2023-08-31 04:47:48
The City of Saguenay accuses the Minister of Municipal Affairs and MNA for Chicoutimi, Andrée Laforest, of having commissioned a firm of architects behind her to draw up plans to transform the Georges-Vézina arena into a sports complex with a swimming pool and of pass the $20,000 bill.
Posted at 12:47 a.m. Updated at 5:00 a.m.
The mayoress of Saguenay, Julie Dufour, publicly accused the minister of interference and categorically refused to pay for the architectural plans.
In a letter that the municipality sent to Ms. Laforest’s office last week, and obtained by The Pressthe mayor writes that she “wants to indicate her discomfort on [la] way of doing” of the Minister in this file, while the sports infrastructure belongs to the City.
Ms. Laforest did not want to comment on the allegations of interference made by the City, said her press officer, Stéphane Bégin.
The architectural plans were produced by the firm Les Maîtres d’oeuvre Architectes, at the request of Minister Andrée Laforest, according to the City of Saguenay, so that the municipality could submit a project as part of a government assistance program. of 300 million created by Quebec for sports infrastructure, the PAFIR. Municipalities and sports NPOs have, under the program, until mid-September to submit projects in order to obtain up to $20 million to finance the repair or construction of recreational or sports infrastructure.
PHOTO DAVID BOILY, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
The Mayor of Saguenay, Julie Dufour
In mid-July, Andrée Laforest held meetings with six elected officials from the borough of Chicoutimi to share with them her vision for bringing the old arena inaugurated in 1949 up to date. Center Georges-Vézina, to which was added a swimming pool. The costs spoke of more than 40 million, ”says the municipal councilor Michel Potvin, who participated in this meeting.
The borough of Chicoutimi approached the architectural firm, but the municipality quickly closed the door to its project, preferring to relaunch a less costly renovation project for the arena, without a swimming pool, developed under the administration of former mayor Jean Tremblay.
“The city’s treasurer told us that we couldn’t use our research budgets to study the project” promoted by Minister Andrée Laforest, says Mr. Potvin.
Meeting in the offices from the architectural firm
However, on August 15, a month after the City put an end to the project, Minister Andrée Laforest organized an information meeting in the offices of Maîtres d’oeuvre Architectes, in the presence of architect Luc Gauthier, where she presented “sophisticated drawings” to the mayor, elected municipal officials and sports players, told AFP. The Press Michel Potvin and three other people who attended.
PHOTO ERICK LABBÉ, LE SOLEIL ARCHIVES
The Minister of Municipal Affairs and MNA for Chicoutimi, Andrée Laforest
These plans provide for the renovation of the Georges-Vézina Center and the construction of a brand new building housing an aquatic training pool with 10 corridors, all connected by a footbridge, according to our sources. The plans also include a green space dedicated to First Nations culture, which the minister has touted as part of other federal government grants, our informants say.
We had reached a project of 55 million with the swimming pool which has a single basin. It created another discomfort.
Michel Potvin, city councilor in Saguenay
“It was said during the meeting: who pays the architect? It’s not us, it’s not the City, we hadn’t given the mandate to the architect,” adds Mr. Potvin, who assures that the meeting was “100% organized by Ms. Laforest”.
The minister then said she could use her discretionary funds to foot the bill, our sources say. These budgets are normally used to “make donations to non-profit organizations, in particular to support causes, small projects or events related to the mission of its ministry”, indicates a document from the Treasury Board.
“That’s where Mr. Gauthier, the architect, said: ‘When there is a good project, we will always find a payer.’ This is also where the deep malaise comes from, explains Mr. Potvin. If it is not Mrs. Laforest who ordered it, and not she who is going to pay for it, who is going to pay for it? adds the municipal elected official. We don’t have an invoice. »
PHOTO ROCKET LAVOIE, ARCHIVES THE DAILY
The arena is the home of the Chicoutimi Saguenéens and was inaugurated in 1949.
No mandate from the City
The firm Les Maîtres d’oeuvre Architectes and Mr. Gauthier did not respond to our interview requests.
The Code of Ethics for Architects specifies that the professional services agreements they sign must be entered into “directly with the client or his representative” and that these must specify “the extent, [les] terms of services required [et les] conditions of their remuneration.
“Under no circumstances has the City of Saguenay mandated Les Maîtres d’oeuvre Architectes to carry out the plans that you presented during this meeting. It is not a mandate that emanates from the City, ”specifies the letter sent by the mayor to Ms. Laforest.
« [La mairesse] no longer wishes to participate in work meetings aimed at discussing the advisability of filing requests for financing in the offices of architects who could benefit from public contracts”, adds the missive from the mayor.
With the collaboration of Tommy Chouinard, The Press
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