Recent commercial developments and the project to erect a huge telecommunications tower have raised questions and concerns for some citizens. Then the clear cut done on the boulevard du Dr Gervais, close to the Aquatic Complex, created quite a commotion and raised the ire of local people.

Is it justifiable to charge the Ville with responsibility for every change and event? The mayor of Mont-Tremblant, Luc Brisebois, agreed to meet with us.

Engaged in public service for more than the past 20 years, Luc Brisebois is in his second term as mayor of the Ville de Mont-Tremblant. We asked him news questions about, in particular, the commercial developments, the “public space”, the Cegep (junior college) and its future gymnasium, Bell Mobility’s 5G tower and of course, tree cutting.

The siting of a Bell Mobility 5G telecommunications tower

Initially slated for installation beside the Boréalis project, the 80-metre-high tower had finally been planned for placement at the municipal sandpit. The residents’ lively opposition led to cancellation of the project by city hall.

“Mont-Tremblant is a resort town and for peoples’ health and safety we refused, by resolution, to have Bell install this kind of tower on our territory. We would not authorize it. Unfortunately, there is not a lot we can do in opposition to the Ministry and the CRTC,” the mayor emphasizes.

 The clear cut on boulevard du Dr Gervais

“Up near the Cure-Mercure secondary school, you have to expect that there would be this kind of development, because the zoning allows it,” Mr. Brisebois notes.

“Several decades ago, the company CIP created plantations of coniferous trees on the town’s territory, near the school. The trees, which grow tall, would unfortunately not have survived alone or in small groups, particularly as they were growing on rock. The promoter will, however, have to replant 45 trees and one hundred or so shrubs,” the mayor explains.

Can it be done better?

“From now on, we’ll require a siting and architectural integration plan (plan d’implantation et d’intégration architecturale – PIIA) for every project,” he continues.

“We will, in particular, require protection zones for the trees. Those responsible for the projects will thus be forced to pass their plans through the town planning consulting committee (comité consultatif d’urbanisme – CCU) and the town council.Up until now, when everything conformed to the zoning, we did not necessarily see the projects in advance and we ended up with some surprises,” Luc Brisebois concedes.

The future “public space”

“The underground construction will be started this year: electricity, water, calculating the anchorage, and so on. Plans will be available shortly.”

The Cegep and the gym

“We are moving to a call for proposals. We always hope that it will move quickly, but it would be wiser to say things will be ready for back-to-school 2021. The gymnasium, which will also and in particular serve the citizens, will follow thereafter. It will be a double gym with bleachers,” Luc Brisebois adds.

A ninth service station? Really?

Just as electrification of vehicles is gaining ground, we have learned that a new service station will be grafted to the future Canadian Tire building, on Hwy. 117. Is that a good idea and could the Ville have opposed it?

“In the past there were a number of service stations on the rue de Saint-Jovite. It’s certainly more pleasant to have businesses rather than gas pumps on the main street. As far as Canadian Tire is concerned, it had, in addition to zoning, an acquired right through Le Promeneur. There was nothing we could do,” Mr. Brisebois indicates.

The roads: could the Ville de Mont-Tremblant do better?

“One solution could be to opt for concrete, which is much more durable, but it costs three to four times as much. For the time being, the decision has been made to assign a laboratory on every worksite which will ensure the appropriate quality of materials such as asphalt and crushed rock.”

“As far as the provincial MTQ worksites are concerned [including rue Labelle, montée Ryan and chemin du Village Ed.] it’s more complicated,” Luc Brisebois admits.

Houses on pilings?

The Ville recently passed a bylaw allowing residents burnt out by fire – in certain zones – to rebuild their home on pilings in order to more easily accommodate spring floods. We have no more information than that as these lines are being written and don’t want to lead you astray.

We therefore encourage concerned readers to check it out with the Ville’s Town Planning Department (Service de l’urbanisme).

To come…

In our next meeting with the mayor, we’ll try to find out more, in particular, on the plans for the Village hub by lac Mercier. As regards the thorny question of the eventual transfer of the Mont-Tremblant Police Department service to the provincial police – the Sureté du Québec – the Ville is still awaiting the offer from the Ministry of Public Safety.

To be continued…