Saturday, June 27, 2009

Old Forum Inaugurated 9th November 1908

This article appeared in the November 10th 1908 edition of the "La Presse" newspaper, the following day after the inauguration of the Forum on the 9th of August 1908.

The article mentions that the open air interior contained 3000 roller skaters wich could be seen from the exterior through the many windows. You entered the large entrance similar to a theatre entrance, went up to the first floor giving access to the 12 foot wide roller skating rink wich surrounded the open air winter skating rink on the ground floor. The illustration shows a glass wall separating the roller skating rink from the open air ice skating rink on the ground level below. Obviously there was no modern artificial ice rinks in those days. The facility also could accommodate many other activities such as curling and a circus.

The total cost of the Forum was $300,000, a small fortune in those days, the cost of an average bungalow today.

Guy

Monday, June 22, 2009

Molson's Buy "Les Canadiens"

John Molson emigrated from England at age 18 in 1782 and was a formidable entrepreneur. He had the first steam boat built wich plied the Saint-Lawrence river, the beginning that would make this brewer the largest fleet owner in North America.

Here are some of his accomplishements as well as his descendents:

Lumberyard owner

Luxury Hotel owner

Founded the Molson Bank with 125 branches until the Bank of Montreal bought them in 1925. The building still stands today

Had the first theatre buiilt.

Had the second hospital built after Hotel Dieu Hospital.

Founded Molson's Brewery on Notre Dame Street wich is still there.

Owners of the "Canadien" hockey club.

Built the Percival-Molson Stadium.

Everyone is happy to see the hockey club fall into the hands of a Canadian family including the "Québéquois".

Guy

Truck photo about 1925.

Source: La Presse today (Condensed version) translated.

 

 

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Ballad of Bordeaux Jail

                  Remember when they wrote a tongue in cheek song for Montreal's notorious Lucien Rivard

Here's the words:

THE BALLAD OF BORDEAUX JAIL
Anne-Marie Fauteux (1965)

The warden sat at sundown,
A busy day was o’er,
He’d just lit up a fat cigar,
When a knock came at the door.

“Entrez, entrez !” the warden cried,
“La porte she is ajar !”
And who walked in, to his surprise,
But Big-Wheel, Lou Rivard !

“How come, Big-Wheel, you promenade,
It’s curfew-time, n’est-ce pas ?
I warning you to prenez-garde,
Before you break the law !”

“Pardonnez-moi mon capitane,
I did not stop to think,
But with your kind permission,
I would like to hose the rink.”

“To hose the rink ? Why sacre-bleu,
You must be wan big fool !
The rink my friend she’s beaucoup d’eau,
Like outdoor swimming pool !”

Now Rivard, like the quick brown fox,
Who must outwit the hound,
He senses with his gambler’s ken,
That he is gaining ground.

“It’s true Monsieur that ce matin,
The rink was soft like slop,
Regardez – since après-midi,
The temperature go plop !”

“C’est vrai, fait chaud from where you sit,
Across the great divide,
But where I stand I feel a draft,
Bébé it’s cold outside !”

“Eh bien, voilà, go get the hose,
Permission you obtain,
Like my new boss, Claude Wagner say,
We must be more humane.”

“Merci Monsieur, au revoir, adieu,
Light up your cold cigar,
I will not bother you again,
Exit Lucien Rivard ! !”

“Exit ! Exit !” the warden muse,
“He make the big joke, no ?
Quelle difference, he safe behind
The walls of old Bordeaux !”

One hour she pass, the warden doze,
Then bingo, tout de suite,
The sirens wail, the guards aussi,
There’s panic in the street ! !

The warden freeze – like paralyze,
The joke he get trop tard,
“Certainement, mon dieu, c’est ça,
The hose – the rink – Rivard ! ! ! “

Trop tard ! He stagger to his feet,
No need to ask pourquoi,
“Certainement – mon dieu – c’est ça,
Lucien Rivard s’en va ! !”

He cry, Monsieur the warden,
Enfin he see it all,
Big hose not for the rink by gar,
Big hose for over wall ! !

He grind his teeth, he pull his hairs,
He’ll never smile again,
As he implore, encore, — encore –
“WHERE ARE YOU LUCIEN ! ! ! “

EPILOGUE

The search goes on relentless,
Through valley, hill and dell,
They seek him here, they seek him there,
That Gallic Pimpernel.

For years to come in Crooksville,
They’ll tell the epic tale,
How Rivard left his footprints,
On the walls of Bordeaux Jail.

Verdun Connections

An MSN group which ran for 6and a half years,then MSN decided to cease operating any groups ,they opted to turn the groups hosting over to a network known as Multiply, So if you want to make Connections with friends from your past days of living in Verdun/Montreal then feel free to checkout this 'New' Verdun Connections replacement site at this link: http://verdunconnections2.multiply.com/
Once your on the site ,you can read all the different blog messages,or look through the many photo albums ,mostly relating to Verdun or Montreal & Quebec,but not limited to just that. You can also choose to 'Join this Group' simply by clicking on those exact words once your on the Multiply newtwork.
Now Multiply will ask you to sign up to their network ( it's Free,so no problem there) then you would be given your own site ,which you can customise to your own ideas,etc etc after that you can checkout any of the other Groups hosted on the Multiply Network & Join them too if you like,
So checkout 'Verdun Connections' and hopefully you will join,& then hopefully you will share some of your own stories from your days in Verdun / Montreal etc .or perhaps you have that old 'shoebox' full of B&W photographs,you can start your own album on either the Verdun Connections site, or your own multiply site,or both. Hope we see you there,to help keep all our memories alive:
http://verdunconnections2.multiply.com/
Have Fun & Remember Verdun

Neighbourhood Bar in The Point.

