Hard for outdoor lovers of Laurentians

Access to the Chantecler trails in Sainte-Adèle is now prohibited. These 15 kilometers of trails were used by hiking, mountain bicycle, cross -country and racket ski followers. The site also made it possible to link other laurentides trail networks between them.

It is a sudden decision that no one had seen coming, says Daniel Bergeron, the director of the Sainte-Adèle outdoor organization, who manages the trails.

Two spontaneous reactions: sadness and surprise. Until now, we have a very good relationship with the owner of the premises that has been allowing us for at least 20 years access to the trail.

It is a conflict between the owner of the site and the city which is at the origin of this closure.

On July 18, the city of Sainte-Adèle and the Sainte-Adèle Plein Air Organization received a letter from the dentons law firm, which represents the owner, Jacques Goupil. The letter indicated that he withdrew from the tripartite agreement allowing access to the trails and that they were to be closed no later than July 28.

In an email transmitted to Radio-Canada, the Cabinet Dentons writes that The owner expresses serious concerns with regard to the Party Planning Plan (PPU) project recently presented by the City of Sainte-Adèle. This project, as proposed, would compromise the potential and viability of the development of its land.

In recent years, important public consultations have taken place in Sainte-Adèle. First to integrate the Chantecler site into the urban perimeter of the city, then to develop a PPU in order to supervise the projects to come. The plan was released last month.

Recall that the alpine ski center ceased its activities on the southern slope of the mountain in the early 2000s. They are however maintained on the north slope.

The famous Chantecler hotel has also been closed since 2018. The owner wants to do real estate promotion on his field, but he argues that he was excluded from the consultation process.

Despite his desire to collaborate, the owner was not invited to participate in the work having led to the development of PPUand his formal request for revision of the project has remained unanswered to date. In the absence of a dialogue, he made the decision not to renew the authorization to access the trails and to the P3 parking located on his property, authorization which he had so far without prejudice and in good faithwrites the law firm representing Jacques Goupil.

The mayor of Sainte-Adèle, Michèle Lalonde, argues on the contrary that having joined the Chantecler site in the urban perimeter of the city will allow the owner to build many more dwellings.

We find it a little disappointing, but listen, that’s the kind of thing we expected to do one day. It was his landshe said.

One of the main arguments of the PPU was precisely by modifying the urban perimeter – which was a bit of its business – to better supervise the development for not doing anything, anywhere.

Interconnectivity in danger

Due to upcoming real estate promotion, the loss of part of the trails had been predictable for a long time.

But the PPU Chantecler unveiled last month precended interconnectivity, that is to say the trails that allow access to the other Laurentides networks, especially at Mont Loup-Garou.

This mountain was bought by the municipality of Sainte-Adèle in 2019 in anticipation of the loss of part of the Chantecler trails.

The complete closure of the trails also jeopardizes the white roads, a network of Nordic ski heritage trails inaugurated last winter. This network makes it possible to connect the municipalities of the Laurentians between them.

At the moment, the Loup-Garou path, which links Sainte-Adèle to Morin-Heights, and the Adèloise path, which links Val-David to Sainte-Adèle, are cut, underlines Daniel Bergeron.

The director of the Plein Air Saint-Adèle organization requests to meet Jacques Goupil. He has so far received an acknowledgment of receipt, but is still waiting for an answer.

We offer all our collaboration to everyone. But can we in the meantime, before there was construction, reopen access to the trails for the community, this is what seems to us the most important. On the other hand, an important thing, out of respect for the owner, the community is asked to respect the prohibitions of accesssays Daniel Bergeron.

On the spot, a cyclist from Montreal to go mountain bikes is storage in front of this closure. It’s my childhood here, my beginnings in the mountain bikehe said.

Coming to withdraw the numerous posters that mark out the trails, volunteers from the Sainte-Adèle outdoor organization listed the many clubs that used to frequent the site: FADOQ, Cardio energy, Laurentians crossing, the Canadian ski marathon, or Popcycle, a mountain bicycle club for children. All these people will have to practice their outdoor activities elsewhere.

Access to trails and upcoming real estate promotion are likely to occupy an important place in the municipal elections next November.

After announcing that she would not ask for a second term, the current mayor, Michèle Lalonde, decided to be of the race. Nadine Brière, who left politics in 2021 after a mandate, represented. And former city councilor Martin Jolicoeur, in post from 2017 to 2021, is also a candidate for the town hall.