St. Lazare: Excess garbage triggers surtax

by Nathalie Blais

ST. LAZARE - Resident Sylvie Pilon demanded to know why her garbage tax has increased by an estimated 50 percent in two years.
"I told Carzoli last year that it was a false representation to say our garbage tax decreased when in reality it increased by 30 percent," Pilon argued at last week's council meeting.
Coupled with this year's $35 increase, "it is as though the tax has increased by 50 percent" ­ and the town has yet to supply the promised garbage bins.
Gilbert Arsenault, District 5 councillor in charge of waste management, offered two reasons for the increase even though the contractor is unchanged.
"In the contract they make allowances for, let's say, 18 tonnes of garbage. If the allowances are exceeded, there will be additional fees," explained Arsenault. "In St. Lazare, we went over the nominal rate."
The second reason for the increase was what Arsenault referred to as 'redevances' ­ royalties based on the amount of trash a municipality produces. "The province follows the quantity of garbage each of the municipalities processes," he told Pilon. "From there they decided if we need to pay more or less based on performance. In Saint Lazare, we were allocated additional costs because of the volume of garbage."
For these reasons, Arsenault says the garbage tax the city was collecting in 2009 was not sufficient and had to be adjusted.
Council is adamant that the end goal is to reduce the amount of garbage being produced. "It's the right thing to do as much for the environment as to reduce costs," Arsenault told residents at last week's meeting. Mayor Pierre Kary was careful to add that all initiatives would require an investment.
Both Arsenault and Kary emphasized it is going to cost everybody if Quebec is to reach its goal of eliminating all recycable material going to landfills by 2015.
"From a democratic perspective, we have to look at what everyone is willing to pay," says Arsenault, citing the example of a cedar composter selling for $200. "Is everyone willing to pay that?"
The previous council determined that the town could supply 6,500 360-litre bins at a unit cost of $100 and 6,500 composters at an average cost of $65, for a total bill in excess of $1.1 million.

Dunes supporters call for vote

ST. LAZARE - Residents should be given the opportunity to voice their opinion on whether the town should buy the threatened Dunes Lake green corridor from the developer, says one of the organizers behind a petition campaign.
"We asked mayor [Pierre] Kary to bring us a number: how much would it cost to purchase the land and compensate any buyers," Judy Nagy said last week after the issue was brought up at last week's monthly council meeting.
"If we have a number then it can be put to the citizens to decide if they would approve a tax increase," Nagy told the Hudson/St. Lazare Gazette. "At least the residents would have an opportunity to express their desire to help maintain green spaces and participate in the vision of Saddlebrook."
Nagy and biologist Christie Lovette asked council whether they had explored measures to prevent Aloes Investments from building a lakeside road and developing residential lots between Yearling and Sandmere.
"Aloes is not in any position to sell the land or transfer the land because they have contractual obligations. Thirteen properties have been sold, some to Saddlebrook residents," Kary told them.
Nagy expressed her disappointment after the first question period at last week's council meeting. "Though we all understand and respect the fact that the land is private, we still, as citizens, question why the town and developer are not sensitive to the intrinsic nature of this area."
She also questioned the safety from an urban planning standpoint. "Have there been traffic studies done for this new road? Concern is not only about the environmental impact. Evergreen school corridors run through there. not to mention traffic problems at the Yearling/Stallion intersection ...did we already forget Patricia Jolicoeur?"
Lovette asked council if anyone from the Environment ministry has ever been out to assess the land, identified as one of six essential eco-corridors in the 2007 Genivar wetland audit.
"I have not spoken to the member of the ministry who did the analysis, but I hope they came to assess it," answered Kary. "To contest the issue at this stage we would need evidence, and the kind of evidence we need would require 16 months to collect...five seasons."
The petition to stop the development has collected some 800 names, say organizers. ­ NB

