Heritage society urges more measures to protect buildings
Critics say Pointe-claire too lax on developers who don't follow the rules
The head of Pointe-claire's heritage society is urging the city to adopt tougher measures against scofflaws who illegally demolish homes without a permit.
The call for tougher measures comes after a home at 4 St. Joachim Ave. in the Pointe-claire Village that dates back some 100 years was suddenly demolished last summer without city approval.
The owner, André Meloche, eventually paid a $25,000 fine to the city, but Andrew Swidzinski, president of the Pointe-claire Heritage Preservation Society, or Société pour la Sauvegarde du Patrimoine de Pointe-claire (SSPPC), says that is a puny penalty for a prized property near the waterfront that Meloche purchased for $875,000 in 2019.
“It's just seen as the cost of doing business for developers,” Swidzinski said.
The city subsequently increased the maximum fine to $250,000 for illegal demolitions, but Swidzinski said the city should have forced the new property owner to rebuild the home, known to locals as the “pink home” because of its distinct stucco exterior, to the identical dimensions of its former footprint.
He said the house being erected there now is much larger and does not resemble the pink house, which once belonged to villager Samuel Garceau in the 1920s and 1930s.
“If the mayor and council wanted to send a message to the developer and protect the character of the neighbourhood they would have insisted that the replacement project be the same size as the previous house and in the same architectural style,” Swidzinski said.
While the pink house did not have special heritage status, it was of heritage interest, according to Claude Arsenault, the former head of the SSPPC who resigned in protest from the position several years ago after the city approved the demolition of the Pioneer bar on Lakeshore Rd. and approved a luxury condo development that is presently under construction.
Pointe-claire mayoralty candidate Tim Thomas also criticized the city's “lax stand” on heritage matters.
He pointed to the damaged windmill next to the former convent, and the loss of the Pioneer as examples in which the city has neglected to protect some of the oldest sites and symbols in Pointeclaire.
“It's like the wild west in Pointeclaire now,” said Thomas. “If a developer comes into Pointe-claire, they know the city is on their side.”
He said the city “only imposed a fine on the owner (of 4 St. Joachim) because so many people got upset.”
“No projects that have been proposed have been denied a demolition permit. What does that tell us?
“At 4 St. Joachim, in the heart of the village, a guy walks in and tears it down ... and the city allows him to rebuild. The city could have put obstacles in his way for being so brash. Not only did he get away with a small fine, he was rewarded by altering the size of the replacement structure.”
Bruce Mabley, the previous owner of the house, told the Montreal Gazette a year ago he was incensed after the home his family had lived in since the early 1990s was bulldozed.
“Devastated,” said Mabley, a former Canadian diplomat. “I do not know how I can explain this to my wife, my children and grandchildren. A life spent raising my family destroyed by greed.
“We attended meetings at city hall to ensure this would not happen,” said Mabley, who also noted that local village councillor Claude Cousineau was aware of the file.
Cousineau once owned the pink house. Records show he bought the home in 1981 for $50,000 and sold it in 1983 for $62,000. (Cousineau said he never lived in it, but rented it out after renovating it).
Cousineau said the city increased maximum fines to $250,000 to deter further illegal demolitions. He said scofflaws would have to be “ultra rich” to skirt the new law.
“The main punishment, in my opinion, was the 18 months (the owner) lost. They couldn't build anything till it was settled (with the city) in court.”
Cousineau also noted the replacement plans for the home being constructed at 4 St. Joachim St. were approved prior to the illegal demolition.
“To my knowledge, the owner never applied for a demolition (permit), they just demolished and paid the fine.
“The previous owner (Mabley) owned it for many, many years and were happy with that house but that doesn't mean the new (owners) buying it were happy with it,” added Cousineau.
He said the new plans were designed by Gagnier & Villeneuve, respected local architects.
If a developer comes into Pointe-claire, they know the city is on their side. TIM THOMAS, Pointe-claire mayoralty candidate