Turn Anjou golf course intoarealpark,nota business park: activists

A coalition of environmental groups is calling for a golf course and adjacent woods in Anjou to be turned into a park.

The 40-hectare Parc-nature du Bois-d’Anjou, south of HenriBourassa Blvd. E. and east of Ray Lawson Blvd., is managed by the city but is not open to the public. Activists from 11 groups want the woods to be combined with the land being used by the Club de Golf Metropolitain to create a green space in the city’s east end.

“The woods should be used properly, as they were intended to be, and the golf course should be protected and the two bits of land should be put together. It’s a perfect opportunity to create a real park,” said Patrick Barnard of the Green Coalition.

On April 26, Anjou Mayor Luis Miranda wrote in a public memo that development of the golf course was going forward after a zoning amendment to the land on which the golf course is located. Miranda said his office is acting on a long-held vision for a business park.

“We want the development to be moved,” said Lisa Mintz of Sauvons la falaise and the Green Coalition. “Do your development, but do it on some of the areas that have already been used for development, instead of doing it the easy way on green spaces, which we have so few left of.”

Said Mayor Valérie Plante: “Projet Montréal and my administration are definitely pushing forward to have more green spaces. We know the needs in the east side of Montreal.

Plante did not provide details on her position on this piece of land.

“About that specific area I don’t have specific information to give.”

Do your development, but do it on some of the areas that have already been used for development.