Two women were sitting next to each other at a popular Point St. Charles' tavern.

After awhile, one looks at the other and says,'I can't help but think, from listening to you, that you're from Ireland .'

The other woman responds proudly, 'Yes, that I am!'

The first one says, 'So am I! And where about from Ireland might you be'?

The other woman answers, 'I'm from Dublin , I am.'

The first one responds, 'So, am I. Sure and what street did you live on in Dublin ?'

The other woman says, 'A lovely little area it was. I lived on McCleary Street in the old central part of town.'

The first one says, 'Faith and it's a small world. So did I! So did I!
And to what school would you have been going?'
The other woman answers, 'Well n ow, I went to St. Mary's, of course.' The first one gets really excited and says, 'And so did I. Tell me, what year did you graduate?' The other woman answers,'Well, now, let's see. I graduated in 1964.

The first woman exclaims, 'The Good Lord must be smiling down upon us!I can hardly believe our good luck at winding up in the same pub tonight. ; Can you believe it, I graduated from St. Mary's in 1964 my own self!'

About this time, Elaine walks into the bar, sits down and orders a beer.
Brian, the bartender, walks over to Elaine shaking his head and mutters, 'It's going to be a long night tonight.'

Elaine asks, ' Why do you say that, Brian?'

Brian answers, 'The McLaughlin twins are drunk again.'

 

Saturday, June 20, 2009

The Gayety

One popular night spot in Montreal in the 50s was the Gayety where a popular striptease named Lili St-Cyr appeared on a regular basis to the dismay of the clergy. The enclosed add wich apperared in the 10th of May 1954 Guardian just below the Maynard Ferguson add I posted previously. Also notice who else appeared at the Gayety, none other than Dean Martin. Those 2 must have had many parties together.

Guy

 

Turcot Yards

Les,

Now that you brought up the subject of the Turcot Yards again, and I know that I am repeating myself, but I thought that I would post the above excellant aerial photo of the yards wich I think you posted previously and a 1733 map of the Petit Lac Saint-Pierre wich was situated roughly to the west between Angrigon Boulevard and to the east by Decarie Boulevard. The north by Pullman street (just below the hill) and to the south by the Lachine Canal. This lake would widen and even become a bog depending on the season. So when anybody in that area, make a a mental picture going back in time when the indians owned the country, they would be fishing in the Petit Lac Saint-Pierre also called lac à la Loutre (Otters), so called  because the lake contained Otters. The Petit Lac Saint-Pierre would run to Pointe à Carrière in old Montreal and also turn south to Verdun approximately where the Champlain bridge is situated.  Another bit of history wich I learned since being a member o f the SHGV. It's never too late to learn.

Guy

Map Archives SHGV

Dorval Circle Upgrade (40 years late,but still needed )

Well finally Dorval Circle is to be upgraded,.....Yikes ,that wasn't too long a wait was it.

 Thanks to Guy Billard alerting us to this highway project going on at almost the same time as they are to start the Turcot & Bonaventure exchange upgrades,.Wow planning at it's best, I love traffic planners ,.Out here We have the brilliance of putting in Traffic Circles (like they are a new invention) because of mostly transplanted traffic planners from anywhere els but here ,who feel that this 'new idea' ( been around in Europe for Millenums is a 'good thing' ....it's only a different thing, & it's a pain in the .....well you know....... However here's the Dorval story where they will replace the old circle:

New road plan for Montreal airport to take off this spring

Old Dorval Circle to be replaced with eight new overpasses and new roads

Last Updated: Monday, February 16, 2009 | 5:40 PM ET

The new configuration of the Dorval Circle will include eight overpasses and roads to give drivers direct access from Highways 20 and 520 and the airport.The new configuration of the Dorval Circle will include eight overpasses and roads to give drivers direct access from Highways 20 and 520 and the airport. (Transport Quebec)

Drivers trying to get to and from Montreal's Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport will have a smoother ride in the near future, say government officials who announced a $224-million reconstruction project Monday.

The project, which is being paid for by federal, provincial and municipal governments, involves the complete overhaul of the troublesome Dorval Circle plus the addition of new, direct links between the airport and Highways 20 and 520.

Once the work is done in 2013, travellers and airport employees will be able to get to and from the airport without interfering with local traffic, said Dorval Mayor Edgar Rouleau.

Rouleau has been waiting for the road project to get to this stage since he first became a city councillor in 1982.

He said reconstruction moved to the top of the priority list as traffic in the area exploded and the existing concrete structures began to fall apart.

"Finally," he exclaimed when asked how he felt about the project getting the go-ahead.

"They have already started. They are under tender now for all the bridges now."

Redesign to separate local and airport traffic

Eight new overpasses will be built as part of the project.

The circular Dorval interchange will be eliminated. In its place, Dorval Avenue will extend northward, isolating local traffic from roads linking the nearby highways with the airport.

New pedestrian and bike access will also be added.

