Achi news desk-
Retiree Mark Lindsay walks along Lachine’s shoreline twice a day, and during each foray, the river moves closer and closer to the footpath due to erosion.
“I don’t see that we will do anything for it,” he said. These fences have been here for the six years I’ve been in Lachin, so they don’t seem to be doing much.”
Efforts to fix green spaces along Montreal’s waterfront are facing bureaucratic problems because the work has yet to be approved by the provincial government.
It’s an unfortunate situation for those like Lindsay who appreciate the scenery.
“We can see the ships coming through the locks. I mean, it’s fantastic,” he said. “And in the summer, it’s full of people. There’s a lot of life. It’s really great.”
Finding a solution to a problem is frustrating.
“It’s crazy how hard it is,” said Lachin Mayor Maja Vodanovic.
Vodanovich said Lachine has been trying to repair parts of its shoreline for the past five years, but the work must be approved by Quebec’s environment ministry.
“We can’t just fix it,” she said. “We have to take copious amounts of steps and jump through hoops which are exactly the ones that are very, very time consuming.”
Lachine’s most recent proposal to repair a 100-meter strip of beach was submitted eight months ago, and Vodenovich said the borough is still waiting for a response.
“We are eight months after we sent the letter to the government,” she said. “We really need to do this. It’s an emergency. While they’re still looking at the case.”
Neighboring cities say they have similar problems approving shoreline projects.
Dorval is also waiting for the Ministry of Environment.
“It’s frustrating for us,” said Duval Mayor Mark Dort. “It’s frustrating for the residents who want to use this space, and we hope we can get this work done in the coming year.”
Elected officials say they want to see the laws changed to make it easier for municipalities trying to maintain shorelines.
“We are not a corporation that wants to set up a factory next to a lake,” Vodanovich said. “We are just a municipality that wants to fix its park.”
Lachine’s mayor fears the borough won’t get the approval it needs and that the shoreline path that so many people enjoy may not be there for daily walks in the future.
Quebec’s Ministry of the Environment did not respond to a CTV News request for an interview.
