Claremont and Lorraine Reconstruction Project – Mayor’s statement

Please find below Mayor Christina M. Smith’s statement made at the Special Council Meeting held on April 10, 2025, at 12 p.m. at Westmount City Hall.

“Welcome to all of you in the room and anyone joining online. We have a very short agenda today but it is time sensitive as we head into our construction season. At this time of year every day and week counts.

As you may know, this year’s capital works program is ambitious. All of these projects are necessary, and we are well aware that we are not able to do all the work that residents may want to be done.   

Our two projects that have had resident consultation this year have been the reconstruction of Claremont and Forden Ave and Forden Crescent. This is the first year that we have done these extensive consultations, and while much of it has been successful, there have also been many things that need to be done differently.  

We are here today to address some concerns with the Claremont and Lorraine project for 2025. There is no doubt that these roads need repair, and the sewer on Lorraine must be rebuilt. 

Council’s goal with this reconstruction was to address the street’s infrastructure needs and build a street for the next 50-plus years. We heard from residents who wanted pedestrian-friendly streets, more green spaces, and, obviously, to address the state of the road.   

We must look towards the future and build roads that help manage increasing storms, are pedestrian-friendly, and help ease the congestion of cities. We must also be fiscally responsible when planning these projects. This project had an estimated cost that was accounted for in our budgeting process.   Throughout the majority of the project’s planning, all the estimates of the project’s cost were consistent with our Capital Works plan until the final estimate came in.   We have seen drastic increases in certain costs for this project compared to last year’s prices. One example would be the cost of concrete.  

The increased costs and the public reaction to the loss of parking led the Council to take a new approach to this project. We are cancelling the tender process, which would have remained open for two more weeks, and we have begun assessing the road to make repairs to the concrete base, paving, and sidewalks. This plan would leave the road in its current configuration. This will address the state of the road’s surface, and we can then address some repairs of other roads throughout the city.  

The timing of this is not ideal, and Council was not aware of some of the financial aspects from the consultants’ estimates prior to the project going out for tender. Council takes this very seriously. When we were made aware of these increases, we began to look at alternative ways to address the state of the street. We must be able to pivot in these circumstances, and that is what we are doing today.      

We have also heard from residents who are not happy with the loss of parking and want that addressed; this plan B takes that into account.”