The lion's share of the cost, $89 million, will be covered by the Quebec government. Ottawa will pay $55 million, with the City of Montreal pitching in $40 million. The airport and public transit will fund the rest.

Construction is expected to begin this spring.

No news on airport-downtown rail link

One highly-anticipated component was missing from Monday's announcement: the addition of a rail shuttle between the airport and downtown Montreal.

The federal and provincial governments are currently studying possible routes and costs.

Even though there is no formal agreement yet on the rail link, James Cherry, head of the Montreal Airport Authority, is optimistic that it can be built around the same time the Dorval circle project.

Cherry said if the rail project can go to public consultation next year, then the two projects could dovetail nicely.

"We're on track to be able to do that sometime in 2010. Does that mean 2013 is reasonable? Within a year of that, probably," said Cherry.

The airport has already worked a train stop into its new hotel and U.S. departures building.

"Under that building, we've built the tunnel and the shell of that station already. It's already there. So we're waiting for a spur line to come off that main line and we're ready to roll," said Cherry.

               Keep us up todate on Montreal's highway projects ,we appreciate the input.

                                     Have Fun & Remember Verdun

Molson's buys the Montreal Canadiens ( again)

I think this is good news,although Mr Gillette has been a good owner of the team,( except for not winning anything ,but mind you noone has done well for the Habs since the days of Sam Pollock & of course the biggest mistake was letting Scotty escape from the fold,when he earned & should have been given the GM title.....however spilt milk does nothing,,,So it's reported just a few minutes ago,that the Canadiens have been re-purchased by Molson's ( who by the way still owned roughly 20% anyway .19.9% for the perfectionists out there) the team with only two exceptions has not held the Silverware Holy Grail since the 1980...thats a big YIKES !!!   Two exceptions '86 & '93 where they were winners but albeit unlikely winners,on the backs of Patrick Roy.....

Let's hope Molson's brings a winning tradition back to les glorieux ,..............

  a half BILLION dollar investment ,better produce some returns....Although I'm sure Beer Sales will not be hurt by this development...........   Go Habs G0   lol

 

Steinberg's Money ? ,

I remember that Steinberg's had a stamp book (was it Green Stamps) when you bought grocery's you would get these stamps that went into a special book,later to be exchanged for more purchases at Steinberg's ,.but I came across these scans of Steinberg's Dollars ,.I don't recall these , Do any of You ?

           I will also add these two shots to the Steinberg's storefront photo's in one of my albums ,.................                              HF&RV

                        ps: was it green stamps or was it gold stamps ???  I'll try to find a photo of them ,unless one of you out there have a pic to share ?  

 

                   so it was Pinky Stamps,  and other stores had stamps too one was called S&H Green Stamps :

Friday, June 19, 2009

Crescent Street .gets ready to Party ....what Party in Montreal ,I don't believe it .lol

50 years of partying on Crescent Street,Montreal's night life celebrates .......another story in todays Gazette,that I thought you may be interested in:

If the names Casa Pedro, Les Halles, The Boiler Room,

Friars Pub, Flix Cinema, The Bicylette and Carol's Snack Bar bring back waves of nostalgia, you're officially old.

Drinking pitchers of sangria at Casa Pedro's, having fancy French table service at Les Halles or watching Ronnie flip burgers at Carol's well into the wee hours - these are memories from Crescent St., the party block between de Maisonneuve Blvd. and Ste. Catherine St.

Who knew when the first wine bar, Chez Tonneau, opened in 1959 that this would become a destination for locals and tourists alike, written up in guide books as the place to go on a party evening?

It's been 50 years since the drinks first flowed on Crescent and the merchant's association is throwing a street party to mark the occasion.

"We're celebrating 50 years of bringing nightlife to Montreal," says association president Sandy Greene.

And to tap into the nostalgia, check out the acts that will perform live on an outdoor stage: Michel Pagliaro, Honeymoon Suite and Glass Tiger, who had monster hits in the '70s, '80s and '90s, respectively.

If the lyrics of Some Sing, Some Dance and Rainshowers are now stuck in your head, you're not alone.

Pagliaro dominated the Quebec radio waves in the '70s and his hits in both French and English are in heavy rotation on the oldies and classic stations.

Bernard Ragueneau has been a restaurateur on Crescent for 36 years, opening Thursdays in 1973. He actually lived on the street in 1967.

"This was a residential area back then; you could hear dogs barking at night and see people on rocking chairs on their balconies," he said of the area, which is now chockablock with eating and drinking establishments.

The first bar that opened was only permitted to sell wine and beer, no spirits, because temperance laws were much stricter 50 years ago.

"It was hard to get a liquor permit in those days; you had to have connections to get one," Ragueneau says.

The area opened up more when de Maisonneuve Blvd. was built, linking several other streets such as Western, St. Luc and Burnside, which had been a back lane serving the major stores on Ste. Catherine.

When Tonneau's became a hit, others followed: the Winston Churchill Pub in 1967, Mousse Spacthèque in 1968, Casa Pedro in 1970 and, in 1973, Ragueneau took his Friday's concept restaurant on Cathcart St. and opened Thursday's on Crescent.

"My father always said if you're a good shoemaker, go to a street where there are other shoemakers," he says.

Crescent St. was perfect for bars and restaurants with its old stone buildings and the action moved over from Mountain St., which had a few nightclubs.

