Year 2024
It’s with pleasure that we begin 2024, having achieved most of our major and urgent objectives for 2023: drainage work on Grace Road, replacement of the roof and stripping of the exterior cladding of the Town Hall, by-laws concerning certain short-term rentals (ERP type), by-laws concerning road construction and repair, changes to park fees, but above all, the final tabling of our 2019-2024 TECQ plan enabling us to carry out the long-awaited repair work on de la Rouge Road. Not to mention the establishment of an efficient and high-quality general management department!
Indeed, this year, 2024, we’ll be able to take advantage of the TECQ grant (Programme de la taxe sur l’essence et de la contribution du Québec 2019-2024 (TECQ)) to begin Phase I (of II) of the entire rehabilitation of Chemin de la Rouge (budget close to $1 million). After the complete rehabilitation of Chemin de la Montagne between 2020 and 2022, including the raising of the section that has always been flooded, the resurfacing (2021) and recharging (2022) of Chemin White, this time it’s the turn of Chemin de la Rouge (about 5 km) to get a much-needed makeover.
Also, in keeping with our major council orientations adopted in early 2022 and reiterated this year, in 2024 we will focus on beautifying our Municipality of Arundel by finalizing the beautification of Town Hall following the stripping of the turquoise paint whose traces we can still see, in order to regain a color more harmonious with those of the village. We’ll also be restoring the apartments in the building to bring the Citizen Home back to life. The parking lot adjacent to the Town Hall should also be beautified as a welcoming and aesthetically pleasing gateway to our village core.
In addition, to follow up on the family policy adopted by the council in 2022, the council and its administration will endeavour to make the road corridors that cross our territory, especially the provincial ones, safer, notably by installing speed cameras (currently in the process of applying for a grant) at the 3 entrances to the village. As well as the construction, subject to MTQ authorization and the project’s financial and technical feasibility, of a safety corridor on the 327 between the aerobic corridor and Chemin Barkmere (on the shoulder of Rue du Village). This project will enable pedestrians, children and adults to walk safely to the aerobic corridor and connecting municipal parks and sports facilities from Chemin Barkmere, linking the entire area, including Chemin de la Montagne, to the village.
Equipped with a large-scale celebration tent (20′ x 40′), the municipality can now celebrate its various annual events in all its parks and offer them more easily as venues for celebrations. The multisport potential of the municipal garage park will be reviewed in 2024, with a view to initiating plans for the development of a new multisport park in our image and adapted to our needs, under the Ministry of Education’s subsidy program.
As for first responder service, we hope to finally be able to equip our department with a new emergency vehicle, so that we can continue to serve and save the lives of members of our community and the municipalities we serve, as well as those who wish to receive this quality and essential service due to our distance from hospital centers.
We also hope to set up two (2) new assistance programs for our seniors, in collaboration with existing community organizations and volunteer groups, to facilitate access to food supply (grocery delivery service) as well as property maintenance (help with yard cleaning, gutters, lawn mowing, small gardens, installation of tempo shelters, gallery snow removal, minor interior and exterior work, etc.), with the aim of enabling our older residents to remain independent and at home for as long as possible. Not to mention our holiday meal project, which may be launched this year.
Finally, in addition to a number of other projects and activities, we’ll be looking to enhance and find solutions to the needs and difficulties that our local businesses may be facing in these difficult economic times.
On that note, I invite you to consult our list of special projects for 2024 and to follow our triennial planning 2024-2026, adopted in December 2023. https://arundel.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Presentation-of-the-2024-Budget-2.pdf
Happy 2024 to all!
Pascale Blais, Mayor of Arundel
