Demonstrators mark 150th consecutive weekly protest to save a Montreal Forest
Global News
It was the 150th consecutive weekly protest in defence of Fairview Forest, and the defenders of the green space in Pointe Claire have no intention of slowing down.
Concerned citizens and environmentalists who have been fighting to save a Montreal forest from development marked a major milestone today.
It was their 150th consecutive weekly protest in defence of Fairview Forest, and the defenders of the green space adjacent to the Fairview shopping mall in Pointe Claire have no intention of slowing down.
About two dozen nature lovers including Montreal’s Raging Grannies gathered in front of Fairview Forest on Saturday to say the green oasis should be there to stay.
“It’s amazing the steadfastness of those that have been here every single Saturday. I admire them greatly,” said Sheila Laursen of the Montreal Raging Grannies. The troupe wrote a song about protecting the forest.
The 43-acre green space is owned by Cadillac Fairview, the same company that owns the Fairview Mall across the street.
In 2020, CF presented a plan to turn much of the forest into a sort of “downtown of the West Island.” The weekly protests started soon after.
The development plan has been on hold since the government implemented a zoning freeze in 2022.
“The forest is our lungs. The forest is the noise barrier. The forest is our life. It helps us breathe,” said Shaheen Ashraf, a Pointe-Claire resident who lives near the forest.
