NEW! COUNCIL communiqué nouvea CONSEIL Chaque mois, voyez le bulletin du Conseil de Montréal-Ouest au milieu de l’ Informer. Look for MW Town Council du newsletter in the middle of The Informer – every month! Montreal West Viewspaper communiqué u! March 2014, Vol. 42, No. 2 Special event Cotton Tail Party La fête du lapin for 2- to 10-year-olds Sunday, April 6 2-4 pm at the Town Hall Come and enjoy an egg hunt, face painting, crafts and a magic show! Tickets are available at the Community Centre. Limited space. Cost per child: in advance, $10; at the door, $12. INDEX Art etc ............................ 3 Artists’ Showcase............ 4 Budget 2014 ............ 16-17 Community Centre ..14, 15 CRA .............................. 14 Environmentally yours ...... 6 Guides ............................ 13 Horticultural Society .......... 3 In memoriam .................... 3 IODE.................................. 5 Libraries .................. 10, 13 Mailbox .............................. 5 News from the pews .. 10-11 Réunion du Conseil ...... 19 Rotary ............................ 5 Schools........................ 8-9 Scouts .......................... 12 Town Council Report ...... 18 Vôtre en environment ........ 7 Sometimes it feels like people are moved around like chess pieces by some power we don’t understand. I went with my wife to Cartes Etc. on Sherbrooke and Royal to deliver some of her pottery. I like poking around the store with its eclectic display of local arts and crafts. I noticed some photography by a MoWest resident and told Arlyle Waring, the proprietor, “Here’s another resident of our town.” That’s when she told me that there was a MoWest stained glass artisan who has her work in the store. Debera Temperton was delighted to find a store that supports local artisans to sell her stained glass and hopes one day to take advantage of the many vernissages that Arlyle organizes. Debera moved to NDG when she married David Doubt in 1975. They bought a house on Percival Street in 1990 with a 3rd floor attic studio, an ideal dead end street to raise their two girls. The family moved to Westminster seven years ago primarily because there was room to add a big garage with a studio above. The studio is a huge open space with two skylights that make the whole area come alive with light, a truly inspirational space to spend the day designing her original stained glass as well as paint, which is her other passion. She attended fine art classes at Concordia while bringing up her daughters. The focus on glass began after working at a local glass store. When she was asked to design a window and actually got paid for her effort, she became hooked on the medium and the idea of starting a business. She began selling her work in art and craft shows and gift shops then went to The Buyers Market of American Craft in photo: Maurice Krystal by Maurice Krystal Debera Temperton: Studio Debera Philadelphia and business mushroomed. She had to train part time students to try and keep up with orders and a one woman enterprise became a business. At some point Debera realized it had grown too busy, so she has scaled back somewhat. She now sells her work in some 20 stores instead of over 50 and participates in craft shows in Montreal, Ottawa and the One of a Kind Christmas Craft show in Toronto. She is particularly fond of MoWest’s Art etc. show which she started attending two years ago. “This show is a local treasure, a place to meet your neighbours and discover some very talented artisans.” Debera has developed custom product lines to accommodate her various stores. She has a line of backyard birds for a chain of nature stores, a special line of angels for Anges Neiges, a Montreal angel store, a collection of Christmas decorations and a beautiful Nativity scene which is part of the permanent collection of the St Joseph’s Oratory. She is always experimenting and adding new twists to her designs. She welcomes feedback and suggestions from customers which have often inspired new work. On top of her busy schedule Debera finds time to volunteer for MoWest’s Meals-on-Wheels, participates on the ART ETC. committee and organizes fund raising events for the Stephen Lewis Foundation’s Grandmother to Grandmother campaign supporting African grandmothers who are bringing up their AIDS-orphaned grandchildren. continued on page 3 2 Informerly Yours 10 Westminster North Montreal West, Quebec H4X 1Y9 The Informer’s role is to provide MoWesters with information about their Town and its citizens in order to foster the small-town, close-knit atmosphere that makes Montreal West a special place in which to live. ISSN: 084741X EXECUTIVE BOARD Jeannette Brooker - Chair Rick Lavell - Treasurer Jane Williams Heather Baylis Véronique Belzil-Boucher René Boucher Jeanne Ragbir - Secretary EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Heather Baylis 489-7022 LAYOUT DESIGNER Julia Ross julia@ross.ca AD MANAGER Heather Baylis, 489-7022 montrealwestinformer@gmail.com DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Rhonda Schwartz 482-0227 MoWest Gold Medal winner Congratulations to Iris Pouliot of Montreal West on receiving the gold medal for piano from The Royal Conservatory of Music. This medal is awarded yearly to the student who achieves the highest mark in his or her grade in the province of Quebec. Convocation and the Gold Medal ceremony took place in Toronto on January 12 and Iris, along with her mom Sophie and her MoWest piano teacher Ingrid Tark, were in attendance. The award presentations were followed by inspiring musical performances and a lovely reception at Koerner Hall. Well done Iris! RATES Camera-ready art: 1/6 page – $45 1/12 page – $25 Professional card: $125/year Classifieds: 25-50 words – $10 25 words or less – $6 TASK FORCE Axel Brinck René Boucher Lise McVey Maryl Murphy Jeanne Ragbir Lydia Shuster Rose Marie Smith and those we omitted inadvertently The Informer Is published nine times a year (usually) on the last weekend of the month except June, July and December. Out-of-town subscriptions: $15 per year. Typesetting by Informer staff, printing by King Press. Extra copies available at Town Hall and both libraries. Funded, in part, by the Town of Montreal West. Articles are printed in French or English as submitted. NEXT ISSUE DEADLINE March 12 Taping for a contest On Thursday, February 13 Musicanto Choir finished their taping for the Sing for Saint-Justine with Céline Dion contest at the MW United Church. It was a snowy February Friday night and we (my husband Brian and daughter Ellen) were making a night of it: an early supper and a movie. We were attending the premiere of an indie film, Three Night Stand, written and directed by Pat Kiely (from NDG). Playing the lead roles were Meaghan Rath and Sam Huntington, both from the TV show Being Human. I was at the premiere to celebrate and share this special occasion with friend and colleague Dr. Gail Mendonza and her husband Dana whose daughter is Meaghan (Ballantyne N). We were not alone. It was a surprise to see the full capacity turn out of friends and family from MoWest. I recognized many patients, Norma B and Michael P to mention two. It was there that I witnessed the strong sense of connection the people of Montreal West have to each other. People were waving, shaking hands, chatting about grandchildren and showing photos of family on their smart phones. Behind me Flora D was distressed that my secretary Cathy M and husband Mark could not find two seats together. Montreal West is a special place. I felt the sense of belonging that night at the premiere. This is a town where people know their neighbours. from Dr. Jane Lee P.S. We enjoyed the movie. Send your congratulations, condolences, good news and whatever you want to crow about to: montrealwestinformer@gmail.com or call Heather at 489-7022. A witty romantic comedy, Three Night Stand starts in a lodge in the Laurentians, where a married couple of five years arrive to spend a weekend and rekindle their romance. They would have never guessed who owns the lodge. TVA Films. 14A 3 Phyllis Green In memoriam It has been three months since we lost our very dear friend and co-worker Phyllis Green. Phyllis worked at the Edinburgh PSA (Parent Sponsored Activities) from 2002 and also at the lunch program for a longer period of time. She is missed and thought about nearly every day. Phyllis was one of the most thoughtful people you could wish to meet. She remembered each and everyone’s birthday with a card, even if it were during the summer vacation Phyllis would find the time to put a card through the door. She also sent Christmas, Chanukah and Easter cards. If you were sick she would call to check up on you and ask if you needed anything. If you look in the dictionary under genuine it says, “truly what something is said to be; authentic.” Phyllis was the genuine thing. She was one of those few people you meet in your lifetime that makes such an impression on you and someone you never forget. Phyllis was the hub of our PSA kitchen. She worked with Lina whom we always laughed at and called her “surrogate daughter.” Phyllis kept an eye out for Lina like all mothers do. They were a great team. Lina teased and Phyllis good-naturedly took it. Their motto in the kitchen was “What we discuss in the kitchen stays in the kitchen.” She loved the children and was always fair, never giving more to one than another. She ran a tight ship, but a happy one. Phyllis knew my love of chocolate and black licorice and on one of her many trips to Plattsburgh shopping she found chocolate licorice. After that, more often than not when she had been on one of her shopping The 2013 ART ETC. show was a great success. We had lots of new participants and many more people were able to drop in over the Saturday/Sunday dates. Our attendance was higher than in previous years so thank you MoWest for your support! Everyone on the ART ETC. Committee thanks all our artisans for their participation and amazing wares. We would like to thank Paula Cordeau for her enthusiastic and patient assistance. We would also like to thank Frank Agostinelli from Public Works for the amazing job he did and all his wonderful help throughout the set up and actual show. No matter how hard the ART ETC. committee works, there would not be a show without the efforts of people like Paula and Frank. Special thanks, as always, to Joyce