New Chabad House for Côte St. Luc’s

Cote St Luc, QC, Canada — Two major construction projects that will be taking place in Côte St. Luc at about the same time this year are expected to increase the volume of traffic in their sector.

Excavation work has begun at the future site of the Beth Chabad Hechal Menachem Community Youth Centre at the corner of Marc Chagall Avenue and Kildare Road.

Since 2001, Beth Chabad has been based at the Cavendish Mall. But with the mall’s major redevelopment plans due to be implemented, the youth centre will have to relocate in new premises.

According to Councillor Mike Cohen, who represents District 2, the Kildare Road site was rezoned to accommodate Beth Chabad years ago. The centre was established in a duplex on Earle Road in 1986, moving to the Côte St. Luc Shopping Centre two years later, and finally settling at Cavendish Mall in the former Eaton’s location.

When completed, the new Beth Chabad centre will include a youth lounge, computer and teen fitness rooms, a cafeteria, library, study room, social hall, Sephardic and Ashkenazi synagogues and a men’s mikvah.

“I am pleased to see this work moving forward,” said Cohen, noting that Beth Chabad has an enthusiastic membership that is led by Rabbi Menachem Mendel and Sarah Raskin.

Cohen said another significant development at Kildare and Marc Chagall is likely to increase traffic. Several years ago, administrators at Bialik High School, across from the Beth Chabad site, said they intended to double the size of their building to house a new facility for the Jewish People’s and Peretz (JPPS) elementary school.

“That project never came to be since JPPS enrolment leveled off,” he said. “But now council has received a new proposal for a two-phase expansion and renovation of Bialik … While recommending some changes, the project will be approved.” Cohen said he has been working hard to enact various traffic measures on Marc Chagall.

“Rabbi Raskin assures that most of the members walk to services in the early morning, in the evening and, of course, on Shabbat,” he said. “As for the latter, Bialik’s original plans were far more grandiose and would have included a brand new elementary sector.

“At Bialik, I have met with the administrators several times,” Cohen added.

“The police have stepped up the issuance of tickets, showing a zero tolerance policy towards parents not abiding by the law.” However, he advises that in the months ahead, Marc Chagall and Kildare “will be one busy corner.”