Yes we have some correct replies, it is indeed construction involved in the building of Central Station, bonus pix of that below.
LAST HEAVY STEEL ON BRIDGE PLACED The new Dorchester street bridge over the Canadian National terminal site is nearing completion, giving promise that traffic, interrupted all summer, will be resumed soon. The photograph shows the new structure as the last heavy steel work had been put into place. In the background are shown the Bell Telephone building and the Architects building. It is believed that traffic will be using the bridge early in October and that the city will have the street approaches on both sides ready at that time. (dated on back of pic 1930)
LAST HEAVY STEEL ON BRIDGE PLACED The new Dorchester street bridge over the Canadian National terminal site is nearing completion, giving promise that traffic, interrupted all summer, will be resumed soon. The photograph shows the new structure as the last heavy steel work had been put into place. In the background are shown the Bell Telephone building and the Architects building. It is believed that traffic will be using the bridge early in October and that the city will have the street approaches on both sides ready at that time. (dated on back of pic 1930)
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Looks like the Dorchester St. bridge over the big rail pit. Nowadays PVM would be just out of the frame at left, and the Queen Elizabeth on the right. You can see the (since demolished) Architect's Building at left.
ReplyDeleteLooking East on Dorchester at approximately Rue Mansfield at the new bridge over the CNR tracks North from Central Station and 'Grotto' where they entered the Mount Royal Tunnel.
ReplyDeleteThe large structure to the right in the distance is the Bell Telephone Company of Canada building at 1050 Beaver Hall Hill.
Poles on the sides of the bridge abuilding are for cross cables to support the trolley wires for streetcars.
Dorchester in this area was completely rebuilt in 1955 by Charles Duranceau Ltee.
PVM would now be to the left.
Thank You.
Here are some early Central Station pictures:
ReplyDeletehttp://maison.emdx.org/GareCentrale
The Notman Archives at the McCord Museum web site has a few more pictures of this structure under construction:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.mccord-museum.qc.ca/scripts/search_results.php?Lang=1&keywords=dorchester+bridge+montreal
I should point out that those pictures (and the first one you posted) are all from the 1930s, whereas the second one you posted is from the 1940s. Central Station wasn't completed until 1943.
The present-day concrete structure that replaced the bridge now provides vehicular access to the Queen E from Cathcart and McGill College. It's a fun place to ride your Bixi bike around on a hot summer day.
de la Gauchetiere between Mansfield and University is also a bridge of sorts, as evidenced by the expansion joints visible at each end.
Judging by all those beautiful classics, this photo was taken in the early forties.
ReplyDeleteExcellent post and comments links, thanks everyone. At first I thought the place de canada downtown overpass/terrace, but the angle wasn't quite right for that. I had noticed expansion joints on Rene Levesque and sorta had a wtf moment, but now I am clear on all the details.
ReplyDeletethe emdx photos are an excellent tour of the past "big hole: that was downtown and eventually Place Ville Marie covered the big hole with a real star of montreal buildings.
Some glorious photos of the construction of the Bell Telephone building on Beaver Hall Hill:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.mccord-museum.qc.ca/scripts/search_results.php?Lang=1&keywords=bell+telephone+construction
I've seen a few shots of the Architects Building too, but I'll post them another time.