Teiber and the entire Horticultural Committee for once again offering the Floral Café in partnership with ART ETC. It is a wonderful addition to the ambiance of the event. Vegetables as ornaments in the garden trips with her husband Bernie or daughter Randy, I would find a package on my desk. That was Phyllis always thinking of others. On her shopping trips Phyllis was not just thinking of treats she had a passion. Purses! Phyllis must have had one of the largest collections of purses mostly big and often flamboyant. Always one to dress well she had to have a purse to match the outfit. She would always come in with a big smile after such a trip and we knew we had another purse to see and envy. Even at work Phyllis always looked her best and wore a smile to go with it. We still call it Phyllis’s kitchen and if someone does something she would not like you can guarantee someone will say Phyllis wouldn’t be happy and then we do it her way. Phyllis still reigns in her kitchen. We miss you Phyllis. God bless. from Jacqui Roye The committee is already working on the 2014 edition We are presently holding our jury where the new artisans are selected for the show. We will be contacting successful applicants with further information. Email us at artetcmontrealwest@gmail.com The 2014 edition of ART ETC. will be held on Saturday, November 22 and Sunday, November 23 at the Town Hall. We hope to see you all there! from Cate Gregory A feast for the eyes as well as the palate – Gwynne Basen’s own kitchen garden, that combines edible and ornamental plants, is the takeoff point for the Horticultural Society’s March meeting. A passionate gardener, Gwynne chooses plant varieties for their beauty and flavour. Abbondanza is the name of Basen’s 60hectare hill farm in the Eastern Townships where she has built orchards, gardens and grown a range of edible and ornamental plants, most of them heirloom plants. Her dizzying list of accomplishments includes films, newspaper and magazine articles, lectures, television and radio appearances, and workshops on soil, mulching, composting, pest control and how to grow flowers and vegetables. To see how vegetables can make a statement in your garden come to experience Gwynne Basen’s enlightening presentation on Monday, March 17, at the Town Hall. Debera Temperton: Studio Debera continued from page 1 Debera’s husband, David Doubt, is a name on many Sutton Centre Ouest real estate signs along with Rick and Isabelle, MoWest’s long time brokers. They were neighbours on Percival and when David decided to change careers, he got his real estate licence and joined Rick and Isabel’s team, a move which has proven to be very exciting. “I really appreciate David’s input, he has a critical eye for colour and design trained by his past experience in the printing business and he is very handy when it comes to building and hauling my booth around.” Daughters Jessica and Kimberly live nearby in NDG. Jessica is working towards a MA in Education at McGill, subs at Elizabeth Ballantyne School, runs a catering business, alabonnefemme.ca and is raising three small children between two and six. Kimberly completed a BA in Political Science and works downtown for the Bank of Montreal. Debera’s boxes can be seen in the Artists’ Showcase in the Town Hall until the end of April. As I was leaving she said she decided to tell me why she kept her maiden name professionally. “Debbie Doubt doesn’t quite sound right, besides I have no doubt about what I’m doing!” Studio Debera debera@videotron.ca URBAN EDGE in MoWest Artists’ Showcase Stephen Coull B. Comm. Courtier en Assurances de Dommages Broker in Damage Insurance 68 Westminster Ave. N. 514-481-1134 www.rccoull.com Alexandre Kelemen, B.A. Econ. Financial Security Advisor 1800 McGill College, Suite 1100 Office: 514-931-4242 ext. 2323 Cell: 514-572-9470 alexandre.Kelemen@f55f.com A division of London Life Insurance Company A hand-stitched Graffiti-Peace Wall is one of the highlights of the current Artists’ Showcase, on view at the Town Hall. Cynthia Nichols has used crocheted, knitted and embroidered yarn to create the rainbow, city skyline and other elements that make up this work of art with a message. Showcase newcomer Wendy Dodge also uses fabric as her medium. The red, blue, green and beige rectangles and triangles in Wendy’s quilts are cheerful antidotes to the grey days of winter. Print maker Annette Wolfstein-Joseph contrasts red high-heeled shoes with furry pets. Photographer Alex Brzezinski has created a series of images of discarded sofas: forlorn, pillows askew or entirely upside down, all were photographed in Montreal West. Janice Hamilton went further afield with a series of collages incorporating her photos of New York City. Elizabeth Ulin has drawn whimsical bicycles and tricycles into her pottery, while polymer clay artist Gaby Orbach has brought the urban theme to her jewelry. Photographer Louise Chenevert has taken the urban edge theme literally with her photo of a fox on Meadowbrook golf course. The show will be on view until mid-May, when it will make way for the annual children’s art show. That exhibit is open to any MoWest resident under age 18, with works of art made at home, at school or in an art class. To find out more, or to get an application form, go to the MoWest website or pick one up at the office in the Town Hall, or call Tammy Loftus at 484-1610 or e-mail her at tloftus@montreal-west.ca. Dr. Mark Santaguida, O.D. docteur en optométrie / optometrist • examen de la vue • lunettes • verres de contact • consultation laser • eye exams • glasses • contact lenses • laser consultation 514 481- 4791 43a av. Westminster Ave. N. Mtl West,QC H4X 1Y8 curtaincall.montreal@gmail.com Honesty Integrity Hardworking Enthusiastic Please entrust me with the purchase / sale of your property Photos: Alex Brzenski 4 5 Lunch with Beny Mailbox Rotary Club We had the pleasure of dining with our recently re-elected mayor Beny Masella on Thursday, January 23. Beny has started an initiative – Coffee with the Mayor – as a way to interact with citizens and get a hands on feel for the heart beat of our town. We were able to convince him that not everyone eats breakfast and that Lunch with Beny might prove to be just as fruitful. We had several Town residents in attendance along with our usual group of questioning Rotarians. Beny pointed out that he is half the man he used to be as he has lost close to 200 lbs since becoming Mayor four years ago. This weight loss is more from healthy choices than stress – but I’m sure stress has helped. Beny said he was embarrassed by the conditions of the roads in MoWest. Westminster needs rejuvenation with new lights, benches, etc. It will be a 3-4 year project. The arena has outlived its life and it is not smart to continue to throw more money into this rabbit hole. The mayor would like to see a complex built that includes an arena, community centre and library. He still needs input from residents. He also sees positive things coming from the city of Montreal towards demerged cities. Mayor Coderre has good relations with the whole island of Montreal. The mayor answered questions on potholes and why roads in Ontario and northern New York are in better shape. Beny also answered questions about the arena project that was put forward eight years ago and why now is a good time to look at this project. The last question dealt with the train tracks and a long term solution to reduce traffic at this crossing. We thanked Beny for Response to letter from Paul Kenton With reference to the letter submitted by Paul Kenton in the February Informer, I would like to clarify that I expressed to Mr. Kenton both at a public meeting and in writing that I believe in the value of citizens' input and would be reviewing with Council the formation of a Finance committee, but that this would come after a discussion of how this committee could best serve the Town and what its mandate and membership would be. Colleen Feeney Councillor, Finance, Administration and Human Resources Mayor Beny Masella his presentation and hope that he will come and do “Lunch with Beny” again soon and make it a regular event. Rotary luncheon speakers March 13: Lyette Lapointe: advanced funeral planning: your life; your legacy. March 20: Royal West Vice-Principal Jeff Bateman and Ann MacKay: Royal West Science Fair March 27: Nicola Elkins, President, Westmount Rotary: philanthropy in Canada Our doors are open to the public if you’d like to join us to sit in on one of our presentations. Our presentations are usually 20-30 minutes after lunch, starting at 1:10 pm. Should you like to join us for an excellent catered lunch the cost is $20 and we sit down to dine at 12:30 pm. Hope you’ll come and join us soon. from Doug Yeats HMS Victory Chapter IODE celebrated its 70th anniversary on February 11 at the Community Centre. Congratulatory wishes and cards were received from National Chapter and from IODE chapters in British Columbia and New Brunswick and more. Fred Motton copied an older custom and presented the Regent (aka President Janet King) with a corsage complete with a red, white and blue ribbon and also gave one to his wife Eileen who joined as a Junior member 70 years ago. The mothers of both Fred and Eileen were in IODE. There was a beautiful cake. We received reports from all the officers in charge of activities. The Citizenship Officer reported a record number of 5135 volunteer hours performed by chapter members in 2013. At our March meeting we will be making up personal property bags (aka ditty bags) for the women who arrive at Auberge Transition. Last year we were fortunate to have collected enough toiletries to fill and deliver 46 bags: soap, facecloth, notepad, pen or pencil, toothpaste and brush and so on. The front porch at 131 Wolseley Avenue North seems to be the depository. Thanks to both the identified and the anonymous donors. If you identify yourself, we can thank you personally. We sent $1,000 to one of the elementary school in Lac Megantic, to be used at their discretion for children affected by last summer’s disaster; the school plans to set up a calm, quiet area where children can relax. The same amount was sent to another school by the Gaspé chapter. We welcomed Ella Beck, mother of Kathleen Coull, to our annual meeting; she has recruited three new members for the Gaspé chapter in the last year. We welcome new