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Météo: Laval, 1er décembre 2008 / 3°C / Quelques nuages / Vents: 19 Km/h / Humidité relative: 81 %

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Courrier Laval Bilingual Edition

Where have all the flowers gone?

par Sophie Méley-Daoust
Voir tous les articles de Sophie Méley-Daoust
Article mis en ligne le 9 juillet 2008 à 8:10
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At this time of summer Laval island is usually resplendent with the vivid hues emanating from plentiful begonias, impatients and geraniums, not to mention plant gardens and flower pots. But not so this year. To the contrary, the island is devoid of any expression of plants and flowers on city-owned land, the result of which is the proliferation of weeds in these previously 'blooming' sites.

Although the scenario resembles that of last year, the cause of it cannot be pinned on Laval’s blue collar workers, who although on strike last summer, have had a new contract since last November.

The conspicuous absence of plants and flowers, whose seeds are usually sown in late May, is the result, in fact, of the city's revision of its beautification plan.

"It's a transition year, part of the city’s strategic plan," said Paul Lemay, director of Laval's Department of Community Life, Culture and Communications.

A third of the plant gardens will be surrounded with peat, with a few trees likely to be planted. The remaining two-thirds will have weeds removed but no flowers will be planted.

The city intends to replace the annual planting of annuals with vivacious, starting next year. "The care and maintenance will be easier and more ecological because we won't have to buy annuals every year," Mr. Lemay explained.

As for the concrete boxes seen here and there throughout the island, flowers should be planted in them soon.

No a surprise?

Although Mr. Lemay said that the decision to revise the beautification plan was part of discussions occurring during contract negotiations with blue collar workers, the statement came as a surprise to Francis Desjardins, the union's vice-president (health and safety). "The matter was never discussed during collective bargaining," he protested, adding that the union only learned of it four weeks ago. According to Mr. Desjardins, 75% of the annuals would be replaced by vivacious next year. The number of summer part-time workers will also be brought down.

"Laval has always encouraged its residents to plant flowers, but for its part the city is not doing the same," Mr. Desjardins denounces.

As for the peat that will be put around the plant sites, blue collar workers do not yet know whether they will be doing the job.

Mr. Lemay also stated that the city could not formulate these changes last year because it was in contract negotiations with the blue collar workers who were applying pressure during the talks, resulting in no flowers being planted.

"The city could have dealt with the issue, but we were engaged in negotiations and had to contend with other priorities," he admitted, adding that no complaints were received from residents.

Last year’s supply of flowers purchased by the city were turned over to Laval en fleurs which in turn redistributed them to residents.

"Even though we were applying pressure last year, we did tell the city that we were prepared to plant the flowers," Mr. Desjardins maintains. It was the city that took the decision not to plant flowers.

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