Ormstown’s town hall was filled with the pleasant hum of chatter and salutations on April 11 as Mayor Philippe Besombes and his councillors greeted citizens to an open house. There was a steady stream of people who were greeted by the comforting smell of coffee, and citizens browsed tables where staff from various municipal services shared information.
Fire department technician Éric Bourbeau offered free evacuation plans that homeowners could customize for their families. He gave advice on smoke detectors and spoke of the new photoelectric units that are less prone to false alarms and have a battery life of 10 years.
Isabelle Tanguay, a communications advisor, explained that the new water park situated beside the recreation centre would be finished this year. Work is planned to start in May. New benches and a picnic area will also be installed.
At the public works table, Stéphane Leclerc displayed examples of the French drains that will be required for new construction.
The mayor was delighted at the turnout for the event. “It’s very important that people talk to everyone [in the municipal teams]. I want to do this every year!” he said.
At 11 a.m. the mayor requested that everyone join him in the boardroom. Approximately 50 people filed in, and the mayor outlined ongoing projects and the new administration’s visions for the future.
One ongoing project is the paving of Rang des Botreaux, which is expected to be completed this year. Another paving project is the 138A, for which the provincial government has allotted 3.7 million dollars.
Work on sewer, water, and storm networks will commence on Prince-Albert and Oliver Streets.
The last of this year’s ongoing projects is Phase 2 of the splash pad that started in 2025.
The mayor continued his PowerPoint presentation with “projects under study.” Besombes outlined that grant applications have been requested for many of these projects. More grant money would help keep municipal taxes low. He spoke of work needed on provincial roads under the jurisdiction of the Ministère des Transports et de la Mobilité Durable (MTMD) and identified two intersections as problematic. He pointed out that the amount of traffic at the intersection of routes 201 and 138 is a concern. The other is the intersection with the highway and the Chemin de la Rivière aux Outardes. He noted that there was, at present, no safe crossing at either of these sites.
Besombes added that he has a long-term vision for the centre of the village. He mentioned that Ormstown has nine municipal committees, seven of which are composed of residents and citizens. The municipality is discussing commercial and industrial development and how it can benefit the town.
Grant applications have been submitted to support ongoing infrastructure projects such as “drinking water independence.” The municipality has been creating exploratory boreholes, the goal being to install wells in the center of the village. “This would avoid having to maintain a pipeline between Franklin and the village,” added Besombes. So far, the results have been positive. The estimated cost to redo everything: sanitary sewer, storm water, and watermain, is about $45 million.
Future possibilities
Before continuing, the mayor stressed that the next two projects could not move forward without grants, and that the Quebec government is investing $300 million this year in recreational and sports infrastructure. He also stated that these projects would require sit-down discussions to progress.
The PowerPoint slides changed to display colorful schematics of the total renovation of the two-story Ormstown recreation centre. The building, built in 1970, would house an indoor pool and a multi-purpose gymnasium. “The pool will service the entire region,” said the mayor.
Several other mayors from local municipalities have been contacted concerning their access to the proposed pool. The New Frontiers School Board, one of several possible partners, has been approached and is “very interested.” School boards would pay annual amounts in exchange for pool access. The estimated cost of this project is $16 million, with $12 million in funding being requested. The mayor was hopeful. “The four-million-dollar gap could shrink in the coming weeks,” he said.
The final project presented was “Jamestown Well Woods.” This wooded area, situated between Madeleine Street and Tullochgorum Road, is owned by the municipality. It would be transformed into a park, with a walking trail and a concrete path for bicycles. The estimated cost of this project is $500,000, with a grant covering 70 per cent.
After the presentation, the mayor held a question period. Concerns were raised about the traffic circulation issues in Ormstown. It was noted that these new projects could only add to the congestion in the village. The mayor replied that he will meet with the transport ministry on April 22 to discuss the structuring of the village’s core and traffic, parking, and safety issues. He added that consultations will be necessary, and that these issues need to be explored in detail with no quick solution.