A vote by Brownsburg-Chatham council has ended what was originally called the Place du citoyen project for the foreseeable future.
In 2020, the Ville de Brownsburg-Chatham announced plans to construct a community centre, recreation, and library complex near the existing Gilles Lupien Arena in the centre of Brownsburg. The project was instantly met with opposition from citizens and did not attract unanimous support on council. However, two attempts to have a town-wide referendum and let voters decide on if the project should proceed were unsuccessful. The town was planning to use funding from the Quebec and federal governments to fund up to two-thirds of the project cost.
At the July 25, 2022, council meeting, a regulation to repeal an earlier regulation which would have allowed for funds to be spent on construction was approved.
The Place du citoyen proposal fell under increased scrutiny since the November 2021 municipal election and the election of Kévin Maurice as Mayor. In April 2022, Maurice remarked that costs had increased since the project was originally proposed, and it was time to reconsider the plan.
“We are reviewing the file,” he said. The construction contract was also cancelled.
Maurice said the town’s present position is to invest in existing recreational infrastructure. He said cost of the project was originally projected at $9 million with two-thirds of the funding coming from the Québec and federal governments. Maurice said even with that funding arrangement, the municipality would not have had enough money left over for other projects.
