SINCE 1963 CITY EDITION Kitchens & Bathrooms $999 (514) 945-5823 www.nisan-kitchens.co m For all your decorating needs WHAT GOES WRONG WITH KIDS, PAGE 8 HUNTER DOUGLAS Showcase Dealer Custom Closets For Any Budget 8250 Devonshire Rd. Ville Mont-Royal 514.733.6468 www.verti-kal.com JUNE 30, 2010 Q U E B E C ' S L A R G E S T E N G L I S H W E E K L Y N E W S P A P E R NEWS & ANALYSIS Verdun's First Presbyterian Church is no more It's always a sad day when shifting demographics, an aging population and the vagaries of a stagnant economy once again force what used to be a vibrant community to finally close its church. ? Page 10 TRENDS Homegrown fitness Everyone wants to be slim, fit and healthy. Even those who don't take the necessary steps towards a healthy lifestyle - with a proper diet and exercise - complain about how much they want to be thinner and fitter. Too few people follow through with their lofty fitness dreams and desires but for those who do, there are plenty of options out t ...

2 * THE SUBURBAN, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 30, 2010 Around the Towns CANADA DAY IN CSL REMINDER The annual Canada Day celebration takes place from 1 p.m. to 10:40 p.m. at Trudeau Park, and will include a Canadian citizenship ceremony, a Human Rights Walkway ceremony, live music, fireworks and more, the city announced. More specifically, "a Canadian citizenship judge will administer the citizenship oath to new Canadians at 4:30 p.m.," says an announcement. "Immediately following the ceremony, at approximately 5:30 p.m., Côte St. Luc will unveil a plaque for its Human Rights Walkway honouring those who spoke out and fought for Jews oppressed in the former Soviet Union, Syria, and Ethiopia. Other activities include inflatable games, a roaming magician, a children's train, face painting, arts and crafts, fireworks and more. There will also be live performances by musical groups Airport 77, Zuruba and Music Academy Fortissimo throughout the evening." HAMPSTEAD TRAFFIC CALMING Hampstead council recen ...

NEWS AND ANALYSIS MoWest lamp pole question prompts lots of laughs By Joel Goldenberg The Suburban An exchange at a recent Montreal West council meeting on lamp poles in the town prompted lots of laughs from both the audience and council members. Resident Frank Alessi brought up the issue of a lamp pole belonging to the town in the vicinity of 120 and 124 Easton. "They've had some wiring problems," Alessi said. "The wire is tied with tape and rope and dangling on a pole and then fastened to a tree, and then crossing the street, and it's been like that for some time now." Several audience members guffawed at this point. Alessi wondered whether the question should go to councillor Joe McKenzie, in charge of public works on council; or Dino Mazzone, in charge of public security on council. "Mr. Mazzone's pointing to you, Mr. McKenzie," Alessi said, to more laughs. "Is there any chance we might take that wire now and... er... put it somewhere more appropriate? No pun intended." More laughs ...

4 * THE SUBURBAN, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 30, 2010 NEWS & ANALYSIS The ultimate gentleman Herb Luft retires from CTV Mike Cohen After 39 years as a reporter and anchor at CTV News Montreal and its predecessor, CFCF, this is the last official day on the job for happy-go-lucky Beaconsfield resident Herb Luft. Luft is a real pro who will be missed. I had the opportunity to get to know him over the past two decades, wearing my other hat as a communications and marketing specialist. Last month we spent the day together at a student career day where he shared his experience in the business with Grade 10 teenagers. Luft says he started thinking about calling it quits just over a year ago when his early morning CTV newscast was cancelled. "I really enjoyed it," he said. "Then, to have to go back to shift work, it just was not the same." Daring moves by Luft included repelling down a 26-storey building in his suit and allowing himself to be tasered, both as part of actual reports. He will always rememb ...

NEWS & ANALYSIS MoWest altercation: School bus vs. recycling truck By Joel Goldenberg The Suburban In the spirit of the classic Akira Kurosawa crime movie Rashomon, there are at least two differing versions of what recently took place between a school bus and a recycling truck in front of Edinburgh School in Montreal West. According to resident Stephen Walsh, in mid-June, he heard from his children that they were stuck on their school bus for 30 to 40 minutes "because a recycling truck working under contract with Montreal West, as I understand it, tried to pass a school bus while its lights were flashing. The truck physically got hooked on the school bus. The kids were kept on the bus and, at the very best, it was inconvenient. "Think back to the young lady who was killed in Westmount by the contractor who turned and didn't see her, and she pushed her young brother out of the way and she was run over," Walsh added. What happened, and what are we going to do with these contractors if it ...

