Dreamed of in 1963

On December 8, 1963 – two years before the city was born as an amalgamation of the previously independent municipalities on Île Jésus – the mayor of Chomedey, Jean-Noël Lavoie sealed into the cornerstone of city hall, then under construction, a chest containing predictions on what Chomedey would be like a century into the future. This box will be opened in 2063 by the mayor of the day.

The following day (December 9, 1963) the Montreal French daily, La Presse, reported that the chest embedded in the cornerstone contained a document listing the following "Forecasts of the city council for the year 2063:

That Île-Jésus will be characterized by a very small number of municipalities …

That the metro (subway) would provide service for all of Île Jésus.

That an entente would have been concluded a long time ago between Montreal and Île Jésus authorities concerning the metropolitan region.

That Chomedey would have its museum, its concert hall, its municipal theatre, its symphony orchestra, its opera company and its university.

That six deputies (elected officials) would represent the island's 750,000 residents at the federal level and six more at the provincial level."

Although the chest will not be opened for another 56 years, it can be safely said that Mr. Jean-Noël Lavoie was not short of intuition! (G.F.)