Former Saint-Basile Boarding school, now the Maison de la Culture, 465, av. du Mont-Royal Est Built in 1896, this building with its elaborate pinnacle is visible all along the Avenue, a neighbourhood landmark. The owners, the Sisters of Sainte-Croix, turned it into a boarding school. The building was struck by fire in the 1970s, but renovated in 1983 to became the Maison de la Culture du Plateau Mont-Royal. It now houses a library and a cultural centre where many free performances are presented.
Mont-Royal Avenue Around 1890, rows of houses were built along Mont-Royal Avenue. A border between the Villages of Coteau Saint-Louis and Saint-Jean-Baptiste, the avenue rapidly became the Plateau’s main artery. The ground floors were transformed into business premises, which in certain cases meant that a single-storey extension had to be added to the façade. One hundred years later, in 1990, a movement was started to revitalize Mont-Royal Avenue while conserving its buildings. Today, the Avenue offers a variety of fine boutiques and restaurants, proof that it is possible to successfully combine heritage, business and quality of life for residents.
4668-4698 Grandpré Street The intricately worked balconies of these houses, built in about 1895, remind us of the desire for community among country-dwellers transplanted to the city. It’s not hard to imagine people dressed in turn-of-the-century garb, chatting to each other on their doorsteps. Perhaps this is where we earned our reputation for friendliness, here on the Plateau !
Gilford Street This is the road that quarry workers would take on their way home after work. Crossing the Village of Coteau Saint-Louis, this road, known as the quarry road at the time, led to the Village of Saint-Jean-Baptiste, where it changed its name to Tannery Road. The Plessis-Bélair Tannery was located near what is now Mont-Royal Avenue and Henri- Julien Street. lt is said that a rivalry sprang up between quarry workers and tanners, leading to legendary battles at regular intervals between the "black-feet" quarry workers and the "yellow-nostrils" from the tanneries.
Laurier Park For over a century, this lot was occupied by the Dubuc and Limoges limestone quarries. The stone from the quarries, for which Montreal was famous, was used in many local buildings and monuments, including Notre-Dame Church and Bonsecours Market. Families soon settled nearby, and the Village of Coteau Saint-Louis was born. In the late 1800s, the City of Montreal purchased the depleted quarries and used the area as a dump. The park you see before you was created by the City in 1925.
Saints-Anges Academy, 1361Saint-Joseph Blvd. East and Saint-Stanislas de Kosta Church, 1350 Saint-Joseph Blvd. East These two buildings were made famous by author Michel Tremblay in his Chroniques du Plateau Mont-Royal. The second book in the Chroniques is entitled Thérèse ef Pierrette à l’école des Saints-Anges ("Thérèse and Pierrette at the Saints-Anges School"). Here you are at the heart of Michel Tremblay’s world, near Fabre Street, where he grew up. The church, competed in 1912, is Neo-Roman in style. Its imposing size is a reminder of Montrealers’ religious fervour, rekindled by the Eucharist Congress held in 1910. The steeple and cupola of the church are testimonials to the tinsmiths’ skill.
Former Lorimier Town Hall, 2151 Mont-Royal Av. East Built in 1901 at the corner of Mont-Royal Avenue and Érables Street, this fire station served as Lorimier’s Town Hall in the late 1800s. Its council passed many by-laws on construction, public health and public nuisances, eaming the municipality a reputation for good management.
Lafontaine Park In the mid-19th century, this land was part of the Logan farm. It was purchased by the federal government as a field for military manoeuvres, and then transformed into a park by the City of Montreal in 1888. Today, as soon as the first nice days of spring arrive, people come to relax under the shady trees or picnic and sunbathe. In the summer, pedal boats cruise the ponds. In the winter, you can skate over the same ponds, to the sound of music. The outdoor Théâtre du Verdure offers a program of events ranging from classical music concerts to African dance performances, including local and international folk music and folk-dancing every summer. Other special events, including an annual sandcastle building contest, are held at the Park.
Félix-Leclerc Monument The songs of Félix Leclerc (1914-1988), one of Quebec’s great singer-songwriters, writers and poets, are a part of the province’s repertory of popular music. Acclaimed in France in the early ’50s, Leclerc won the recording award from the Charles-Cros Academy of Paris in 1951, 1958 and 1973. His songs and writings tell of things he knew well : love, nature, land and man. Entitled "Debout," this bronze statue was created in 1990 by Roger Langevin.
