For further details with regards to the benefits associated with our donor circles please click here.

This year we are delighted to be able to offer our donors the chance to win an original limited edition silkscreen print (44/125) by the renowned artist Miyuki Tanobe, entitled C’est mai, voici le mois de mai (Bonheur d’occasion). To be included in the draw, simply send us your donation of $100 or more by May 31st 2012.

To donate online click here. You can also print this form and mail it to us with a cheque addressed to Heritage Montreal. Heritage Montreal is a registered charity and all donations are tax deductible.

Thank you!

Fondation Héritage Montréal
100 Sherbrooke East, Suite 0500
Montréal (QC) H2X 1C3

514-286-2662, extension 23

2012 Theme: World Heritage

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Montreal, April 10th, 2012 – Heritage Montreal has once again brought together partners from many disciplines to present activities for the public celebrating the International day for Monuments and Sites on April 18th.

This year, the International day will highlight the 40th anniversary of the UNESCO World Heritage Convention. In Montreal, this will be an occasion to explore the heritage which, without figuring on UNESCO’s prestigious list, illustrates the history of Montreal as a metropolis open to the world, a site of important international exchanges in commerce, culture, and science.

The 2012 program will allow the public to uncover Montreal’s international heritage with guided tours, lectures and web videos. The list below showcases a selection of the activities being offered this year… great spring outings after a long winter!
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Thursday, April 19 – evening

Self-guided tour and conference at the George Stephen house, by Héritage Montréal in collaboration with the George Stephen House Trust Fund

Designed by architect C.P. Thomas and completed in 1886 for one of the founders of Canadian Pacific, the George Stephen house is a remarkable example of Victorian-era architecture. Its interior décor of imported wood is exceptional, and stands as a witness to the diffusion and the importance of Montreal as a keystone of international commerce. The visit will allow for the appreciation of the house’s architecture and its remarkable state of conservation. Further, a conference by Dinu Bumbaru, Heritage Montreal’s policy director and president of ICOMOS Canada, will highlight the 40 year anniversary of the International Heritage Convention, and how this treaty, ratified by 189 countries, affects Montreal, UNESCO city of design.

Place and time:
George Stephen House, 1440 Drummond Street, Peel Metro
For Heritage Montreal Members (Sold Out): Thursday April 19: open house from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., lecture at 6:30 p.m., in French and English
For all: Friday April 20: open house from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., lecture at 6:30 p.m., in French and English
By reservation only: Heritage Montreal: 514-286-2662, ext. 26
Participation fees: $5 for non-members and $2 for Heritage Montreal members.
www.heritagemontreal.org
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Friday, April 20

Self-guided tour and conference at the George Stephen house, by Héritage Montréal in collaboration with the George Stephen House Trust Fund

Designed by architect C.P. Thomas and completed in 1886 for one of the founders of Canadian Pacific, the George Stephen house is a remarkable example of Victorian-era architecture. Its interior décor of imported wood is exceptional, and stands as a witness to the diffusion and the importance of Montreal as a keystone of international commerce. The visit will allow for the appreciation of the house’s architecture and its remarkable state of conservation. Further, a conference by Dinu Bumbaru, Heritage Montreal’s policy director and president of ICOMOS Canada, will highlight the 40 year anniversary of the International Heritage Convention, and how this treaty, ratified by 189 countries, affects Montreal, UNESCO city of design.

Place and time:
George Stephen House, 1440 Drummond Street, Peel Metro
For all: Friday April 20: open house from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., lecture at 6:30 p.m., in French and English
By reservation only: Heritage Montreal: 514-286-2662, ext. 26
Participation fees: $5 for non-members and $2 for Heritage Montreal members.
www.heritagemontreal.org

Guided tour of the TOHU pavilion

La TOHU is a non-profit organization founded by En Piste (the national association of circus arts), the National Circus School and Cirque du Soleil. Its mission is to secure Montreal’s place as an international circus arts capital, to actively participate in the revitalization of the Saint-Michel Environmental Complex (of the largest urban landfill site in North America) and to contribute to the cultural, social and economic development of the Saint-Michel neighbourhood in Montreal. The TOHU Pavilion is one of the premier circular theatres in Canada, and houses the TERRA CIRCA exhibit, one of the most beautiful collection of circus arts in the world.

