By William Crooks
Local Journalism Initiative
During the May 5 council meeting, the Town of Brome Lake (Lac-Brome) council confirmed its decision to proceed with the expropriation of land owned by Canards du Lac Brome, a historic duck farm, to construct a new fire station. Approximately 25 residents attended the meeting, presided over by Mayor Richard Burcombe.
The council awarded a contract to Laboratoire Montérégie for $32,020.54 to conduct geotechnical studies on the proposed site. A council representative noted that the duck farm owners are cooperating with the study, stating, “Contrary to what has been mentioned this evening, relations between the town and the duck farm are excellent. The proof is that they’re allowing us to do geotechnical studies before even the expropriation procedures are done.”
Despite this cooperation, the decision has sparked controversy among residents. A local resident expressed her concerns, saying, “I would like to give kudos to the Duck Farm and the generosity that they have for this town,” before questioning why the town-owned land adjacent to the community centre couldn’t be utilized instead.
Mayor Burcombe responded by referencing the original intention of the land donation, emphasizing that it was meant for recreational purposes. “A fire station is not recreation,” he stated. “Consequently, he envisioned… the land is big enough to extend after if the community centre had to expand.”
Councillor Louise Morin acknowledged the difficulty of the decision, noting, “I felt bad… to expropriate from the duck farm, who’s been a solid part of our community for a hundred and some odd years.” However, she added, “They understand it, so it’s not a problem.”
During the meeting, it was also clarified that a portion of the land where the community centre sits still belongs to a local foundation, which could complicate any proposed expansion or re-use of adjacent parcels.
