We used to play baseball on the field. I can't forget that place because of a really nasty collision between a shortstop and a left-fielder (who shall remain nameless).
Ah, the 1980 referendum. How fitting there should be a "A Louie / For Rent" sign behind the campaign posters, a direct result of Quebec's political uncertainty causing businesses to either go under or leave the province. Sadly, 30 years later and it's still unchanged.
Hah, ditto for the old 60's skyline of downtown Montreal. Rather sad how little it's changed, apart from a tiny handful of high rise buildings I can count on one hand. Really has been little to no growth in Montreal since the late 70's (when the oh-so-wonderful separatists got into power and started destroying this city and province).
Also interesting that the for circa 1979-80 rent sign is bilingual. These days you'll only find these signs in French, because either the language police or radical French groups will go nuts over the sight of English anywhere in the city. Gotta love Montreal...
To Anonymous: The 1901 picture is of the upper reservoir, much further up the mountain above the Allan Memorial, and reachable by climbing to the top of the steps at the head of Peel St. I think it was covered over in World War I, presumably along with the main reservoir between McTavish and the McGill Campus, on Doc. Penfield, formerly MacGregor, before that, Carlton Road. Fear of sabotage via cyanide was the cause of the covering. Only in the past thirty years or so was the lower reservoir opened to the public and stripped of the ventilation pipes that dotted the entire surface.
The upper reservoir must have been abandoned since it is now well covered by trees. Can't miss it as you go along the carriage road ... suddenly there's a wide, flat section on the cliff side of the road, just as in the 1901 picture. There are contemporary "moonlight" pictures of the same spot where they doctored the negatives to make it appear they were taken at night.
Haroldro, it's too bad that after the fire in that house back in the 80s they never restored the witch's hat on top of the corner turret. And as a Commerce bank all those years the entry steps were closed in to give a ground-level entrance on Sherbrooke.
Mitch, have you been to Montreal in the past 30 years? The unemployment is at a lowest level ever, real estate has boomed, many areas got cleaned up and gentrified. You must look very hard to see any linguistic frictions among the communities. Ever heard of bill 178? There's English signs all over Montreal and it is allowed as long as French is there as well. Sorry for bursting your 1980's bubble
Sorry, you are wrong. I volunteered at the bicycle grand prix this weekend selling lance armstrong bracelets to raise money for charity and on numerous occasions if I said 'hi' before 'bonjour' people would actually swear and tell me off; this also happened to other people working. There definitely is still friction.
Hopefully, Brother Wine, the people who swore at you will be the first to get testicular cancer and die a slow, painful death. My prayers will be working extra hard to bring that occasion about.
David, we're also sorry that the witch's hat was not restored after the fire. We're grateful that the entire structure was not destroyed by the fire. The building is now a tattoo parlour, different from the Lloyd's Bank it once was. My late mother-in-law remembered sledding down Cote-des-Neiges to the house to visit her grandmother from her house on St. Sulpice.
Love to get comments! Please, please, please speak your mind ! Links welcome - please google "how to embed a link" it'll make your comment much more fun and clickable.
the reservoir looks so strange
ReplyDeleteReservoir in 1901:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.flickr.com/photos/library_of_congress/3663141544/
Neat reservoir site:
http://uem.minimanga.com/mcgill/reservoir/
We used to play baseball on the field. I can't forget that place because of a really nasty collision between a shortstop and a left-fielder (who shall remain nameless).
- Paul
Ah, the 1980 referendum. How fitting there should be a "A Louie / For Rent" sign behind the campaign posters, a direct result of Quebec's political uncertainty causing businesses to either go under or leave the province. Sadly, 30 years later and it's still unchanged.
ReplyDeleteHah, ditto for the old 60's skyline of downtown Montreal. Rather sad how little it's changed, apart from a tiny handful of high rise buildings I can count on one hand. Really has been little to no growth in Montreal since the late 70's (when the oh-so-wonderful separatists got into power and started destroying this city and province).
Also interesting that the for circa 1979-80 rent sign is bilingual. These days you'll only find these signs in French, because either the language police or radical French groups will go nuts over the sight of English anywhere in the city. Gotta love Montreal...
To Anonymous: The 1901 picture is of the upper reservoir, much further up the mountain above the Allan Memorial, and reachable by climbing to the top of the steps at the head of Peel St. I think it was covered over in World War I, presumably along with the main reservoir between McTavish and the McGill Campus, on Doc. Penfield, formerly MacGregor, before that, Carlton Road. Fear of sabotage via cyanide was the cause of the covering. Only in the past thirty years or so was the lower reservoir opened to the public and stripped of the ventilation pipes that dotted the entire surface.
ReplyDeleteThe upper reservoir must have been abandoned since it is now well covered by trees. Can't miss it as you go along the carriage road ... suddenly there's a wide, flat section on the cliff side of the road, just as in the 1901 picture. There are contemporary "moonlight" pictures of the same spot where they doctored the negatives to make it appear they were taken at night.
Thanks, Kristian, for the pic of my wife's Great-grandfather's house, adorned with "Non" signs. We've never seen this picture.
ReplyDeleteHaroldro, it's too bad that after the fire in that house back in the 80s they never restored the witch's hat on top of the corner turret. And as a Commerce bank all those years the entry steps were closed in to give a ground-level entrance on Sherbrooke.
ReplyDeleteMitch, have you been to Montreal in the past 30 years? The unemployment is at a lowest level ever, real estate has boomed, many areas got cleaned up and gentrified. You must look very hard to see any linguistic frictions among the communities. Ever heard of bill 178? There's English signs all over Montreal and it is allowed as long as French is there as well. Sorry for bursting your 1980's bubble
ReplyDeleteChuck
ReplyDeleteSorry, you are wrong. I volunteered at the bicycle grand prix this weekend selling lance armstrong bracelets to raise money for charity and on numerous occasions if I said 'hi' before 'bonjour' people would actually swear and tell me off; this also happened to other people working. There definitely is still friction.
Thanks, David.
ReplyDeleteI'll be back in Montreal later this month. Has Coolopolis ever done a meetup for readers?
Maybe Chimples could put down the banana and organize something.
- Paul, Calgary
Hopefully, Brother Wine, the people who swore at you will be the first to get testicular cancer and die a slow, painful death. My prayers will be working extra hard to bring that occasion about.
ReplyDeleteDavid, we're also sorry that the witch's hat was not restored after the fire. We're grateful that the entire structure was not destroyed by the fire. The building is now a tattoo parlour, different from the Lloyd's Bank it once was. My late mother-in-law remembered sledding down Cote-des-Neiges to the house to visit her grandmother from her house on St. Sulpice.
ReplyDeleteHere's a pretty good article about an old field where children's played on one of those four corners of Guy and Sherb.
ReplyDeletehttp://coolopolis.blogspot.com/2007/12/more-urban-nostalgia-haw-field-at-guy.html