"There were too many open lots on Mountain," Ragueneau says of the parking garages and vacant spaces.

There were lots of artists who hung around Crescent in those days, one of them being a young musician named Michel Pagliaro.

"We had drinks and a lot of good memories at Casa Pedro, so playing there this weekend will be a bit of déjà vu," Pagliaro says.

In the early '70s, Crescent was the preferred hangout of many in the motorcycle crowd, but all that changed in 1976, Ragueneau says.

"The Olympics cleaned things up."

Many of the original haunts have gone by the wayside. Carol closed her snack bar after her son, Ronnie, died in a motorcycle accident. Les Halles served its last "surprise du patron" in 2005 after 34 years of business.

To celebrate a half century of partying, Crescent will be closed to vehicle traffic from 4 p.m. tomorrow until 8 a.m. Sunday between de Maisonneuve and Ste. Catherine.

Tomorrow night, 50 Austin Minis will be parked on the street to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the iconic car.

The fun starts at noon on Saturday with a jet-pack flying demonstration. Five stations on the street will highlight the five decades of Crescent with the appropriate clothing and music and information panels showing the timeline.

The three big shows, all free, start with Pagliaro at 5 p.m., Honeymoon Suite at 7 p.m. and Glass Tiger at 9 p.m.

"We'll be doing all the hits, songs people know," Pagliaro says.

"I think it's a great idea to bring this to the street and it's going to be a lot of fun."

Crescent between de Maisonneuve and Ste. Catherine will close at 4 p.m. tomorrow and reopen at 8 a.m. Sunday.

Got some photos or personal memories of your times on Crescent St.? Send them to montrealgazette.com and we'll put them up on the website.

asutherland@thegazette.canwest.com

Crescent St. Celebration Lineup

Tomorrow

5 p.m. Austin Minis line the street, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the iconic car

Saturday

12:30 p.m. opening ceremonies and cake. Jet-pack pilot Eric Scotte will fly off the roof of Stogies bar and hover over the street. He flies again at 4:45 p.m.

Starting at 11 a.m. costumed dancers and and a deejay will showcase five decades of Crescent St. from the flower power '60s, disco '70s, break-dancing '80s, Euro-dance '90s and house and electro-beat 2000s.

5 p.m. Michel Pagliaro performs on the Bud Light Lime stage

7 p.m. Honeymoon Suite on stage

9 p.m. Glass Tiger on stage.

All shows are free

Hmmmmm Trouble in paradise ?? Turcot woes

Seems there some opposition to the big mayors plan,

    A $1.5-billion plan to refurbish the Turcot interchange is "unacceptable," flies in the face of provincial policies on sustainable development, mass transit and public health and should be scrapped, the head of Montreal's public health department said last night.

.....this is an excerpt from a story on the Turcot Plan,.in todays Gazette........

                           here's the link to the whole story:    

          http://www.montrealgazette.com/Health/Turcot+plan+would+increase+cars+risks+city+public+health+chief/1707029/story.html

 

                                                                          HF&RV

Montreal, Traffic Nightmare Could Double= YIKES!!

Today's Gazette ,has a story about the possibilty of a major traffic nightmare ,should the building of the Turcot & Bonaventure Expressways,overlaps........  I wouldn't want to be in that rush hour ,if it happens............................

It will cost $141 million and, if everything goes according to plan, be finished by 2013.

But if the city of Montreal is tearing down the elevated Bonaventure Expressway at the same time Quebec is demolishing the Turcot interchange, Montreal Mayor Gérald Tremblay says it's the price to pay for progress.

"Yes, there's going to be inconveniences," Tremblay said as he and Société du Havre chairperson Isabelle Hudon announced the first phase of a plan to revitalize the crumbling expressway and the neighbourhoods around it.

"But the price to pay for the status quo, the price to pay for gridlock, the price to pay for greenhouse gas emission ... for quality of life ... for leaving infrastructures that are not technologically viable (is too high).

"We can use these projects to show that public transportation is our priority. ... In the short term certain people are going to be effected. But in the medium and the long term, we're talking about the future of Montreal and we decided to move forward with these projects."

Two days ago, Tremblay told a public hearing on the $1.5-billion Turcot plan that major highway projects cannot be planned on a piecemeal basis and their effects on the entire Montreal region must be taken into account.

While the Turcot project has yet to be finalized, its crumbling state has made its demolition a priority. Should it occur within the same time frame as the Bonaventure project, traffic on the Turcot - a major east-west thoroughfare into Montreal that is used by 280,000 vehicles a day - would be reduced at the same time as on the Bonaventure, which is used by 31,000 commuters daily to get to downtown Montreal from the South Shore.

Tremblay said he had "definitely" considered the possibility that both thoroughfares might be affected at the same time, but felt the advantages outweighed the inconveniences and noted the city was co-ordinating its work with Transport Quebec, which is overseeing the Turcot project.

Originally pegged at a cost of $90 million in 2007, Hudon said the Bonaventure project's price tag increased to $141 million because of inflation and "additions" to the construction, including an 83-metre extension of the slope that would force Montreal-bound traffic to slow down as it reached the city's downtown.

Once the elevated section of the expressway is removed, traffic will be routed along Duke and Nazareth Sts., each of which will be broadened to handle four lanes of traffic. A stretch of Dalhousie St. to the west of Nazareth will be reserved for buses travelling to and from the South Shore.

