What Will You Be Doing in 2035?

Have you ever tried imagining your life ten or fifteen years from now—what you could become in every area of your life? The Horizon 2035 project is exactly that kind of vision, but on a societal scale and focused on healthy living. Launched by the Centre Multisports, this sustainable social development initiative aims to create, within a generation, a healthier living environment throughout Vaudreuil-Soulanges to encourage young people to get active and grow old in good health.

A worthy challenge, a commendable mission—and one that requires strong collective mobilization. Words must be backed by action for this project to emerge, endure, and achieve its goals. To assess progress, we met with four local mayors: Guy Pilon (Vaudreuil-Dorion), Yvan Cardinal (Pincourt), Hans Gruenwald (Rigaud), and Jean-Yves Poirier (Saint-Polycarpe).

Mobilizing Municipal Leaders

Municipal leaders are closest to citizens and often best positioned to reflect the health and well-being of their communities. The 23 mayors of our regional county municipality (MRC) play a key role. Their voices matter—they are spokespersons, facilitators, and catalysts for the collective momentum Horizon 2035 demands.

But what concrete role can a municipality play in such a project? How should sports and healthy habits fit into community development? What ingredients make for a recipe that will resonate with the next generation?

These questions fueled our discussions with the mayors.

The City as a Living Environment

Pincourt mayor Yvan Cardinal, re-elected in 2013 and a former physical education teacher, has watched the culture of sports evolve dramatically over his 35-year career. “For a long time, there was stagnation, but now physical activity is more widespread. It’s no longer just for runners or cyclists—it’s become a family matter, not limited to organized sports,” he notes.

According to him, cities must complement what institutions like the Centre Multisports already provide. “It may not be part of our core responsibilities, but a city is, above all, a living environment. It should promote and provide the infrastructure for physical activity.”

Vaudreuil-Dorion mayor Guy Pilon—who cycled 135 km during the Grande Boucle in June—echoes this sentiment. “The mentality has changed. It’s now abnormal not to exercise or not to provide opportunities for residents to do so,” he says. “The role of a city is to create the conditions—through infrastructure and financial support—that allow people to take action.”

Measuring Success Through Results

Closer to the Ontario border, Rigaud mayor Hans Gruenwald and Saint-Polycarpe mayor Jean-Yves Poirier face similar realities. Gruenwald walks daily and says the proximity of Mount Rigaud gives his city a unique edge. “We’re always adjusting and improving. You don’t invest this much energy unless you support a project like Horizon 2035. I fully agree with it—it will bring long-term benefits to society.”

For Poirier, who enjoys cycling, walking, and golfing, the shift is generational. “Parents today beg their kids to go outside. In my day, mine had to yell at me to come back in!” He believes the project’s success depends on rigorous follow-up, full community involvement, and especially—results: “We need measurable outcomes to prove our choices were right. These outcomes will justify long-term support.”

Pilon concurs: “We’ll need to focus our efforts where growth is possible.”

One Vision for All

Horizon 2035 is aligned with current trends in health promotion and physical activity education. It’s a project of its time—and few would argue with its purpose. For this initiative to succeed, it must be heard, supported, and embraced by as many people as possible.

“We’re all working toward the same goal: to get people moving,” says Cardinal. “Partnerships between municipalities and the Centre Multisports are key. We share the same goals—now let’s find ways to complement each other.”

That collaboration must also include funding. “Horizon 2035 is a great initiative, but the cities have to get on board. Words need to be backed by money,” adds Pilon.

As the project continues to unfold, the table is set—not just for city officials, athletes, and organizers, but for the entire population to take ownership of a healthy and active future.

Can a small group of committed citizens change the world? Absolutely. In fact, it’s the only way it’s ever happened.