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In the last decade, 12 golf courses in the Montreal region were taken over by real-estate promoters to erect housing developments, according to research compiled by the CMM.
Patrick Bonin, a member of the Rosemre Vert organization that is fighting to keep the former Rosemre golf course as a green space, welcomed the announcement.
“The adoption of the (new bylaw) by the CMM is excellent news and a great first step as we hope that all golf courses and former golf courses will be protected and not be paved over,” he said.
“This ‘moratorium’ on the development of six former golf courses, including that of Rosemre, is not a final victory for the protection of the former golf course site. But it is of crucial importance to protect the last large green space in Rosemre.
“This victory would not have been possible without the Rosemre residents who have invested hundreds of volunteer hours with the objective of protecting this jewel with unique potential. It’s also important to credit the elected officials of the Town of Rosemre, who are increasingly attentive to the will of the population to protect and restore the site with a view to making it a major park that will improve the environment and the health of the population.
“We are now asking the provincial political parties to commit to quickly amend the expropriation law and to financially assist cities so they can buy golf courses and former golf courses at their fair market value.”
In their announcement, the CMM also called on the Quebec government to invest $100 million in preserving green and blue corridors of wilderness, ecological spaces that would allow wildlife to live and migrate safely.