members, too. Please join us on the second Tuesday of most months, 2-4 pm at the Community Centre. We will have something pleasant for you to do for others. from Janet King 6 FOR THE BEST SERVICE IN TOWN POUR LE MEILLEUR SERVICE EN VILLE N.D.G. & Montreal West Real Estate Agency Agence immobilière RICK ISABELLE DAVID LAVELL PAPINEAU DOUBT . . Real Estate Brokers . Courtiers immobiliers office: 514 483-5800 www.rickandisabelle.com 1-800-260-1445 Dr. John Drummond Dr. Anthony Seminara • Dental Surgeons Chirugiens dentists (514) 484 0521 • drdrummondseminara@gmail.com www.montrealwestdentistry.com 12 Brock Ave. North, Montreal West, Quebec H4X 2E9 Environmentally yours Is living in a green community important to you? Ready to make it happen? Then here’s your opportunity! This year, the Environmental Action Committee (EAC) will be broken up into three distinct subcommittees. Each group will tackle a specific issue that impacts on our sustainability. This way, groups of like-minded, passionate people can work together on matters that are most important to them. If you join a subcommittee, your job will be to make recommendations to Council on how the Town can do better in your specific area. The membership of each subcommittee will set its own meeting schedule. Once a year, all three subcommittees will meet as the larger EAC to share their ideas. So which of these committees grabs you? Tender spot for trees? The Tree Committee was formed last year and is chaired by Councillor TaskerBrown. Its mandate is to develop Town policies (by-laws, work practices, communication strategies, etc.) that protect and maintain our green canopy. Many of us moved to MoWest, seduced by the huge Silver Maples lining our streets. But as these trees age and disappear, it’s our responsibility to plan for the next generation. If this type of work is up your alley, let Councillor Tasker-Brown know by emailing her at: jtasker-brown@montreal-west.ca Energised by efficiency? The Energy Efficiency Committee will look at how the Town can lower its green house gas emissions and its energy budget. Council is always interested in projects that help save tax dollars and the planet at the same time! This committee will collaborate in a professional energy audit of the Town which will then make recommendations to Council. Should we be looking at geothermal heating in our Town buildings? LED lighting for our street lamps? Electric vehicles in our fleet? In the past, the EAC has been instrumental in getting solar panels to heat the pool and radiant heating for the Public Works garage. If you’d like to be part of what we look at next, especially if you have experience in the field, please let me know. Turned on by trash talk? It may not be sexy, but diverting waste from landfill is an important part of decreasing our environmental footprint. These measures include recycling, composting, hazardous waste collection and incentives to reduce and reuse consumer products. MoWest’s latest diversion program is our door-to-door composting system. It’s gotten off to a good start, but more can be done. Right now 50% of our households participate but our goal is to reach 75% by year’s end. So, is the Trash Talk Committee your thing? I have to admit, I’m hooked on it myself. And we’re always looking for creative new ideas. Several years ago the EAC instituted Free for All Day, for instance, where residents put functional, unwanted items at the end of their driveways for others to take for free. The system continues to be a fun way to encourage reuse. So, how about it? Are you looking for ways to spread the gospel of compost? Do you have a brilliant new idea you’d like to share? Contact me for some serious trash talk today! Elizabeth Ulin Councillor for Recreation, Culture and Environment Chair, Environmental Action Committee eulin@montreal-west.ca ANITA CONIDARIS Consultation in Decorating and the ideal colour palette for your home Design d’intérieur 44 Easton Ave. Montreal West 485-4639 Avanti West End Domestic Help, Experienced Nurses, Babysitters, Cleaning Ladies and Companions 514-482-3631 7 Vôtre en environment Vous importe-t-il de vivre dans une communauté verte? Êtes-vous prêt(e) à contribuer à la mettre en place? Alors en voici l’occasion! Cette année, le Comité d’action environnementale (CAE) sera divisé en trois sous-comités distincts. Chaque groupe abordera une question précise ayant un impact sur notre durabilité. Ainsi, des personnes passionnées et à l’optique commune pourront travailler ensemble sur les questions les plus importantes pour elles. Si vous participez à un souscomité, votre tâche sera de faire des recommandations au Conseil sur la façon dont la ville peut faire mieux dans ce domaine. Les membres de chaque sous-comité fixeront eux-mêmes leur calendrier de réunions. Une fois l’an, les trois sous-comités se réuniront pour une plénière du CAE afin de partager leurs idées. Lequel de ces sous-comités vous attire le plus? Vous avez un faible pour les arbres? Le Comité de l’arbre a été formé l’an dernier sous la présidence de la conseillère Tasker-Brown. Son mandat est de mettre au point les politiques de la Ville (règlements, pratiques de travail, stratégies de communication, etc.) visant à protéger et maintenir notre voûte de verdure. Nous sommes nombreux à avoir choisi MontréalOuest pour ses immenses érables argentés qui bordent nos rues. Mais au fur et à mesure que ces arbres vieillissent et disparaissent, il nous revient de planifier la prochaine génération. Si un tel travail vous intéresse, informez-en la conseillère TaskerBrown par courriel au jtasker-brown@montreal-ouest.ca L’efficacité vous énergise? Le Comité d’efficacité énergétique examinera comment la Ville peut réduire ses émissions de gaz à effet de serre et son budget énergétique. Le Conseil est toujours ouvert à des projets permettant à la fois d’économiser des taxes et de sauver la planète! Ce comité collaborera à un audit professionnel de la Ville qui fera ensuite des recommandations au Conseil. Devrions-nous envisager le chauffage géothermique pour nos édifices municipaux? … l’éclairage DEL pour nos lampadaires? … des véhicules électriques pour notre flotte? Par le passé, le CAE a joué un rôle déterminant dans l’installation de panneaux solaires pour chauffer la piscine et du chauffage par rayonnement au garage des Travaux publics. Si vous souhaitez faire partie des prochaines étapes, particulièrement si vous avez de l’expérience dans le domaine, n’hésitez pas à m’en faire part. La valorisation des déchets vous intéresse? Ce n’est pas bien excitant, mais valoriser les déchets de manière à réduire la quantité qui se rend au site d’enfouissement est une manière importante de diminuer notre empreinte environnementale. Ces mesures comprennent le recyclage, le compostage, la collecte des déchets dangereux ainsi que des incitatifs pour réduire ou réutiliser les produits de consommation. Le plus récent programme de valorisation de Montréal-Ouest est notre programme de cueillette de compostage de porte à porte. Il est bien lancé, mais nous pouvons faire encore mieux. Présentement, 50 % des ménages y participent, mais notre but est de rejoindre 75 % des familles d’ici la fin de l’année. Est-ce que le comité « Parlons déchets » vous attire? Je dois reconnaitre quant à moi que j’y suis carrément accroc. Et nous recherchons toujours la créativité et les nouvelles idées. Il y a plusieurs années, le CAE a institué une Journée bon débarras, par exemple, pendant laquelle les résidants mettent des objets en bon état dont ils ne veulent plus en bordure de trottoir pour que des passants puissent se servir, gratuitement. Le programme continue d’être une façon amusante d’encourager la réutilisation. Qu’en pensez-vous? Cherchez-vous une façon de prêcher l’évangile du compost? Avez-vous une brillante nouvelle idée que vous aimeriez partager? Contactez-moi aujourd’hui même pour sérieusement parler déchets! Elizabeth Ulin Conseillère Loisirs, culture et environnement Présidente, Comité d’action environnementale eulin@montreal-ouest.ca Why choose just anyone, when you can move with THE MOVER INC Since 1932 "THE RIGHT MOVE AT THE RIGHT PRICE" When personal service seems like history, you’ll be pleased with Meldrum’s genuine concern. We’ll make a helpful house call ...right away. • CANADA • UNITED STATES • STORAGE • LOCAL • OVERSEAS Proud member of 481-1122 6645 SHERBROOKE ST. W. Groupe Sutton Centre-Ouest Inc. 514-575-2419 mwilson@sutton.com Mary Wilson Courtier immobilier résidentiel 8 Elizabeth Ballantyne School Theatre Club at EBS Room 2 at EBS is filled with the intense energy of the Senior and Junior Theatre Clubs. The Junior Club meets on Wednesday and the Senior Club meets on Thursday, both after school. Drama is a Home and School sponsored activity. Under the supervision of Daveen Garland, this year’s group will produce Hamelin Rats, the Musical, an adaptation of the Pied Piper of Hamelin. Originally from the UK, Ms. Garland has taught drama at the school for several years. She holds a theatre degree from Concordia and has worked on a professional level as a stage manager and director. It is not easy finding a play which can be produced successfully at an elementary school. Ms. Garland explained that she chose this year’s piece because it had many fun smaller parts such as mice, rats and children which will be played by the Junior Club. The Senior Club will play the adult roles. Valuable skills learned Drama lessons are not only for aspiring actors. The students enrolled in this extracurricular activity acquire many valuable skills. The participants become more comfortable with speaking in public. The breathing and warm up exercises help them to relax and become focused be- École des Amis-du-Monde fore they practice a scene. According to Ms. Garland, “Drama class allows the children to express themselves in ways that they could not inside the classroom.” More than actors needed Theatre is a very inclusive activity at EBS. For the children who would like to participate in the production, but would rather not appear on stage, there is a set and costume design group that meets every Wednesday at lunch. This varied group of students are able to put their creative and artistic talents to work. While some kids are busy covering biscuit tins with papier mâché and yellow paint to simulate cheese chunks, others are busy sewing fabric scraps into grain