Projects and plans

The city plans on upgrading the streetlights from HID (High Intensity Discharge) to LED. In phase 1, the city will change all the lighting on the artery streets with the “Cobra head” style over two years. In phase 2, the city will convert all the cube-style and decorative fixtures to LED lighting in the following three years. The city is working with the firm FNX-INNOV to develop the plan and specifications for the eventual work. In addition, many of the street light poles along Cavendish Blvd., Kildare Rd., Mackle, Fleet and Westminster will are planned to be replaced in 2020.

The City of Côte Saint-Luc must felled approximately 250 trees in the wooded area behind Ashkelon Gardens in January and February and cleared 21,000 buckthorn from the area, which is necessary to give new trees a chance to thrive. In early fall, 750 new trees will be planted, as will bushes and grasses. The trees are indigenous to the area and were selected because tend to grow quickly. They include the following varieties: Silver Maple, Eastern Cottonwood Poplar, Northern White, Cedar, Common Hackberry, American Linden/Basswood, Eastern Hemlock, Bur Oak, Shagbark, Hickory and Bitternut Hickory. The city will also be planting approximately 500 shrubs, which include the following six varieties: Alder, Willow, Elderberry, Dogwood and Honeysuckle.

The city launched the first steps in the renewal of Kirwan Park with the December 3, 2017 public consultation meeting. About 80 people took part and shared their vision for the space. The city has compiled these ideas and comments, which will influence the eventual design of the park. The next step is for the city to hire professional consultants to design a park based on this and other feedback. Once the designs are ready, the city will organize a new public meeting towards the end of 2018 to present these concepts to the public.

Update
The city received three bids this spring for the renovation work at Edward J. Kirwan Park and the least expensive was 30 percent more than what we budgeted based on estimates from outside consultants. As a practical matter, this means the start of project will be delayed.

Work begins on Monday, June 15 at Singerman Park on a new beach volleyball court. The court will be 24m x 14m. It will include installation of the volleyball posts to support the net, a French drain, and two players’ benches. The work will take approximately two weeks to complete.

Project overview
The project will upgrade the equipment related to traffic signals on Cavendish Blvd. between Mackle Rd. and Merton Rd. This includes signal heads (traffic lights), vehicle detection cameras, controllers, electrical cables, underground conduits, crosswalk buttons and pedestrian signal heads.

Schedule of work
August 19 to November 4, 2019

Features and benefits
Replacement of in-ground traffic detectors at left-turning lanes with camera-based traffic detectors. The new camera-based traffic detectors installed high above the intersection can see whether one vehicle or more are waiting to turn left. If no vehicles are waiting, the left-turn signal will not activate, which reduces wait time for other vehicles or pedestrians.
Update of aging electrical equipment including traffic signal heads, controller cabinets, electrical cables, and underground conduits. The new equipment will be less prone to intermittent failure.
Increase in the number of seconds at countdown clock times for pedestrians 
Replacement of crosswalk buttons and pedestrian signal heads.
Replacement of several traffic light poles and bases including at the intersection with Merton Rd. The pole will also be replaced at the corner of Sunnybrooke/Côte Saint-Luc Rd.
Better synchronization and programming for vehicles travelling on Cavendish, although due crosswalk buttons and large volume of traffic from some of the side streets, it is not possible to program a constant green light for vehicles travelling from  Mackle Rd. to Merton Rd.

Impact
During the work on traffic signals near sidewalk, one lane will be closed to traffic. During work in the median, one lane in both directions will be closed to traffic.

Financials
Tender: C-04-18-19C1
Cost: $907,913.00 plus applicable taxes
Financing: $77,770.00 of the described expenses shall be financed from the loan By-law 2500 and $523,425.00 shall be financed from the loan By-law 2523 respectively, previously approved by the MAMH; $352,000.00 of the described expenses shall be covered from the cumulative surplus.

Awarding of contract
Contract awarded on May 13, 2019, to Systèmes Urbains Inc.
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The city has hired a consulting company GBI Experts Conseils in May to advise on possible modifications to four intersections in the city in an attempt to optimize traffic and increase pedestrian safety. Two of those intersections—Cavendish/Heywood, and Kildare/Einstein—will specifically be studied for possible conversion to a roundabout. The traffic lights at Kellert/Kildare will be evaluated with the goal of replacing the lights and updating the programming. The intersection of Westminster/Westover will be analyzed for the removal of the flashing lights for four-way stop signs. The results of the study are expected by August 2019.

The traffic calming plan in 2019 is focused on making the Kildare Rd. corridor a safer street for pedestrians. This will involve pedestrian counts, sidewalk bump-outs, flashing signage, line painting and standardized signage and bollards, and transportation analytics.

The Samuel Moskovitch Arena is closing down for a year between April 1, 2019 to April 1, 2020, so the city can do major renovations, the most important being the replacement of the freon-based refrigeration system with a new direct CO2 system, which is more efficient. There will be other energy-saving in the way water is heated in the locker room and Zamboni. In addition, the fire alarm system will be upgraded and access to the building will be made easier for persons with disabilities. 

