Depending on a future decision by a municipal committee and eventually Alfred and Plantagenet council, the Plantagenet Community Centre could be renamed the Serge Lalonde Community Centre.
A petition organized by resident René Lapensée with 308 signatures was received at the July 11 Alfred and Plantagenet council meeting requesting the community centre be renamed after Serge Lalonde, who has been a volunteer and part of community life in Plantagenet for 70 years.
Clerk Annie Rochefort told council a policy on naming parks and infrastructure is to be presented to council for consideration in the fall. She explained that council could either accept the petition and forward it to the municipal Heritage Committee which would consider the request and then make a recommendation to council, or council could immediately decide upon the request.
Councillor Ian Walker, whose own signature is among those on the petition, indicated his support for the request and moved to accept the petition and rename the community centre after Serge Lalonde. Walker’s motion was seconded by Councillor Jean-Pierre Cadieux.
“It’s an important name in our heritage,” Walker commented.
Councillor Antoni Viau said he thinks the request is a good idea, but he would like the Heritage Committee to look at it first. He wants to be assured the possible name change is to the satisfaction of everyone in Plantagenet. Councillor Benoit Lamarche expressed agreement with Viau.
The vote on Walker’s resolution to approve renaming the community centre was tied with he and Cadieux supporting it, and Viau and Lamarche voting against it. Mayor Yves Laviolette was put in the position of breaking the tie and stated his preference for forwarding the petition and request to the Heritage Committee. Council subsequently adopted the resolution to have the Heritage Committee consider if the Plantagenet Community Centre should be renamed after Serge Lalonde.