Once the first phase is complete, something Tremblay estimated could be done by 2013, Phase 2 will involve turning the stretch of shore between the Victoria and Champlain bridges into green space, while the final phase will see the Peel Basin linked to the riverfront.

The first phase of the project would, theoretically, be accompanied by residential and commercial development in the area, which could generate more than $1 billion in investments.

However before any of it that can occur, public consultations will have be held on the project, something Tremblay said won't occur until this autumn.

                                                                                               HF&RV

Interactive map of Canada

This map on the CBC site is interactive ,where you can click on any of the posted provinces & territory's and find out the percentage breakdown of spoken languages,by province ,they list the 'top 5 ' languages spoken in each area, 

                              http://www.cbc.ca/news/interactives/map-languages-canada/

                     Have Fun and Remember Verdun

 

Interactive map of Canada

This map on the CBC site is interactive ,where you can click on any of the posted provinces & territory's and find out the percentage breakdown of spoken languages,by province ,they list the 'top 5 ' languages spoken in each area, 

                              http://www.cbc.ca/news/interactives/map-languages-canada/

                     Have Fun and Remember Verdun

 

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Jeopardy Quiz Show

One of the contestants on this show now, is from Verdun
He will be on tonight. It plays here at 7,30
You might want to watch
Bill

Monday, June 15, 2009

Canadians Crossing into the US

#1     New Border Crossing at Champlain NY

When crossing the border this year make sure you have the appropriate papers as the USA has spent millions protecting themselves from us Canadians.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vg5s3Jrp2RU&NR=1

#2

Officer catching Canadians red handed illegally entering the United Stated

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTom8pBgPcc&NR=1

#3

Now that they have spent all that money on the new technology they have been able to cut personnel down to a bare minimum.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFcIH2tK2iM

Good Old Days.



Jun 14, '09 12:10 AM
for everyone
I think the fifties were a simpler time on the avenues. At least for myself growing up. My mom would listen to soap operas on the kitchen radio while washing clothes every Saturday morning. That old washing machine had wheels and it was stored in the shack behind the kitchen. To this day when I am in a certain mood and I hear soap opera music, I'll smell laundry detergent. Very weird but for a nanosecond I relive a taste of my childhood in Verdun. Hope the URL opens for you, and look for the washing machine if you will.
Bill
http://www.skweezer.com/s.aspx/-/www~billsretroworld~com/RETROLIFE~HTM

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Interesting story from the 'SpacingMontreal' site

Montreal Waterworks, Part II - Inside the Conduit

Posted by Andrew Emond

aqueduc02

Inside the Montreal’s former water intake conduit

In my last entry I talked about Montreal’s Aqueduct canal and its role in bringing water to the city of Montreal. In this entry, we’ll begin to go underground, but first, a bit more history…

I mentioned the use of hydraulic machinery and how it was powered by water by the aqueduct. Only a small portion of that water (less than 5%) was actually sent through the pipes and into homes and businesses. By the late 1800s, several problems with this system started to make it less than ideal. The first issue was that demand for water was increasing and more horsepower was required to distribute it. The aqueduct at the turn of the century, roughly a quarter the width it is today, was incapable of providing the hydraulic horsepower necessary to power the pumps.

On top of this, the success of system was often at the whims of mother nature. Low water levels in the summer and ice blockages in the winter frequently reduced pumping capacity. As a result, steam power, which was both cost and labour intensive, would then have to be used as a back-up.

Another problem was that the water was being brought in directly close the shoreline of the St. Lawrence River, which by this time was starting to become less than pure. City officials maintained that the water posed no health risks. However, there was a concern that drainage from properties situated upstream of the entrance to the aqueduct had the potential to cause future problems. Given that there was still no filtration process yet in place (and wouldn’t be until the early 1920s), engineers were starting to become somewhat mindful of what could possibly be entering the city’s water supply.

20th Century Solutions

conduit_diagrams

To address the shortage of available horsepower, in 1907, after two decades worth of proposals and deliberations, it was decided to widen the aqueduct from 40 to 140 feet. Along with upgrades to pumping equipment, the alteration would provide a total of 2,500 HP during the winter months. A rate of 5,000 HP during the summer was achievable when the aqueduct was free of ice, or ‘frazil‘.

To help improve quality of water, a 9’ concrete conduit running underneath the aqueduct’s north shore was built between 1907 and 1909. In addition, the intake for this conduit would extend towards the middle of the St. Lawrence, where the water was less likely to contain sediment. By enclosing the water inside this underground pipe, the risk of further cross-contamination would also be diminished. The conduit would also serve as a continuous water supply while the aqueduct was emptied during its widening.

Rumour Has It.

I first learned of the conduit a couple of years ago, not through the city archives or maps, but from a message board dedicated to Verdun . In a bit of oral history, an older member recollected a time during his youth when he and his friends would open a manhole cover near the north side of the Crawford Street Bridge and climb down into a ‘9 foot pipe.’ This was enough to pique my interest. I decided to go have a look for myself.

When I arrived, the only manhole I could find in the area was now in the middle of Blvd De La Verendrye- a rather busy thoroughfare. If it was the same one he entered, then it must have been before the 1960s which was when they built the road . I walked further along the street hoping to find other options, but every single one was situated in the road. Feeling a bit dejected, I filed it under ‘things to look for if ever bored’ and left it at that.