Regional hospital blitz hits Hudson tonight

by Cindy Penny

HUDSON - With the new medical centre due to begin construction this spring, Hudson residents are being urged to turn out for tonight's briefing on the proposed 200-bed regional hospital for the Vaudreuil-Soulanges region.
The briefing gets underway at 7:45 p.m. at the Stephen F. Shaar Community Centre.
The primary aim of the briefings to to build awareness of the need for the hospital in a region that will have doubled in population in barely 20 years.
The facility would replace the chronically overcrowded Lakeshore, Hawkesbury and Valleyfield hospitals for primary emergency care as well as coordinate with the region's medical clinics to provide services such such as imaging and day surgery.
Led by the citizens group that is mobilizing residents in each of the 23 Vaudreuil-Soulanges MRC municipalities, the briefing begins with a 15-minute animated presentation on the need for the 200-bed hospital, followed by a question and answer session.
"We want every Vaudreuil-Soulanges resident to feel personally involved and spread the word among their own contacts and ask them in turn to spread the word and campaign for the CSSS de Vaudreuil-Soulanges Hospital," says Citizens' Committee member Denis Lapointe.
Other goals are to show that the region can band together to mount a citizen initiative and create a shared sense of community responsibility. Although Health Minister Yves Bolduc and local MNAs Lucie Charlebois and Yvon Marcoux all support the concept of a regional hospital and health and social services complex for Vaudreuil-Soulanges, the $150 million invesstment requires cabinet approval at a time when finances are stretched.
Therefore, tangible evidence of direct community support is crucial, says Lapointe.
A small but enthusiastic crowd turned out for last week's CSSS Vaudreuil-Soulanges regional hospital presentation at the Omni Centre.
One of the goals of the meetings is to gain as many signatures as possible on the petition, which is to be presented to the Quebec government after March 23. They expect to get about 50,000 to 60,000 signatures.
Organizers are hoping the sessions in each community will spark other awareness-building efforts, such as door-to-door campaigning, telephone blitzes, word of mouth ­ any method that will get the message out to the people in all those communities that will be affected for the better if the dream of a hospital for the region is realized.
All are welcome to join the campaign committee.
By mail: c/o Citizens' Committee for the CSSS de Vaudreuil-Soulanges Hospital
420 Saint Charles Avenue, Vaudreuil-Dorion (Quebec) J7V 2N1
On Facebook: Groupe pour la mobilisation de l'hôpital du CSSS de Vaudreuil-Soulanges
Via email: info@hopitalvs.org / Website: www.hopitalvs.org
By phone: Denis Lapointe 514-229-1793 or Richard Dubois 514-502-9285

CSTL launches elementary
school site search

by Nathalie Blais

VAUDREUIL-DORION - Another elementary school site search is on, this time for a much-needed Commission Scolaire des Trois-Lacs elementary school.
And the CSTL hopes to have the new school built and open by September, 2011 ­ the same time as the long-awaited Lester B. Pearson School Board English elementary school announced in September, 2008.
The most logical choice for the new elementary school is in the Vaudreuil area, where enrolment statistics indicate the need is the most pressing, says CSTL executive director Sophie Proulx.
"There will be a peak in the next five years concentrated in Vaudreuil-Dorion," she told last week's strategic planning information session. "With the completion of [highway] 30 it may bring even more students to the area."
The pressure falls on the region's mayors, already sensitized to the need to plan for new schools as a result of the uproar over finding a location for a new English elementary school.
"I can't say we were aware the need for the new school was so urgent, but it doesn't matter," says St. Lazare mayor Pierre Kary. "We will be prepared if they come asking for land. It has been made clear to us by the residents of St. Lazare that putting land aside for schools is important and that is what we are doing."
The CSTL submitted its funding request last June and Proulx expects an answer by the end of March. "To be ready to build by September we will need to have land as soon as possible," says Proulx. "We have already opened dialogue with municipalities, and it is going quite well, but we have not received formal notice as of yet."
They're looking for 20,000 square metres of land for a primary school with a maximum capacity of 504 students, three kindergarten classes and 18 primary classes. "The ideal [model] is [Saint-Thomas in] Hudson," says Proulx.
CSTL is having a tough time placing students. Harwood, Saint-Michel and Sainte-Madeleine are all overcrowded. L'Orée-du-Bois, Francois-Perrot and Harwood all have portables which should be replaced with solid construction within the next four years.
"This is why it's urgent to have a new school," insists Proulx. "When we look at the weight [the region's] schools currently carry, and to also attract new students, we need to make space in the schools."
The CSTL evaluates the need for a new school based on several variables, including the number of housing starts and the number of daycare places.
Included in the CSTL 2009-2014 strategic plan are non-academic equivalencies for students who aren't continuing on to post-secondary studies. "We may not have all students leave with a secondary diploma in hand, but we would like all students to leave with a new qualification whether it be specialized, non-specialized or a professional diploma," says Proulx.
The goal is to graduate as many students as possible. To do that Proulx says the CSTL has spent two years reflecting on the best ways to motivate and support students. "We want to apply specific measures to target 15 to 16-year-old boys, for example, as they tend to have a higher dropout rate...Continued training for teachers and retention of teachers is also important."
Other points of interest include a more equitable distribution of resources and expenses proportional to the size of the schools and to encourage initiatives that will sensitize students to sustainable development.

