Seasonal challenge: who does it better?

The mayor of Dorval's annual pothole challenge is back next week, which reminds us of how things seem to get fixed in suburban municipalities before they are taken care of in Montreal. Of course, there are more streets and cars in downtown boroughs than in West Island cities, but there should also be more blue-collar workers and budgets for such things as snow-clearing and pothole repairs.

Dorval's pothole challenge was initiated by former mayor Peter Yeomans in 1984, who dished out prize money from his own pocket. To his city's credit, there were many years when no actual pothole (big enough for a chicken to sit in) in Dorval was found during the mayor's challenge. While Yeomans kept his challenge — and accountability — going during his tenure on the mega-city's executive committee, he was unable to convince Montreal Mayor Gérald Tremblay to launch his own annual pothole challenge. Too bad more politicians don't give the public a chance to test their efficiency in running their city. Many West Islanders during this past winter voiced snow-clearing complaints. Clearly no one is perfect, but at least the situation in reconstituted municipalities wasn't as bad as the conditions people faced in the west end or downtown where promises to clear streets in due course never seemed to be kept — and were often ridiculed as a result.

As for potholes, they do pop up in Dorval during the winter and early spring, but their mayor makes sure the city's crews are ahead of the game and that all potholes are fixed before the annual challenge, which helps the city evaluate its operations and determine problematic areas.

The Chronicle is also launching its own unofficial West Island pothole challenge. Let us know where you found a pothole, from Dorval to Senneville. Whether it's on a local, regional or provincial artery, let us know where the potholes are located (just make sure it's an actual pothole, not just a crack in the asphalt). Please e-mail us your findings, with a brief description, including location, and a photo, if possible, to editor@transcontinental.ca.