Drainage project causes tempers to boil in heated Baie D’Urfé city council meeting

Tempers flared and voices were raised during a heated city council meeting in Baie D’Urfé on the island of Montreal Tuesday evening.

At times town mayor Heidi Ektvedt had difficulty controlling the room as residents berated her with questions and complaints over the city’s drainage rehabilitation project.

“It was a room of frustration,” Baie D’Urfé resident Gaetano Tortolano said.

The homeowner of 35 years said he had never seen that much anger during a council meeting.

“We wanted to be heard but we weren’t heard,” Tortolano said.

READ MORE: Baie D’Urfé residents voice frustration and concern over newly dug ditches

The 30-minute question period was taken over by residents of Lakeview Road and Sunny Acres Street.

About a dozen residents spoke directly to council voicing their frustration with the $3.5 million project that began in August, with the excavating of large trenches on the streets.

The ditches and culverts serve as the city’s water drainage system, especially during the spring thaw.

Homeowners said they are concerned about the safety and size, with some trenches measuring more than three metres wide and about one metre deep.

In response, council said the ditches are up to the Quebec Transport Ministry’s standard.

“Were not going to wait until we have a huge issue – that’s when your not going to be happy with us,” Ektvedt said.

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But not all of the narrow streets are currently in line with road safety codes.

Some of the crescents along Sunny Acres Street currently measure less than the 6.5-meter-wide minimum recommended by the province.

Resident Eric Clement says he worries about the narrow street being an issue when it comes to vehicles parking.

“The thing that concerns us the most is in the event that there is a car parked on the road. We are worried about how an ambulance will get here. How will a fire truck get here?” Clement asked.

1:36 Transport Quebec appeals to drivers to move over when they see an emergency vehicle on the side of the road with its lights flashing, and a reminder: It’s the law.

The town’s director general Nicolas Bouchard says the issue is one that city engineers have yet to resolve but are looking into.

Mayor Ektvedt defended the work, calling it necessary while saying she sympathizes with residents.

“Our road is crumbling it would be (negligent) for us to spend and fix this road without addressing the drainage underneath.

“If you just put a Band-Aid on top, it’s a waste of money and the problem will come back again,” Ektvedt said.

READ MORE: Driver faces impaired charges after car found in ditch

Ektvedt pleaded with homeowners to be patient, “all I am asking is finish the work and we will continue to look at it. This is not a fait accompli,” Ektvedt said.

The work is slated to be completed by the end of November followed by the laying of sod scheduled for spring 2023.

1:42 Residents angry over unsightly drainage project