LBPSB says no to
no-busing assurances

by Nathalie Blais]

ST. LAZARE - Residents say they want written assurances from Lester B. Pearson School Board chairman Marcus Tabachnick that no St. Lazare students will be bused out of town to attend school.
The request comes as council seeks approval to rezone two parcels of land to allow construction of elementary schools, one of them a long-awaited 400-student LBPSB facility. The next step would see the town floating a long-term loan bylaw to acquire the land.
The request to the LBPSB chairman was made public at last week's monthly municipal council meeting, where former LBPSB commissioner Armando Jardim said he clearly heard board representatives tell the Feb. 23 public rezoning meeting that no kids would be transported to schools outside town.
"LBPSB made it clear that no St. Lazare children would be moved, and that St. Lazare children at Mount Pleasant would be brought back," Jardim insisted.
The public pronouncements contradict internal board statements that four Forest Hill classes will be bused to Mount Pleasant next year, he said.
Mayor Pierre Kary said the town has made it clear it will seek written assurances that no St. Lazare students will be bused out of town. "We were told that what was written in the LBP news bulletin was something that came up prior to us requesting assurances."
Kary said that, in speaking with LBPSB supervising director Carol Heffernan, he specifically requested that St. Lazare residents be permitted to attend St. Lazare schools, that priority go to students who live in close proximity to the schools, and that students currently going to school out of town be given the opportunity to come back.
Heffernan said last week the board couldn't make any such guarantee and suggested that anyone who had heard a promise in the Feb. 23 comments was confused.
She confirmed that Kary did make the request for written assurances on other matters including attendance zones, but that the board will have to comply with the Education Act.
"We have told Mr. Kary that we cannot provide signed written assurance, but we can give him a copy of the act and the enrolment criteria on the website as assurance that St. Lazare residents will for the most part have priority," Heffernan told the Hudson/St. Lazare Gazette. The only exception to the rule that residents get enrolment priority occurs when the sibling of a student from a neighbouring township already attending a school is given priority over a child living closer to the school.
Tabachnick also believes the resident misunderstood the intention. "I would never have said we would not transport any students out. We are still looking at registration and enrolment and whether or not there is going to be room for all the students at Forest Hill."
If need be, Kindergarten classes from Forest Hill will be bused to Mount Pleasant, he reiterated.
"The [major school change resolution] says up to four classes, so it could be as many as four, it's just going to depend on the number of kids we have," says Tabachnick. "We'll know better in the coming couple of weeks what the enrolment actually looks like."
Tabachnick said he isn't aware of a request for written assurances. "We talked about it at the public meeting and we cannot give a guarantee that there will never be students only from one community at one school. It is an impossible guarantee to give. All of our schools are regional. All of them."

