LACHINE – Officially known as Broughton Road in Montreal West, and Des Érables in Lachine, Devil’s Hill is a steep one known to many in the community.
“In the winter time, obviously, there’s issues with snow and ice,” said Lachine resident John Simon.
“Most of the time, the Lachine snow clearing crews – who are responsible for the hill – they do a pretty good job. But last Tuesday, they messed up.”
That was the day Montreal welcomed its first snowfall and, on that day, Maureen Marovitch was driving her kids to school.
“I went down Hillcrest, the very steep hill, at about 15, 20 kilometres an hour maximum, pinching down, because it’s a very steep hill and snowy,” she said.
“I couldn’t stop. I have winter tires, ABS brakes, and I couldn’t stop. I went through the first stop sign, the second stop sign and into traffic and into another car.”
Marovitch said the accident happened because the hill wasn’t properly salted that day.
“It’s quite dangerous,” she said.
“I’ve seen many cars sliding down and a bus actually once too.”
Making sure the hill is salted is just one part of the problem.
Residents said there are barricades set up at the top of the hill that block access to a straight road.
If those were taken down, they said they wouldn’t have to drive down the hill in the first place.
“It is Lachine’s responsibility to keep the hill clean, but also there’s no other option for us except taking that dangerous route because Montreal West has closed off the other access,” said Marovitch.
Officials in Montreal West installed the barricades years ago.
They said residents complained the street was being used as shortcut by motorists to get to Highways 13 and 20.
“I can’t believe that a city would put a barricade so that other people from another city cannot cross its street,” said Maja Vodanovic, Lachine bureau councillor.
“I couldn’t believe it.”
She said this is an issue Lachine brought to court years ago, but ultimately, the ruling was that, because Montreal West is a town, it’s allowed to install barricades on its grounds.
“Unless they decide to change and be a good neighbour, things might not change,” said Vodanovic.
Lachine assures its residents Devil’s Hill will be consistently salted, but they all agreed the barricade fight is simply an uphill battle that will be hard to win.
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