Canada/Citizens call for the survival of the Dallaire forest

Some thirty citizens turned out at Rouyn-Noranda city hall on Monday evening to voice their opposition to the residential project in the Dallaire district. The city plans to hold a consultation next month to hear what the public has to say.

The Dallaire forest is a natural jewel in Rouyn-Noranda. In our opinion, it's priceless," said retiree Nathalie D'Anjou.

The thirty or so citizens gathered, half a dozen of whom took the floor, are asking the City of Rouyn-Noranda to pull the plug on its residential project in the Dallaire district and convert the forest there into a recreational zone.

It's a wonderfully cool place," adds François Ruph, another retiree. It's a connection with the wilderness.

The city's decision to come

The City of Rouyn-Noranda, which is currently conducting a geotechnical study, says it is still at the analysis stage.

No decision has been made," says Rouyn-Noranda mayor Gilles Chapadeau. We don't even know yet whether it's possible to build in this area.

Mr. Chapadeau adds, however, that alternative solutions will have to be found for the 200 families currently being relocated from the buffer zone. These families want to relocate to the urban core. We have to take that into account. That's the location we've found. We're at the consultation and exploration stage.

Consultations are scheduled for May to allow the city to hear from the public and share the results of its study.

Source: ici.radio-canada.ca