One year of sports successes
In the sports world, Saint-Laurent teams met with successes in 2006, especially football, where the Spartans and Cheetahs were steadfast champions.
Saint-Laurent Spartans, led by Ron Lavis, won the silver football on November 5, the emblem of Quebec amateur football, after an 11-year absence. The Vanier College Cheetahs won the Bol d'or for the first time in 15 years, after having lost four times in the finals. Seattle Seahawks player Jean-Philippe Darche, from Saint-Laurent, took part in the Super Bowl in February in Detroit facing the Pittsburgh Steelers.
In January in hockey, the Rockets won the 15th Saint-Laurent Tournament in the Pee-Wee B Category, but lost in the series final, 2-1, against the Saint-Laurent Flyers in April. In ringuette, the Saint-Laurent Icebreakers won the Montreal-North Tournament in March.
In soccer, the male team U-13 of Saint-Laurent won the Lac St-Louis Tournament and the female team U-12 earned the gold medal at the Lac St-Louis Regional Championships to crown a perfect season.
In ball hockey, the team from Saint-Laurent's youth support centre won the gold medal at a sports challenge for handicapped athletes in June.
The year of sporting firsts
For the first time in 14 years, the Saint-Laurent Race took place in the Bois-Franc and industrial sectors of the borough. It brought together 1,186 participants on April 9.
In Lacrosse, the Patriots had a rather difficult first year, but the Quebec Junior Lacrosse League named Jacques Mallette volunteer of the year. In August Nicolas Bilotto formed a junior A team which he called the Canadian. It evolved into an international league based in the United States. The team shared its time between the arenas of CEGEP Saint-Laurent and Saint-Agapit.
Delicate subjects
The sports world also had its concerns, especially with soccer, which had a cahotic beginning. In September, the minor hockey association and figure skating club requested a permanent outdoor skating rink to meet their always-growing need for ice time.
As for the sports complex project, Saint-Laurent requested from Quebec financial assistance of approximately half of the cost evaluated at $28.6 million. The borough and Montreal planned a total sum of $7 million. (Translated by Michael Beigleman)
Météo: Montréal, 18 juillet 2008 / 21°C
/ Faible pluie
/ Vents: 9 Km/h / Humidité relative: 88 % 
par Alexandre Gauthier 
Steven Guilbeault - Chronique environnement
Richard Cléroux - Le fouineur politique
