Gatineau asking Quebec to help foot bill for LRT to Aylmer

Gatineau city councillors will ask Quebecto share some of the cost of building a light rail and rapid bus link between Aylmer and the city's downtown.

Councillorsalso voted at a Tuesday night meeting toofficially fundtwo high-profile downtown projects and demolish a Hull presbyterydespite opposition over its historic value.

AylmerLRT

Councillors unanimously voted to ask the provincial government to help pay for the estimated $700- to $900-million cost of building a light rail link to the city's west end.

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Hull-Aylmer MP Greg Fergus,who has been championing the idea of running light rail from the Canadian Museum of History to Aylmer, said the city had taken a definitive step towarda unique opportunity for a modern, efficient transit system.

DeschnesCoun. Mike Duggancautioned against taking away road lanes to make way for rail, warning that would increase traffic rather thanreduce it.

Hull presbytery

The fate of theformer Trs-Saint-Rdempteurpresbytery in Old Hull has been sealed, and it's not what a group of local residents wanted.

• Residents band together to save Hull presbytery from wrecking ball

A group of residents had been pushing for councillors to save the 116-year-old building after its owners got a demolition permit to expand a seniors' complex.

They argued it was one of the last surviving buildings from that era of the neighbourhood's past.

Howevercouncillorsvoted to demolish the formerhome ofthe first Bishop ofGatineaubecause it's in such bad shape.

"The foundations are giving way," saidManoir-des-Trembles-Val-TtreauCoun. Jocelyn Blondin.

"The structure has to be redone."

Greenery and groceries

The city will give $83,000 to help get a grocery co-op started in Hull,long seen as a so-called "food desert" with only smaller grocery stories and depanneurs.

There hasn't been a supermarket in Hull since 1999.

"If you want to bring people downtown, notably families, it takes a grocery store," said Hull-Wright Coun.Cdric Tessier.

The city will partner with the co-op, but the store's location hasn't been determined.

Councillors also approved $2 million to bring theMosaculturehorticulture show back to Jacques-Cartier Park this summer.

This, too, was unanimously approved, though Masson-Angers Coun. Marc Carrire warned it was a risky move, especially becausethe federal government isn't funding the event this time.