MONTREAL – A Mount-Royal Park landmark sits under a large orange and white plastic construction sheet.
Local residents and elected officials are desperately waiting for the renovations of the planned Mordecai Richler tribute gazebo to be finished.
The outdoor structure was supposed to have been renovated by the end of September at a cost of half a million of dollars, according to Montreal’s mayor Denis Coderre.
READ MORE: Mordecai Richler tribute gazebo work extended
But now, there doesn’t appear to be an end date in sight and costs are likely to balloon even more.
“I think people are fed up with how long this work site has taken to complete,” Alex Norris, a Montreal City Councillor told Global News.
The gazebo is supposed to be restored in honour of the late Mordecai Richler.
City council passed a resolution in 2011 to name the outdoor structure after the famous Montreal fictional writer.
Work to renovate the gazebo came to a halt when contractors discovered lead paint.
Norris argued that’s no excuse.
“It comes with the territory. When you’re restoring an old heritage structure expect lead to be in the paint,” said Norris.
WATCH: Mordecai Richler planned tribute gazebo works delayed
Last summer the mayor promised that the work will get done.
“I will do it myself if I have to,” Montreal mayor Denis Coderre said at city hall on August 26.
For now, piles of scrap metal, wood and bags of sand sit idly next to the tarp-covered gazebo that’s been fenced off.
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