Latest news with #Verdun
CTV News
6 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
Wellington Street will not be car-free year-round after report: Verdun mayor
Wellington Street is seen in the Montreal borough of Verdun Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2024. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press) Borough mayor Marie-Andrée Mauger posted on her Facebook page that after a public consultation (OCPM) report, the strip of road from Regina Street to 6th Avenue will be pedestrianized for the summer only. A petition was launched in 2023, and the OCPM held consultations to decide whether cars would be banned throughout the year. 'At the borough council meeting on June 30, we will submit the borough's response to the OCPM's recommendations,' Mauger wrote. 'I have always seen this citizen request as a declaration of love for our iconic artery.' The OCPM made three other recommendations. Any future pedestrianization plans should be done based on 'up-to-date studies on the impacts and benefits of the project in terms of accessibility, mobility, commercial dynamics, collateral effects and costs.' 'These studies should take into account the specific urban morphology of the neighbourhood, as well as parking issues in the vicinity of commercial and service establishments,' the post reads. The commission also suggests that the borough consider other ways to reduce vehicle traffic on Wellington outside of the summer pedestrianization period and continue efforts to 'reduce the nuisances associated with the summer pedestrianization of Wellington Street.' Included in the post were council members Sterling Downey, Benoit Gratton, Kaïla A. Munro, Véronique Tremblay, Enrique Machado and Céline-Audrey Beauregard. The mayor will table the response to the commission's report on June 30.
CTV News
7 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
26 signatures halt 525-unit housing project on Nun's Island
8 Place du Commerce is currently home to a large parking lot and a commercial building. For a group of developers, it's a great location to develop 525 new housing units. But some people on Nun's Island say, 'Not in my backyard.' 'I'm so in favour of blocking all of this. The densification has become so monstrous,' said Sylvie Martel. 'I don't think it would be good for the island,' said Marylena Catanese. 'I've lived here for 10 years. The traffic, there aren't enough schools, not enough clinics.' Claribel Gamboa added: 'There are already a lot of buildings in the neighbourhood. I don't think we need another.' One developer, MACH Group, requested a zoning change. It was backed by the borough but blocked by residents. Twenty-six people signed a register, just a few more than were needed to trigger a referendum and force public consultation, stalling the project. Some say that's a shame. Bertrand Guermeur said: '[It's] a bad idea, I'm sure. Because we need to open everything to everybody.' 'It would be great to have some more activity,' said Raymond Breard. Julien Regragui added: 'If it's every time not in my backyard, nothing's going to move, nothing's going to get better. And there's some decision that has to be taken to avoid those blockage.' The province is trying to limit these kinds of challenges. Bill 31 gives municipalities the power to sidestep potential referendums in the name of solving the housing crisis. In a statement sent to CTV News, the borough of Verdun said the 8 Place du Commerce project was not initially eligible for fast-tracking under Bill 31. However, it is currently working on a clear and transparent framework to guide the use of these powers, which it expects to adopt in June, along with the tabling of the project under this resolution. With more housing projects expected across the city, what happens here could shape how Montreal moves forward.
CTV News
29-05-2025
- General
- CTV News
Shots fired for the second time at a residence on Montreal's Nuns' Island
A residence in the Verdun borough of Montreal was the target of gunfire for the second time in less than a month on Wednesday night. According to the Montreal police (SPVM), 'several' shots were fired at the residence, located on Sagittaire Street on Nuns' Island, at around 3:35 a.m. on Thursday. The same address was also targeted late in the evening on May 4. After the first incident, the SPVM reported that suspects had fired shots at the residence before fleeing on foot. During both incidents, people were inside the house, but no one was injured. 'Investigators will meet with the person who lives at this address to try to learn more about the incident itself,' explained SPVM spokesperson officer Jean-Pierre Brabant on Thursday morning. Further investigative steps will be taken, including searching for witnesses and reviewing surveillance camera footage. A security perimeter has been set up around the residence in question to allow the Montreal police force to conduct its investigation. The SPVM reported no arrests in this case on Thursday morning. This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on May 29, 2025.
