Tensions abound at consultation over Camillien-Houde Way closure

After closing a stretch of Camillien-Houde Way for five months to through traffic, the city of Montreal is now facing the public to gather opinions on how it went and the first session Thursday night was tense.

"It simply removed one of my favourite things in this city," said EricLeMoyne, who lives in theCte-des-NeigesNotre-Dame-de-Grceborough.

"Especially when I'm bringing people from out of town taking them through the mountain."

In June, a550-metre stretch of Camillien-HoudeWay, which turns into Remembrance Road as it nearsCte-des-Neiges Road, was closed off to car traffic.

Only cyclists, city, school and tourist buses, emergency vehicles and funeral processions were allowed to drive through that stretch, which re-opened in November.

Montreal is now holdingpublic meetingsto decideif the closure will become permanent.

It said the project wasn't perfect, but that it wasa success overall andfostered a more peaceful atmosphere on the mountain.

LeMoyne said he felt as if the city had already made up its mind about the project.

Another attendee, Leslye Lang, said she was disappointedthat only 10,000 people responded to the online call for citizensto comment on it.

Up until October, the Office de consultationpubliquedeMontral(OCPM) collectedinformation online from citizens about how the closure was going.

"It's a very important artery and there was very little forethought," Lang said about the project.

The next session where citizens can air their opinions will take place November 28.

The OCPM will then submit its report in the winter of 2019, the city said.

The controversial decision to close the road cameafter 18-year-old cyclistClment Ouimet died when hecollided with an SUVthat pulled an illegal U-turn on Camillien-Houdelast year.

With files from Antoni Nerestant