A busy year, a promising future!

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1 Mayor s message Claude Gladu Mayor of Longueuil and Chairman of the Agglomeration Council A busy year, a promising future! The summer season is coming to an end. It is already time to take stock of the year, to announce the city s fall projects and initiatives, and to plan for the future. Since the official launching of Longueuil s 350 th Celebrations last January, nearly 70 activities were held as part of the celebrations, and 30 or so additional events will be held between now and the end of the year. The citizens of all three boroughs cheerfully took part in the festivities. Our community has now been enriched by several legacies, including the Longueuil Rose, the official tartan, historical murals, the first monument commemorating Longueuil s first settlers, and the Jardin de l Amélanchier. These many projects, which reflect all Longueuil citizens, will leave a legacy to future generations. As for this year s priorities, we chose to invest in an infrastructure maintenance program to enhance safety, sustainable development and quality of life in Longueuil. This program, which represents an investment of $72 million, has already been undertaken and is scheduled for completion in As for the territory s development, several projects are in the planning stages. We are projecting investments in the order of $1 billion over the next three years, investments that could generate new revenue. Finally, we have reduced expenditures and reviewed the organizational structure to adapt it to Longueuil s new reality. Thanks to the tireless work of my administration, the management team s dynamism, and the collaboration or our employees, we are confident in Longueuil s promising future for the benefit of all citizens. We are now undertaking the budgetary process for In the coming weeks, the city s various departments will be hard at work preparing their budgets while maintaining all services. A very busy fall season! You are welcome to attend municipal council sessions The sessions are held at Longueuil s City Hall, 4250 Chemin de la Savane in Longueuil. They are also broadcast the following day at 10:00 p.m. on Télé Rive-Sud (channel 9). Upcoming sessions will be held on the following dates: Regular City Council meetings Tuesdays, August 28, September 18, and October 16 at 7:00 p.m. Regular Agglomeration Council meetings Thursdays, August 30, September 20, and October 18 at 4:00 p.m. Citizens are welcome to attend the city s and the agglomeration s council meetings. Citizens may be heard at the start of each session. The minutes of the sessions are also available at longueuil.ca

2 Municipal current events Longueuil s Executive Committee stands out Manon D. Hénault named to the board of directors of the Fonds québécois d habitation communautaire Jacques Goyette appointed to the national board of directors of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities Manon D. Hénault, municipal councillor and member of Longueuil s Executive Committee, now sits on the board of directors of the Fonds québécois d habitation communautaire, representing the Union des municipalités du Québec (UMQ). This board of directors is closely associated with many issues related to the development and delivery of programs supporting the creation of social community housing. It also serves as an advisory committee to government authorities on this issue. With Ms. Hénault s appointment and her considerable experience in the municipal and community housing worlds, I am very confident that Ville de Longueuil will be well represented on the Fonds québécois d habitation communautaire, said Mr. Claude Gladu, Mayor of Longueuil and Chairman of the Agglomeration Council. A municipal councillor since 1990, Ms. Hénault has also been chair of the board of directors of the Office municipal d habitation de Longueuil. A member of the Executive Committee, she is responsible for the city s social housing and community development. She is also a member of the Finance and Human Resources Committee, and is vice-chair of the Montreal Metropolitan Community s Social Housing Committee. The president of the Vieux-Longueuil borough, Mr. Jacques Goyette, was recently appointed to the national board of directors of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) and also sits on the FCM s Standing Committee on Finance and Intergovernmental Arrangements. As municipalities, we are faced by considerable challenges and our responsibilities are constantly increasing. It is therefore paramount that we come together around common projects and speak with one voice. In this regard, we are pleased that the city and the agglomeration are represented on the national board of directors of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. There is no doubt that Mr. Goyette s expertise will significantly contribute to establishing municipal priorities and directions as they relate to major federal issues, declared Mr. Claude Gladu, Mayor of Longueuil and Chairman of the Agglomeration Council. Jacques Goyette is president of the borough of Vieux-Longueuil, vice-chair of Ville de Longueuil s Executive Committee, and member of the Agglomeration Council. Fire Prevention Week October 7 to 13 Longueuil s Fire Department is currently planning the activities scheduled for Fire Prevention Week that will run from October 7 to 13. Watch for details in the local papers, or visit the city s website (longueuil.ca).