6 * THE SUBURBAN, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 30, 2010 5775 Cavendish blvd, Côte St-Luc www.excelsiorCAVENDISH. ca Condo-style living apartment! apartment! - Apartments for rent - 620 to 2000 sq. ft. - 1, 2 , 3 or 4 bedrooms (2 joined apartments) - 12 different models of apartment - Stove, refrigerator and dishwasher included Features - 24 / 7 doorman / security - State-of-the-art fitness center, luxury Spa and sauna - Brand new construction & contemporary design - Completely soundproof, concrete construction - Separate in-suite laundry facilities & storage room - Indoor parking Save an 30 additional %* off Boulevard Décarie Avenue Coolbrook Avenue Clanranald already-reduced cle arance priced refrigerators (all other appliances 20% off) already-reduced clearance priced lawnmowers and tractors Rue Vézina DÉCARIE SQUARE 6900, DÉCARIE BLVD., CÔTE SAINT-LUC, PQ. (514)731-6118 MON. - WED.: 9:30 A.M. - 6:00 P.M. THURS. & FRI.: 9:30 A.M. - 9:00 P.M. SATURDAY : 9:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M. SUNDAY: 10:00 A.M. - 5:0 ...

NEWS & ANALYSIS Our local Hollywood connections - Stan Laurel, Snow White and Quebec cinema laws The flicker of images on the screen was the only source of light for an estimated crowd of 800 who were packed into the old Laurier Theatre, for a cold Sunday afternoon matinee on Jan. 9, 1927. The balcony itself was crammed with almost 300 children ranging in age from four to 18, as they stared on in wonderment at the images being projected. It was a silent picture; a comedy called Get'em Young. Their views were slightly blurred, as wafts of cigarette smoke formed linear clouds before the screen. As the smoke thickened and the air took on a different scent, the children in the balcony continued to focus on the on-screen action. Moments later, the action would become real, as a smoldering cigarette was slowly burning between the subfloor and the upper floorboards of the old theater. The first alert came at 2 p.m., as a boy in the balcony eyed a small flame coming from the projection room be ...

8 * THE SUBURBAN, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 30, 2010 LOW SELF-ESTEEM? * Depression * Anxiety * Perfectionism * Procrastination * Emotional Eating * Relationship Difficulties * Shyness * Substance Abuse An effective group program to increase self-esteem will meet weekly for 8 weeks to equip people with the most cutting-edge tools from psychology and Eastern contemplative traditions One-on-One Counselling is also available * Adults * Adolescents * Children Call or e-mail life coach & psychotherapist Sarah Sinray BSc., MApplSc. to learn more sarah@prajnacoaching.com or 514-213-9421 Pierre Arcand MNA for/Député de Mont-Royal 3400 Jean-Talon W., #100 Montreal, QC H3R 2E8 Raymond Bachand MNA for/Député d'Outremont 5450, Côte-des-Neiges Road # 115 Montreal, Qc H3T 1Y6 Lawrence S. Bergman MNA for/Député de D'Arcy McGee 5800 Cavendish, #403 Cote St. Luc, QC H4W 2T5 NEWS & ANALYSIS What goes wrong with kids A Verdun cop shares some thoughts By P.A. Sévigny The Suburban When two teenagers were recently acc ...

NEWS & ANALYSIS CSL's Station 9 police looking for bus shelter smashers By Joel Goldenberg The Suburban Police are looking for one or more people who have been vandalizing bus shelters in Côte St. Luc and Hampstead, Station 9 commander Sylvain Bissonnette told The Suburban recently. In one week, "nine bus shelters were targeted. Their windows were broken, and we're looking into the various facts about that. It was mostly in Hampstead and Côte St. Luc. "We're asking the Volunteer Citizens on Patrol (vCOPS in Côte St. Luc) and CATS Cont'd from page 6 (being poisoned)." Devine said there are no suspects as of yet and tips from the public in NDG are crucial to stopping the cruelty. Even if the culprit is caught, another challenge would be to convince the court to impose a severe penalty. "We've never successfully prosecuted a case of cruelty with a fauna animal," she explained. "But there's nothing to say that someone couldn't get jail time one day." now the new Hampstead MVP (Municipal Vo ...

Verdun's First Presbyterian Church is no more By P.A. Sévigny The Suburban It's always a sad day when shifting demographics, an aging population and the vagaries of a stagnant economy once again force what used to be a vibrant community to finally close its church. "Bless us all," said student minister Kosta Theofanos as he concluded his moving homily about the friendship and service which used to define Verdun's Presbyterian congregation over the past three generations. But even as friends and guests filled the little church for its final service, church officials admitted the tiny congregation could no longer support itself and there was little choice but to close its mission. During a frank and sometimes emotional service, Theofanos described a church which considered its "friendship with God" as the ethical cornerstone which defined both a determined congregation and its well-known Chez Papa Traiteur par excellence CHEZ PAPA ERNIE'S RIB STEAK BLOWOUT! YOU WILL RECEIVE THE FOLLOWING ...