A few months passed before I came across another reference to the conduit, this time in a city planning document from the 1930s. I learned that the pipe was connected to the waterworks system. A few weeks later, when Controleman came back from the City Planning department with a handful of sewer maps, one of which made clear where the conduit ran, that it was no longer in use, and more importantly, where the best point of entry was located.

aqueduc_conduit_citymap

City planning map detail showing aqueduc and the old water conduit (in red).

In what I consider to be a continuation of underground exploration traditions, our entry point ended up being but a few feet away from the manhole that the older gentleman from Verdun once used. A three foot high drainage pipe within Parc Angrignon, just large enough the crawl through, provides a 21st century means of access.

Inside the Conduit.

aqueduc01

Manhole chamber (and groundwater infiltration) underneath Blvd. Verendrye.

The conduit itself resembles many of Montreal’s older concrete sewers, but with pronounced horizontal lines from the wooden forms that were used during construction. For a century old tunnel, it’s in excellent. The water is, at times, thigh-deep, but it is slow moving and not that much of an issue assuming you have the stamina to wade through it for long periods of time. Sewage can be detected, but for the most part the water is cleaner than what is usually encountered underground in Montreal. I wouldn’t want to drink it, but I wouldn’t mind falling in it either.

As a testament to its cleanliness, small fish can often be spotted over the course of its length. During one trip, I even came across about a half dozen mud-puppies that somehow got swept into the system and have done their best to make this dark tunnel their home.

mudpuppy

One of many Mudpuppies spotted inside the conduit. This particular one was close a foot in length.

The Montreal Water Famine of 1913

By the winter of 1913, work had begun to widen the canal an additional 25 feet. This further widening was commenced to help generate electrical power for the city’s lighting systems. Rather than have to expropriate additional land on the south side of the canal, the City decided to make the enlargement on the north shore instead, close to where the conduit ran. It’s here where all sorts of problems began.

In the midst of this second enlargement, a two-foot long portion of the conduit was damaged. Workers did their best to try and repair the break, but a few days later, sixty feet worth of the conduit collapsed. The damage left close to 300,000 people in Montreal without a proper water supply. Adding insult to injury, the event occurred on Christmas Day — never a good time for catastrophe to strike.

waterfamine_nyt1

New York Times headline from Dec 28th, 1913.

City workers scrambled to repair the break while the people of Montreal had to receive water through water carts or from properties fortunate enough to have access to Cartesian wells. In one instance, Ogilvy’s department store, with a 1,200 foot deep artesian well in its basement, was able to provide water for people in the area. Meanwhile, large factories such as the Angus Shops had to be temporarily closed, while streets were patrolled day and night to react quickly to the first sign of fire.

waterfamine_archives

Buckets of water being handed out from casks during the shortage.

The conduit was eventually repaired four days after its collapse using sections of boiler plate riveted together to form a steel pipe. Wasting no time, the city decided to let water through the length of the conduit as soon as the concrete surrounding the pipe had finished setting.

aqueduc_colapse

1913 newspaper clipping showing the repaired section of the conduit as well as the dry aqueduct to the right of it.

The joints held, and close to a century later the steel pipe can still be found. It’s a great deal rustier, but despite this, it’s holding up well.

aqueduc_steelpipe

The steel pipe section today.

While the conduit repair was successful, the city’s confidence in its water supply was severely shaken. An investigative report submitted to the city’s Board of Commissioners blamed the collapse on both the materials used during construction of the conduit as well as the excavation that had been taking place at the time.

More importantly, the report made several recommendations that would help prevent another such calamity from occurring. Based on the report, an emergency supply pipe running from the Lachine Canal to the pumping engines was soon added as a temporary solution. Ensuring a more reliable back-up supply system wouldn’t come until later.

Yesterday and Today.

It’s not clear at this point when the city stopped using the conduit for its drinking water supply. It likely became obsolete by the time the filtration plant was put into operation during the 1920s. Impure water running the length of the open aqueduct was less of an issue after that. Repositioning of the system’s intake pipes probably also ensured a cleaner supply as well. Also unclear is when (and why) the City officially abandoned its plans to use the aqueduct for purposes of power generation.

Fresh water flowing out from underneath the Des Baillets water treatment plant.

Fresh water flowing out from underneath a syphon tunnel that presumably connects to the Des Baillets water purification plant. A makeshift ladder sits off to the side.

Today the conduit is still in use, both as a sewer for LaSalle and what I’m assuming is an overflow tunnel for the Charles Des Baillets water purification plant. The aforementioned relatively clean water and levels of sand (fare probably attributable to the plant’s filtering system. A walled off section prevents water from the River from entering the conduit directly. Before this, a section of the conduit has been replaced with a junction chamber with one pipe leading towards the discharge tunnel of the plant.

aqueduc_junctionchamber

Junction chamber situated near the Des Baillets water treatment plant. Clean water flows in from the right and raw sewage from the left.

Given that there is currently only one known feasible entry point into the conduit, walking its entire length (and back again) would be a formidable task involving a 16 km round trip. To this date, I’ve walked roughly half its length, but I’m going to have to find other ways in if I’m to see the remaining portions.

