One of Rosemère’s most beloved projects was initiated in a groundbreaking ceremony by Eric Westram, Mayor of Rosemère, surrounded by members of Town Council and accompanied by Fernand Proulx, President of the Corporation de développement culturel et sportif de Rosemère (CDCSR); David Maréchal, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Éco-Nature organization, and Jean Lauzon and Director of Development of the Éco-Nature organization. The ceremony signaled the official kickoff pf the construction work on the new Charbonneau Chalet, located in the park of the same name on the shores of the Mille Îles River.
“This is a project that is near and dear to our hearts and long awaited, as we made a commitment to build it back in 2017. It is with great excitement that we are embarking on this major project, which will become an ecological, recreational and tourist hub in partnership with the Corporation de développement culturel et sportif de Rosemère and the Éco-Nature organization. We are confident that the official inauguration will take place next fall,” stated Rosemère Mayor Eric Westram.
The Rosemère community will soon be able to benefit from a superb municipal chalet featuring modern architecture and built with eco-responsible materials and an eco-responsible design. It will be located on the former volleyball court, near the existing splash pads. Covering an area of 35 feet by 40 feet, this building will be accessible both summer and winter. It will feature a rest area where people can change their clothes and put on their skates during the winter, locker rooms with washrooms, a terrace on the second floor where it will be possible to admire the scenery as well as a watercraft rental stand in the summer. In addition, educational posters on the features of this eco-responsible building will give residents the opportunity to learn more about this ecological aspect, and even to be inspired by it as well!
The City is benefitting from a significant financial support of the CDCSR, which has agreed to contribute an annual amount of $60,000 over a 15-year period, which represents 50% of the cost of building the chalet.
“Our mission, as a non-profit organization, is to promote and implement cultural, sports and community activities and projects for the residents of the Town of Rosemère. The construction of this new recreational and tourist chalet will enable us to greatly diversify our service offer to the entire community, which is why we are proud to offer this financial contribution,” stated CDCSR President Fernand Proulx.
Waterfront area accessible
The construction of the chalet is in line with the primary idea of restoring access to the waterfront area for residents who want to enjoy the pleasures of water sports, in particular. Moreover, the Éco-Nature organization that manages the Rivière-des-Mille-Îles Park, along with its regional partners, would like to submit a project (Rés’eau-Vélo) to the Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal (CMM) aimed at implementing an ecological, utilitarian and recreational transportation network along the river and waterfront area as part of the second phase of development of the blue-green infrastructure. In particular, Éco-Nature will offer the clientele self-guided tours, an electric shuttle boat service and the rental of various watercraft as well as traditional and electric bicycles. This new range of services will help ease the pressure on the Laval tourist welcome site, increase accessibility to residents of all waterfront municipalities, create the connectivity that this park needs to pursue its development mission and create the public involvement required to ensure the sustainability of its ecosystems.
“For more than 20 years, the Town of Rosemère has supported the mission of Éco-Nature, which is to protect, conserve and enhance the Mille Îles River and its tributaries through concrete actions. The development of Charbonneau Park, which is well appreciated by the Town’s residents and very popular with them, too, is yet another example. Rosemerites can be proud of their Town Council, which once again is taking part in an innovative, ecological and recreational tourism project that is accessible to one and all!” stated Jean Lauzon, the founder and Director of development of Éco-Nature – Rivière-des-Mille-Îles Park.
