Denis Coderre says no to free Mordecai Richler gazebo

CTV Montreal: City says no to free gazebo A businessman has offered to give the city a gazebo to honour late author Mordecai Richler, but Montreal refused it.

The mayor has turned down an offer from a frustrated business owner to solve the problem of a growing price tag to repair the Mordecai Richler gazebo.

Ron Mamers owns a company that makes gazebos and he's offered to build a new gazebo worth $25,000 at no cost to the city.

Earlier this week, it was revealed that the price to refurbish a gazebo at the foot of Mount Royal in the late author’s honour has ballooned to $500,000.

Mamers says he emailed the mayor with the offer after seeing the old structure on Mount Royal.

Friday, Mayor Denis Coderre said thanks, but no thanks.

“We already spent the money there. … I will tell you why it cost that amount of money – this is an old infrastructure, there are too many people who should have done … what I'm doing right now. In my case, I am going to do it. I promise," he said.

The mayor added that the gazebo is classified as a heritage structure and can't just be torn down and replaced.