Upcoming Events
On September 17, les Amis will be at the Ville Saint-Pierre Fête de la Paix, a fun family event where our animals are always a great hit!
If you want to lend a hand, please contact Joann Egar at mitchjoa@yahoo.ca
Remembering a special friend
Bernice Goldsmith, a long-time volunteer for Meadowbrook, died in 2014. Les Amis has not forgotten Bernice’s hard work for Meadowbrook and will be dedicating a bench in her name in Toe Blake Park on Sunday, September 18 at 4 pm.
Please join us to celebrate Bernice’s life and her vital contribution to the future of Meadowbrook.
We Need You!
Les Amis is looking to fill a number of positions to keep things rolling smoothly.
– We need a site manager for the soon-to-be-released eco map, a wiki on green spaces in Montreal that we have been working on with Sierra Club Quebec.
– Handy with MailChimp? We could use your help from time to time.
– We also need some help with translation (into French) from time to time.
– We would like to compile a calendar of environmental events in Montreal if you are so inclined.
– Here is a fun assignment. Remember the 25th anniversary Rock vs. Disco dance? Our fundraising committee will be hard at work concocting more great events to keep our coffers filled. Would you like to help out?
If you are up to any of these tasks, please contact us at lesamisdemeadowbrook@gmail.com
New initiative for Les Amis
When Hydro Quebec started cutting trees last May on Meadowbrook, we wondered whether they had the authority to do this. This got us started on a series of what-ifs.
So we created the Guardians of Meadowbrook, a new initiative that will look into potential threats to Meadowbrook and its distinctive features.
– What if there is a train derailment?
– What if more trees are cut? How can we intervene efficiently?
– Can the Petite Rivière St-Pierre be cleaned up?
– How about having cross-country skiing on Meadowbrook in winter, as on many golf courses throughout the province?
If you have special expertise in any of these areas, we want to hear from you. Contact Rebecca Million at rebeccamillion@hotmail.com
We need your help!
As you may be aware, we have recently been alerted to the imminent destruction of the Technoparc wetlands in St. Laurent, both by the expansion of the Hubert Reeves Eco-campus and the Caisse de dépôt et placement train project, slated to run between two marshes.
The area contains three large marshes and a vast prairie bordering Montreal-Trudeau airport and the Dorval golf course. Ornithologist Joël Coutu has observed over 70 species of birds in the area, nesting birds, migratory birds and even endangered species such as the least bittern, the smallest local heron.
For more information, please visit Joel Coutu’s Facebook page or connect with Amis/Friends du Technoparc on Facebook.
The group is looking into obtaining an injunction to prevent further development of this important wetland. If you wish to give financial support to the cause, you may send a cheque in the name of Colby Monet, with “Technoparc Opinion” in the subject line, to:
Campbell Stuart
COLBY MONET
Tour McGill College
1501, avenue McGill College, bureau 2900
Montréal (Québec) H3A 3M8
E-mail pledges may be sent to Campbell Stuart mentioning that you “undertake to contribute $xxx to the Technoparc Opinion.” CStuart@colby-monet.com
REM Information Period
The Bureau d’audiences publiques sur l’environnement (BAPE) information period on the projected Réseau électrique métropolitain (REM) is continuing until September 12. During this time, the public is asked to consult the documentation at one of the consultation stations or online at: www.bape.gouv.qc.ca/sections/mandats/Reseau_electrique_m%C3%A9tropolitain/index.htm
You can also visit Trainsparence on Facebook for a lively discussion on the subject. Any person interested in submitting a brief to the BAPE should sign up before September 12.
Our Mission: To protect Meadowbrook from development and transform it into Meadowbrook Park, a new 57-hectare urban nature heritage park, open and accessible to all, and connected through a greenway to a network of parks, including the falaise Saint-Jacques.
Visit:
Monthly Meetings. Join us!
New members are always welcome. Email us at lesamisdemeadowbrook@gmail.com.
Consider becoming an active member. Meet great people, learn more about our vision, goals, and how we plan to get there; we all do what we can! |
David pointed out invasive species, such as the Buckthorn tree, that crowd out native species and can be seen in large numbers in the area. They could be replaced with trees that are indigenous to the area, such as the Red Osier Dogwood, Eastern Cottonwood and Hawthorn. We learned about uses for some of the plants, such as Hawthorn berry juice and wild grape leaves, and even got to sample a few native Frost Grapes. The area includes tree stumps, and low-lying areas that become seasonal ponds, home to many insects and attracting migratory birds. 