bags. According to Ms. Garland, the students are involved in every step of the process. The group began their session by reading the script and looking at photos of people in costumes. They discuss how different props can be reproduced using recycled materials. Parent supporters are happy to provide materials such as old paint, bed sheets and oversized cardboard boxes as they anticipate the final production which will run for two performances in April. from Caroline Dick-Semergian Les récrés amusantes des Amis-du-Monde Nous avons des récréations intéressantes pour nous occuper, à l’intérieur et à l’extérieur. Les récrés intérieures amusantes ont lieu une fois par semaine. Elles nous offrent des jeux de table et des jeux plus actifs comme Twister, avec de la musique d’ambiance qui nous plaît beaucoup. Pour pouvoir participer, il faut s’inscrire avant la date limite. Et pour jouer à l’extérieur, madame Denise organise régulièrement de grands jeux pour faire bouger tout le monde. N’hésitez pas à participer, c’est garanti à 100 % que vous passerez une belle récré! Par Auréliane Fréchette Magnifiques olympiques Les élèves journalistes ont exploré le monde merveilleux de Sotchi le mois dernier. Au programme des recherches sur certains sports moins bien connus, des thématiques en photographie et en dessin. Pour couronner le tout, deux émissions spéciales sur les Jeux Olympiques de Sotchi ont été diffusées durant la quinzaine olympique. Nous partageons avec vous le travail de deux élèves sur le thème du patinage artistique: « L’un des sports présenté à l’Olympiade sera le patinage artistique. C’est très beau ce sport dans lequel une ou deux personnes peuvent danser sur la glace et faire des sauts et des pirouettes sur la musique. Si quelqu’un veut devenir patineur ou patineuse, il faut commencer le plus tôt possible et le plus tôt possible, c’est à 4 ans. Moi, j’ai commencé à 6 ans. Pour être bon patineur, il faut aimer patiner, aimer s’entraîner, ne pas avoir peur du froid, être flexible et être prêt à se présenter au concours. Je n’ai encore jamais fait de concours, mais j’ai une danse et en septembre, je vais avoir mon premier concours. » Par Mar’ya Chumbaev dessin de Yulia Bogdanova Lorsque dictée rime avec partage… La dictée PGL est un projet pour améliorer notre vocabulaire. Cette année, le thème pour la dictée PGL est « l’eau ». L’objectif de cette dictée est de ramasser le plus d’argent possible pour construire des écoles dans les pays pauvres et leur donner de l’aide pour l’éducation des enfants. La moitié du don revient à notre école pour de nouveaux projets et du matériel. Un très grand nombre d’écoles du Canada participent à cet événement. L’eau c’est une ressource à protéger, une ressource à partager. Par Gabrielle Murray et Amélie Tao Senior Theatre Club rehearses Hamelin Rats Article produit avec la collaboration de Nathalie Grégoire, Petrina Lee Poy et Brigitte Rivard. 9 Edinburgh School A reminder for our “newer” parents: our official school web site is www.emsb.qc.ca/Edinburgh/ index.html. If you miss an announcement, a calendar or a letter, you may find it on the website or may call the office for further information. Our second term report cards will be handed out Friday, March 14, after the spring break. Registration for 2014-2015 We are currently registering siblings for next August. If you have not dropped by yet and do have a child to register, Natasha will help you out this week. Note that we are closed for lunch between 11 am and 12:30 pm. Registration for new children began Monday, February 3. Please remind your neighbours who have young, school-aged children of this. Speaking of Natasha, she and Ms. Pina have been running a “Girls Group” twice a week at lunch time. They are both doing this on their own time and this is another example of the wonderful and conscientious staff at Edinburgh. Information regarding school drills Royal West Academy have more practice drills before we finish the year. We now have plastic guards on the fire-alarm pull stations in the gymnasium. Every once in a while a ball would hit the pull station and we would have an unscheduled fire drill. With the help of the EMSB Buildings and Grounds Division, this problem has now been rectified. Events You should have received a notice that your child will be participating in La Dictée PGL early in February. The children are now hard at work studying the words they will be spelling. This initiative helps our children with their French instruction while fund raising and helping other children in francophone countries. Last, but not least We are well into the deep freeze and can only come out a bit warmer – eventually. Please note that each day we try to weigh all the factors – temperature, wind chill factor and the amount of ice on the playground – when we decide whether to have indoor or outdoor recesses. We understand the children need exercise and fresh air, but will not risk their safety. Thank you for your cooperation. So far this school year we have had three fire drills and one lock-down drill. We will from Emmanuelle Chassé Catherine Gardner Real estate broker Courtier immobilier Groupe Sutton Centre-Ouest Inc. 514-793-5608 cgardner@sutton.com Policier (Canadian Pacifique) Mark Hawkhurst donne des conseils sur la prévention dans le cadre de L’Opération Gareautrain Les agents sociocommunautaires du Poste de quartier 9 MarieChristine Nobert et Vincent De Angelis ont organisé des kiosques de prévention dans le cadre de l’opération Gareautrain à l’école Royal West Académie le lundi 10 février dernier. Plus de 700 jeunes étudiants ont reçu des conseils de prévention des inspecteurs de l’AMT (Agence métropolitaine de transport), des policiers du Canadian Pacifique et de la Sécurité publique de Montréal-Ouest. Nous organiserons aussi le matin du mercredi 30 avril prochain des grands kiosques extérieurs à la gare de Montréal Ouest, avec les mêmes partenaires, dans le cadre de la semaine de prévention ferroviaire du 28 avril au 4 mai. Slogan de l’opération : Regardez, écoutez et restez en vie ! Site internet : operationlifesaver.ca et operationgareautrain.ca. Dr. Michael J. Wexel Chiropractor Neck Pain Headaches & Migraines Stiffness Sports Related Injuries Wellness & Preventative Care Low Back Pain Muscle Pain Numbness & Tingling Nutritional Counseling CSST & SAAQ 773-7246 18 Westminster N., Suite 110 Call For An Appointment Today So You Can Feel Better Tomorrow. 10 News from the Pews MW Presbyterian Hours / Horaire Monday - Thursday / lundi - jeudi : 9 h 00 - 12 h 00; 13 h 30 - 18 h 00 Friday / vendredi : 9 h 00 - 12 h 00; 13 h 30 - 17 h 00 Saturday / samedi : 13 h 00 - 16 h 00 Spring is almost here! We hope everyone is having a great March Break! The library will be open our regular hours. Origami workshop The library will be hosting an origami workshop for children ages 8-12 on March 15 from 2-3. We’ve invited Indra Singh to teach the workshop. Indra is an origami teacher at Au papier japonais and has lots of experience working with children and adults. The cost for the workshop is $13 which includes the one-hour workshop and the beautiful origami paper. Please call the library to register as spaces are limited. Skate-a-thon thank you We would like to thank Elizabeth Ballantyne School and everyone in the community who helped make the Skate-a-thon fundraiser a success. The school was very generous and we’ve been able to purchase lots of new books with the money raised. Keep your eyes open for books with the special Skate-a-thon book plates on the inside front cover! As always keep checking our Facebook page for news and our website for new books coming into the library! Theopiste (Theo) Hondzoglou bur.: (514) 483-5800 fax: (514) 483-2699 mobile: (514) 898-3821 hondzoglout@sutton.com Groupe Sutton – Centre-Ouest Inc. 5800, avenue Monkland Montreal, QC, H4A 1G1 Looking back We are still talking about and reliving our gospel service, honouring Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King, held on January 26. I am sure that, if it had been possible, the roof would have lifted off the church – not that we would have wanted to lose our new roof! We weren’t dancing in the aisles – but almost. Nobody, including our friends from Tyndale St-Georges, wanted the service to end. Thanks go out to Sampson Afoakwah, Student Minister, Jen de Combe, Director of Tyndale St-Georges, and Iva Gray, soloist, for their participation and leadership. Also to: Chad Linsley, pianist and music director, Amelia McMahon, soprano, Kevin Dean, trumpet, Tim Nolan, bass, and Dave Laing, drums, for the excellent and uplifting music. On Saturday, February 1, many of us went to a hockey game at the Concordia Athletics Complex to support and cheer on one of our loyal members: Gabrielle (Gaby) Davidson who plays for the McGill Martlets. The Martlets won 5-1 against the Concordia Stingers with Gaby scoring two of the goals. Gaby leads all CIS scorers with 28 markers in only 19 games. Her proud parents are Howard and Guylaine Davidson. Howard, his parents and sister lived in MoWest for many years. Marriage blessing On Sunday, February 9 the marriage of Albert Sekoh and Solange Takougang was blessed by Rev. Joel Coppieters as they reaffirmed their vows to one another. Baptism Oriane Nduyong Sekou and Kaelan Sibanou Sekou, children of Albert Sekoh and Solange Takougang, were baptized on Sunday, February 9 by Rev. Joel Coppieters, Interim Moderator. Oriane and Kaelan are the grandchildren of John and Martha Sekou and Jean and Elisabeth Takougang. Apology My sincere apology to Campbell Tilley for having omitted his name in the baptismal notice for his grandson Liam Werner Tilley. Looking ahead We are looking forward to welcoming many of you to our first card party of the New Year on February 21. Our friendship service and luncheon, with our friends from Tyndale St-Georges as guests, will be held on Sunday, March 23 at 10 am. Special music will be provided by the AEternal group. We will be holding an African gospel concert on Saturday, April 5 at 7:30 pm. Details to follow in the next issue. Ongoing Bible Study on Wednesdays at 7 pm in the church parlour, 160 Ballantyne N. entrance. Weekly Sunday services and Sunday school at 10 am followed by a social hour. You are most welcome to join us for any of our services and/or events. Please call Mildred at the church office for further information: 