Rodrigue: Rezone Mayfair
for smaller lots

by Jim Duff

HUDSON - Hudson's Valleys developer Daniel Rodrigue thinks it's time for smaller homes.
The man who made his name building million-dollar mansions on acre-sized lots is asking the town to consider rezoning the land along Mayfair to allow for 20,000-square-foot lots instead of the current 30,000 square foot minimum. He's also recommending that the town planning advisory committee consider dropping the minimum home size from 2,500 square feet to 1,800 square feet for a bungalow.
Hudson's Town Planning Advisory Committee is expected to recommend one way or the other at their regular monthly meeting, with a decision to be tabled at next month's council meeting.
Zoning currently calls for 2,500-square-foot minimums for bungalows and 3,000 square feet for cottages, so it would require a bylaw modification and a possible referendum.
"It would facilitate growth and easier accessibility to the aging population who would be interested in remaining local and building a smaller bungalow home on a more appropriate lot size for easier maintenance," Rodrigue writes in a letter tabled at the March council meeting.
Rodrigue stressed he isn't proposing rezoning all of Hudson's Valleys. "Even when I opened the project, it was in my mind to use Mayfair strictly for bungalows. I only want this on Mayfair, because it wouldn't be fair to the people who are there and have had the restrictions since the beginning."
He's seeing a growing demand for smaller homes on smaller lots as the population ages. "Every week, I get people talking about how there's no place to go for [empty nesters], how there are only big homes. I think it would open the door to people looking to relocate to a smaller home."
Smaller lots also mean more affordable homes, says Rodrigue. "Hudson definitely needs tax dollars, what with all the infrastructure expenses over the last two years. Lowering the size of the lot makes it a little more affordable. It's not everybody, even if they have the money, that wants a big lot."
"I'm in that age group myself. I think we can make a really nice bungalow for about 1,800 square feet, so I would be willing to lower my price with a smaller lot."
Rodrigue doesn't think the change would increase the population of Hudson's Valleys. "Ten years ago that was a big concern, not having too many people [there], but if you're going to build an 1,800-square-foot bungalow, you're not going to have a family of 10 living in it."
Either way, he plans to develop his lots on Mayfair between Cambridge and the Alstonvale project.
"The [subdivision] plan has been approved and accepted by [the town]. When I presented it to council, I said 'You know, I'm not going to sit around. If you don't [approve the smaller lot sizes] I'm just going to go ahead and do what I've been doing. But if you think you are for it, I'm going to hold on a bit."
Rodrigue is open to people using their own builder.
"In the beginning, nine years ago, my vision was having two or three builders there and working with them for five or six years, but they didn't come through. I've been letting a few people build now...there's a lot of people that would use their own builder. I would just want to monitor to make sure it's done accordingly."
Rodrigue's smaller homes proposal is part of a wider trend, with similar-sized projects already approved for Whitlock West and Sandy Beach and Como resident George Ellerbeck interested in being able to put up smaller homes to the east of Leger Lane.

Don't miss Pet Idol and
Adoption Day March 27

Your adoptive companion could become a star in next year's St. Patrick's Day parade, like this
curious hound...

...or this handsome fellow.
(Shane Kelley photos)

HUDSON - Can you teach an old dog new tricks? Is it possible to herd kittens?
Drop by the Stephen F. Shaar Community Centre Saturday, March 27 and see for yourself at the second annual Pet Idol/Adoption Day from 11 a.m to 4 p.m.
Sponsored by Wags & Whiskers Pet Service and the Hudson Parks & Recreation Department, registration is from 11 to noon, with the Pet Idol event starting at 12:30 p.m.
This year's four judges will be ably assisted by this year's celebrity judge, Brian Greenway from April Wine.
Last year's winner, Randy Lawton, with his dog Apollo, is up for the challenge again this year and Apollo is up to his old tricks and ready to go, says co-organizer Donna Piché. "Apollo wants the big prize again, he is looking forward to it."
The prizes this year are:
· A year of free grooming from Wags & Whiskers Pet Service
· Six months free food from Pitou Minou
· Three months free food for two from Ani-mourri Pet Store in Rigaud
· Animal portrait from Mays Studio
· Woven blanket from Eternal
Companions
· Brunch for two from Mon Village
· Gift certificate from Clifford Emporium
· Gift certificate from Chatelaine Hair Salon
· Pedicure from Naturally Nails
· A made-to-measure dog coat from Nellie's creations
· Physical Park memberships
This is also an adoption day, and last year more than 20 animals were adopted. Among those in attendance: Kiko Rescue, Greyhound Rescue, Animatch Rescue, Rosie's Adoption, Gerdy's Rescue, Basset Hound Rescue, La Pension du jardin secret, Eternal Companions, Harmony Productions, Pitou Minou & Compagnons, and Ani-mourri Pet Store.
Throughout the day, dogs up for adoption will be on stage, where they'll win the hearts of those looking to adopt.
There will be refreshments available throughout the day, so come by and lend your support.