Daily Mail
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Fred Sirieix fights back tears as he learns his great-grandfather's horrific ordeal in 'the biggest battles of World War One' on Who Do You Think You Are?
Fred Sirieix fought back tears as he learned of his great-grandfather's horrific ordeal in 'the biggest battles of World War One' on Who Do You Think You Are? The French TV chef, 53, will appear on next week's episode of the BBC genealogy show, which sees celebrities explore their family tree with the help of experts. One segment of the episode, exclusively revealed to MailOnline, saw him explore his connections to his great-grandfather Leonard, who fought in the war from 1914 to 1918. The historian explained his ancestor fought the Germans at The First Battle of Champagne, from December 1914 to March 1915 - but 'that wasn't the end of his war'. Speaking to the First Dates host, she continued: 'In fact, he moved on to many other areas in the frontline, most notably Verdun.' Wide-eyed with shock his relative was at the longest, bloodiest battle of the war, lasting 300 days in 1916 and leaving around 800,000 soldiers dead, wounded or missing, Fred responded: 'He was in Verdun? Oh my God.' From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Fred Sirieix fought back tears as he learnt of his great-grandfather's horrific ordeal in 'the biggest battles of World War One' on Who Do You Think You Are? The French TV chef, 53, will appear on next week's episode of the BBC genealogy show, which sees celebrities explore their family tree with the help of experts The expert confirmed: 'Yes, so your great-grandfather Leonard served at Verdun which became known as "the meat grinder". 'The action at Verdun is well-known in France, of course, and it was where a million German soldiers attacked 200,000 French soldiers.' Fred, born in the French city of Limoges and up on his national history, replied: 'But the French resisted and eventually they won.' The historian concluded: 'They did. Leonard was there, your great-grandfather Leonard was there.' But that was not the end of her insights into the family history of Fred, best known for his job as the maitre d' at the restaurant where Channel 4 dating reality show First Dates takes place. She continued: 'And I think also, we need to consider the fact that after Verdun, the war continued, and your great-grandfather Leonard, his war continued. 'He then went to the Somme where he served in October 1916, so we're well into the Battle of the Somme at that point.' Fred was left utterly speechless by this - the costly and largely unsuccessful Allied offensive from July to November 1916, which saw enormous bloodshed. The emotional chef and TV personality continued: 'But he did every single big battle, I mean, he was in the first battle where they were doing hand-to-hand combat, fighting with the bayonet. 'Then, he was in Verdun and then the Battle of the Somme. I mean, these are the biggest battles of World War One.' The expert was just as impressed: 'Your great-grandfather saw the evolution of the First World War, he lived that.' It comes after Irish comedian and actress Aisling Bea also had an astonishing revelation about her family history on her recent episode of Who Do You Think You Are?. One segment of this week's instalment of the BBC show saw her look through archival documents about her ancestry during a meet-up with historian Dr Richard McMahon in County Limerick, Ireland. Richard opened up to the comedian, from the town of Kildare, Ireland, about her great-grandmother Martha Sheehy and her time during the Great Famine, from 1845 to 1852. Richard told Aisling: 'The family have a larger farm by the end of the famine then they had [in] pre-famine Ireland. She asked in response: 'So, during this devastating period in Irish history, which would have such a long terrible legacy for all of us afterwards, how does someone come to have more land if owned than renting so soon after the famine?' One segment of this week's instalment of the BBC show saw her look through archival documents about her ancestry during a meet-up with historian Dr Richard McMahon (right) in County Limerick, Ireland He explained: 'During the famine, landlords would have evicted hundreds of thousands of people off the land and when they are moved off the land, the land is taken over by farmers like your great-, great-, great-grandmother Martha.' Aisling tries to wrap her head around it, replying: 'So, while she might not be evicting them, she maybe using it as an opportune moment.' The historian confirmed: 'Some people got larger farms on the back of people getting moved off the land.' Aisling struggled to process the brutal realisation: 'That is hard to hear. I'll be honest. 'Having spent all our childhood learning about the Irish famine in our history classes, anyone who, any terrible situation profited... 'It does make me feel a little bit shameful to be honest.'
