Czech centre's permit on hold
MONTREAL
Czech centre's permit on hold
Borough axes item; Needs to hear from feds, Czech groups
ANN CARROLL
The Gazette
August 4, 2005
CREDIT: GORDON BECK, THE GAZETTE
George Syrovatka obtained a 99-year lease on prime land.
Bowing to public pressure and troubled by doubts about the legality of the property lease, Southwest borough officials have postponed approval of a hotel and Czech cultural centre on the Lachine Canal.
City councillors Robert Bousquet and Line Hamel withdrew the item from the borough council agenda Tuesday night, saying they want to hear from the landowner, Parks Canada, and from other Czech groups.
George Syrovatka, who's promoting the project, and his organization, Czech Cultural Centre Inc., have proposed a six-storey hotel and cultural centre on federal land at the corner of Seminaire and Olier Sts., in the old Griffintown neighbourhood.
"I'm convinced we have to work toward achieving this project, as long as it conforms with Parks Canada and the Czech community," Bousquet said, noting the hotel complex would create 70 jobs.
Borough mayor Jacqueline Montpetit voted against postponing a decision on the building permit.
"I'm against this hotel," she said. "This was supposed to be a nonprofit project, but now it's for profit."
Montpetit joined community groups, residents and business owners who questioned how
Syrovatka managed to obtain a 99-year lease on the property in 2002 for only $1 and the promise to decontaminate the land.
Federal authorities are reviewing the lease conditions, an inquiry closely followed by other Czech groups in the area.
Jean Durcak, of the Maison Tcheque du Quebec, claims
Syrovatka borrowed his idea for a canal-side cultural centre.
"I'm here to defend the original project that has value, merit and support in our community," Durcak said, after asking the borough council to hold off on approving Syrovatka's plans.
A top official of the Beseda Czech and Slovak Culture & Folklore Centre, a group that rents halls for Czech language classes, folk dancing and art shows, is also mystified by the Lachine Canal project.
"We've been getting calls from people asking to buy the land, or congratulating us for finally getting our cultural centre," said Victor Vonka, the group's founding director.
"But we don't know anything about it. Durcak and Syrovatka have never contacted us about a centre."
acarroll@thegazette.canwest.com
© The Gazette (Montreal) 2005
Czech centre's permit on hold
Borough axes item; Needs to hear from feds, Czech groups
ANN CARROLL
The Gazette
August 4, 2005
CREDIT: GORDON BECK, THE GAZETTE
George Syrovatka obtained a 99-year lease on prime land.
Bowing to public pressure and troubled by doubts about the legality of the property lease, Southwest borough officials have postponed approval of a hotel and Czech cultural centre on the Lachine Canal.
City councillors Robert Bousquet and Line Hamel withdrew the item from the borough council agenda Tuesday night, saying they want to hear from the landowner, Parks Canada, and from other Czech groups.
George Syrovatka, who's promoting the project, and his organization, Czech Cultural Centre Inc., have proposed a six-storey hotel and cultural centre on federal land at the corner of Seminaire and Olier Sts., in the old Griffintown neighbourhood.
"I'm convinced we have to work toward achieving this project, as long as it conforms with Parks Canada and the Czech community," Bousquet said, noting the hotel complex would create 70 jobs.
Borough mayor Jacqueline Montpetit voted against postponing a decision on the building permit.
"I'm against this hotel," she said. "This was supposed to be a nonprofit project, but now it's for profit."
Montpetit joined community groups, residents and business owners who questioned how
Syrovatka managed to obtain a 99-year lease on the property in 2002 for only $1 and the promise to decontaminate the land.
Federal authorities are reviewing the lease conditions, an inquiry closely followed by other Czech groups in the area.
Jean Durcak, of the Maison Tcheque du Quebec, claims
Syrovatka borrowed his idea for a canal-side cultural centre.
"I'm here to defend the original project that has value, merit and support in our community," Durcak said, after asking the borough council to hold off on approving Syrovatka's plans.
A top official of the Beseda Czech and Slovak Culture & Folklore Centre, a group that rents halls for Czech language classes, folk dancing and art shows, is also mystified by the Lachine Canal project.
"We've been getting calls from people asking to buy the land, or congratulating us for finally getting our cultural centre," said Victor Vonka, the group's founding director.
"But we don't know anything about it. Durcak and Syrovatka have never contacted us about a centre."
acarroll@thegazette.canwest.com
© The Gazette (Montreal) 2005
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