484-7913 – weekdays 9 am noon. from Janet Dimock 11 MW United ...the brick one Can you believe how late Easter is this year? Our gardens could well be sprouting daffodils and tulips for Easter. The reflective time of Lent only begins on March 5 with Ash Wednesday. So March has time to come in and out like lions or lambs, hopefully bringing winter to a close. Interestingly enough, 2014 is a year when the Julian and Gregorian calendars are aligned for Easter. So we join with our Orthodox neighbours (Greek, Ukrainian, etc.) in celebrating on April 20. While the first Sunday in Lent, March 9 will be marked by offering Communion in the worship service, on the subsequent Sundays, an optional Communion service will be offered immediately following worship in the Bethlehem Aisle. This tradition was begun by Dr. Campbell Wadsworth in the 1950’s and continues to be worthwhile. Speaking of traditions... Our traditional spring-time military whist will be held Friday, March 28 at 7 pm. Places can be reserved by calling the office. At $8 per person, it is always a good time. Gather your foursome then come to enjoy delicious desserts, prizes, and great fun. Twelve years have now passed since our first Labyrinth Walk was held in Wadsworth Hall on February 28, 2001. Does that make it a tradition yet? Perhaps it does, although for those who have yet to explore this calming walking meditation, it might feel like something quite new. Far from new, these ancient pathways have offered their silent invitation to solve problems and/or bring peace and wisdom for many millennia. If you have tried it, but not for awhile, think of it as rediscovering an old friend with whom you can simply reconnect with ease. Traditionally we meet for worship and Sunday school at 10 am, led by Rev. Janet Bisset and Brenda Murray respectively. Office hours are 9:30-2:30 Monday-Thursday. Messages can be left at 482-3210. You are always welcome. from Susan Upham News from the Pews St. Ignatius of Loyola St. Philip’s Olympics and Lent Spring is just around the corner, but that means that Lent is too. Just like our Canadian athletes had to put in time and effort in order to be successful at the recent Olympics, so too do we need time to prepare ourselves for the coming Easter celebrations. Lent gives us the opportunity we need to renew and reconnect with the Lord. Lenten journey Please join us as we begin our Lenten journey on Ash Wednesday, March 5, at either the 9 am or 7:30 pm Mass where we will distribute ashes. These serve as a reminder of our own mortal frailty and are a sign of our repentance and sorrow for sin. Parenting teenagers On Tuesday, March 11 we will begin a five-week course on parenting teenagers. The Parenting Teenagers Course was developed by Nicky and Sila Lee, authors of The Marriage Book and The Parenting Book. During the sessions you will discover practical tools to help you meet the challenges of raising teenagers in the modern world. The course offers useful and informative advice for making already strong families great as well as helping you discover that you are not alone in the challenges you face. For more information please call Carol Eaton-Jensen at 481-9124 or take a look at our website www.st-ignatius.ca/blog/. Lent begins on March 5. Our traditional Ash Wednesday service will take place that evening at 7:30 pm. On Tuesday nights during Lent, we will join in the Primate’s Bible Study, “Becoming the Story We Tell,” entering into the biblical drama in order to live out our baptismal calling. We gather for Eucharist at 7:30 pm and then Bible study from 8 to 9 pm. The series will begin on March 11. The annual mid-Lent pancake brunch, hosted by the men of the parish, will take place on Sunday March 23, at 11:30 am. Tickets are available from the church office 481-4871. Thanks to a generous donation, we now have a beautiful baby grand piano gracing the stage in the Memorial Hall. This piano will be available for a fellowship hymn sing and other church events, for Miss Iris’ ballet classes and for other rental functions in the hall. DR. SUSAN MCDONALD Dentist • Dentiste 73 WESTMINSTER N. MONTREAL WEST H4X 1Y8 Dr. Michael J. Wexel Chiropractor / Chiropracticien Tel: 773-7246 E-mail: drmjwexel@videotron.ca 18 Westminster N., Suite 110 Montreal West, QC H4X 1Y8 from Fr. Michael Leclerc Donna Nicholson 481-3406 486-4411 35 years ++ Let my Experience Work for You Serving the Montreal West area in the buying and selling of homes. For an informal rendez-vous, please call. 481-3406 12 MW Scout Group Beavers Our Beaver colony has been very busy since the New Year. We assembled and decorated our Beaver Buggies before racing them in front of cheering friends and family. The buggies had racing stripes, googly eyes and penny weights to make them run faster. Everyone is a winner in Beavers, all receiving a new badge for their vests. We had a very special meeting at the end of January. Two of our Beaver moms came in to help us celebrate Chinese New Year, sharing treats to eat and giving red packages filled with old Chinese coins and chocolate ones wrapped in gold paper. We did our own version of the Dragon Dance using special masks made by leaders Wolverine (Kevin Clarke) and Tic Tac (Jessica Lonardi). Everyone made paper dragons with fire coming out of their mouths. Before heading off to winter camp (next article) we practised skits and cheers to impress the Cubs and Scouts. We continued the Olympic theme by spending a night outdoors at the arena skating, playing hockey, snowshoeing and of course having a warm cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows. Founder’s Week was celebrated by a return visit of Lord Robert Baden-Powell (Hawk- Palmtop / laptop specialists since 1986 Wireless Pentium-M notebooks $299+ Virus removal and repairs Richard Eckerlin President 37 Westminster Ave. N. 438-938-6240 We environmentally recycle old and broken laptop/notebook computers. www.mwsg.ca eye – Bob King). The Beavers tried some old fashioned games that originated when Robert Baden-Powell was alive – sack race, penny toss, hoop roll, egg and spoon race and three-legged race. We need the March Break to catch our breath. Winter camp Going to camp is always exciting but this year was special as we had our own mini junior Olympics. Sixty Beavers, Cubs, Scouts, Venturers, leaders and parents headed up to Camp Tamaracouta on Friday, February 7 settling into our cabins and cabooses. (not a lot of sleeping that first night!). Free time Saturday morning to tube, toboggan and build our Olympic Rings (thanks to our three Beaver dads - Erik Roter, Trent Semeniuk and Jim Atkinson). Everyone was divided into Olympic teams representing five European countries. Small flags were made and cheers practised. After lunch the games began with an opening parade and delivery of our torch on snowmobile. Thanks to the Brownies and Guides for lending us their torch. Leaders, Scouts and Venturers ran the special events as the teams circulated. Norway and Sweden were the top teams with the other three close behind. All participants received a junior Olympic crest and pin. We had a great campfire that night in the dining hall and Sunday morning was free time once again to tube and snowshoe. Many thanks to the leaders, parents, Scouts and Venturers for making this a great weekend! Cubs Several of the Cubs joined in the fun at the group winter camp at Tamaracouta in early February. There was also a leader and five cubs from Baie d’Urfé who were in- vited to come along. They all piled onto the bus with sleds in hand, ready for a weekend of winter fun. And that’s just what they got. Even the weather cooperated, with crisp sunny days and clear nights. The games were opened by an Olympic torch brought in by Hawkeye (Bob King) on snow mobile. They rotated through games like curling, hockey and sled races collecting points for their countries for the rest of the afternoon. The evening brought an indoor campfire with fun songs and lots of creative skits. On Sunday, the fun continued with a snowshoe hike, a game of broom ball and an impromptu snowball throwing contest. After packing and cleaning up, they boarded the bus happy and tired, with the memories of all the fun they had. Later in February, the Cubs will have a Founders’ Day party to celebrate the birthday of the founder of Scouting, Robert Baden-Powell. At another meeting they’ll learn all about the care and use of some common tools. Then at the end of February and into March they’ll start working on the always popular Kub Kars! Scouts The MoWest Scout Troup has been continuing its regular weekly meetings at Royal West academy. We played our annual broomball game a few weeks ago. That was all great fun, but the real highlight of this month was winter camp. Scouts went up on the weekend of Winter Olympics weekend at Tamaracouta. We were invited to help with the Beavers and Cubs, to run the activities and to have a good time. A couple of us, namely Caleb Foster and I, slept outside the second night; thanks to the camp for lending us sub-zero sleeping bags. We are now looking forward to a similarly good time at spring camp and a cross-island bike trip on PEI in the summer. from Isaac Million-Lovett Garden supplies Our annual fundraiser will run the month of March. Order forms were included in this issue of The Informer. If you are not approached by a member of our Scout group by the end of March please call one of the following numbers and we will make sure that your order is picked up. The residents of MoWest and neighbouring communities have always been very supportive of the MW Scout group. There is something for everyone in the list, including popcorn. If you would like to make a donation in lieu of garden supplies, we can give you a tax receipt. Thank you for your help. Call: Dave Wood at 487-6272 or Bob King at 481-6523. 