Another summer evening in Westmount Park – it’s difficult to realize that the day’s are now getting shorter!
Monthly Archives: June 2016
Westmount Park’s Lagoons
Reflections on one of the park’s lagoon – it could be a canvas for a surrealist artist!
La Fête Nationale Du Québec (formerly Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day)
Westmount’s celebration of Saint John the Baptist – Jesus’ cousin. An annual celebration of French Canadian culture.
Westmount Park
Late Spring in Westmount Park.
The park’s lagoons trace the path of the ancient Glen Stream that ran above ground, from the mountain, through this area and emptying into a river that ran through Saint Henry (now named St. Henri). The stream still exits; however, it now flows through underground conduits.
It makes one wonder that if such a stream existed today – would the same arguments hold true causing it to buried.
Interestingly, there are several cities involved in”daylighting” – tapping old creeks and streams and allowing them run through neighbourhoods. Although expensive, this has been successfully done in Seattle, Portland, Yonkers, Providence and Zurich.
As they say, “food for thought”!
Westmount Park
Summer has (finally) arrived – about time – it is the middle of June!
Another beautiful evening’s walk through Westmount Park.
Westmount Park
Another walk through Westmount Park – I think the balloons were left from a previous celebration.
Boulevard de Maisonneuve
This street was formerly named Western Avenue. It was renamed Boulevard de Maisonneuve, in 1966, honouring Paul de Chomedy, Sieur de Maisonneuve.
Did you know, in the 1800s, it belonged to the Cote St Antoine Road Company ? (The company sold bonds to finance its maintenance). This arrangement was a major impediment in the development of the Town of Cote Saint Antoine: they couldn’t lay sewers nor drainage pipes.
The same company also owned a bridge that spanned Metcalfe & Landsdowne Avenues – it was poorly maintained and was became a constant “bone of contention” with the Town’s Council as well as its citizens.
Luckily, in the late 1800s, a citizen offered the town 2,000 bonds of the company allowing Council to begin the process of ceding the road. The rest, as they say, is history!
Westmount Park
Another “collage” of pictures taken during our walk through Westmount Park.
Westmount Park
Our Wednesday evening walk through Westmount Park. The Hawthorns (near the children’s play ground) are in full bloom. One has to agree that the park’s trees, which comprise an arboretum, have foliage that reflects beautifully with the setting sun. (The person in the white gown was part of a photo-shoot near the park’s lagoon!)
Westmount Park
Another walk through Westmount Park – admiring the trees including a (very) old Lime near the gazebo.
