Lets not forget the Park Theatre wich was considered the most beautifull park in the commonwealth when it was built in 1916 and wich was destroyed by fire in 1976. There is a "garderie" for pre-school children now. For those who are unaware, the theatre was situated on Church (de l'Église) street near Claude street. Check out my Album no 10 in my photo section for photos of the other 3 theatres that exhisted in Verdun, Savoy, Palace and Fifth ave. theatres. This information is also kept in our archives at the Société d'Histoire et de Généalogie de Verdun. Guy
12 comments:
I used to wonder where the name came from but I guess it was a descendant of "Queen's Park"?
Ken M
Ken,
The Park Theatre wa situated on Church (De L'Église). The Queen's Park was a land development situated between, Church, Bannantyne, Rielle and LaSalle Boulevard and owned partially by U.H. Dndurand who was an influential Verdunite at the end of the 1800s and beginning of the 20th Century. There is a possibility that the name of the theatre had a connection with Queen's Park and it is interesting that you should bring it up.
Guy
Well, it has really been your research that has inspired me, Guy. I am also quite fascinated with The Duel that was fought in Verdun in 1838 apparently at a horse track which was the early days of Queen's Park.
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=C5gkAAAAIBAJ&sjid=PqEFAAAAIBAJ&pg=977,5576409&dq=duel+in+verdun&hl=en
Ken M
That Gazette Google page is an astonishing archive. I can't recall if anyone ever posted about it here though.
Ken M
Ken,
The body of Major Henry John Warde was brought ot the former historical Verdun City Hall where the town of Verdun was founded in 1876 and wich was demolished in 1954. The following is a photo of the building. I am aware of this story and an interesting note is that the dual was the last one to happen in Canada and was situated at the corner of Church and LaSalle Boulevard and was replaced by a garage and car wash. Check out my Albums no. 29 and 31 for more photos of that area. The building was called Le Pavillon.
Guy
I think there was a bowling alley nextdoor to the park theater
That is correct, the bowling alley is near Verdun avenue.
Guy
Saint Willibrord's Grade school had bowling teams that used to play in that bowling alley,I cannot remember the bowling alley's name,but I do think it was above Houle's Plumbing or Houle's Electric on the bottom floor of the same building that housed the alley's, Wasn't there 4 or 5 floors with alley's on each floor. also one of the floors had a pool table.
The neatest bowling alley in Verdun,when I was a kid was that one on Wellington between Church Av & Hickson,it had two floors of the old style wooden surroundings & 'pin boys' whose job it was to set the pins,after each person shot. This place too,had pool tables,which I think caught our interest more as young kids ,soon to be teens...... Cheers HF&RV
Here are 3 photos I took on the 24th of February 2007 of the Bowling Alley on Church st. near Verdun ave. I left Verdun in the late 50s and it was not there so it must have been built after the 60s. The Park theatre burnt down in 1976.
Guy
Yup , that's the building I Remember & it was quite new, even the look of white brick facade seems to be the same & still gives it a somewhat Modern look(compared to most of the red or brown brick look,that dominates most of Verdun)...I wonder what ever happened to Houle's (either Plumbing or Electric) it was in the ground floor store behind that glass front....? Thanks Guy HF&RV
This is where the Park theatre was situated wich is now a child daycare. This building is a couple of buildings to the right of the bowling alley, On the middle picture of the bowling alley, you can see Verdun ave. and the corner building in the background used to be the Verdun Public library. I think it is a restaurant now, not sure. The NW corner lot was vacant for many years as I am told that it used to be a carpet store wich burnt down. Last time I went by that corner, there was a building finally going up as the lot was empty for many years.
Guy
I remember many great times at the movies...the Savoy, Fifth Ave, but I just don't recall the Park Theatre. Maybe when I stroll around Verdun in a couple of weeks time, my memory will "spark" again!
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