Vankleek Hill's Phil Arber comes for ideas

by Jim Duff

HUDSON - Phil Arbor looks more like a leprechaun than a spy, so his makeshift float in last Saturday's inaugural St. Patrick's Day parade was the perfect cover.
Arber cheerfully admits he was coming to Hudson to steal whatever secrets he could for a St. Patrick's Day parade in Vankleek Hill.
"You have a big advantage on us," he said last week. "An Irish pub."
Officially, Arber was in the parade to promote his Champlain Commercial Fair, an annual event featuring some 90 exhibitors at the Vankleek Hill Arena. This year, it's April 10-11 and this is the first year he's had a waiting list.
He started the Mayfield Festival 28 years ago. Now it's the second oldest festival in Vankleek Hill. His food festival closes the streets and has sponsors fighting one another.
Arber's reputation as a promotional entrepreneur has brought him calls from all over, including Hudson. "They wanted to do a Food Festival, but I did not want to give up my methodology for free. They refused [to pay]; I understand, but I will not give it away for free...I dealt with all the problems, I'm prepared to help, but I'm not prepared to tell you how."
Arber finds it hard to believe Hudson is struggling to find a commercial identity.
"Vankleek has less going for it than Hudson. We have a lot of struggling businesses, but we're getting better known because we are putting a lot of effort into promoting the town."
There's no budget for promotion, no chamber of commerce, no business or merchants association, no direct financial support from the town.
"I can't make a living off this," says Arber. He lists his six income sources: art gallery, farmer, antique dealer, community activist/organizer, his small engineering firm, and the Vankleek Hill Farmer's Market. He says he stopped asking for financial support once he began to understand that if they gave it to him, they'd have to give to everybody.
Why does he do it?
"Community organizing is a thankless job; you are out there by yourself, but you are also out there in front and everybody wants to take shots at you. We do it because we believe in what we do. We've seen towns die around us and I don't want to see it happen [to Vankleek Hill.]
"It does not come without work, and it does not come without a little expense," Arber adds. "I get a lot of personal abuse, but what can you say?"