13 Guiding Grades 2 and 3 sang and danced and entertained residents at St. Andrew’s Home for 90 minutes on February 12 and still had more energy than their leaders as they left ! Stone soup! The Brownies had also made Stone Soup at the end of January. Each girl brought a vegetable towards the Stone Soup, actually there were mostly carrots, but with a few potatoes and an onion and some (precooked) beets, each girl washed, peeled and chopped and, with a little adult help, made soup. No fingers were chopped and the blended soup. After the girls had a taste, was given to a family. The textbook example, Bone Button Borscht, was read to them, and they were unanimous that no buttons, nor stones, went into our soup. If you do not understand, ask one of the girls. Meanwhile the Sparks were exploring science: what colours leach our of wet Smarties? Why? And how to eat a virtual campfire… plus many other (leader’s) creative ideas that were fun, but not academic. The guides were having much loud fun making a video, with music to follow. Winter camp Forty-seven girls from Monklands District went to winter camp! at Notre Dame de Fatima on Ile Perrot. The camp provided excellent food, with the girls sleeping indoors on good bunk beds, and there was lots of snow for fun at temperatures just below freezing. from Janet King 45 Westminster South 481-7441 Hours Monday - Thursday 10 - 12, 2 - 4, 7 - 9 Fiction Baker, Jo Longbourn Beah, Ishmael Radiance of Tomorrow Cornwell, Bernard The Pagan Lord Harris, Robert An Officer and a Spy Kidd, Sue Monk The Invention of Wings Von Kreisler, Kristin An Unexpected Grace Mysteries Evanovitch, Janet Fossum, Karin LaPlante, Lynda Nesbo, Jo Sanson, C.J. Temple, Peter Takedown Twenty Eva’s Eye Backlash Cockroaches Dominion Dead Point Non-fiction Steiner-Adler, Catherine The Big Disconnect Fassett, Kaffe Quilt Grandeur Goldstein, Slavko 1941 The Year that Keeps Returning Hatfield, Chris An Astronaut’s Guide Lessing, Erich The Louvre: All the Paintings National Geographic Four Seasons of Travel DVDs Downton Abbey Season 4, Detective Montalbano, Treme Season 1, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Titanic FAMILY LAW SSOLUTIONS OLUTIONS EN DROIT DE LA FAMILL E AVOCATS AV OC A T S MÉDIATEURS MÉDIA TE U R S COACHS CO A CH S ATTORNEYS MEDIATORS MEDIA T O R S CO COACHES A CHE S mceavocats.com tel. 514.866.4666 fax 514.866.4667 JANE F. LEE, B.Sc., D.D.S. Chirurgien Dentiste - Dental Surgeon 63 WESTMINSTER N MONTREAL WEST H4X 1Y8 369-0255 14 MW 50+ Club Outings and events for March 11 Marguerite Bourgeoys Museum 12 Movie: Last Vegas (2013) 14 St. Patrick’s luncheon 18 Soup’s on: Constellations, speaker Bruno Stenson 25 Bridge: new teams are welcome 2 4 8 10 April IMAX: Titans of the Ice Age Movie matineé: Diana Diners’ Club: Baton Rouge Soup’s On: Asia’s Ancient Superhighway, Speaker: Hassan Elshafei 15 Collette Travel presentation 22 Earth Day tea 24 Upper Canada Playhouse: The Summer of Love 29 Bridge Visit us on the web http://www.bonder.com/ LIBRAIRIE BONDER INC. BONDER BOOKSTORE INC. 52 Westminster Avenue N. Montreal West, Quebec H4X 1Z2 Tel: (514) 484-7131 Fax: (514) 484-3745 E-mail: bonder@bonder.com CALL FOR ANY BOOK IN PRINT New York City: April 27 - May 1 Shaw Festival: August 25 - 28 For more information on 50+ activities and special events or any suggestions for speakers or entertainment, please call: Tammy Loftus 484-1610 Foot clinics March 12 & 26 April 9 Fees for services: $40 for the first visit and $35 for subsequent visits by appointment only 484-6186 Summer 2014 Employment Application deadline: March 21, 4 pm Public Work Summer Students Positions will begin the week of May 12 and end the week of August 25 (approximately 16 weeks). Applicants should send their CV via email to publicworks@montreal-west.ca Spring registration. It’s coming soon! This spring, the CRA is proud to provide a variety of fun and stimulating activities for children of all ages, such as: micro soccer, soccer, baseball, Gymfit and rugby. All program details can be found at mwcrasports.ca. Once registration is open on the CRA website an email will be sent out to all CRA members. Child Fitness Tax Credit Your Child Fitness Tax Credit receipts for 2013 will be emailed to you. Please contact us at infocra@mtlwestcra.ca if you have any questions. Pub night is here! Mark it in your calendars! The CRA is hosting a fundraiser at the Town Hall on March 22 at 7 pm to raise money for our sports programs. Live band, dancing and good times to be had by all. Tickets are $10 (in advance) or $15 at the door and can be purchased at the Community Centre and at the CRA office at 220 Bedbrook. Suggestions/feedback? We thank all of our participants for supporting the programs that we offer. As always, we encourage your suggestions and feedback. You may contact our Program Manager, Samantha Mitra, by phone at (485-8598) or by email (infocra@mtlwestcra.ca, crasytinis@mtlwestcra.ca). Samantha is happy to assist people with any questions they may have about any of our programs and welcomes your feedback. 15 Spring Community Centre Registration Registration is ongoing for all our programs. The spring session begins the week of March 31, for 10 weeks. Consult the web site montreal-west.ca or call 484-6186 for more information. Youth Fit Program This program is a great way to introduce your child to functional exercises that will support them in their sport or fitness level and to help them develop a stronger sense of their capabilities. The program will ensure proper exercise mechanics with squats, push ups and other exercises as well as work on speed, quickness and agility training. Tools that will aid in their development range from the TRX suspension training to cones, speed ladders and bosu balls. The program will also involve active stretches leaving the fitness/sport enthusiast feeling renewed, restored and relaxed. Day: Mondays, starting April 28 Time: 4-5 pm, ages 11-13 years 5-6 pm, ages 13-15 years 8 weeks Cost: $75 for residents; $85, non-residents Place: Hodgson Field Limited spaces available. Small class size. Zumba for kids There will be a Zumba Kids class offered on Tuesday from 4:15-5:15 pm for 812-year-olds at the Town Hall, starting April 8. The cost is be $75 for 12 weeks. Please call the Community Centre at 484-6186. Community Centre March Break Madness Day Camp and Pool March 3-7 (5- to 12-year-olds) Full week: $205 resident $215 non-resident Daily fee: $55 resident $65 non-resident • Monday: Funtropolis, theme: Hawaiian day • Tuesday: tubing at Mont-Avila. • Wednesday: cabane à sucre • Thursday: Aquadome and bowling • Friday: pizza making, movie and Captain Catalyst Call for more information: 484-6186. Don’t miss out on a super-fun summer at the Day Camp and Pool! New activity brochure will be online at the end of February and a physical copy will be delivered in mid-March so check out all our new activities and register early to get the early bird discount! Information: consult our website montreal-west.ca, facebook.com/montrealwest or call 484-6186. Summer employment March Break Hockey Camp You may submit a cover letter and résumé at the John A. Simms Community Centre, 8 Westminster Ave S. Fax: 485-8596. Email: ckearney@montreal-west.ca to the attention of Christopher Kearney. Prepare for your playoff run or polish your skills! MoWest Hockey Director Eric Rayment and his Hockey Montreal coaches will be offering a March Break program at the Legion Rink, March 3-7. A full-day hockey program with three hours on ice focusing on skill development and fun. Daily on ice includes: one hour of power skating, one hour of puck skills and a one hour game. The rest of the day will be filled with fun off-ice activities. For more info, please contact Eric at 969-5595 or eric@hockeymontreal.com. • Day Camp Counsellors • Community Centre Animators • Pool Cashier • Day Camp Specialist (arts & crafts, cooking, dance, drama, karate, music, pottery, sports, tennis, etc.) Thank you! The Pool and Day Camp would like to thank the following donors for the generous contributions to this years Santa's Breakfast event. We could not have done it without their support: IGA Pagano/Shnaidman, Super C, Fruit Bowl, Westminster Florist, Pharmaprix Melissa Ross and Deli Snax. Individual coaching in all academic areas Canadian History Study French Skills English Mathematics Science Step up to PDec. The Homework Program smart way to address the school year! Consultants: Birdie Goodman and Elaine Wisenthal-Milech #$#$" "$' $"#$' '! #%$$#& $" www.pdec.ca BUDGET 2014 16 Dépenses / Expenses Par service / By department Conseil / Council Administration Sécurité publique / Public Security Travaux publics / Public Work Hygiène du milieu / Environmental Health Inspection et permis / Building Inspection Récréation, culture et parcs / Recreation, culture and parks Dépenses en capital à même les revenus / Capital expenditures out of revenues Service de la dette / Debt Charges Quote part Agglomération / Agglomeration remittance DÉPENSES TOTAL EXPENSES Par objet / By type Salaires et bénéfices / Salaries & benefits Service de la dette / Debt charges Déchet, recyclage, compostage / Sanitary removal, recycling, compost Déneigement / Snow removal Subventions / Grants Immobilisations / Capital expenses Assurances et réclamations / Insurance and claims Honoraires prof et techniques / Professional et technical fees Location, entretien et réparation / Rental, maintenance and repair Équipement et fournitures / Materials & supplies Huile, essence, électricité, chauffage / Oil, Gas, Electricity and Heating Eau / Water Autres / Other Quote part CMM / remittance Quote part Agglomération / remittance 2014 2013 $ $ % de / of total % 152,545 1,296,411 373,964 2,724,433 736,385 121,464 127,933 1,369,716 334,414 2,773,048 757,058 107,863 1.1 9.0 2.6 18.8 5.1 0.8 1,989,584 1,953,365 13.8 152,537 1,780,911 192,550 1,753,568 1.1 12.3 5,131,227 5,055,396 35.5 14,459,461 14,424,911 100.0 4,077,251 1,780,913 4,023,064(1) 1,753,568 28.2 12.3 262,260 404,200 155,650 152,537 301,000 430,000 154,650 192,550 1.8 2.8 1.1 1.1 125,000 163,000 0.9 881,898 922,945 6.1 328,801 274,540 2.3 561,451 545,750 13.9 294,972 100,000 102,143 101,159 5,131,227 312,900 100,000 91,340 104,208 5,055,396 2.0 0.7 0.7 0.7 35.5 14,459,461 14,424,911 Budget Commentary Council’s objectives with this budget were to ensure that the tax increase for the average valued home be limited to the Consumer Price Index (.8% for Montreal) or lower, while maintaining services at the current level. We have met that goal. Local operating expenses decreased by 0.4%. This was offset by a 1.5% hike in our remittance to the Agglomeration Council for regional services, resulting in an increase in total expenditures of 0.25%. Despite having to absorb a cut from the government due to a change in the PST reimbursement formula, we were able to balance our budget with only a 0.2% increase in the tax bill of the average