Place and time:
Tohu, 2345 Jarry Street East (corner Iberville), Montreal, H1Z 4P3
Friday April 20, at 1 p.m. and at 3 p.m. This activity will be offered in French.
By reservation only: TOHU, 514-374-3522 ext. 4000
Free admission
www.tohu.ca

Guided tour: the City of Montreal’s archaeological collection

The city’s archaeological collection comes from more than 200 sites throughout the municipality and includes almost 3,000 crates of boxed objects and more than 8,000 objects in the reference collection. The collection includes objects from prehistoric and historic sites (4000 BC), areas occupied by First Nations, the French and English regimes, and the industrial period. The objects come from a variety of sites ranging from a prehistoric rock quarry to agricultural, military, commercial, and industrial locations as well as the domestic residences of the faubourgs; but that’s just the beginning!

The emphasis of the guided tour will be on the links that have existed since prehistory between Montreal and the regional, national and international levels, and that make the city what it is today. Montreal will therefore be presented as a space of exchanges of primary materials and objects, as well as people and ideas, as a site of production, import and export of merchandise, and as a truly multicultural city…

Place and time:
Archaeological collections reserve, 333 Peel Street; Bonaventure metro, Peel Exit, south of Notre-Dame
Friday April 20, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. This activity will be offered in French.
By reservation only: Heritage Montreal, 514-286-2662 ext. 26
Free admission
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Saturday, April 21

Guided tour: Building stones of the Golden Square Mile - heritage walking tour, by ICOMOS Canada

An outdoor walk, accompanied by stone restorators, will concentrate on this noble material uses to build and decorate elaborate residences and manors of this wealthy neighborhood, whose name comes from the square mile area that it occupies. Montreal’s grey stone, Tyndall stone from Manitoba, imported stone from Indiana and Ohio, and Scotland’s pink sandstone, arrived like the ballasts of a boat, will all be discussed and appreciated during this guided tour.

Details :
Departure from the angle of Sherbrooke Street and Guy Street (in front of the Bagg house, 1541 Sherbrooke Street West, Guy-Concordia Metro).
SOLD OUT - Saturday, April 21st, from 10:30 to 12:00. This activity is offered in French and English.
Reservations are recommended: (514) 879-1708 extension 253
Free admission. Rain or shine.

Guided tour of the permanent exhibition: «Montreal Love Stories - The Cultural Connection» by Pointe-à-Callière

An accompanying guide will take visitors through the Montreal Love Stories exhibit, which reminds us that, at many different periods throughout our history, people have come from different places, settled in Montreal, and have made the city into the multicultural mosaic that it is today. Montreal Love Stories showcases the experiences and emotions that were lived by those who love Montreal, as well as the different aspects of the city that relate to its wide cultural diversity.

Place and time:
Pointe-à-Callière Museum of Archeology and History350, place Royale; Place d’Armes metro
Saturday April 21, French tour at 1:30 pm and English tour at 3:00 p.m.
By reservation only at 514 872-9150 or info@pacmusee.qc.ca
The tour is included with admission to the Museum. Please meet in the Museum lobby, near the ticket counter.
www.pacmusee.qc.ca

Guided tour: Hidden treasures of St. Helen’s Island: The fortified depot and the military complex by the Stewart Museum
Humbled by the Napoleonic Wars and the American Invasion of 1812-14, the British Empire, anxious to maintain its global supremacy, mandated Lord Lennox (1764-1819) to propose a plan of defence for Upper and Lower Canada. The St. Helen’s Island military complex was part of it. A Royal Artillery gunner will guide you through the fortified depot as well as the rest of the complex (Monument & Quebec Heritage site since 2007).

Place and time:
Departure at the Stewart Museum, 20 chemin du Tour-de-l’Isle; Jean-Drapeau metro
Saturday April 21, guided tour in French at 1 p.m. and in English at 3:30 p.m.
Duration: 2 hours
By reservation only (by April 20, 3 p.m.) at 514 861-6703, ext. 233 or edureservation@stewart-museum.org
Free admission
Rain or shine. Mostly outdoors. In case of rain, visits will still be held. Please bring an umbrella or
raincoat and appropriate footwear.
www.stewart-museum.org 

University Heritage with Universal Values: The case of McGill University, guided tour by ICOMOS Canada
Since their inception, universities have continuously played a role in the production and conservation of diverse forms of heritage, including those with universal impact influencing world views, values and ways of life around the world. This activity underlines the university heritage with international impact with a walking tour of McGill university campus and ending with a lecture on John Humphrey, the author of Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Place and time:
Departure at the corner of Sherbrooke Street West and McGill College
Saturday April 21, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. This activity will be offered in English.
For Information: Heritage Montreal, 514.286.2662, ext. 26
Rain or shine
Free admission

Guided tour of the Montreal Tower and the Olympic Stadium
The Montreal Tower is the highest inclined tower in the world, listed in The Guinness Book of Records at
165 metres high and 45 degree angle.  At its summit, you can see up to 80 kilometres in every direction.

