Pierrefonds holds public meeting to discuss planning program along upper St. Charles Blvd.

The borough of Pierrefonds-roxboro will be holding a public information meeting next Tuesday, May 17, to address future development plans along a stretch of Stcharles Blvd.

The 7 p.m. meeting take place at the Pierrefonds Cultural Centre, 13850 Gouin Blvd. Pre-registration is mandatory to attend. The meeting will also be webcast live on Youtube.

Neighbourhood residents and local organizations are invited to participate in the information session which is “aimed at explaining the process of developing a special urban planning program for the development of St-charles Blvd.”

Pierrefonds-roxboro Mayor Jim Beis said the area, often referred by locals as upper St. Charles, lies between Pierrefonds Blvd. and Oakwood St.

He said a long-term planning program is needed for the area.

“Because (St. Charles) is a main artery, we (don't want) to build or have any projected developments done piecemeal.

“We want to look at that area as a whole.”

Beis said there are many strip malls along St. Charles which border residential neighbourhoods.

“For many years, for decades, these places were built one bit at a time and now, look, there is no continuity, no vision.”

Beis said the meeting will provide citizens with an opportunity to weigh in with their own visions and voice concerns for the area. “Let's start with a clean plate and build it from there. That's the goal,” he said.

Beis also noted that a previously-planned condo development for the area was halted after pushback from local residents in the Hillcrest neighbourhood.