Laval, Tuesday, March 31, 2026 – The day after the public hearing of the demolition committee concerning the Richard-Trottier arena, during which the decision was postponed, Parti Laval city councilors Louise Lortie (Marc-Aurèle-Fortin) and Martin Vaillancourt (Fabreville-Sud) denounced the Boyer administration's inconsistent approach. While the city is considering demolishing the arena, the opposition argues that it is failing to consult the neighborhood's residents and is not proposing any alternative solution. "We are putting the cart before the horse. We are talking about demolishing first and then thinking about the future of the site. This is the exact opposite of what we should be doing as a community-oriented government," stated Ms. Lortie, city councilor for Marc-Aurèle-Fortin.
Inaction and a lack of vision that come at a high cost
For Parti Laval, the arena is now the symbol of the inaction of Mayor Boyer's party. According to them, since its closure, no decision has been made to maintain or modernize this essential facility for the neighborhood.
Today, city councilor Martin Vaillancourt deplores that this "neglect" has significant repercussions on the availability of local infrastructure. "After years of letting this facility deteriorate, the proposal is to demolish it to make way for a park, when many people are calling for more sports facilities," he states. He argues that the City is sending the wrong message by proposing a park without consulting the neighborhood's residents. "Laval cannot afford to lose sports facilities. We also cannot limit ourselves to the bare minimum in terms of consultation; it is our youth, our families, and our organizations that will pay the price. We must take advantage of the file's postponement to genuinely involve the population in this decision," added Mr. Vaillancourt, who finds it hard to understand that barely 60 letters were sent to notify citizens of the arena's demolition.
With the demolition committee having decided to postpone its decision, Parti Laval calls on the administration to begin genuine consultation on the future of the site in collaboration with the public before taking any further action. In the meantime, Ms. Lortie and Mr. Vaillancourt invite citizens to voice their opinions during the question period of the municipal council on April 14 and to register to participate in their consultation at voselus.info/consultationarenarichardtrottier.
"This site deserves better than a hasty decision. Citizens must be able to vote on all options, not just the type of park to develop," concluded Ms. Lortie.
SOURCE :
Opposition Office | Laval Party
INFORMATION : Tommy Vallée | Communications Manager
438 875 8663 │t.vallee@laval.ca