Maynard Ferguson at the Pavilion 1954

These are two adds that appeared in the May 10th 1954 Guardian showing Maynard Ferguson, the Verdun musical prodigy, who appeared at the Pavilion in the beginning of the 50s. Maynard died a uear or 2 ago in California I believe. I've been looking for this information for a long time and my thanks to Robin for his help. I heard that he was 15 or 16 when he formed his own band, sounds incredible, does'nt it ? I have added these photos to my Album no. 15 on the Pavillion wich now totals 19 photos so check them out. 

In case you can't read the text below the top photo, here is what it reads:

Opening tomorrow Friday, the Verdun Pavilion this season features Canada's newest and youngest band leader, "Maynard Ferguson", and his orchestra.

Guy

(I like the feature of this site where you can edit your text therefore adding or making corrections)

Saturday, June 13, 2009

LaRonde owners bankrupt ???

Usually the escapism type of companies are generally almost recession proof,as people like to go to shows or amusement parks or movies,when economies slow down,.but according to a story in today's Gazette, the owners of Laronde (Six Flags Entertainment ) are filing for Bankruptcy...........  I'm sure the City of Montreal or a new owner would gladly step up to the plate if they need too, to keep Laronde operating,but parks have been known to disappear,Dominion Park,.then Belmont Park,perhaps now Laronde itself,.......I would imagine  developers would be drooling over the prospect of turning Saint Helen's island into CONDO World,....that is a lot of prime real estate right in the middle of Montreal,perhaps turning it back into a park like setting would be good...................What Say You ???

  here's the copy from the Gazette:

CHICAGO -- Six Flags Inc, the world's largest regional theme park company, said Saturday it filed for bankruptcy protection.

The New York-based company operates amusement parks across the United States, Mexico and Canada, including Montreal's La Ronde.

Six Flags said it filed for Chapter 11 protection with the unanimous support of its lenders' steering committee.

The plan will result in a deleveraging of the company's balance sheet by about $1.8 billion, as well as the elimination of more than $300 million in preferred stock obligations.

"The current management team inherited a $2.4-billion debt load that cannot be sustained, particularly in these challenging financial markets," Mark Shapiro, the chief executive of Six Flags, said in a statement.

"As a result, we are cleaning up the past and positioning the company for future growth."

Shapiro said the action will not affect day-to-day park operations. The bankruptcy filing "paves the way for a full revival of the company," he said.

Six Flags, which offers 800 rides at its 20 parks, had been burdened with a massive debt load and a looming cash payment in August.

Laronde Owners Broke ???

Usually the escapism type of companies are generally almost recession proof,as people like to go to shows or amusement parks or movies,when economies slow down,.but according to a story in today's Gazette, the owners of Laronde (Six Flags Entertainment ) are filing for Bankruptcy...........  I'm sure the City of Montreal or a new owner would gladly step up to the plate if they need too, to keep Laronde operating,but parks have been known to disappear,Dominion Park,.then Belmont Park,perhaps now Laronde itself,.......I would imagine  developers would be drooling over the prospect of turning Saint Helen's island into CONDO World,....that is a lot of prime real estate right in the middle of Montreal,perhaps turning it back into a park like setting would be good...................What Say You ???

  here's the copy from the Gazette:

CHICAGO -- Six Flags Inc, the world's largest regional theme park company, said Saturday it filed for bankruptcy protection.

The New York-based company operates amusement parks across the United States, Mexico and Canada, including Montreal's La Ronde.

Six Flags said it filed for Chapter 11 protection with the unanimous support of its lenders' steering committee.

The plan will result in a deleveraging of the company's balance sheet by about $1.8 billion, as well as the elimination of more than $300 million in preferred stock obligations.

"The current management team inherited a $2.4-billion debt load that cannot be sustained, particularly in these challenging financial markets," Mark Shapiro, the chief executive of Six Flags, said in a statement.

"As a result, we are cleaning up the past and positioning the company for future growth."

Shapiro said the action will not affect day-to-day park operations. The bankruptcy filing "paves the way for a full revival of the company," he said.

Six Flags, which offers 800 rides at its 20 parks, had been burdened with a massive debt load and a looming cash payment in August.

Laronde Owners Broke ???

Usually the escapism type of companies are generally almost recession proof,as people like to go to shows or amusement parks or movies,when economies slow down,.but according to a story in today's Gazette, the owners of Laronde (Six Flags Entertainment ) are filing for Bankruptcy...........  I'm sure the City of Montreal or a new owner would gladly step up to the plate if they need too, to keep Laronde operating,but parks have been known to disappear,Dominion Park,.then Belmont Park,perhaps now Laronde itself,.......I would imagine  developers would be drooling over the prospect of turning Saint Helen's island into CONDO World,....that is a lot of prime real estate right in the middle of Montreal,perhaps turning it back into a park like setting would be good...................What Say You ???

  here's the copy from the Gazette:

CHICAGO -- Six Flags Inc, the world's largest regional theme park company, said Saturday it filed for bankruptcy protection.

The New York-based company operates amusement parks across the United States, Mexico and Canada, including Montreal's La Ronde.

Six Flags said it filed for Chapter 11 protection with the unanimous support of its lenders' steering committee.

The plan will result in a deleveraging of the company's balance sheet by about $1.8 billion, as well as the elimination of more than $300 million in preferred stock obligations.

"The current management team inherited a $2.4-billion debt load that cannot be sustained, particularly in these challenging financial markets," Mark Shapiro, the chief executive of Six Flags, said in a statement.

