LaSalle residents call on town to halt plans for a new fire hall that would demolish a car museum
A petition calling on the Town of LaSalle to stop its plan to expropriate the property on 995 Laurier Drive for a second fire station is gaining traction.
“They’re not only taking my home, they’re taking my life-long business,” says Dianne Gault, owner of the Laurier Drive property, known as the Canadiana Auto Museum.
“We have been here for 46 years, my husband bought it in 1975. This is my blood, sweat and tears.”
Gault says she received a letter from the Town of LaSalle in June, seeking to expropriate and demolish her property to make way for second fire hall.
“It was a ridiculous offer to purchase and they wanted me out by Sept. 1,” she says. “I couldn’t move even if I wanted to.”
Gault hired a lawyer and rejected the offer, but received another letter from the town last week informing her town council will meet on Sept. 28 to pass a bylaw for expropriation. The expropriation consideration was posted on the town’s agenda, but local residents say they are frustrated because they didn’t receive a notice.
“I got no notification and I’m just up the road. I had to hear it second hand from someone else,” LaSalle resident Elaine Pearce says.
“None of the neighbours got a letter, not one. When talk to people, they don’t know about this. Why is it a secret?” asks Gault.
This isn’t the first time the proposed location of a second fire hall has been a hot topic.
In 2017, town council rejected a proposal to build a new station where John Dupuis Park is now. One of the main concerns was the safety, noting speeding fire trucks and playing children don’t mix.
With Lafferty Park located right behind the Canadiana Auto Museum, Gault says the same issue poses a threat at her location.
“It’s a dangerous intersection. It’s a busy park,” she says.
In a statement released Monday, the Town of LaSalle says at the Sept. 28 council meeting, Mayor Marc Bondy will request deferral of the bylaw to acquire certain lands for a second fire station development.
“The deferral will be requested to allow administration to present a detailed report including background information, site selection and land acquisition about the development of a second fire station at a future meeting,” the statement says. “It is expected that the report will be scheduled on an agenda at the end of October or in November.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.
Some Canadian families will receive up to $620 per child today
More money will land in the pockets of some Canadian families on Friday for the latest Canada Child Benefit installment.
BREAKING Iran fires at apparent Israeli attack drones near Isfahan air base and nuclear site
An apparent Israeli drone attack on Iran saw troops fire air defences at a major air base and a nuclear site early Friday morning near the central city of Isfahan, an assault coming in retaliation for Tehran's unprecedented drone-and-missile assault on the country.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
Ottawa to force banks to call carbon rebate a carbon rebate in direct deposits
Canadian banks that refuse to identify the carbon rebate by name when doing direct deposits are forcing the government to change the law to make them do it, says Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault.
Ontario woman loses $15,000 to fake Walmart job scam
A woman who recently moved to Canada from India was searching for a job when she got caught in an online job scam and lost $15,000.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
Colin Jost names one celebrity who is great at hosting 'Saturday Night Live'
Colin Jost, who co-anchors Saturday Night Live's 'Weekend Update,' revealed who he thinks is one of the best hosts on the show.
Nearly half of China's major cities are sinking, researchers say
Nearly half of China's major cities are suffering 'moderate to severe' levels of subsidence, putting millions at risk of flooding especially as sea levels rise.