Butternuts saved

Housing on du Faubourg Street approved

City council finally approved a residential project with 14 single-family homes near l’École des Rapides-Deschênes, June 14. Richard Bégin, Deschênes councillor, said the area’s residents will have their concerns addressed.

“The project, in the works for some time, worried residents nearby and I was contacted regularly on this matter,” said Bégin. “Council’s approval takes into account those concerns and wishes.”

Residents were uneasy about losing green space, the many nearby butternut trees, and especially a possible connection of du Faubourg Street with Vanier Road. All these concerns were brought by M. Bégin to meetings with the builder, Gérik.

“For years, we let the idea float that du Faubourg Street could connect with Vanier Road. The real-estate agent (selling 147 Vanier Road) also said that many (20) houses could be built on the lot being sold and residents, namely those in Lakeview, were worried. School staff (l’École des Rapides-Deschênes) were also concerned. In the end, Faubourg Street will not connect with Vanier Road. It will extend west but will end with a half-circle eliminating the chance that the roads connect,” said Bégin, who’s also chair of the planning advisory committee. A walking path will connect du Faubourg Street and Vanier Road.

Mr Bégin reports that modifications have been made to the project, roughly the size of four football fields.

“From the beginning, Gérik was cooperative. They modified the project to cover everything before submitting their plans to the urbanism department. But when the project landed at the planning committee, its members asked if a row of mature (butternut) trees could be protected.”

Gérik has agreed to preserve the trees. Any trees unavoidably cut will be replaced. According to the city’s planning guide, for each butternut tree felled, the builder must plant 10 trees.