Resolution time for Beaconsfield’s sound wall venture

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It’s determination time for Beaconsfield’s sound wall venture.

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Metropolis council will maintain a particular caucus assembly Friday to resolve whether or not to maneuver forward with a sound barrier venture on the south aspect of Freeway 20. The wall would stretch 5 kilometres from Devon Rd. within the west to town’s jap border at Jasper Rd. 

The Quebec Ministry of Transport (MTQ) estimates the sound barrier might value as much as $60 million. The MTQ would pay 75 % of the associated fee, with town on the hook for the remaining 25 %.

Mayor Georges Bourelle mentioned council will think about info it has gathered from the general public, together with the outcomes of a latest public survey carried out by Léger advertising, earlier than making a choice on whether or not to proceed with building of the sound wall.

The Léger 360 survey collected 600 phone responses, together with enter from 100 residents in every of town’s six districts. The survey additionally sought responses from residents who stay on the north and south sides of Freeway 20.

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Whereas the survey outcomes haven’t but been made public, one query apparently precipitated some considerations due to its wording. Based on the mayor, the survey query reads as follows:

“Please point out your degree of settlement with every of the next statements: Utilizing a scale of 0 to 10, the place zero means you strongly disagree and 10 means you strongly agree. Listed here are the 4 selections:

The expression “vital evil” in possibility 3 is what raised a priority from some residents, mentioned Bourelle.

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“It’s not an amazing alternative of phrases, however I’ve heard the expression  — ‘a vital evil’ — in English many instances,” he mentioned.

“I don’t perceive why just a few individuals, and it’s just a few on Beaconsfield Confidential (Fb web page) which have made an enormous, large deal. I don’t perceive why they might such a giant deal as a result of, in truth, it says you agree with the wall. The noise barrier venture is a vital evil. It have to be constructed.”

Bourelle says the expression shouldn’t be interpreted as a loaded query on the sound wall.

“When you answered, ‘I strongly agree’ to that, it means you’re for the wall,” he mentioned.

Bourelle additionally famous that some taxpayers have expressed considerations their municipal tax payments will rise to fund town’s portion of the wall.

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“If the wall was free for residents, I believe the wall could be finished. The problem isn’t placing up a wall. The true difficulty is how individuals pays for it. That’s the place the controversy is. Some individuals merely don’t need to pay for it as a result of they suppose it would solely profit only a few properties.

“And the individuals who will profit essentially the most don’t need to pay for the majority of the wall. So that you’ve received an actual dilemma right here of how this damned wall will get paid for. That’s the true difficulty.”

However native sound wall advocate Michel Rheault has argued the sound wall is a neighborhood well being difficulty and never a cash difficulty.

Rheault says governments have already got set precedents by offering funding and measures for properties affected by flooding. He says the identical logic must be utilized to properties affected by noise air pollution.

Relying on what council decides in caucus, Bourelle mentioned town might decide to carry a referendum to permit residents to vote on the sound wall debate that has dragged on for many years.

jmeagher@postmedia.com