Verdun Borough inaugurates La Maison de l’environnement

On may 20, Mayor Claude Trudel inaugurated La Maison de l’environnement, an environmental centre located in the Borough Hall building. This event took place in the presence of the members of Borough Council and the Standing Committee on the Environment as well as local VIPs and a few environmental stakeholders in Verdun.

"The opening of an environmental centre in Verdun bears witness to the importance that Borough Council and our residents attach to protecting the environment," stressed Mayor Claude Trudel. "For the past several years, the Borough has been taking concrete actions in this regard. The opening of La Maison de l’environnement is one more step ahead that will help us make the Verdun Borough an environmental model to follow, a leader on the island of Montréal," the Mayor proudly added.

Among the actions taken over the past few years are the implementation of compulsory recycling throughout Verdun territory in 2004, the preservation of natural environments in the three neighbourhoods, the signing of a conservation and non-construction servitude within Domaine Saint-Paul as well as the recycling service for used batteries at municipal buildings.

For Ginette Marotte, City Councillor and Chairman of the Standing Committee on the Environment, "our Maison de l'environnement will quickly become 'THE' reference centre for all residents wanting to obtain information on managing waste and good environmental practices." And she hastened to add: "We're going to show everyone that it's really true that we respect nature!" Councillor Marotte also pointed out that La Maison de l’environnement "will be able to count on qualified staff to advise residents on various topics, such as recycling, composting and disposal of hazardous household waste".

As it may be recalled, the Borough signed an agreement with the Nature-Action organization in order to assist it in its efforts to increase public awareness of environmental matters. In addition, during the summer, "green" patrollers will be going up and down the streets to inform residents about the best practices to adopt.

Among the many services that will be offered at La Maison de l’environnement, we wish to mention a documentation service on environmental issues, counselling services on reducing, reusing, recycling and reclaiming waste. information on the various models of composters, demonstrations on the use of a vermicomposter, various tools to optimize the best environmental practices and analysis of the recycling performance in each area.

La Maison de l’environnement is located in the basement of Borough Hall; the door located on the side of the building (at 673 - 1ère Avenue) must be used to get there. Residents may also obtain information by phoning 3-1-1.

The Verdun Borough hereby wishes to invite all residents to make the most of the advice and services offered by La Maison de l’environnement. Verdunites will therefore be able to improve their knowledge in order to become better recyclers and adopt good environmental practices.