Vaudreuil-Dorion motel told it cannot replace its ‘iconic’ sign after fire

The Vegas-style sign for Motel La Bourgade is a familiar sight along the stretch of Hwy 20 that runs through Vaudreuil-Dorion.

“The sign is very well known everywhere,” said owner Lyne Dessurealt, whose father Eloi bought the motel in 1984.

“It’s been here since I don’t know when, it’s iconic. Everyone knows the sign. Everyone knows the place.”

Last week, the sign caught on fire, leaving a towering shell of metal where it once stood.

“We have no clue how it burned. It might be electrical. We don’t know,” Dessureault said.

She says since the sign is a big part of their brand, they wanted to replace it. She expected some modifications would need to be made, but instead the City of Vaudreuil-Dorion has given them 20 days to tear the structure down.

“I was told I have to put the sign down. I’m not even allowed to repair it, I’m not allowed to do anything with it,” she said.

The City of Vaudreuil-Dorion declined a request for an interview, but in a statement told CTV News that an urban planning bylaw passed in 2017 prohibits signs with posts.

Since the motel falls under that bylaw, it cannot rebuild the sign the way it was.

Under the new bylaw, business signs must be flat and posted against a wall. Dessureault said this will affect the visibility of her business.

“How would people find me? How will they rent rooms? How will I survive without any advertisement in front of my business?,” Dessureault said.

Dessureault has posted about the sign on social media, and she says she’s been overwhelmed by comments from people, many who used to frequent the discotheque that was once there, or who pass by it daily.

“It was like a wave of love that the people have with this sign, and with that the area,” she said.