Today, Éolia Apartments residents Jody and Linda discuss their love for Solar Uniquartier, in Brossard, and take us on a journey to discover a vibrant and friendly neighbourhood, an ideal place to move, socialize and unwind.  

Jody, Linda, tell us about your neighbourhood

“Solar Uniquartier has everything we need. It’s very easy to run errands, go to the restaurant or do some shopping on foot,” Jody says.

“That’s very true. To be honest, we hardly ever use our cars. I love cycling, both in the summer and winter—I own a fatbike, which is very convenient. The neighbourhood has bike paths everywhere. I’m a substitute teacher and I can walk to work since the schools are in proximity to Éolia Apartments. I even go to Delson and Montreal. Once, I went bicycle camping in Granby. My husband had to come to pick me up there, but what a wonderful trip!” Linda exclaims.

“The neighbourhood has a very relaxed, pleasant atmosphere. People are friendly, and we often run into acquaintances. We go for walks and we go shopping together. It’s a great way to stay in shape and break our isolation,” Jody adds.

What are your favourite shops?

“In the summer, there’s a public market every Sunday at Place de la Gare. You can find a lot of stuff there, like fresh produce, organic products, flowers, bakery products… Many local artisans and producers come together at the market, which is very nice!” Jody says enthusiastically.

“We also have jour après jour – Grand Marché vrac just a few steps away. The prices are affordable and every product is of high quality. You can find fruits and vegetables, meat, cheese, coffee and lots of other items,” Linda adds.

“And, of course, there’s the SAQ, which is just 800 metres away. It’s so convenient!” Jody says.  

“There’s a movie theatre 900 metres away—I go to the movies regularly—and a Caisse Desjardins and Maxi grocery store, which are 1.25 km away. As you can see, I always calculate the distances!” Linda continues.

“And they recently opened a Couche-Tard store nearby. That’s where I buy my lottery tickets,” Jody concludes.

Do you like to go shopping?

“Oh yes! I go to Zara almost every day! There are also a lot of other shops nearby. In this neighbourhood, you can go everywhere on foot,” Jody says.

“That’s true, we often take the walkway to go shopping. Everyone does, and they bring their backpacks or shopping carts with them,” Linda mentions.

Do you go to the neighbourhood’s restaurants?

“Of course! My favourite spots are Vertigo and IRU Izakaya. And if I feel like having a drink or two, I can because I’m not driving, since it’s close by. There’s also Escondite, which I haven’t tried yet, and Chez Lionel. I can’t wait to go!” Jody says. 

“Yes, the restaurants here are really great and within walking distance. There are a lot of choices. It’s a very vibrant neighbourhood,” Linda adds.

What about the parks and green spaces?

“The big park is just 700 metres away; it’s a great place to go for a walk because it’s so vast, with 2.1 km of space. In the winter, I like to go cross-country skiing there. There’s also Brossard’s Grand parc urbain, which is a lovely place,” Linda says.

“I like to take my two small dogs for a walk in the park. Everyone is very nice to dog owners. I often take them for a walk with a neighbour who also has a dog. You know, finding an apartment is not always easy when you have dogs, and it’s even more difficult when you have two! But here at Éolia, it wasn’t a problem at all. It was very easy, they didn’t ask me any questions. We respect the spaces and we respect people,” Jody says. 

“It’s a great place to live for people aged 50 and over. We know each other, and we say hi to each other—it’s fun! Outside, it’s a very dynamic environment.

Everywhere we go, we talk to other people. I don’t have dogs, but I don’t mind that some do. Dog owners are very careful. Also, there are lights everywhere, so you can go out for a walk safely at night. It’s a very safe place,” Linda concludes.

Jody, Linda, thank you so much for your time and generosity!

Did you enjoy this article? Click here to read part one of our interview with Jody and Linda!