Key 2016 events
Aylmer, a year in review
The busy year gone by saw the Bulletin reporting the following news stories.
Winter 2016
Film-maker and Aylmer native, Matthiew Klinck, was killed in Belize, January 4, last year. The 37-year-old was working as a film producer and director. Two teens were charged.
Aylmer welcomed several Syrian refugee families in 2016, some sponsored by local churches, such as Saint-Paul and St. Mark’s. The Bulletin reported the personal stories of three young men who had fled Syria.
Last winter, the Bulletin reported on a significant community housing project in Deschênes, 30 units in six buildings. This project was one of several announced last winter.
The Outaouais’ all-Liberal provincial caucus announced two synthetic sport fields; one at l’École secondaire Grande-Rivière and another at Symmes-D'Arcy McGee High School. Surfaces of both fields will be of recycled rubber pellets, a material some experts argue is carcinogenic.
The Bulletin also reported the saga of 99 Symmes Street where a young family was attempting to renovate their heritage Old Aylmer home with a balcony some felt was unsafe. After a delay they deemed unreasonable, plus excessive red tape, the couple went public with their difficulties with the city’s planning department. The city subsequently blocked off the sidewalk beside the balcony and approved the renovation.
Spring 2016
A second property to make news was 22 rue Principale. This vacant corner lot was purchased a few years ago by real-estate developer Denis Cléroux. After months of inertia and public discussion, Cléroux obtained a parcel a land from the city to normalize his irregular lot.
Mr Cléroux’s plans to build a four-storey condo building with 18 units, released via the Bulletin, was criticized by pro-heritage residents and groups. Cléroux eventually modified the project, which he presented to the city last fall. This story will continue in 2017.
A debate that will resurface this year is a proposal for a tramway on Aylmer Road, rather than an extension of the city’s Rapibus. After a spring and summer debate on rapid transit for western Gatineau (Aylmer), Hull-Aylmer MP Greg Fergus endorsed the tramway proposal, despite the STO’s cost objections. Letter-writers to the Bulletin supported both sides, but no action will be taken until the STO presents the results of its own survey, some time this winter. Road construction on Lucerne and Vanier also occasioned many public letters.
Besides rapid transit, the STO felt the heat of Bulletin letter-writers over its re-design of Aylmer’s bus network. Last spring, the STO announced a new network, but once in place, tempers flared. The STO made some changes, and more are to come this winter.
Summer 2016
A new school raised the ire of its neighbours -- École 034. The school’s location in Clétrem Park elicited many objections but the Commission scolaire des portages-de-l'Outaouais (CSPO) launched construction last summer. With more schools to build, including one high school in Aylmer, the CSPO will be in the news in 2017.
To the dismay of many, the Bulletin reported the closure of the Aylmer Health Co-op and the sale of its building to the Aylmer Food Bank. The Co-op had tried many avenues to revive its public mandate. The food bank, thanks to a provincial grant, will move this coming spring to 67 Couvent Street.
To everyone’s excitement, Aylmer hosted the 2016 Canadian Championship Criterium. Hundreds of cyclists of national calibre raced through Old Aylmer, drawing crowds along rue Principale. Race organizer John Large told the Bulletin this event could become a classic Old Aylmer event every fall, thanks to public enthusiasm.
Fall 2016
What has become an annual tradition, the city announced that expansion or reconstruction of the crowded Lucy-Faris Library is being postponed. Councillor Lacasse suggested the funds be shifted to Parc des Cèdres.
The library’s main problem is a building so unsound, its upper floors cannot be used. Its second problem is that the city administration has shifted some of the funds to build and improve libraries elsewhere in the city. In almost-good news, Aylmerties learned that the overdue marina renovation project is inching along.
The city will demolish the pavilion now housing the resto-bar. Gatineau awarded the design contract to the architect firm Lapalme Rheault. The other shoe dropped when the city administration revealed that rebuilding the pavilion will use up almost the entire budget earmarked for the marina park’s renovation.
In December, good news came with the opening of a Home Hardware in the Galeries Aylmer and a new SAQ store nearby. The old Canadian Tire store will be demolished in 2017 to make way for a large condo project, also announced in 2016.
This $70-million tripartite project is for a seven-storey condo building with 330 units with a new supermarket on the ground floor. The developer estimates the new Super C will be ready by summer 2018 and the condos by spring 2019.
