Many small homes across the West Island are being torn down and replaced with much larger ones, and it has a lot of people upset.
For instance, a 19th-century single-family home built in 1888 on Martin Avenue in Dorval has been there for 130 years but there won’t be any celebration to mark the occasion.
READ MORE: Pointe-Claire mayor responds to residents about future of the Pioneer
The house was approved for demolition by city officials earlier this week despite being recognized as a historical home.
“I would like some strong bylaws brought into Dorval so that we can preserve our historical heritage,” Rachelle Cournoyer, a resident who administers the Facebook page called “Citizens for a Better Dorval,” told Global News.
People who live in the community insist it’s very important to preserve the heritage of the neighbourhood. Many don’t mind new homes being built but they want them in scale and in a similar style to what already exists.
“Why don’t we have a committee that is looking at what is historically significant in Dorval that should be preserved,” said Margaret Godbeer, a Dorval resident.
Single-family houses being demolished to make way for new ones isn’t isolated to Dorval.
In Pointe-Claire, large, modern homes are being built to replace small, older ones on historic streets.
It’s a phenomenon happening in cities and towns throughout the West Island — mostly in old established districts that are now in high real-estate demand.
Baie-D’Urfé is another case in point.
Cities and towns in the West Island have demolition committees and urban planners that are supposed to ensure new housing projects fit into long existing neighbourhoods.
But they also have to respect a homeowner’s wish to build their dream house.
It’s a balance.
“It should be a community effort for a community look,” Marie-Claire Amiot, a Baie-D’Urfé resident, told Global News.
Residents don’t expect to stop older homes from being demolished for newer ones. Many just hope their fight will force local lawmakers to be more conscious to preserve the character of older neighbourhoods.
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