valued home, the smallest tax increase in many years. The Town will continue with our capital program for infrastructure renewal and repair with the help of government grants. Funds have also been allocated for several other projects that will be financed through either the operating or working funds. With a limited tax base, Council is mindful of the tax burden which residents sustain, and will continue its careful scrutiny of expenses in order to optimize your tax dollar. Colleen Feeney Councillor, Finance, Administration and Human Resources 100.0 (1) Montant de 16,340$ reclassé dans Autres / Amount of $16,340 reclassified to other Programme d'immobilisations / Capital Program Infrastructures Bâtiments /Buildings Véhicules / Vehicles 2014 $ 2,000,000 332,872 250,000 2,582,872 2015 $ 1,000,000 50,000 30,000 1,080,000 2016 $ 750,000 50,000 30,000 830,000 DR. HEATHER FOX B.S ., D.D.S. C Dentist 16 Westminster N. #315 Tel: 487-4577 Fax: 487-8376 Commentaire sur le budget L’objectif du Conseil pour ce budget était de limiter l’augmentation de taxes pour la maison moyenne à l’indice des prix à la consommation (0,8 % pour Montréal) ou plus bas, tout en maintenant le niveau actuel de services. Augmentation de seulement 0,2 % Nous avons atteint cet objectif. Les dépenses opérationnelles locales ont diminué de 0,4 %, mais une hausse de 1,5 % de notre quote-part à l’Agglomération pour services régionaux a résulté en une augmentation globale des dépenses de 0,25 %. En dépit d’une coupe du gouvernement découlant d’un changement au calcul du remboursement de la TVQ, nous avons réussi à équilibrer notre budget avec une augmentation de seulement 0,2 % du compte de taxes de la maison d’évaluation moyenne, la plus petite depuis plusieurs années. Programme d’immobilisation La Ville poursuivra son programme d’immobilisations pour le renouvellement et la réparation des infrastructures à l’aide d’octrois gouvernementaux. Des fonds ont aussi été octroyés à plusieurs autres projets dont le financement proviendra des fonds d’administration ou de caisse. Avec une assiette fiscale limitée, le Conseil est soucieux du fardeau fiscal que supportent les résidents et continuera à scruter minutieusement ses dépenses dans le but d’optimiser vos taxes. Colleen Feeney Conseillère, Finances, Administration et Ressources humaines Taxes 2014 2013 11,044,516 39,301 1,230,935 453,000 101,160 400,000 11,001,434 25,929 1,033,733 463,000 104,204 430,000 76.4 0.3 8.5 3.1 0.7 2.8 248,437 13,517,349 251,408 13,309,708 1.7 93.5 484,500 100,000 449,000 100,000 3.4 0.7 73,000 0 90,000 73,000 277,400 70,000 0.5 0.0 0.6 147,866 46,746 102,503 43,300 1.0 0.3 $ Résidentiel / Residential Lot vacant / Vacant Lot Non résidentiel / Non residential Taxe Eau / Water Tax CMM / MMC Droits de mutation / Duties on Transfer Reçu en lieu de taxes / Payment in lieu de taxes Autres/ Other Loisirs et Culture Recreation and Culture Contraventions / Tickets Stationnement et permis / Parking and Permits Compensation TVQ /PST Recovery Intérêts / Interest Intérêts à recevoir sur subvention / Interest receivable on Grants Autres REVENUS TOTAUX / TOTAL REVENUES 17 942,112 14,459,461 $ 1,115,203 14,424,911 % total % 6.5 100.0 Comparaison du compte de taxe / Taxation comparison Résidentiel / Residential Résidence valeur moyenne / Average value residence Rôle 2014 - 2016 Roll: 616 500$ Valeur imposable / Taxable value 2014 $ 616,500 2013 $ 524,850 Taux / Rate (/100$ d’évaluation / valuation) CMM (/100$ d’évaluation / valuation) 7,462.01 65.96 7,444.67 68.27 7,527.96 7,512.94 Augmentation relative à 2013 / Increase over 2013: % Augmentation / % Increase: Taux de taxes / Tax rates Taxe foncière générale / General property tax Immeubles 6 logements + / 6 Units or more Immeubles non résidentiels / Non-residential building Lots vacants / Vacant lots CMM / MMC $15.12 0.20% 2014 Local 2014 Agglo 2013 Local 2013 Agglo 0.7169 0.4935 0.8372 0.5812 0.7169 0.4935 0.8372 0.5812 2.1039 1.4337 1.5270 0.9870 0.0107 2.4222 1.6745 1.7862 1.1624 0.0130 18 Town Council Meeting: January by Carol Foster With as many people at the Council table as residents in the audience, Mayor Masella opened the January 2014 Council meeting. The Mayor mentioned topics discussed at the second Coffee with the Mayor gathering, which covered train noise, services for young families and his vision for the Town’s future including a redesign of the arena’s current structure and the incorporation of additional facilities for the Town. He added that efforts are already in progress to develop a plan to beautify the commercial section of Westminster. Gaz Métro has been notified that the major infrastructure work planned for Brynmor would create the ideal time for a gas line to be installed on that street. Residents who might like to use gas in their homes should notify Gaz Métro if they are in favour of this opportunity. The mayor of Montreal, Mr. Coderre, was praised by Masella for urging the provincial government to speed up its plans for the overhaul of the publicpension contributions. Further items on the agenda included the news that an agreement has been signed by the Union of Municipalities and Gaz Métro which ensures municipalities will receive a reimbursement of 2% of the value of work done in their town to compensate for the costs they incur as a result of this work. All old union grievances have now been settled and membership in a work health and safety group has been renewed. Councillor Ulin announced that the first round table for young families would be held in February and, due to the recent frigid weather conditions, the outdoor rinks are in excellent condition. In view of the fact that this weather will not last forever, suggestions for themes for the summer park events are being requested. Participation in the brown bin program continues to be good, but the objective of 75%of residents’ participation has not yet been reached. The Environmental Action Committee is being revitalized and is being divided into three sub-committees: waste management, energy efficiency and tree policy. The second Council Communiqué will appear in the February Informer. Comments are welcome. Councillor Feeney reviewed the local portion of the Town’s budget for 2014 and reminded everyone that this budget cannot be finalized until the Agglomeration budget is published, which is expected in a few days. Because of this, there will be a delay in the issuing of the tax bills as well as the dates by which they must be paid. Further information will be published on the Town’s E-bulletins. The Public Works Department is joining Council’s efforts to improve communication with the public and is preparing to add information on the Town’s website concerning the many questions they receive. This new information will be ready in a few weeks according to Councillor Torres. Councillor Tasker-Brown reviewed, once again, the rules for snow removal by contractors, and she reminded residents that it is time to renew dog licences. The Traffic and Safety Committee (TSC) continues to review all requests received from residents and, although the current committee members enjoy their work and none want to leave their posts, new members may be welcomed. Tasker-Brown also explained the draft bylaws pertaining to the limits on daycares and garden centres and invited comments from residents on both issues. Question Period The curb extensions continued to evoke criticism. A Ballantyne resident complained that the extensions on Westminster have created additional traffic on his street. Tasker-Brown suggested he make a formal request to the TSC for a review of his observation. Since a study of traffic on Ballantyne done last June is available, a comparison of any differences can be easily evaluated. Another resident explained that she found turning onto Westminster from Parkside when headed towards the hump can be quite dangerous because the lane delineations around the new extensions are not clear. The Mayor promised the lines will be repainted in the spring. When questioned about the schedule to repair the poor road conditions on Ballantyne, the Mayor explained that logically work on road surfaces and sidewalks should not take place before the underground pipes are replaced. The government makes the decisions concerning which streets it will allocate money for infrastructure repairs and Ballantyne is not yet on its list. Councillor Ulin received warm thanks for implementing the organic waste program. A question about how to contest a property evaluation was answered by the Mayor who noted the procedure to follow and the forms required are available in the Town Hall Office. A few questions concerning the budget were raised. Asked if the settlement of the old union grievances involved money, the answer was that there was a cost and the resident was told he could get more information from the Director General after the meeting. When the sum of $2 million being added to the debt the Town already carries on its books was questioned, the Mayor pointed out that since some old debts have been retired, the new loan does not increase the total indebtedness of the Town. The idea of forming a budget committee, first put forward by one resident at an earlier meeting, was brought up again. Referring to the Urban Department’s agreement to yet another minor exemption request involving lot measurements, a resident asked, why not issue a blanket exemption since so many houses in the Town were built before more precise measurements became available. The response from the Mayor was that each case had to be evaluated because differences do occur. However, attempts will be made to process these requests more quickly and to lower the present fee of $1,200, which is too high The last incident brought to Council’s attention involved a contractor’s method of snow removal which inconvenienced a resident and the meeting was then adjourned. 