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Hundreds of residents of Villeray/St-Michel/Park Extension turned up last Saturday for an official opening ceremony for the borough's comprehensive new headquarters building in Park Extension — an event that was also attended by members of the borough council, the president of the City of Montreal's executive committee, as well as local MNAs and MPs.
Close to home
"Very close — Park Extension is very close," Cazaris Anastas, a Park Exer of Greek origin told NPEN, noting how the proximity of the borough's new central address at 405 Ogilvy Avenue will be making it easier for virtually all Park Extension residents now to drop by almost any time during business hours they please.
"I am very happy to see a lot of people from Villeray, St-Michel and Park Extension came to the new offices — which are their offices too," Borough Mayor Anie Samson said in an interview, pointing out that all the services are now consolidated under one roof. "For the residents it's easier. That's the most important," she said.
Costing less
The borough previously had been renting office space in a number of different locations, although the central administration was in a modern, multi-purpose commercial building on Jarry Street East. The new location is costing the borough less money to lease than all the other buildings combined. "It was a different configuration. It was a bit bigger what we had there," said Park Extension city councillor Mary Deros, who was welcoming constituents into her brightly lit new office space.
"Now at least the important thing is that we're all together," she added. "Not only are all the elected members altogether, instead of being in two different buildings, but also the services, instead of being in five different buildings. We are able to better function, we can meet at a moment's notice if necessary, and what's nice for the citizens is that they come see the city councillor, go next door to Access Montreal, open up a file, see permits and inspections, or if necessary the director for whatever reason they may want."
Parking not an issue
In addition to these services, the borough clerk's office is now also at 405 Ogilvy, so bylaws and other legal information are readily available on site. In the past, residents or property owners who needed information or copies of documents often had to travel to the different office buildings the borough was leasing. scattered all over its territory, and parking was often another problematic issue.
The borough's new digs are located in part of a large three-storey complex, which had been the home of CFCF Television Channel 12's studios from 1961 until the station moved in 2003 to Papineau Street in Montreal's eastern downtown, which is now considered the city's broadcast media district. At 405 Ogilvy, there is a parking lot for hundreds of cars, and for the first time the borough hall has a truly commanding and dignified front entrance worthy of its status.
Planning took eight years
According to Deros, the borough administration spent nearly eight years working out the details and went to tender three times to find a building in Villeray/St-Michel/Park Extension large enough to house all its employees, services and elected officials. "At first, we were not able to find one building that had the physical space to house us all together," she said.
"It took us this long." At one point, the borough had even considered erecting a building from scratch. Other options, also abandoned as unfeasible, would have made use of valuable park space. "So we're really fortunate that CFCF moved out so that this space became available for us," Deros said.