Should part of the parking lot of Fairview Pointe-Claire be allowed to become a new housing development?
It’s a question that’s sparked fiery debate and even a legal fight.
Now the latest chapter in the saga has pitted the mayor of Pointe-Claire in a war of words with some of his fellow lawmakers.
It started with an online video.
“At next Tuesday’s council meeting, a motion will be brought forward to remove Cadillac Fairview parking lot from the development freeze that our council had unanimously agreed to in February,” Tim Thomas said in the video posted on social media April 1st just before 11:30 p.m.
“To be clear, I oppose this motion from the council, and will speak out against it. I hope you will too.”
Once the video started getting shared on Facebook, a firestorm of comments and discussion was ignited.
“I was alerting the Pointe-Claire citizenry to the possibility that they would end up with the downtown of the West Island,” Thomas said in an interview with Global News Monday.
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Last week, Cadillac Fairview (CF) held what it called a “town hall,” where in front of a few hundred citizens it outlined its plan to turn part of Fairview Pointe Claire’s parking lot into rental housing, a seniors home and more.
Last month, Pointe-Claire voted to freeze most development on its territory. CF has launched legal action against the city.
“Council is looking at the possibility of going back on their commitment in order to exempt the first phase of Cadillac Fairview ‘downtown of the West Island’ condo project,” Thomas said in the video.
Multiple Pointe Claire councillors, including Eric Stork and Brent Cowan, were floored by the mayor’s post.
“I wasn’t very happy with it,” Stork told Global News. “What shocked me the most was that some of the things that were said were calling out six incumbents, you know, which I think is a clear violation of caucus confidentiality.”
They argue that the mayor broke confidentiality rules by making public what councillors had allegedly discussed behind closed doors.
“When trust is broken, everything else falls apart,” said Stork.
Thomas argues he’s done nothing wrong.
“All the councillors attended the Cadillac Fairview presentation with the curiosity of potentially supporting it, and they expressed that to others. So I was revealing nothing that wasn’t known to everybody else,” Thomas claims.
Cowan and Stork say they went to the event to meet with citizens and listen to the company.
“I don’t quite understand why he’s talking about should ‘we avoid public consultation’ and many of the people that have been most strenuously supporting the mayor were there,” said Cowan.
“He talks all the time about public consultation, democracy, listen to the citizens. That’s why I went, to listen to the citizens, not to lock myself in a room and only hear the people I want to hear,” said Stork.
The councillors say the development freeze cannot be broken Tuesday night, accusing the mayor of misinformation.
Stork and Cowan wouldn’t say what exactly is in the bylaw that will be presented.
“It’s just tabled. There’s no vote on it. It’s just put out there so the public can now read it and they can weigh in if they choose,” said Cowan, adding that CF have been an “important corporate citizen” that should be “treated with respect.”
The mayor’s post set off a torrent of online discussion.
“This is affecting me personally, my family, the citizens. It’s not good,” said Cowan.
Citizen David Friedman is among those who wants the development freeze to remain.
“These buildings will be around for 100 years or more. I mean, what is two years to study urban development in Pointe-Claire before we do it?” Friedman told Global News.
Cadillac Fairview says it doesn’t know what will be proposed at the council meeting Tuesday night, but plans to be there.
“We’re going to make every effort to re-engage with the city in order to continue the work, to move forward with our project in the parking lot,” said Brian Salpeter, CF Cadillac Fairview senior vice-president of development.
Salpeter will be there in person at what promises to be a fiery affair.
“We’re replacing 900 parking spaces, not with condos, but with rental apartments, the senior residence, a major public playground, grocery store and restaurants,” he said.
Thomas has invited citizens to attend the meeting, and many have said they will.
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