I found this add in the DIAMOND JUBILEE 1876 - 1936 publication in our archives (SHGV) yesterday. Of course the building was demolished years ago but I have distinct recollection of this building having frequented it in the early 40s. Me and my friends would use the pool (naked) and shoot pool. I also recall the dances complete with orchestra and singer, don't forget this was the big band era. I don't think there are many members who would recall this building unless they are in my age group. Perhaps someone call tell me the year it was demolished. I think it was Les who published photos of the inside of the building a while back, if so, Les could you repost them, this time I will enter them in my computer. More pictures to come from same publication.
Guy
Guy
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Here is another photo from the same publication (Diamond Jubilee 1876 - 1936). I wonder how many are still with us today. Maybe some members are shown. That is no doubt the Old Model school then École Jean Jacques Olier shown on enclosed photo. Guy ARCHIVES SHGV
as requested: ...........Have Fun & Remember Verdun..........
Guy the 'new' French School that was built on the property where the old YMCA was, incorporated the pool into their building ,and they were open to the Y to teach swimming, I went there for swimming lessons which were offered by the Red Cross I believe, and we would get a badge for our swimsuits for each level attained: which of course were displayed proudly after Mom sewed them on the bathing suit....so I would guess the new building with the old pool in it was built around 1960? ( I'm just guessing ,but I would imagine it may have a year carved into the corner stone, as they were apt to do,in those days. Maybe if you are visiting Verdun ,you might have a quick look and see, or maybe someone in there would know something of the schools history? Just a thought..................... HF&RV
Guy, I remember the Gordon "Y" well. I learned to swim there and also went to the dances in the mid 50's. I still have a newspaper clipping of one of my brothers and a couple of other kids getting swimming awards from the swim instructor. The clipping was probably from the Messenger. Maureen
Hi Maureen , that would be neat to see,.can you scan it & post it? Those old newspaper clippings from the Guardian or the Messenger are real VerdunHistory, I have a clipping here somewhere that shows on the top of the paper ,'serving Cote St Paul,Ville Emard & I think it may have said the Point as well,....perahps that's the areas that they distributed to.? HF&RV
Hi Les, sure I can do that. I remember there was a totem pole on the Y grounds. We lived in Cote St. Paul and I don't think we got the Messenger. The only neighbourhood paper I remember was, I think, Voix Populaire. My grandfather lived on Rielle with my aunt, uncle and cousins and he clipped anything about his grandkids.We used to walk from our place across the Church Ave. bridge to their place between Verdun and Wellington. My mother and her sister used to trade furniture from time to time. Neither family had a car so bureaus, chairs etc. made the trip on a coaster. The good old days!
Les, Thanks for the inside photos of the old YMCA. I will take a photo of the present building on my next visit to Verdun. Guy
I took the following photos yesterday while in Verdun of the area where the YMCA was situated at 1000 Gordon street. As you can see, there is a new residential building going up at the left and on the right the large building where the FLORALIE VERDUN is now situated. I recall that there was a playground at the right of the WMCA where we played baseball in the summer and there was a rink in the winter where we played hockey or just skated. There may have been a wood heated shack to warm up if my memory serves me right or am I confusing this with the Willibrord rink. The street was a dead end, just a fence to stop us from going to the aqueduct to fish or throw rocks in the water. Champlain boulevard did not exhist at that time. In the spring there was a flooded pond where we would float a home made raft to play on and come home all wet. Wonderfull memories of life in Verdun in the 40s. Guy
The street looks great ,with the trees and it looks greener than I Remembered but that Verdun Floralies,.is definetly the same building that was once a French High School,.......... Thanks for taking those pictures Guy.... nice to have a quick visit to Verdun..... have fun & remember Verdun
Here are 2 more photos from our SHGV archives of the YMCA pool. Anyone you recognise ? Photos date probably from the 50s or 60s. Guy
HI. Guy. The gentleman in the suit is that not the mayor Geo. O'Rielly(spl). In the early 50's I was in a swimming competition in that pool. Where the girl is standing there was a microphone on a stand as I was getting out of the pool my wet hand touched the base of the stand I was thrown back into the water. I can still feel it. Ron.
I remember my childhood days at the Y. Swimming millions of laps in that pool. I went from Bannantyne school to the Y to swim daily and on the weekends we'd have craft classes, play ping pong, or sneak into one of the two adults lounges to listen to the radio. This radio had shortwave and other strange bands besides the am stations.
Btw on boy's day, all the boys swam naked for sanitary reasons -- the management said a suit would cover a cut and we were not allowed to swim with a cut. Totally innocent we had a ball anyway.
Maureen from time to time I watched an artist carving that totem pole before it was actually erected. What year was that I wonder. In the 50s anyway.
Good thread.
Bill
Just a guess could that be 1951. I remember that being carved also. It was laying on the floor in the Gym. Ron.
Couldn't find the 'Totem' that your talking about ,.( Yet, anyway).but came across these photo's showing Carvings done at the 'Y' and also another shot of a crafts table with model airplanes it looks like........ .I can't get the other shot to load ,so you will have to take my word that there was also a table of model airplanes,.all looked like they were made form wood......Looks like they had some stuff to keep the kids busy,............. HF&RV
I also participated at one of these contests where you would expose a craft and perhaps win a prize or medal. Since I was learning drafting at the time, app. 1945, I entered a drawing of some kind of gearing system and won first prize. I have to confess that I was the only one in my category so I won by default. Another one of those useless bits of information that is clogging my mind. Guy
Les, I haven't been able to come up with that newspaper clipping yet. I'm thinking I must have sent it to my brother. I'll check with him and may still be able to get it. Maureen
That's great Maureen,.we'll look forward to seeing later,..........any Verdun stuff is always neat to see.............. hf&rv
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