A small Islamic community centre in Ahuntsic-Cartierville is facing some challenges in its bid for a zoning change.
The centre applied to change its zoning from commercial to religious last year, but some residents say they weren't properly informed and are opposed to a mosque opening up in the neighbourhood.
The non-descript storefront on Legendre St. O. has been an Islamic community centre for the past two years, but it was once a restaurant and is zoned commercial.
The group applied to change to the zoning to religious last year.
Religious activities are technically illegal under the current zoning, but for now, the borough is letting it slide in this case.
“By the zoning they are not currently allowed, but we're letting them do it, because they're the ones who started the process, they're the ones who came to us. It's not after one of our inspectors came in and said no,” said Desrochers.
Frederic Dejean, whose PhD focused on religious municipal zoning, said borough restrictions on religious zoning have resulted in many operating in grey areas.
“Today in Montreal the problem is a lot of people try to open places of worship and there are no places for them,” he explained. “They're trying to deal with the zoning plan.”
At the upcoming Ahuntsic-Cartierville borough council meeting slated for Sept. 14, there will be a second reading and a vote by the council on the proposed zoning change.
After, community members opposed to the change may have the option to start a petition to force a referendum on the issue.
That could happen, because some residents say they’re concerned about traffic in an area that they say already faces limited parking.
Some also argue the community centre and the borough have not been transparent about the process.
“There's no indication, everything is a lot secret, that's what is making us afraid,” said Ahuntsic-Cartierville resident Nicole Vermette.
The city said notices were published in the local paper and a sign notifying residents of the proposed change has been on the window of the location for months.
“Well I believe that we followed the legal process and we followed every aspect of that process,” said Pierre Desrochers, a councillor for the Ahuntsic-Cartierville district of Saint-Sulpice.
No one from the Islamic community centre would agree to be formally interviewed, but a representative for the centre said it is used for children's activities and language classes as well as prayer.