Ile Perrot businesses want
Hwy. 20 exit reopened

by Daniel Iorio

L'ÎLE PERROT - The two-year reconstruction of the Galipeault Bridge hasn't done any favours for businesses in the area known as Vieux Ile Perrot.
According to l'Association des gens d'affaires de L'Île-Perrot president Pierre Séguin, the fact that the entrance to Grand Boulevard from the westbound Highway 20 is no longer an option has had a negative impact on the businesses situated between the highway and Don Quichotte.
During construction, Séguin and his group petitioned the Ministry of Transport to leave the entrance open in order to accommodate local establishments.
The ministry reluctantly complied, but only made the entrance available from 5:30 to 8:30 a.m.
"I don't know of too many people who do their shopping on the way to work in the morning," Séguin told the Hudson/St. Lazare Gazette. "Citizens generally run their errands after work, so this was no consolation to the businesses [that] operate on Grand."
He added that there were talks to permanently re-open the entrance but it never materialized.
Residents are still able to get on to the highway from Grand, and can exit to the boulevard if driving on the eastbound side of the autoroute.
Séguin voiced great concerns about this situation, and will be meeting with Ile Perrot mayor Marc Roy regarding a petition to re-open this entrance at a private council meeting slated for March 24.
Séguin has been working diligently on the matter as well as other issues he feels passionately about. According to Séguin, thirteen "For Rent" signs have gone up since the entrance was closed. "We have 249 businesses in Ile Perrot, 54.6% of which are operating on Grand between Hwy 20 and Boul. Perrot," he confirmed.
Most recently, the restaurant La Comtesse, situated at the very entrance in question, closed its doors, as did a neighbouring dépanneur/gas bar.
However, Roy explained that La Comtesse was actually shut down by health inspectors, and the convenience store owner one building over did not have a license to sell gas. When asked if he believed the closing of the Grand entrance was a catalyst in some businesses going under or leaving, he stated that an industry providing an excellent product or service should succeed regardless, citing as an example Serca, a pet food store and grooming facility situated on Grand, steps away from the Hwy 20 entrance.
Yet when asked if the mayor's contentions regarding their fiscal health was accurate, Jennifer McCulloch, manager of the store and clearly frustrated, declared "That's a lie. We've since had to lay off two employees. It has had a very negative impact on our business."
Suggesting perhaps that an initiative to beautify the face of Grand might retain and attract more businesses, Séquin concurred, and went on to say that such a project has been on the backburner since 2007. But Roy stated that upon concluding a study, the makeover would come with a hefty price tag, suggesting a ballpark figure of approximately $10 million dollars.
"For starters, we would have to redo the entire sewage system there. Plus, we don't really have much space to build on," when he referred to the strip of road that runs parallel to Hwy 20. "The initiative was revisited in 2009. We will put it to the citizens to decide. In the meantime, we've greatly improved our water filtration plant, built a new library and introduced a much needed bus system. We have many big projects coming as well. All these things require a budget," he added.
In another case, when inquiring if the road work on the corner of 8th Ave. and Boul. Perrot (part of Roy's continuous program to improve Ile Perrot's infrastructure) influenced the simultaneous closing of the Chinese buffet Sheng Wah, the mayor felt this was not likely a factor and was unaware as to why the establishment called it quits.
Nevertheless, as was clearly visible to those who drove by the self-service buffet daily, the project had trucks and tractors often stationed in the restaurant's parking lot, reducing its visibility and accessibility. The intersection itself was completely gutted while producing an abundance of dust, soot and noise as construction continued.
Upon further investigation, it turns out the project at the intersection did have a hand in the demise of the long-time Ile Perrot eatery, which was situated across the street from the now also defunct Deli Perrot, which was condemned after a fire last year.
Helena, owner of Fruitique Perrot, a popular fruit and vegetable market one block away from the Chinese restaurant confirmed that the roadwork done on the corner of 8th and Perrot was the main factor why the restaurant closed shop. "They killed that business ­ they could not stay closed for two months and expect to survive. The owners of Sheng Wah told me this."
Although not often full of hungry diners, the restaurant made their bread and butter on take-out and deliveries, offering a good product at affordable prices.
Helena also mentioned that the closure of the Grand Blvd. entrance has curtailed some of her regular clients who would often come over from Ste. Anne's. "Now they don't come because of that."
Roy believes in local proprietorship. He mentioned in passing that he was not keen on welcoming large, corporate franchises in order to promote opportunity for small businesses in the area. "We have IGA of course. We also have Rona, which is owned by a family native to Ile Perrot. But I would like to keep it to a minimum to give our regional businesses a chance to thrive here."
But Séguin remains apprehensive. "I know of two professionals who may not renew their leases here come August. If we keep losing corporate citizens and services, what will entice people to settle here or open a new business? One job lost is one too many," he said.

Haitian relief, reconstruction
talk March 19

HUDSON - On Friday, March 19, À Temps Perdu will be hosting an evening of discussion on the relief and reconstruction effort in Haiti, featuring guest speaker Sue Montgomery of The Montreal Gazette. She covered the events that unfolded in Haiti in the first two weeks after the earthquake and has been giving a series of talks about her experience.
Other speakers include Montreal photojournalist Darren Ell, Tina Brooks from Peppermaster in Rigaud, and Ann Farrell from Réseau International Humaniste.
A local Haiti support group, Vaudreuil-Soulanges Unie pour Haiti, is sponsoring the discussion, which begins at 7:30 p.m. The group was set up by local residents to channel donations to grassroots organizations in Haiti active in the relief work but not getting the support of the large aid agencies.
While large sums have been donated to major aid organizations, the group believes there are many grassroots programs in Haiti that are not receiving any support but are very active in the relief effort. Two organizations that have local connections to Vaudreuil-Soulanges and fund schools in Haiti were chosen for the campaign: Fraternité Haiti des Trois Lacs and SOPUDEP.
SOPUDEP (Society of Providence for the Development of Pétionville) is a free school for 550 children in Pétionville which has as its mission to educate the poorest children of the area, including street children. The earthquake did not destroy the school building, which quickly became a refuge and clinic for the local population. School director Réa Dol, a well-known grassroots organizer in Haiti, headed the local relief effort organizing and distributing food and medications.
All financial support to the school has been diverted to just feeding and helping local residents. SOPUDEP has the support of The Sawatzky Family Foundation in Ontario, which manages a website (www.sopudep.com) for the school. It also has the support of Peppermaster, which is launching a fundraising project for SOPUDEP with a new salsa.
Founded in 2000, Fraternité Haiti des Trois Lacs, a charity based in Vaudreuil-Dorion, has been operating a student sponsorship program for poor children in rural Papaye, Plateau Central, Haiti, under the auspices of the Catholic order, Petite Soeurs de Ste-Thérèse. To date 120 children have been supported through the program and thirty have graduated. The charity is currently trying to raise money to rebuild part of the school that was damaged and boost its sponsorship program.
Unie pour Haiti hopes to gather support from individuals, schools and businesses in Vaudreuil-Soulanges and is committed to tracking the progress of relief efforts and reporting back to donors.
For further information on the evening or the activities of Unie pour Haiti, please call Ann Anderson at 450-458-0115.

