Sunday, December 13, 2009

First Presbytarian Church

Here is an example of the efficient research work being done by Mario Parent, a member of our society (SHGV) and student of the Université de Québec à Montréal who is funded by the university to do research on the history of churches in Verdun. He has come up with many facts about the following church:

First Presbytarian Church, 503, 5th Avenue, Verdun

Built 1926 (Photo)

Later called Church of Christ

Extension added (see photo of (1956)

Building burnt down on the 10th of Aapril 1994 (photo)

Building is now a Bouddhist Tibetan Temple called RIGPE DORJE CENTER

Our society is working closely with Mr Parent and his research work will enrich our archives on the history of Verdun and wich I am sharing with members of MVC..

Guy

(Les, Mario Parent is sure about the address of 503)

 

P.N. With the influx of many immigrants from all over the world, our society is changing rapidly, example the conversion of many churches from catholic and protestant churches  to asian denominations.

11 comments:

Les F said...

edit delete replylesf wrote on Dec 9, edited on Dec 9
I have it as 501 5th avenue,but I guess it's close enough:
Église First Presbyterian Church
Adresse : 501, 5e avenue H4G 2Z2
Municipalité : Verdun
MRC : Montréal (Ville)
Région administrative : région de Montréal (06)
Tradition religieuse
actuelle : Presbytérienne
Construction : 1926
EXTÉRIEUR
Revêtement dominant façade principale : Brique
murs : Brique
toiture : Tôle

Guy Billard said...

Les,
All I can tell you is that Mario says that he is 300% sure that the address is 503 and not 501. He took the recent photo and is sure of his information. Could be that a change of address occured when the extension was built on the lot to the right of the building.
Guy

Les F said...

Hi Guy I wasn't concerned with the address, I was merely pointing out that this is almost the same information,posted last week,in the other thread of the same name just incase anyone missed it..
I didn't know if you had seen it. I am also still trying to identify that car in the photo,so far the only pictures I've been able to find were front or side views,making it a little difficult to pinpoint the exact year & model, The one detail that should help,is that not a lot of cars in those years had exposed trunk hinges,and an almost stairght sloping trunk lid......... as far as the info of the fire at that Church I do remember reading about that too ,probably from when it happend a few years back.
hf&rv

Guy Billard said...

Les,
Mario just e-mailed me the following information:

1- The original building carries no. 503 - 5th ave. and was built in 1926. The building was subsequantly purchased by the Church of Christ of Lachine. The building caught fire on the 10th of April 1994 and only the exterior wall survived and they decided to rebuild. The building was then purchased by the bouddhist community and is named Ripe Dorje Center who are the present owners. Check out their web site:

http://www.kagyu.org/kagyulineage/centers/can/can-mone.php

2- The no. 501 Building was built in 1956 and was purchased by the Verdun Community Church wich is the community that had a building on Gordon st. near Bannatyne and wich was demoloished in year 2000.

A lot of details are coming out of Mario's research and there is more to follow. I realize tha these are many boring details for some members but hopefully may interest other members. Mario tells me that the governement is all confused about these buildings and that he is in the process of straightening them out.

Guy



The new building on the right was built in 1956 and has no. 501 and was purchased by the Verdun Community Chcurch

Guy Billard said...

Les,
Mario has already e-mailed me the french version wich includes other information on the Church of Christ in Quebec at the following:

http://www.montrealchurchofchrist.org/eglise-du-christ-au-quebec

This young Mario scholar is on the ball and will go places as he has visited most if not all othe churches in Verdun, some cooperated some did not but I am sure he will find a way to get the information he needs to complete his research project wich he will share with our society (SHGV).
Guy

pauline garneau said...

Andre and I were talking about the movies at the First Presbyterian Church back then. I think I remember cowboy an Indian movies when they were politically correct.
Growing up Andre lived on 5 th. Avenue and was learning English his English friend Walter Scott who also lived on 5 th Avenue was a member of the First Presbyterian Church so in order for Andre to be allowed in the Church basement to play floor hockey Walter told the Minister that Andre was a French Protestant from Montreal.

Les F said...

glad to hear Mario is going places, cause I've seen him drive & he was Ok but not Super.(like his brother)....hf&rv

ps: that website he sent you is the exact same one ,(just in the french version) you can click on either language when your on the site,..all the same stuff.... HF&RV
I wonder why some churchs didn't respond to his queries?

thomas gerendai said...

I know the kid who set the church on fire and i know where he lives today

Guy Billard said...

Wow, incredible that this should come up so late. I wonder if that person realised the extent of his act of vandalism. Wich brings up the subject of fire prevention equipment these old churches lacked.

Guy

Hambourgeois said...

My father was the Minister of First Presbyterian Church from 1959 to 1962. It had over a thousand members, mostly of Scottish and Northern Irish descent. Funny the comments about movies, because i can recall my father's story that movies were held in Church basements because of a fire in (private) movie theatres: the government's reaction was to ban kids from private movie theatres. So the churches held movie showings in their basements, instead.. where there might have been fewer fire precautions!

Anonymous said...

Amazing history, I was christened in the First Pres, attended bible class and Sunday school. Also belonged to the Boys Brigade.
Allan Johnston
Lived on 5th Ave.