Dorval makes $15.1-million offer to buy McConnell woods property
The City of Dorval has made an offer to buy the McConnell woods, a majestic waterfront property that is currently for sale.
Dorval Mayor Edgar Rouleau said the city submitted an offer of $15.1 million for the Lakeshore Road property in an attempt to preserve the McConnell woods, a sprawling private lot that includes waterfront on Lake St. Louis.
“I think it’s a serious offer,” said Rouleau, who noted the property is evaluated at approximately $10 million.
However, Rouleau told residents at Monday night’s city council meeting that he could not guarantee the city would be successful in securing the property.
“For me, we still have a chance,” he said.
“We’re waiting now,” he added. “We’re waiting for the trustee (of the estate) to tell us.”
Rouleau said the city expects to know if its bid was successful by the end of August.
As for questions about whether Dorval city coffers would benefit from more tax dollars should the property eventually be developed into a residential housing project, Rouleau shot back that the amount of property tax revenue derived from a new housing development is “not going to make or break Dorval.”
Many local residents urged the mayor to do more to secure the 540,000-square-foot property, which is zoned residential and considered one of the last remaining jewels of green space in Dorval.
Lynda Cutler, president of the Dorval Horticultural and Ecological Society, said losing the McConnell woods property to developers would be a huge loss for Dorval.
“It is the last land we have,” Cutler said. “This city is an airport, a big, toxic airport ... we need this park!”
Some other residents noted that the tree-lined McConnell woods property serves as an important “buffer” from the noisy air traffic generated by nearby Trudeau International Airport.
One resident said the air traffic pollution was already “unbearable,” so losing a green buffer would only make things worse for Dorval residents.
Chantal Ducharme, a Dorval resident who launched a grassroots petition to have the property preserved and protected, presented city council with more signatures. The Save Dorval’s Woods and Shore petition has collected more than 1,400 names.
Ducharme implored the mayor to use all governmental powers at his disposal to have the property spared from development and conserved as green space for ecological reasons.
Rouleau said the city has been active in seeking support for its initiative to secure the McConnell woods.
He said the city contacted several groups and government agencies, including the Montreal-based McConnell Foundation, to see if it would offer its support to help acquire the property. But, Rouleau was informed the foundation does not involve itself in real estate transactions.
Christine Cachia, whose home backs onto the McConnell woods property, would like to see the city acquire the property but said it’s not as easy as it sounds.
“A lot citizens are probably forgetting this is a private property. They’re free to sell it and they’re free to sell it to the highest bidder,” Cachia said.