierrefonds daycare to help replace missing toys

Residents don’t want cars passing through Eldor Daigneault Street, and think they should go by Gouin Boulevard.

“Whether it’s a daycare or whatever, we don’t agree that there should be any commercial activity in this quiet part of the city,” said resident Frank Bomba.

Pierrefonds-Roxboro mayor Jim Beis says he understands resident concerns, but having parents enter and exit by way of Gouin Boulevard isn’t an option.

“All that has been looked at. First of all, it’s not available, but also, it would cause another major issue for us in terms of traffic,” he said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "All that has been looked at. First of all, it's not available, but also, it would cause another major issue for us in terms of traffic," he said.

Beis insists that the borough has been open and honest with residents about plans for the daycare.

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“We’ve been in constant communication with the residents in the area,” said Beis.

Residents beg to differ, arguing they were made aware of the project in June and have voiced their opposition to borough officials for the last two months.

They say their calls fell on deaf ears.

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“Til this date, we do not have any response whatsoever from whomever, except from one fonctionnaire (official) who sent me a calendar of events going forward,” said Bomba.

Residents say if they continue to get no cooperation from the city, they’ll take their case to court.