It has been two years now since The Museum of Jewish Montreal (MJM) moved into its new headquarters on St. Laurent Blvd. near Fairmount in the Mile End. Recently, I made my first visit to view the new summer exhibition The Past Is Before You by Côte Saint-Luc born artist Arnie Lipsey. A collection of 18 paintings produced over the last six years, Lipsey’s work leans into the surreal to reveal the complexities of family mythologies. I spoke to him about this project and his memories of CSL.

Holocaust survivor Miklos Neumann turned 100 on July 9 and a few days later I was on hand for a birthday celebration at the Côte Saint-Luc home he has resided in for 50 years. He tells me his story.

Pigeon Café, a renowned name in the city's coffee scene, and Zera Café, a not-for-profit social enterprise catering business celebrated for its inclusive employment practices, have announced their collaboration in opening a new café: Pigeon dans le Parc. This unique community café opened its doors on July 3 2024, at, Hampstead Park. I was at the ribbon cutting and spoke to Pigeon Café owner Jonathan Dresner, CSL resident and Zera Café Director of Operations Alissa Anzarut and CSL resident Matthew, a Zera employee.

Pigeon dans le Parc is more than just a place to enjoy exceptional coffee and delicious pastries; it’s a beacon of social impact. The café's core mission is to provide meaningful employment opportunities for neurodivergent adults, fostering a diverse and inclusive workforce.

"We're excited to bring Pigeon dans le Parc to life, where our passion for great coffee meets our commitment to community inclusion.” said Dresner. "By partnering with Zera Café, we can create a space that not only serves delicious food and beverages but also supports neurodivergent individuals at work."

The creation of Pigeon dans le Parc has been made possible thanks to the generous support of the Azrieli Foundation's INfinity Prize, the Town of Hampstead, and Pigeon Café. Their dedication to fostering community initiatives and supporting diverse employment opportunities has been instrumental in bringing this project to life. "Receiving the Azrieli Foundation's Infinity Prize has been a tremendous honor, and it empowers us to make a meaningful impact in our community," said Eve Rochman, Founding Director of Zera Café. "Together with the Town of Hampstead's support, and Pigeon Café’s coaching and expertise, we are creating a space where everyone can thrive."

Hampstead City Councilor, Jack Edery advocated for this project and is overwhelmed by the buzz that this project has already created. “We are so impressed with the strength of these great brands – Zera Café, Pigeon Café and Azrieli Foundation working together is a powerful trio! This project will serve our community in so many ways.”

Pigeon Café, affectionately known as “the world’s worst coffee” is renowned for its direct trade coffee beans and skillfully crafted beverages. Combined with Zera Café’s dedication to providing supportive employment for neurodivergent adults, Pigeon dans le Parc promises to deliver an exceptional café experience with a profound social impact.

"At Zera Café, we envision a world where people with differing abilities are included in the workforce and are contributing meaningfully to community”, said Eve Rochman, founder of Zera Café. "This collaboration allows us to extend our mission further, offering more neurodivergent adults the opportunity to thrive in a supportive and understanding work environment."

Location and Hours

Pigeon dans le Parc is in Hampstead Park’s community center. Starting July 3rd, the café will be open 7 days a week. The park setting offers a perfect backdrop for enjoying a peaceful moment, whether you’re grabbing a quick coffee or smoothie to go or fueling up for activities in the park.

To learn more please visit zeracafe.ca and pigeoncoffee.com, or follow on social media: @pigeon.cafe and @zeracafeandcatering

Côte Saint-Luc businessman Michael Gilbert is helping out his good friend Michael Dean Rafferty on a mission. Kera Organics was created to not only to make soap, but specialize in transforming pure and natural ingredients, free from chemical fragrances and processed components like artificial dyes into handcrafted organic products. Kera comes from Keratoconus, an eye disease which, if not treated could easily lead to blindness. For many, surgery is not the answer, but spiral lenses are. Those stricken by this disease may need to go this route however it comes with a very costly price to pay. There are no available government subsidies that you can receive and not many places offer this type of lens with the necessary treatment services. That is why Mr. Rafferty, who has suffered from the disease since he was a child, created the Kera Cares Foundation ( https://keracares.org) to provide assistance. I caught up with the two Michaels at their Crescent Street booth during Grand Prix festivities.

Colin Standish is the leader of the Canadian Party of Quebec. A lawyer by profession, he resides in the Eastern Townships. I was there on business so we met for coffee at Starbucks in Bromont. What are the party's plans heading towards the next election? Listen and find out.

Pierre Brunet has been associated with the McDonald's restaurant brand for more than 50 years. He presently owns 21 franchises in the Montreal area, one of which is at the Côte St. Luc Shopping Centre. Pierre has a special bond with Côte Saint-Luc and we talked about that and more.

Patrick Chevrefils spent 12 years as an officer with the Montreal Police Station 9 based in Côte Saint-Luc. He was only recently transferred to LaSalle. Patrick serves as the emergency backup goaltender at the Bell Centre. If a goalie from either team gets injured during a game he is called upon to suit up on the bench. So far this has happened twice. Listen to my interview with him.

Glenn J. Nashen served six terms in office as one of the eight Municipal Councillors in the City of Côte Saint-Luc for 24 years, from 1990-2001 and 2005-2017. He was appointed by successive mayors to oversee the Public Safety dossiers, Public Affairs, Communications and Information Technology as well as the all-important Emergency Preparedness portfolio, Traffic and more. He remains active in the community today, notably as the chair and founder of the CSL Volunteer Citizens on Patrol (VCOP) who are seeking new members. An information session is planned for City Hall on Wed. April 17 at 7 pm.

Ben Kepes has been the music director and conductor of Ensemble Hochelaga (formerly La Musique Civique de Montreal) since 2017. In January 2020, Ben founded Orchestre Fidelio and they will perform on March 9 at 7:30 at the Chapelle Notre Dame de Bon Secours (400 Rue Saint Paul East) in Old Montreal. You can purchase tickets by going to this website: https://www.orchestrefidelio.com/ It was nice talking to him about his love for music and his career path

Heather Smith is a constituent of mine in Côte Saint-Luc District 2 and a coach in the Côte Saint-Luc Figure Skating Club. I spoke to her at the Lac St. Louis Regional Championships that were held at the Samuel Moskovitch Arena.