"As a result, we are cleaning up the past and positioning the company for future growth."

Shapiro said the action will not affect day-to-day park operations. The bankruptcy filing "paves the way for a full revival of the company," he said.

Six Flags, which offers 800 rides at its 20 parks, had been burdened with a massive debt load and a looming cash payment in August.

Friday, June 12, 2009

SUMMER'S HERE...ANY SPECIAL PLANS?

Summer's finally arrived and old and new Verdunites usually make plans to visit summer cottages, take a road trip, go fishing or swimming at a favourite beach, relaxing with friends in backyards having a Barbie (and I don't mean the doll!) and a couple of Molsons'. When we lived in Quebec, we used to like to go to Rawdon, Lake George, and a beach just over the border called Copacabana!  It sure didn't look tropical but we still had fun!  How about we just try to get to know each other a little better by sharing some of the things that are special to you during the lovely summer months ahead!  Here's hoping you all have great summer weather both North and South of the Border... a safe and happy time enjoying the outdoors with your family and friends.   Please Note:  We are heading into winter in this lovely country "DownUnder" (much like your autumn weather).  So we'll be hauling out the jackets and cosy sweaters, snuggling next to the open fire with a glass or two of wine in Margaret River, having old fashion "Casserole Nights" with country friends and playing Scrabble on the rainy days.  Life's what you make it, rain or shine it's worth sharing your experiences with VC friends...Diane 

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Books

It's the birthday of Saul Bellow, (books by this author) born Solomon Bellows in Lachine, Quebec, in 1915, two years after his parents emigrated from Russia. He was born in Canada, but when he was young he was smuggled across the border into Chicago, and so he grew up as an illegal immigrant. His dad was an onion importer and a bootlegger. His mom was religious, and she hoped he would be a rabbi or maybe a concert pianist. But when he was eight years old, he read Uncle Tom's Cabin and he decided he would become a writer. He wrote two novels that didn't sell very well. But then he won a Guggenheim Fellowship and moved to Paris to write. And while he was there, he realized how much he loved Chicago. So he started a new novel whose opening lines are: "I am an American, Chicago born — Chicago, that somber city — and go at things as I have taught myself, free-style, and will make the record in my own way." That was The Adventures of Augie March (1953),which became his first real success and won the National Book Award. He continued writing plays, nonfiction, and more novels, including Henderson the Rain King (1959), Herzog (1964), and Humboldt's Gift (1975).

He said, "In expressing love we belong among the undeveloped countries." And, "You never have to change anything you got up in the middle of the night to write." And, "I discovered that rejections are not altogether a bad thing. They teach a writer to rely on his own judgment and to say in his heart of hearts, 'To hell with you.'"

Willibrord Park

Willibrord park, view from corner of Willibrord and Bannantyne. City Hall on the left background.

Willibrord Park, view from corner of 1st avenue and Bannantyne, City Hall in background.

Centre Communautaire Marcel Giroux across the street form the park at the corner of Willibrord and Bannantyne and was formerly a car dealer.

This vacant lot to the left of the Centre Communautairte Marcel Giroux was possibly where Buz Beurling lived in early 40s. Lovel's directory shows a Beurling family that lived there and was the only Beurling family listed so it is quite feasable. There was also a Beurling family that lived on Church avenue prior to this listing. This would have to be confirmed.

I took these photos on Saurday morning with parents bringing their kids to play. The park was modernized with pavement bricks on the ground and beautifull landscaping, a far cry compared to the early forties when is used to go there with my friends regularly and play in the summer as well as the winter where there was a skating rink wich had a wooden shack with a wood burning stove so typical in those days and where we could warm up and change our skates. Maybe I will find an old photo in the Guardian of this park.

Guy

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

NEW MULTIPLY UPDATES

New updates gives us another thing to learn...does it ever end!  Actually it's all good for the brain and I've spent the last hour playing around with it and it's going to be a definite improvement once the changes become second nature.  Easier to check out posts that you've lost track of and never replied to, so hopefully, members won't feel they've been forgotten if we all use the subscribed function.  My brain's hurting now, so over to you all!...Diane

Bell Building Corner Bannantyne and 2nd ave., 1945 - 2009

The top photo shows the artist's illustration wich appeared in the Guardian issue of October 25th 1945 of the Bell building at the corner of Bannantyne between 1st and 2nd avenue. The lower photo  I took Saturday from a  different angle with view of 1st avenue and if you look closely you will notice the similarity.

Guy  

Sunday, June 7, 2009

Toboggan Slide, The Guardian February 1940

I have discovered these photos of the slide wich appeared in 1940 editions of the Guardian. The photos were taken in two different directions giving us a familiar view of the surroundings, one shows the Auditorium and the other the Verdun General Hospital. Those old Guardians are a gold mine of historical value. The photos are not very clear as I have to take photos with by hand held camera of the Guardian pages but I think they are clear enough to identify the scenes.

Guy

 

Steve B. Gladish, VHS 1967 Yearbook

Steve,

Here is what I found in the 1967 VHS Yearbook. I would also like to mention that B. Fantie in class 1X - E-1 is also a member and hopefully will notice his photo. All you guys and gals look like angels, I hope no one has changed.

Guy

Friday, June 5, 2009

PVM




..A couple of shots of the old PVM: