Pointe-aux-Trembles inaugurates new $20M building
Residents previously had to access city services in 3 separate buildings
Pointe-aux-Trembles residents got a chance to visit the borough's new centralized office spaces Saturday afternoon after years of legal and budgeting issues.
Until the inauguration of the citizens' house, residents in the neighbourhood had to access their city services in three different offices.
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"It's been a long time coming," said Manuel Guedes, borough councillor for Rivière-des-Prairies—Pointe-aux-Trembles.
The City of Montreal bought the building five years ago, created office spaces and conducted archeological digs.
The revamped building — a renovated three-centuries-old convent — is wheelchair accessible, has a town hall, and a terrace overlooking the St. Lawrence River.
Residents who attended the open-house, along with Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre, also learned about the history of the building, which was occupied by the Sisters of the Congrégation de Notre-Dame for over 315 years.
But the new citizen's house faced some hurdles before its grand opening.
The $20 million renovation costs were reportedly $2 million over budget, and last year, the project's architect threatened to sue the borough.
"I'm just glad that were able to get it done and get it done well," Guedes said.
The borough's new office is not yet fully completed. The city said the area outside the building will be paved by fall.
With files from Shaun Malley