tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8777096.post4139724086681952120..comments2023-11-02T05:16:59.191-04:00Comments on Briques du Neige: Projet Montreal, what the hell is going on?OlmanFeelyushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17521657876810568251noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8777096.post-45559915544688573472011-04-16T09:49:22.605-04:002011-04-16T09:49:22.605-04:00What was I saying about transparency and communica...What was I saying about transparency and communication above? <br /><br />Whether or not I agree on the decision, I have to applaud and thank you for making the effort to come and explain the thinking behind it, Mr. Norris. Given the obfuscation and evasion (and most likely lying) going on in City Hall right now, Projet Montreal's policy on openness is particularly satisfying. Let's hope that you represent a trend for the future in municipal politics.<br /><br />Thanks also for your in-depth answer. It provides a better perspective on the various factors you had to weigh on your end. I'm an office manager and have to make decisions that many people don't like but I believe are in the best interest of the office as a whole, so I am sympathetic to the difficulty of your position.<br /><br />A couple of thoughts:<br /><br />- I wonder if 2 am might not have been a possible compromise?<br /> - Is the advice from the police supported by actual data (# of arrests, cost of damage, etc.) or is it just anecdotal? I often walk up and down the Main several times during the festivals and while it certainly gets pretty drunk and testosterone-filled around 3 or so, I've never seen even an altercation. <br />- Totally agree that the bar owners who abuse the situation are very much to blame here.<br /><br />I guess for me my main concern hinges on a decision being made based on advice from the police. They are a major stakeholder and thus should have a strong voice, but their solution is always going to be "shut it down". I wonder if there are other ways to reduce troublesome behaviour? How does the Nuit Blanche handle things? I guess other methods are probably more expensive.<br /><br />Thanks again for your response. I'll try to be more flexible in my thinking this summer, but I hope that you keep this issue on the table so that it doesn't become locked in, the way for instance the anti-food vendor law deprives Montrealer of what is one of the hottest trends in cuisine in North America right now.OlmanFeelyushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17521657876810568251noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8777096.post-66652206835433522492011-04-16T00:09:20.943-04:002011-04-16T00:09:20.943-04:00Hi there, I share most of the sentiments you expre...Hi there, I share most of the sentiments you express here and this is not a decision we made with any joy in our hearts. It's true, as you note, that the situation south of Pine is worse than further to the north. But from a legal perspective it's difficult to shut down some terraces and not others; the broader problem is that at bar closing time there are frequently brawls that break out and we need a police presence up and down the street to keep things under control. We already devote a great deal of public resources to doing this (at great public expense, I might add) but during the street fests, with big outdoor terraces jammed full of people at 3 a.m. just as fights are breaking out on the street, it's hard for police to keep things under control. The advice we got was that having both the bars and the terraces shutting down at the same time was a nightmare from a law-enforcement perspective; it just made things too difficult for the police to do their job safely. Keep in mind that police officers and regular passers-by have been injured in these melees. It's not a pretty scene. Plus, a number of bar owners were too greedy last summer and jammed their terraces full of patrons -- cramming in up to three times the legal limit -- putting their safety and that of their staff in jeopardy. You may love (or at least find tolerable) living very nearby a street where every Friday and Saturday night fights break out, people urinate and puke right outside people's front doors and so on (I take it you consider this comes with the territory with living in an area with a rich offering of places to go out and to some extent it does), but I can assure you that there are a good many residents of our community (and not all uptight yuppies living in newly bought condos, either) who have had their fill of it. This is not the way the Main was 10, 15 or even five years agao. There even a good number of merchants who feel this way. (For an example, check the clip from the restaurant at the end of this piece on Daybreak: http://www.cbc.ca/daybreakmontreal/2011/04/terrasses-time-out.html ) Having fun during street festivals is great and we do not want to be killjoys. I myself have enjoyed many a beer on an outdoor terrace in the wee hours of the morning on the Main. But things have gotten a little out of control and we are trying to restore a bit of balance between the vitality of our street life during festivals and the need for police to keep things under control and, just as importantly, the right of passers-by and locals to be able go about their business safely.<br />So, sorry you're disappointed with this move. Glad you're happy with other things we're doing. Please keep this in perspective: we're talking about three events a year during which street terraces will be open 18 hours a day ( 7 a.m. to 1 a.m.) instead of 20 hours a day. True, the bar owners will make a little less money and some people won't be able to enjoy their drinks outside for quite as long, but the Main will remain a great place to have fun during these street fests and the terraces will stay popular. And, if things improve and the bar owners act more responsibly this summer, we will be able to revisit the decision and be more permissive next year. <br />Hope this answers your question as to "what the hell is going on." <br />--Alex Norris, city councillor, Mile EndAlex Norrisnoreply@blogger.com