3 For your pleasure and your safety October 5 to 14 Take part in the many activities of the Physical Fitness and Sports Week Get ready to move! The boroughs of Greenfield Park, Saint- Hubert and Vieux-Longueuil and their sports partners are proud to take part in the first edition of the Physical Fitness and Sports Week initiated by Loisir et Sport Montérégie. Citizens of all ages and of all boroughs will be invited to discover the pleasures and benefits of physical activities and sports by taking part in any activity or as many activities of their choice. A fine way to find out about the many services available on the territory and to discover new ways to stay fit! For the complete program, please go to page 12 of the printed edition (or the PDF version of the French edition). A series of events will also be organized at the regional level, including the Games caravan, Young Adults Day, and open houses in regional and national parks. For program details, visit the Loisir et Sport Montérégie website ( or call your borough s recreation department: Greenfield Park Saint-Hubert Vieux-Longueuil Longueuil invests $72,000,000 in its infrastructures A choice for Safety Sustainable development Quality of life As a responsible municipality, we are choosing to invest in improving our infrastructures. A total of $72 million have been earmarked for the program. The 100 or so projects that will be carried out by the end of 2009 were identified from the city s Urban Infrastructures Inventory and Maintenance Program and from the criteria imposed by the Ministère des Affaires municipales et des Régions which gives priority to underground infrastructures since their development and maintenance is partly financed by the transfer, to municipalities, of a portion of the revenue generated by the federal excise tax on gas. The 45 projects identified for Phase I involve the replacement or rehabilitation of watermains, as well as repairs to streets and sidewalks. Several of these projects were launched in early August.

4 Longueuil at the inauguration of the Route verte The deputy mayor, Ms. Claudette Tessier, and the Ministère des transports manager for the Est-de-la-Montérégie region, Mr. Daniel Filion, with several municipal councillors, builders, partners, cyclists, and Longueuil s founder, Charles Le Moyne, officially inaugurated Longueuil s portion of the Route verte on August 10. The event was held at the Route 112/116 footbridge linking the boroughs of Greenfield Park, Saint-Hubert and Vieux- Longueuil. In the summer of 2007, 25 Québec municipalities took part in the inauguration of the Route verte, a vast bicycle trail network covering over 4,300 km that links 16 regions and includes over 320 municipalities throughout the province s vast territory. Longueuil, with its 31 km of bicycle trails that are part of the Route verte, was one of the municipalities attending this event which was held last August 10 as part of Longueuil s 350 th Celebrations. Longueuil s deputy mayor, Ms. Claudette Tessier, and Longueuil s founder, Charles Le Moyne, welcomed the 100 or so participants that came for the official ribbon-cutting ceremony inaugurating the Route verte. The ceremony took place at the base of the Route 112/116 footbridge. It was an opportunity to applaud the Route verte s builders and to celebrate the link created by the footbridge that connects the boroughs of Greenfield Park and Saint-Hubert to the borough of Vieux-Longueuil. For more information on Longueuil s recreational network and for river crossing schedules until Thanksgiving weekend, visit the city s website at longueuil.ca. The bike patrol is back for your safety Since early June and until mid-september, you can see the Police Service s bike patrol in the streets and parks of the agglomeration of Longueuil. The patrol is also present at various events and celebrations. In addition to responding to incidents in the areas they patrol, the squad s 22 officers enforce regulations that apply to bicycle trails, parks and hiking trails. They also meet with young residents to promote prevention programs such as bicycle safety. The bike patrol criss-crossed the agglomeration s territory throughout the summer. The mayor and chairman or the Agglomeration of Longueuil, Mr. Claude Gladu, and members of the Public Safety Commission, including its chairman, Michel Desjardins, underscored their excellent work in the presence of four representatives.

