Category Archives: Uncategorized

69 Columbia

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C. E. Wolfkill – Dominion Bridge Co. (1899)

From: http://www.memorablemontreal.com/print/en/batiments_menu.php?quartier=15&batiment=252&section=Array&menu=histoire

“The Dominion Bridge Company, founded in Toronto in 1879 under the name Toronto Bridge Company, moved to Lachine in 1883 to manufacture iron and steel superstructures for bridges and buildings. Attracted by the vast expanses of low-cost land along the canal, the company was directly linked to Lachine’s development. It gradually expanded its complex, buying more land and adding a machine shop in 1897, then making more additions between 1925 and 1935.

A major employer in Lachine, Dominion Bridge built numerous skyscrapers and bridges across Canada, including the Reversing Falls railway bridge in Saint John, New Brunswick, and the bridge between Kanahwake and Lachine. The company and its subsidiary, Davie Industries, went bankrupt in 1998, and, following the concerted efforts and protests of the unions, the assets were bought by the Group ADF Inc. and the FTQ Solidarity Fund. In 2003, the ADF threatened to close down the facilities, which were then bought by Cintube, a former partner of Dominion Bridge specialized in the precision bending of tubes, pipes, beams, and channels.”

 

Westmount Park – Crows

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Westmount Park’s Crows.  They are an interesting species of birds.  An interview with Kevin McGowan, an ornithologist from  Cornell University, provides a fascinating insight into their behaviour:

http://www.nwf.org/news-and-magazines/national-wildlife/birds/archives/2008/bird-watching.aspx

“What is a group of crows called?
The poetic term used in literature is a “murder.” Scientists would call them a flock.

Why do crows roost in cities?
Urban living offers crows several possible advantages. Cities are often 5 to 10 degrees F warmer than rural areas, an advantage in cold weather, and may offer protection from human hunters. Great horned owls, which frequently prey on crows, presumably number fewer in urban areas. Artificial light may assist crows in watching for owls at night, and cities may provide some of the largest roost trees in a given area.

How can you attract crows?
Crows have an endearing characteristic that apparently is not shared by other birds—they can identify people as individuals. While you can get chickadees to eat out of your hand, any old hand will do, and I suspect the chickadees do not know you as an individual. Crows will! If you toss them peanuts (preferably unsalted, in the shell) on a regular basis, they will wait and watch for you. Not just any person, but you. If you do this often enough, they will follow you down the street to get more, even if you’re in your car. “