Legg's: That golden feeling is back

by Jim Duff

HUDSON - From the outside, it looks the same as it did when Michael Legg operated it as a fashion emporium. The paint has been freshened up, and weathered or rotten external wood replaced, but the classic lines and that famous green and yellow colour combination reassure us that Hudson's eastern gate is safe.
Inside, Thursday's Open House gave Hudson an opportunity to see what an incredible job Nancy and Dennis Gobeil have done in recapturing Hudson's golden shopping era with their transformation of Legg's back to what Cousineau's looked like.
It's a beautifully crafted renovation, a seamless blend of restoration and new carpentry. The once wide-open space is partitioned off, but the partitions feature multi-paned transom panels, echoing one of the most endearing external features of the old building.
Legg's addition, those fashionable raised floors that made Legg's a shopper's destination for a quarter century, are gone. The time-worn original flooring of the century-old old general store now gleams under many coats of varathane, "...except behind the counter, where the cash register used to be...it was worn so thin, we had to replace those boards," says Dennis.
Everything, it seems, has Michael's blessing, because he's been dropping by to 'check on progress' over the course of the past several months. It's only when he and Dennis pose proudly for photos that we realize the entire staircase has been rebuilt, widened and the original balustrade reinstalled with delicate wrought-iron balusters.
The entire wood-frame building is now sprinklered. "We didn't have to do it, but it was the right thing to do," says Dennis.
Part of the space is already rented, but he's not saying more than that. "I've had a number of serious inquiries," he said when asked about his prospective tenants.
Gobeil is optimistic about Hudson's retail future. "I sense we're at a turning point...I feel a great deal of positive energy and interest in Hudson."
Rather than depending on others, he feels it's up to Hudson's merchants. "We have to make it happen...nobody else can do it for us."
As we make our way outside into the warm early spring evening, the gentle glow of warm light off antique wood follows us out onto the sidewalk. That golden feeling is back.

Legion News

By now St. Patrick's day has come and gone. But the real St. Patrick's Day took place in this fair town of Hudson last weekend. Starting with the announcement of Irishman of the Year - Dennis Connolly, the crowning of the Irish Queen - Lindsay Hughes, a great dinner and dance put on by this Legion and finishing off with a beautiful day for a magnificent parade that had droves and droves of spectators all along the route. What a party! It couldn't have been better organized. Thanks to the Cunningham's Pub owners who sure put their heart and soul into making it all happen.
Getting back to reality now, the efforts of Mike Elliott, John Dalgarno, Linda Eames and Joan Hughes made everything happen for the dinner and dance. A superb meal, the lovely Irish dancers and fun dancing music topped off the night, not to mention maybe a few Irish coffees too. The Poppy committee chairman, Eric Connor made a donation to the new Palliative Care Centre on behalf of this Legion. This is just one of the many donations that this Legion's poppy committee contributes to in this area. The next dinner is on March 26, and is the annual sugar shack meal.
Upcoming events are firstly, a General Meeting has been called tonight Wednesday at 7 p.m., Crib Night this Friday at 7:30 p.m. and last of all Pub Quiz next Wednesday night at 8 p.m. The Scotch tasting and dinner party is planned for Saturday, March 27 at 6 o'clock. A four course meal and four high end malt whiskeys to be tasted all for $55 or $30 for the meal only. The evening takes on the flair of Scottish traditions. RSVP 450-458-4882.
Thanks to all the members and musicians who came out to carry on with the St. Patrick's celebrations after the parade. Great job everyone.
Lest We Forget