5 Réal-Bouvier marina Do you know a place where you can enjoy boating on the river, ride your bicycle on beautiful trails, park your RV for a few days, have a tasty meal at a restaurant or simply enjoy an ice cream cone while admiring wildlife and flora? A nationally known vacation spot This wonderful place is located near you. It s the Réal-Bouvier marina, one of the most beautiful marinas east of New York. This unique recreation and tourism site, which is unparalleled in Québec, provides access to the river and to nature, and attracts not only Longueuil residents but those of neighbouring municipalities as well as tourists from all over. Named in 2001 in honour of one of the greatest navigators in contemporary Québec, Longueuil citizen and Québec journalist Réal Bouvier, the marina was built in 1989 and is part of a vast linear park integrated to Longueuil s recreational network. This site is also a great venue for a variety of events. Each year, the marina attracts fireworks enthusiasts. This summer, many participated in the Relay for Life in support of loved ones affected by cancer, and in the Journée portes ouvertes sur le fleuve et découverte de notre faune, an activity organized as part of Longueuil s 350 th Celebrations. Five Anchors, the highest rating for Québec s marinas Managed by the paramunicipal corporation Sogerive, the Réal-Bouvier marina received the Five Anchors rating in 2006 from the Association maritime du Québec (AMQ) as part of the Éco-marinas program. This rating is the highest that can be awarded to a marina in Québec. An ideal geographical location for pleasure boaters and cyclists Located at the heart of the most popular pleasure boating corridor in Québec, and integrated to Longueuil s recreational network, the Réal-Bouvier marina is readily accessible and offers a large variety of destinations to visitors.

6 For cyclists, the best way to discover Longueuil and its neighbouring municipalities is Longueuil s recreational network. In addition to its 250 km of trails, the network includes several other cycling paths: The Riveraine follows the St. Lawrence River from Ville Sainte- Catherine to Varennes, and runs through Longueuil. Montée du Chemin de Chambly runs from the borough of Vieux-Longueuil to Chambly. Part of this trail also corresponds to section 1 of the Route verte which links Longueuil to the entire Montérégie, which is in turn linked to Québec s entire cycling network. A ferry to Montréal, via the Champlain bridge s estacade, via the locks between Saint-Lambert and Notre-Dame Island, or via the river shuttle to the Old Port of Montréal. Pleasure boaters can use the seaway to reach Lake Saint-Louis, Lake of Two Mountains, the Outaouais River, Lake Saint-François, the Thousand Islands, or Lake Ontario. They can also navigate the Richelieu River to Lake Champlain and New York State. A complete range of services for boating enthusiasts 400 to 500 berths for recreational boaters and visitors. Berths can be rented for the season or on a daily or monthly basis, subject to certain conditions Gas and diesel the only marina equipped with a refuelling system that can accommodate six boats at a time Docking assistance Services: water and power (15, 30 and 50 amps) Septic dump station, overhead crane Marine supplies store, mechanical shop, and sale of nautical charts Bar, restaurant, snack bar, dairy bar and convenience store Pool, showers, toilets and launderette Boat launching and towing with a travel lift And much more... Access to the metropolitan bicycle trail network, with hiking trails and picnic areas Footbridge access to Vieux- Longueuil (banks, shops, businesses, grocery stores, restaurants) Guard service and surveillance RV area for over 100 vehicles Fenced and illuminated site for wintering boats Parking for 450 vehicles Improvements planned for 2008 Paving of the parking lot The RV area will be increased, with additional water and power services, and a new gatehouse will be added for improved control of comings and goings. Revitalization of Promenade René-Lévesque