Video - Discontent over plans for a CPE child care centre in a park

Citizens living on Sullivan and Circle Park Streets in Châteauguay are opposed to plans to build a Centre de la Petite Enfance (CPE) child care centre, arguing that it will put an end to tranquility in their neighbourhood. While the city understands their disappointment, there are limited options for lots to carry out a project of this kind.

Translation Amanda Bennett

Kelly Benson has always lived in Châteauguay. Four years ago, she purchased a home on Sullivan Street, beside Cambrai Park. “I am approaching retirement and I am looking for tranquility, it was for that reason that I wanted to live by this park,” she explained in an interview.

It was purely by chance- having seen city employees undertaking work in the park- that she was made aware of the CPE project close to her home.

The CPE Les Lutins child care centre, which already has a facility on St-Eugene Street, at the other end of the park, has been waiting to build a second facility since 2013. The project includes a two-storey building which will welcome 64 children. A parking lot with some twenty parking spaces is also part of the plans.

Centres de la Petite Enfance are able to request the use of land owned by the city or become the private owner of a lot.

A loss of privacy

The City lot in question is a section of Cambrai Park located close to the intersection of Sullivan Street and Saint-Joseph Boulevard. In Ms. Benson’s case, the child care centre will be located close to her back yard, like other property owners on Circle Park Street.

“I’m going to lose all privacy,” lamented Ms. Benson who mentioned working from home. “I’m going to end up with a two-storey building in my yard, a parking lot with frequent comings and goings beside my home, not to mention the noise caused by the children’s squeals and cries.”

Myriam Paquin who lives on Circle Park feels the same. “I have lived here for 25 years. When you purchase a house with a park behind it, it’s because you’re looking for peace of mind. It’s not like you chose to live beside a vacant lot where there was a risk of something being built,” she said.

At the behest of the affected citizens, an information meeting with district councillor Marie-Louise Kerneïs, Mayor Eric Allard and City representatives was held to discuss concerns regarding the project. Citizens have suggested other nearby lots, for example close to the Centre Régional Shopping Centre and even other parks, but according to elected officials they were not suitable. They were either too small, belonged to private owners or had underground infrastructures that prevented construction.

Kelly Benson and Blair Boyle. (Photo : Le Soleil - Denis Germain)

Limited land availability

At the January City Council Meeting, Councillor Mike Gendron explained that the project had been analyzed by the district’s previous representative, Marcel Deschamps, who had “raised his hand” to request a new CPE in his district given the growing need for child care spaces.  

“He conducted the analysis and determined that it was the park which was the least frequented by children. He had targeted this park from the outset because it is primarily a park people walk through,” explained Mr. Gendron.

The Mayor says he wants to minimize impacts on the surrounding property owners, but underscored that this child care centre project will also enhance services in the municipality for 64 families.

“We understand that it might be disruptive, but the children will only be playing in the yard during the day, not evenings and weekends,” he explained. “I would have liked to have had other free lots that we could have offered in its stead, but the City of Châteauguay does not have very many. They are either parks or lots in the industrial park.”  

A second CPE in a park

Citizens criticized the mayor for having previously been opposed to another CPE project in Concord Park, when he was a city councillor.   

“The situation is different. That one (Concord Park) was built facing residents’ homes and there was no way of protecting their privacy,” he defended.

Ms. Benson and Ms. Paquin both intimated to the Le Soleil de Châteauguay that they were not against daycare centres- they are both mothers- but that it was the location selected that was the issue.

As for the CPE Les Lutins, Director Elodie Gaucher has been waiting several years for the project to move forward as the waiting list grows longer and longer.

“I understand that not everyone is fine with having a CPE in their back yard, but you also have to understand that it will serve 64 families in Châteauguay,” she commented.   

Ms. Gaucher expressed that she was ready to make changes to limit irritants for neighbours. “But it has to fall within the limits of what’s reasonable,” she indicated. “We will have to take the financial impact into account for those requests.” 75% of the funding for the CPE’s construction will be provided by the Ministry for Families and the other 25% will come from the CPE itself. 

As for noise concerns, the director ensured that they would be limited. “The children are out for a maximum of two hours during the day when the weather is nice. An hour in the morning and about another hour in the afternoon. It’s not like a school,” she illustrated.

During a special City Council meeting held on January 28, the mayor explained that the city had set forth a number of requirements to the CPE to reassure its neighbours. Among the requests are that a hedge and noise-cancelling barrier are erected inside the yard and that the planned location for storing waste be moved.  

He specified that the city had received a letter from the architect in charge of the project informing that the requirements could lead to the project’s cancellation.