Grand opening for new centre

The Pierrefonds/Roxboro borough rallied local politicians from across the board for the inauguration of the East Community Centre last Friday. The Gouin Boulevard centre’s launch also marked the West Island’s first eco-friendly municipal building.

Politicians on hand to witness the opening of the borough’s second community centre were Montreal Mayor Gérald Tremblay, Pierrefonds/Roxboro borough mayor Monique Worth, Nelligan MNA Yolanda James, Pierrefonds-Dollard MP Bernard Patry as well as his Conservative Party rival Pierre-Olivier Brunelle.

“This is a place to bring people together,” said Worth to the gathering of 70 people. “All of Pierrefonds and Roxboro will benefit from the services, activities, and classes that will be offered.”

The centre located in an impoverished area of the West Island across from the Sunnybrook train station has been 10 years in the planning and "will be a great way to fight delinquency in the neighbourhood," Patry said.

The community centre was part of the City of Montreal’s ‘public art in the boroughs’ program costing about $3.5 million. Architect and artist Hal Ingberg was commissioned to fulfill the project’s mandate of enriching artistic heritage in the neighbourhood. Ingberg is noted for the coloured glass he created at the Palais des Congrès.

Tremblay also took the time to announce he will be seeking a third mandate for the next municipal elections in November 2009.