19 Réunion du Conseil : janvier par Carol Foster traduction par René Boucher Le maire Masella a ouvert la séance de janvier avec autant de personnes à la table du Conseil que dans l’assistance. Le maire a mentionné les sujets discutés lors du second Café avec le maire, dont le bruit des trains, les services aux jeunes familles et sa vision de l’avenir de la Ville incluant la modification de la structure actuelle de l’aréna et l’intégration d’installations additionnelles pour la Ville. Il a ajouté que des efforts sont déjà consentis pour préparer un plan d’amélioration du secteur commercial de Westminster. Gaz Métro a été informée que les importants travaux d’infrastructure planifiés pour Brynmor offriraient l’occasion idéale pour y installer une conduite de gaz. Les résidents qui souhaiteraient utiliser le gaz chez eux devraient en informer Gaz Métro s’ils sont favorables à cette occasion. M. Masella a félicité Denis Coderre, maire de Montréal qui a incité le gouvernement provincial à accélérer ses plans pour la refonte des contributions aux régimes de retraite publics. Également à l’ordre du jour on retrouvait la nouvelle de la signature d’une entente entre l’Union des municipalités et Gaz Métro qui assure aux municipalités un remboursement de 2 % de la valeur de travaux effectués sur leur territoire en compensation des coûts qu’elles supportent en raison de ces travaux. Tous les vieux griefs syndicaux sont maintenant réglés et l'on a renouvelé l’adhésion à un groupe de santé et sécurité au travail. La conseillère Ulin a annoncé que la première table ronde pour les jeunes familles se tiendrait en février et qu’à cause des récentes températures glaciales, les patinoires extérieures sont en excellente condition. Mais puisque ces conditions ne dureront pas éternellement, on est à la recherche de thèmes pour les événements estivaux dans nos parcs. La participation au programme des bacs bruns demeure bonne, mais l’objectif de 75 % de résidents participant n’est toujours pas atteint. Le Comité d’action environnementale est en relance et se scinde en trois sous-comités : gestion des déchets, efficacité énergétique et politique des arbres. Le deuxième Communiqué du Conseil paraîtra dans The Informer de février. On invite les commentaires. La conseillère Feeney a révisé la portion locale du budget de la Ville pour 2014 et rappelé à tous que ce budget ne pouvait être arrêté jusqu’à ce que le budget de l’Agglomération soit publié, ce qui devrait se produire dans les prochains jours. Ce retard repoussera l’émission des comptes de taxes et des dates d’échéance des paiements. Des renseignements additionnels seront diffusés dans le bulletin électronique de la Ville. Le Service des travaux publics joint ses efforts à ceux du Conseil pour améliorer les communications et prépare des ajouts au site Web de la Ville, en réponse aux nombreuses questions soulevées. Selon la conseillère Torres, ces nouvelles données seront disponibles dans quelques semaines. La conseillère Tasker-Brown a de nouveau révisé les règles du déneigement par les entrepreneurs et a rappelé aux résidents que le temps est venu de renouveler les permis pour chiens. Le Comité de la circulation et la sécurité (CCS) continue à examiner les demandes des citoyens et, bien que les membres actuels aiment leur travail et qu’aucun ne souhaite laisser son poste, on pourrait accueillir de nouveaux membres. Mme Tasker-Brown a aussi expliqué les projets de règlements sur la limitation du nombre de garderies et de centres de jardins et a invité les commentaires des résidents sur ces deux sujets. Période de questions Les avancées de trottoir provoquent toujours des critiques. Un résident de Ballantyne s’est plaint que les avancées sur Westminster créaient un achalandage accru sur sa rue. Mme Tasker-Brown lui a suggéré de déposer une plainte formelle au CCS pour examen de ses observations. Comme une enquête de circulation sur Ballantyne a été effectuée en juin dernier, on pourra facilement évaluer les écarts potentiels. Une autre résidente a expliqué qu’elle trouvait dangereux le virage de Parkside sur Westminster en direction du pont en dos d’âne parce que le marquage des voies aux environs des avancées n’est pas clair. Le maire a promis que les lignes seraient repeintes au printemps. Questionné sur le calendrier de réparation de la chaussée sur Ballantyne, le maire a expliqué que, logiquement, on ne devrait pas entreprendre de refaire la surface de la rue et les trottoirs avant que les conduites souterraines ne soient remplacées. Le gouvernement décide à quelles rues il allouera des sommes pour réfection des infrastructures et Ballantyne n’est toujours pas sur sa liste. On a chaleureusement remercié la conseillère Ulin pour la mise en place du programme des déchets organiques. En réponse à une question sur comment contester l’évaluation foncière, le maire a indiqué que la procédure et les formulaires requis sont disponibles au bureau de l’hôtel de ville. On a soulevé quelques questions sur le budget. On voulait savoir si le règlement des vieux griefs syndicaux comportait des sommes d’argent; on a répondu qu’un coût s’y rattachait et indiqué au résident de s’informer auprès du directeur général après la réunion. On s'est interrogé sur la somme de deux millions de dollars ajoutée à la dette déjà inscrite aux livres de la Ville; le maire a fait remarquer que comme on avait retiré de vieilles dettes, le nouvel emprunt n’augmente pas l’endettement total de la Ville. L’idée de former un comité du budget, comme un citoyen avait proposé lors d’une réunion précédente, a de nouveau été soulevée. En référence à l’approbation du Service d’urbanisme d’une autre demande de dérogation mineure concernant les dimensions d’un terrain, un résident a suggéré d’émettre une dérogation générale puisque tellement de maisons dans la ville ont été construites avant que des mesures plus précises ne deviennent disponibles. Le maire a répondu que chaque cas devait être évalué parce que différent. Cependant, on tentera de traiter les demandes plus rapidement et de réduire les frais actuels de 1200 $ jugés trop élevés. Le dernier point porté à l’attention du Conseil concernait la méthode de déneigement d’un entrepreneur qui cause des inconvénients à un résident. La séance a ensuite été levée. The dogs of Montreal West, in print! photo © Chris Tobin 20 COMING EVENTS Please call the Editor: Heather at 489-7022 e-mail: montrealwestinformer@gmail.com Next deadline: March 12 MAR Wed 5 Ash Wednesday service. St. Philip’s. 7:30 pm. Tues 11 Lenten Bible study. St. Philip’s. 7:30 pm. Mon 17 MW Horticultural Society presents Gwynne Basen on vegetables as ornaments in the garden. Non-members, $5. Town Hall. 7:30 pm. Sat 22 Pub night sponsored by the CRA to to benefit the sports programs. Town Hall. $10 in advance or $15 at the door. 7 pm. Sun 23 Friendship service and luncheon. MW Presbyterian. 10 am. Pancake brunch. St. Phlip’s.11:30 am. Wed 26 Coffee with the Mayor. Town Hall. 7:30-9 am. Fri 28 Whist and dessert. MW United. Tickets $8 from church office, 482-3210. 7 pm. Sun 30 Afternoon Labyrinth Walk. Wadsworth Hall. MW United. Socks or slippers. 2-4 pm. Mon 31 Town Council Meeting. Town Hall. 8 pm. APR Sat Sun 5 6 African gospel concert. MW Presbyterian. 7:30 pm. Cotton Tail Party/La fête du lapin. Town Hall. 2-4 pm. Classifieds SUMMER RENTAL: MoWest executive family house Our elegant family home, fully equipped and beautifully furnished for professionals. Four bedrooms, two bathrooms. On a tree-lined street. Lovely backyard with garden and deck. Available late June for two months. Includes utilities, two-car parking, bikes, etc. Robert at 507-2802. By the time this issue goes to print, my daughter’s long-awaited dream should come true – we are getting a dog! For the last couple of months, this is all we’ve been talking about, researching on the internet, asking advice from the neighbours (good thing we live next door to two Portuguese water dogs, a lab, a husky and a baby Samoyed) and occasionally stopping strangers on the street to inquire about their dog’s breed. So when, sitting at Totem having tea, my daughter noticed a calendar titled The Dogs of Montreal West; I naturally got very curious. That brought me to meet Chris Tobin, the person who came up with this idea. And, of course, his dog Duff, an adorable four-year-old Scottish terrier, actively participated in the conversation. Artist and graphic designer, Chris has been living in Montreal West for nine years. I remember his Spoons painting from the exposition back when we had Atelier Quartz on Westminster. Chris works in water colours and oils, does children’s portraits and abstracts, offers painting and drawing classes. After doing Fine Arts at Concordia, he studied computer graphics at Dawson. Always searching for new ideas and inspirations, he got interested in photography. Two years ago, he was looking for a new project – and (not without Duff’s help, I suppose) that’s how the dog calendar came about. “I realized I’d never lived in a neighbourhood with so many dogs,” says Chris. And who knows all the dog owners in Town? Linda Hammerschmid! She’s the one fighting for a dog park in Montreal West. She loves dogs; they are her life. Linda put Chris in touch with people and the response has been great. The sales tripled this year and part of the profit is soon to be donated to SPCA. More copies are still available through Chris’s website. This year, Chris took pictures of 30 dogs. Dedicating a page to each of them, he designed several versions of the calendar, to make everyone feel special. He got nipped only twice. The models and settings varied greatly. Looking at me from the calendar cover, proper and dignified Lincoln (our Mayor’s dog), is calmly guarding his house on Ballantyne. Linda Hammerschmid’s golden retriever Mac (January) enjoys watching leaves. In their home south of the tracks, two well-mannered Highland terriers Buffy and Dex are neatly seated on a leather chair that was commissioned specially for them. René and Véronique Boucher’s Albert got the Halloween month: big and black, he’s running in the foggy ravine down by the tracks... In a couple of months, Chris is planning to start the calendar for next year. New models are always welcome! If you want to see your dog in print, email Chris and set the time for the photo session. It’s free. But then you’ll probably want to buy the calendar anyway, won’t you? It’s a cute idea, one of those that make us feel like a close community that we are. And it’s for a good cause! Here is how to get in touch with Chris: website – www.chris-tobin.com, email – chris61@videotron.ca. Chris is also planning to make a calendar of gardens of Montreal West. We are the Garden Suburb, after all. Julia Ross The Informer P.S. “So, Mom, are we getting our dog in the calendar?” my daughter Sasha asks.
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