The latest battleground in the debate over car access on Mount Royal is the cemetery.
Opposition Leader Lionel Perez attacked Valerie Plante on Wednesday over plans to block Mount Royal to car traffic.
“Cutting access for the sake of cutting access is not a vision,” Perez told a city hall press conference.
His criticism came a few days after the mayor revealed details of the upcoming pilot project that will block through-traffic on Camillien Houde from June until October.
“The pilot project lacks vision for the mountain. It does not address some specific needs, specifically, cohabitation between cars and cyclists,” said Perez.
The mountain will be closed to traffic between Beaver Lake and Smith House. The whole discussion began after 18-year-old cyclist Clement Ouimet was killed by an SUV doing a U-turn.
READ MORE: Pilot project closing portion of Camillien-Houde kicks off June 1
“What is proposed by the pilot project would not have prevented the death of Mr. Ouimet,” Perez claimed.
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The opposition leader points out how car traffic will still be allowed in the area Ouimet was struck.
“Can we create a bike path?” wondered Perez. “Can we add some speed bumps?”
While the opposition accuses Plante of not hearing their concerns, ironically, she addressed the issue as she took advantage of a free hearing exam outside city hall.
“If the opposition’s vision is having more cars and less security, that’s their way of doing it. I think that’s a more 1950s way of thinking,” said the mayor.
READ MORE: Petition circulating opposing Montreal’s plan to close part of Mount Royal to drivers
Perez also brought up concerns surrounding cemeteries on the mountain, including Mount Royal Cemetery and Notre-Dame-des-Neiges.
“They will allow funeral processions, but they have not found a solution to be able to grant access to mourners on days other than the funeral,” Perez said.
Mount Royal Cemetary told Global News they have large concerns about the pilot project.
“The proposed closure of Remembrance Road at Beaver Lake would cause damage to our business and major inconvenience to the thousands of people who visit our grounds each year,” said David Scott, executive director of Mount Royal Commemorative Services.
Plante insists cars will still be able to access the two cemeteries on the mountain via other entrances.
“If you’re coming for a few hours to visit, you can use the other entry or you can use the bus,” Plante said.
Mount Royal Cemetery argues that many senior citizens who visit them can’t take the bus and encourages people to make their voices heard during the consultation process.
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