St-Lazare poll reveals where residents stand on contentious issues

Fixing traffic problems at the busy intersection of Bédard Ave. and St.-Louis Rd. topped the list of concerns for St-Lazare residents in a survey of issues of concern commissioned by the town, according to a summary of the results released last week. The survey, conducted by pollsters at Léger Marketing, took the pulse of the population on several issues that had been contentious during the last municipal election, including a proposed roundabout at the intersection of Bédard Ave. and St.-Louis Rd. The survey also gathered opinions on the Au Galop Festival, social housing for low-income individuals, and usage of both the downtown core and the Les Forestiers nature park. When asked to rank the relative importance of each of the five topics in the survey, 38 per cent said reconfiguring the intersection of Bédard Ave. and St.-Louis Rd. was their top priority. Consultants hired by the town have recommended investing around $1.7 million to build a roundabout at the intersection. Although some vocal citizens have opposed the expense, the survey found a large majority, 65 per cent, support the idea of a roundabout to improve the flow of traffic. Those who are least in favour of this option said they believed other solutions, such as traffic lights, could address the problem. On the question of the Au Galop festival, which was cancelled for this summer, 63 per cent of those polled said they were in favour of the equestrian-themed festival, however, more than half also said the town’s contribution to the festival should be reduced. When asked if they would support the town in proposing another festival with a different theme, 60 per cent were in favour. In previous years, the festival cost each household approximately $40 per year, but 41 per cent of those polled would prefer to reduce funding for the event to $20 per household. Another 29 per cent said the town should not fund the event at all. Awareness of the Forestiers nature park was very high, at 91 per cent, however, 57 per cent said they have not visited the site in the past year. The most common reason residents did not visit the park was because they didn’t practise outdoor activities, or because the activities offered didn’t meet their needs. Although St-Lazare is a fairly small town with a population of just over 20,000, the poll found 91 per cent of residents visited the downtown once a month or more, with 18 per cent visiting once a week. The vast majority, 83 per cent, said they come downtown to do grocery shopping, run errands or make other purchases. The survey also revealed strong support for a social housing project for low-income individuals, such as seniors, single-parent families or those with disabilities, with 76 per cent in favour. Mayor Robert Grimaudo said the survey will help inform council in setting budget priorities this fall. “We now have the pulse of the population, now the council has to sit down when it comes time to plan the budget for 2019 and decide where do we go from here.” Councillor Geneviève Lachance said the survey findings are a valuable counterpoint to the opinions she and other councillors hear on the street and in social media. “It really gives us more of an objective view. It’s not just ‘I did door knocking and my residents said this,’” she said. “We have to make sure when we hear from people that we’re not just hearing the loudest voices.” Léger Marketing telephoned 400 randomly selected adults throughout the territory of St-Lazare. The sample size was estimated to provide a margin of error of plus or minus 4.9 per cent.