The first stage in the campaign to replant 150 trees at Pierre Elliott Trudeau Park is complete. The city raised funds to plant 64 trees. Every donor will have a dedication message on one of the leaves of the plaque designed for the campaign.  The city will continue to take donations until 150 trees are sold. Interested donors can call 514-485-6800, ext. 1801 or 150trees@cotesaintluc.org.

The City will build an outdoor ice rink at the Confederation Annex at Pierre Elliott Trudeau Park. It will include a refrigerated ice surface. Work has started on this project.

The city is planning 1,000 square meters of sidewalk this year, three sidewalk bump outs, and a complete reconstruction of the large median at the corner of Marc Chagall and Kildare. The first batch of sidewalks started on May 2, 2019, and finished on May 17, 2019. A sidewalk bump-out on Kildare/Caldwell was carried out during batch 1. Batch 2 started on July 15, 2019, which included the reconstruction of the large median on Kildare near Marc Chagall, in front of the school. All the work in Batch 2 was finished on July 26 with the exception of some grass which will be done in the second week of August 2019. Batch 3 will start at the first week of October 2019.

The city is planning to resurface all of Emerson Rd. and the portion of Smart Ave. north of Mackle Rd. in 2019. The work on Smart starts on August. 12. Work on Emerson will follow.

The project involved creating a new Wiffle ball playing field including a new fence section, two new benches and one set of bleachers. Work began in May 2019 and the field was ready for play in September 2019.

The Parkhaven Pool was renovated over the fall and winter and re-opened July 5, 2019. The pool surface was being rehabilitated and a new ramp for wheelchair access was created. In addition, there was a complete reconstruction of a larger wading pool (138 square meters instead of 77 square meters) with a gradual beach-type entrance, and heated water, new water games, four new shade structures near the wading pool, two new shade structures near the main pool, eight renovated outdoor showers, the replacement of exterior lighting and the replacement of the filtration systems. The plans were produced by GBi Services d’ingenierie and the work was done by Ciment Projeté et Piscines Orléans Inc. The cost of the project is $1,786,074.

The City of Côte Saint-Luc installed in June shade structures at the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Park playground. The new shade structures will protect three play areas. There will also be a 15‐lineal meter fence section and two gates for the playground area near Chalet 3.

Two small parks were upgraded in spring 2019. The first upgrade is at the greenspace on Baily Rd. (near the Baily triangle). The city installed a plaque to honour Gérard Etienne and added a pedestrian stone footpath and lighting for the plaque.

The Demonstration Garden was repaired in spring 2019. It included the removal of the damaged wooden garden beds, installation of a new stone patio to incorporate a larger footprint, and repair of a stone wall. Three three picnic tables with umbrellas were also added.

Our Public Works staff is well-skilled and completed many renovations to city facilities in-house including:

– renovations to the washrooms at Singerman Park
– repairs to a wall at the library and various city offices
– installation of new windows at the Yitzhak Rabin Park wading pool building and sandblasting the paint on the walls to restore the beautiful red bricks
– a new fence at Earle Park to create a safer environment and a secure entrance
maintenance on various chalets

The sidewalks along the drop-off zone in front of the Bernard Lang Civic Centre (5801 Cavendish Blvd.) were reconstructed between the week of October 22 and November 2, 2018. In order to improve pedestrian and universal access, the sidewalks were widened to 2 meters from the existing 1.5 meters and two ramps for wheelchairs will also be built.

Dates: The week of October 22 and November 2, 2018.

Construction by: Les Entreprises Ventec Inc.

Côte Saint-Luc Public Works upgraded one of the two playground surfaces at Earle Park (Earle/Oakwood). The area being upgraded is the playground closest to the street. The sand is being removed and replaced with woodchips on top of a geotextile base.
Dates: September 24, 2018 to October 15, 2018

The Joe Raie Nature Path and Dog Run near the western part of Côte Saint-Luc Rd. is  complete. It will provide a beautiful area for dog owners in the south-west area of the city, including paths, benches, a fountain, fencing, and lighting. The work is scheduled to be completed in summer 2018.

The following projects were planned or completed in 2018:
– Sleeving of 21 sections of sewer and storm water pipes
– Sleeving of 13 sections of water mains
– Road resurfacing project for Emerson Rd. and/or Smart Ave.
– Reconstruction of certain sections of sidewalks
– Sacrificing anodes project to increase life span of the water mains by slowing down formation of rust
– Replacement of the electrical control panels for the Trudeau park baseball field lights and Confederation Annex lights
– Replacement of the scoreboard at Trudeau Park baseball field
– Installation of new signage at Trudeau Park
– Installation of additional fence at Trudeau Park playground
– New vehicle entrance barriers at Trudeau Park
– Rehabilitation of the HVAC system at Bernard Lang Civic Centre
– Improvement in communication and programming of traffic lights along Cavendish Blvd.
– Many minor repairs and upgrades to parks across the City