Dollard des Ormeaux Monument Designed by Alfred Laliberté in 1920, this monument was erected in memory of this French officer who was killed in 1660 by the Iroquois at the Long-Sault with sixteen of his compatriotes. He became one of the heroes of Quebec. To commemorate Dollard, the third Monday of May was made a public holiday in Quebec.
Carré Saint-Louis Carré Saint-Louis is set on the site of an old open-air reservoir, which was in use until 1952. Following a fire that ravaged nearly half the houses of the city in 1852, legislation was adopted to build an aqueduct and a new reservoir, the McTavish Reservoir, located on the side of the mountain. This reservoir replaced the Saint-Louis Reservoir, which could no longer keep up with the city’s growing needs. The present site was developed in 1876. Surrounding Carré Saint-Louis are houses with architectural beauty unlike any others in Montreal. Note the intricate woodwork in the Victorian style. A number of artists lived in the area, including Émile Nelligan.
Mont-Royal Fusilliers, 310 des Pins Av. East No, you won’t see any knights in armour coming through this door ! This building, resembling a mediaeval castle with its crenellated towers, is the military school for the Mont-Royal Fusiliers, erected in 1911. The main part of the building, covered by a slanted roof, is the exercise room for drills.
Saint-Jean-Baptiste Church, 309 Rachel Street East The church was built in 1875, on part of the former Comte farm. It burned down in 1898 and again in 1911, and was rebuilt in 1912. It was, at one time, the second-largest church in Montreal. The Paccard bells, imported from France in 1909, are original remains of this church and its more than 100 years of history. Its classical style, with a projecting porch, is unique among Montreal churches. With its neighbouring buildings, it was declared an historic site by the City of Montreal in 1989. Concerts are held from October to June. Come and be swept away by the music of renowned musical groups !
Saint-Denis Street Named in honour of Denis-Benjamin Viger, first president of the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Society, St. Denis was initially a prestigious residential street. As early as 1880, it became an important thoroughfare. Every 15 minutes, you could take a horse-drawn tramway headed for Mont-Royal Avenue. Today, Saint-Denis Street is famous for its terraces, its lively bars, numerous boutiques and good restaurants. Look up and you can still see the charming original architecture of yesteryear.
Alleys The alleys, a network of secondary streets, providing access to the backyards of the row houses. They allow wood and coal deliveries, for heating, as well as garbage collection and access for fire-fighters if necessary. The alleys are a wonderful playground for many children, as well as a shortcut for pedestrians and cyclists. In the early years of the century, a whole system of door-to-door salesmen would make the rounds, selling ice, rags, fruit and vegetables, sharpening knives, etc. A place to play and gossip, these alleys are an integral part of life in the district.
Row houses, Saint-Hubert Street (Rachel at Marie-Anne) These houses, each built individually to a different plan, were intended for Francophone middle-class residents. In 1880, St. Denis, Berri and St. Hubert Streets formed the Côte-à-Baron, a prime location for well-off Francophones. Here balconies reached their crowning glory. Building staircases outside was a way of saving space inside. Affluent homeowners put up elaborate comices, huge windows with magnificent stained glass, and little patches of greenery. The Victorian exuberance is visible. The former home of Camilien Houde, Montreal Mayor from 1928 to 1954, is located at 4455 Saint-Hubert Street.
The Sanctuaire d’adoration du Très-Saint-Sacrement, 500, Mont-Royal Av. East This is the first monument to the adoration of the Très-Saint-Sacrement in North America, inaugurated in 1890. Two years later, the new chapel was completed. Two wings were then added in 1896 and 1908, and used as a novitiate and residences. This building was declared an historical monument by the Quebec Department of Cultural Affairs in 1979. The Sanctuary can be visited daily between 7:00 a.m. and 8:45 p.m.
Saint-Laurent Boulevard Saint-Laurent Boulevard cuts right through the middle of Montreal. It is the symbolic dividing line between two "worlds," the Anglophone and immigrant communities to the west and the Francophone community to the east. It is also the Plateau’s main axis of development. Starting in 1880, immigrants from different countries arrived and settled on St. Lawrence Boulevard, looking for work in the factories and workshops, some of them opening stores along this artery. They were joined by French Canadians from the surrounding countryside, seeking jobs in the factories and workshops. This is how it gained its reputation as Montreal’s best-known cosmopolitan boulevard, "The Main." Even today, it attracts residents and shops of diverse origins, giving visitors the feeling that they have travelled through several countries in the space of a few blocks ! Saint- Laurent Boulevard is well known for its bars and cafés, too, the ideal spot for night owls.
