Hi, Everyone:
Does anyone know whom Cooney Park (facing Champlain Boulevard between Melrose and Desmarchais) is named after? And was it always called that name—Cooney?
When I was growing up, we always called it "the park." No one I knew called it by any other name.
Have a good Sunday,
Jack
15 comments:
It was always known as Melrose Park. On the schedules of the Verdun Fastball Leaque which often played there it was called Melrose Park. I have no idea who Cooney is. Ed Sorry, I tried to insert a picture of present day Cooney Park but I can figure out how it's done. Ed
Thanks, Ed : Now I seem to remember it being called Melrose Park. So obviously there's been a name change over the years to Cooney. Guy, would the Archives have any info on the name change, the reason why, and when it occurred? Regards to All, Jack
Parc Cooney Pictures - has to have been named after a prominent Verdun resident or family. i.e. Norman Dawe Park, Parc Art Therrien
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Jack (bombog2004), I think this is the most probable reason Parc Cooney got its name. I found this on the VC In Memoriam Section. Cooney (nee Walsh), Florence, born 1912 died December 7, 2004, Beloved mother of Colleen and Sharon and granddaughter Melissa. Predeceased by her husband Thomas in 2000. Long time resident of Verdun on Desmarchais. The park is situated on Champlain between Desmarchais and Melrose. Gary Victoria
Thanks, Arbutus, That makes sense. And thanks for that nice shot of the park. Jack
i don't know his first name, but his kids went to VCH. colleen ,maureen, and kevin, his wife was still living in Verdun, untill a few years ago,
The park was named after Mark Cooney. He was a next door neighbour. He helped with all the sports there. He was a great guy. It was so sad, as he was quite young. Had gotten up one morning and dropped to the floor with a heart attack. His wife at the time was very upset. His mother lived with them also. He left a couple of children too. BarbaraH
Thanks for the info, Barbara, and my apologies for only now responding. I just saw your post while browsing the site. Have a good evening, Jack
Hi Jack Cooney Park named after Mark Cooney who worked for the city of Verdun and passed away at 38 (I grew up with Mr. Cooney's daughter Colleen) was called Melrose Park before that. Take care Lynn
Thanks, Lynn. From what everyone says about him, I wish I would have met him. Sad, his passing at such an early age. But he left a legacy, didn't he? Warm regards, Jack
Hi Jack Yes it was, and Colleen and I were attending St. Willibrord school at the time. He was a very nice man, and I heard just a while ago his son Kevin passed away, heart attack as well. He was in his 40's. I remember skating on the rinks at Melrose when I was a kid, and in the summer hung out there. Great Memories! Be safe Lynn
Hi Lynn, just came across the post to you from Lynn Yetman. My name is Wendy Rinder, I used to hang with Lynn at the park all the time, along with Debbie Elkin, the Bullards and the Malone twins. You and your sisters names sound familiar. Do you have a brother Rod also? Take care. Wendy
"Thanks for the memories," Lynn . . . about the two rinks. I remember them well—one for skating, the other for hockey. Parents stood atop mounds of snow piled up against the boards of the hockey rink, and cheered on their kids. Sometimes the parents swore at the refs. I guess it all added to the fun. I also remember one great game I played there because I scored an unbelievable goal: I had the puck at centre ice; I spun around quickly and shot a slider right through the goalie's pads. I waited for the cheers and the applause. None came—I had scored against my own team! Thus endeth any hockey career I had imagined. My foster sister was a skater, eventually joining the Ice Follies and Ice Capades when she was 16 or 18. She taught me a few figure eights, which I practiced on the skating rink . . . when no one was around. No self-respecting male tween would ever dream of doing such "a girly thing." Now this might be before your time, Lynn. But before the brick building with changing rooms was built, there was an old shack with potbelly stove inside, tended by an elderly caretaker. Pops, as we called him, had Saint Vitus' dance in his hand. He was short and rotund, and was known to be cantankerous now and then. I liked him. Does anyone know when the park was redesigned, when the brick building atop a small, flat hill was demolished? Regards, Jack
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