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Huge quantities of debris from the Motel Oscar are still lying around more than seven months after the fire which sounded the death knell for this building on Taschereau Boulevard, in Longueuil. Residents of the area deplore the negligence not only of the owner, but also of the City, which allows the situation to deteriorate, according to them.
It is disgusting!, exclaims Francine Leroux, who has lived in the area for more than 20 years. This resident of Longueuil does not mince words to describe what she sees a few steps from her house. Piles of concrete, doors, metal and broken glass have been lying on the ground since last summer.
We even have rats. There must have been rats in there, because we've never seen a rat, and now we see them!
A quote from Francine Leroux, resident of Longueuil
A neighbor who stands straight in front of the pile of debris assures that on rainy days, the smell is unbearable. It smells like asbestos when I walk my dogs, says Taliesin Hay, who has lived there for five years. Especially after the rain, I can't sleep with the window open.
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Francine Leroux lives near the remains of the Motel Oscar, in Longueuil.
Francine Leroux confirms: the smell is difficult to bear when ;it's raining. The site would even attract people who come to dump their garbage there, according to her. She misses the time when the Motel Oscar was an institution in the neighborhood, attracting American tourists and film producers.
Built in 1947, the Motel Oscar belonged to the Boudreau family until 2017. Very popular, this motel has become, over time, an object of popular culture. Several feature films have been shot in its rooms, including Lance et Compte (2010) and Omertà (2012), as well as television series such as Série noire< /em> (2014) and Fugueuse (2018-2020).
LoadingJacques Delisle affair: no judicial error, concludes the report submitted to the minister
Jacques Delisle affair: no judicial error, concludes the report submitted to the minister
ELSELL ON INFO: Jacques Delisle affair: no judicial error, concludes the report submitted to the ministerLoading in progressJacques Delisle affair: no judicial error, concludes the report submitted to the minister
Jacques Delisle affair: no judicial error, concludes the report submitted to the minister
ELSIDE ON INFO: Jacques affair Delisle: no judicial error, concludes the report submitted to the minister
In 2017, the establishment was sold to the numbered company 9301-7275 Québec inc., whose first shareholder is another numbered company, 9437-6878 Québec inc. Both belong to the real estate developer Lingbo Du, which operates under the Habitations Dessoleils brand, mainly on the South Shore.
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Residents would like to see the Oscar Motel site cleaned up.
After its purchase by Lingbo Du, the building was left abandoned, becoming a squat for homeless people. In January 2023, a first fire damaged part of the building. A second fire, the following June, and a third, in August, completed the demolition of the structure. The Longueuil agglomeration fire safety service demolished the motel to ensure the safety of the premises.
After submitting 32 reports of violation totaling more than $40,000 to the motel owner, Longueuil admits that his patience is reaching its limit. City spokesperson Louis-Pascal Cyr says he understands the residents. They are right to be impatient. We are too, but we do everything to get the owner to comply.
It's really important for us, on their behalf, to get the owner to take responsibilities, because it's a bit easy to say that we're going to let it go and that the City will come and solve my problems.
A quote from Louis-Pascal Cyr, spokesperson for the City of Longueuil< /blockquote>
The report by Marie-Josée Paquette-Comeau
Louis-Pascal Cyr explains that the City collaborates with Lingbo Du in other projects: this is why it says it acts with discernment. The municipal administration claims that it also wants to discourage potential delinquent owners.
To intervene on the grounds of the Motel Oscar, the City must have authorization from a court, which she has still not requested to this day.
The owner Lingbo Du n' did not respond to requests from Radio-Canada.
Natasha Kumar has been a reporter on the news desk since 2018. Before that she wrote about young adolescence and family dynamics for Styles and was the legal affairs correspondent for the Metro desk. Before joining The Times Hub, Natasha Kumar worked as a staff writer at the Village Voice and a freelancer for Newsday, The Wall Street Journal, GQ and Mirabella. To get in touch, contact me through my natasha@thetimeshub.in 1-800-268-7116