Former Town Hall of Saint-Louis-du-Mile-End, 5 Laurier Street East This castle-like building dates from 1905. It met all the needs of the municipality at the time : council room, fire station, police station, town clerk’s office, dormitory, stables and barn. A plaque and the balcony from which councillors addressed the crowds remind us of its past. Todayit houses a fire station and a small fire-fighting museum, open Sundays from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.
Saint-Enfant-Jésus-du-Mile-End Church, 5039 Saint-Dominique Street Built in 1858 on a lot donated by Dr. Pierre Beaubien, owner of the quarries, the style of this church recalls the exuberant Latino-American Baroque. The present facade dates from 1901-1 902. Inside, the Sacré-Cmur Chapel was decorated with paintings in 1919 by Ozias Leduc, giving it a certain Art Nouveau feel. Across from the Church, Lahaie Park is a reminder that this was once the heart of the Village of Saint-Louis-du-Mile- End.
Saint Michael the Archangel Church, 105 Saint-Viateur Street West This church, with its unexpected mosque-like appearance, was built in 1915. Its architect, Aristide Beaugrand-Champagne, inspired by Byzantine art, chose this shape as a reminder of theearly Christian churches, as desired by Pope Pious X. At the time, the construction of the concrete dome was a technical feat. This thin concrete cupola (less than 200 mm thick, over a span of 23 metres) was a daring use of this material at the beginning of the century, remarkable even intemationally. Built by the Irish, whose symbolic shamrocks adorn the front pillars, the church now serves the Polish community.
Former palestra nationale, 840 Cherrier Street In 1894, the Francophone middle class, made up of affluent businessmen and academics, founded a sports and leisure association : the Associafion Afhlétique d’Amateurs Nafionale, the first athletic club exclusively for French Canadians. The goal of the association was to "promote athletics and gymnastics among young people." It was not until 1918 that the Association, which had purchased a lot on Cherrier Street, officially opened its sports centre. There were gymnasiums, bowling alleys, a swimming pool and even rooms for playing chess and checkers ! Hockey was one of the sports enjoyed by members of the Association and, in 1943, future hockey stars Bernard Geoffrion and Henri Richard played on the Association’s team, named Le National. The Palestra was sold in 1974 to the Université du Québec à Montréal, and become one of its pavilions. It also houses two dance companies.
4563 - 4576 Pontiac Street (at Bienville) These country-style homes are the kind owned by the quarry labourers and craftsmen who originally lived with their families on the Plateau. Note that a century ago, these families usually had five members, and the mortality rate was three times higher here than in more affluent neighbourhoods.
Portugal Park (Saint-Dominique at Vallières) The first members of the Portuguese community began arriving in the 1960s, and settled on De Bullion, Coloniale, Rachel and Roy Streets. Their contribution to breathing new life into the deteriorating neighbourhood was recognized in 1975, in fact, by an award of excellence from the Montreal architecture society. Their homes are characterized by the flowers and vines growing in the tiny yards. They have also brought an original use of colour, as can be seen on the homes along Drolet Street south of Duluth. Portugal Park is a tribute to the vibrant community life. The municipal designers who created this little neighbourhood park wanted it to reflect Portuguese culture, and so topped the bandstand with a rooster, a Portuguese symbol.
Saint-Pierre-Claver Church, 2000 Saint Jospeh Blvd. East In the early 1900s, Francophones founded parishes to the east of St. Lawrence Boulevard. This church, designed by architects Joseph Venne and J.O. Marchand, faces onto Saint-Joseph Boulevard, near the parish school, the heart of the community in those days.
Lorimier Avenue (between Marie-Anne and Rachel) Lorimier Avenue, at the time, was lined with the homes and row houses of prominent citizens of Lorimier.
Sherbrooke Street (from Bordeaux to Lafontaine Park) Here we find many examples of mansions. These detached homes with their spacious gardens, owned by the Anglophone middle class, were decorated with turrets, intricate cornices, porches and columns – in short, anything that could signify the owner’s wealth. The most common building materials were slate or copper and stone.