Tours of one of Québec’s most impressive tourist sites are conducted by knowledgeable guides.

Place and time:
4141, avenue Pierre-de Coubertin, Viau Metro
Saturday April 21 and Sunday April 22, visits in French or English
Montreal Tower: Saturday from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Olympic Stadium: visits from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
For information: (514) 252-4737
www.parcolympique.qc.ca
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Sunday, April 22

The portuguese neighborhood: at the heart of the Main, by Friends of Saint-Laurent Boulevard
Friends of Saint-Laurent Boulevard invites you to enjoy a fascinating tour of the Main, historic cradle of the Montréal Portuguese community. Discover the visible and hidden traces of the rich and diversified contribution of this cultural community that planted its roots on the Main some 60 years ago.
After a historic overview of the Portuguese immigration and integration in Québec, the tour explores the Portuguese neighbourhood and multifaceted Luso-Montréal culture on a visit of the area’s popular meeting place and its heritage.

Place and time:
Departure : Northeast corner of boulevard Saint-Laurent and avenue des Pins, Sherbrooke Metro or bus 55 Saint-Laurent
Sunday April 22, from 10 a.m. to 12 a.m. This activity will be offered in French.
Rain or shine
Free admission
Information: Chantal Steegmuller. Phone: 514.286.0334 or email culture@boulevardsaintlaurent.com
http://amisboulevardstlaurent.com/

Heritage vs. Modernity: An International Struggle, by Centre d’histoire de Montréal

Urban renewal has affected many cities around the world since the 1940’s. Large-scale modernization projects turned Montreal into a truly modern city, but at what cost: many old neighbourhoods had to be demolished. Through our Lost Neighbourhoods exhibit, come discover a story that reverberates still, both here and abroad.

Place and Time:
Centre d’histoire de Montréal, 335 Place D’Youville, Square-Victoria Metro
Sunday, April 22, departures at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. This activity will be offered in French
By reservation only at 514-872-3207
The tour is included with admission to the Museum
ville.montréal.qc.ca/chm

Guided tour of the Montreal Tower and the Olympic Stadium
The Montreal Tower is the highest inclined tower in the world, listed in The Guinness Book of Records at
165 metres high and 45 degree angle.  At its summit, you can see up to 80 kilometres in every direction.

Tours of one of Québec’s most impressive tourist sites are conducted by knowledgeable guides.

Place and time:
4141, avenue Pierre-de Coubertin, Viau Metro
Saturday April 21 and Sunday April 22, visits in French or English
Montreal Tower: Saturday from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Olympic Stadium: visits from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
For information: (514) 252-4737
www.parcolympique.qc.ca

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On the Web

Let’s celebrate two heritage sites that bear witness to the international character of Montreal, by the Conseil du patrimoine de Montréal.

The Conseil du patrimoine de Montréal has published video spots that highlight Montreal’s heritage sites that are being honored in conjunction with the International day for Monuments and Sites. After having put the accent on agricultural heritage and the heritage of water, the 2012 edition consists of two spots that present the Saint Helen’s Island heritage site and the Montreal’s most recent heritage site, Dorchester Square and the Place du Canada, which were designated as such in January 2012.

The spots will be available as of April 18, in French.

http://ville.montreal.qc.ca/cpm

Assurances as to measures in place to meticulously dismantle and store some stones from these heritage buildings is of little solace in the absence of any reconstruction project which would grant the public hope for the eventual resurrection of this remarkable greystone ensemble. Instead of a clear and public time line to fill what will become the most recent addition to Montreal’s sad collection of vacant lots and urban wounds, there is an absence of firm, public commitments and obligation from all parties, at the governmental, city and developer levels, as to the realization, public evaluation and construction of an appropriate project which would genuinely fit this heritage area and ensure the long-awaited revitalization of this important emblematic part of Montreal’s main historic commercial artery.

The complete text of the letter as published April 7, 2012 in Le Devoir follows:
Il y a péril en la demeure! Mardi soir, le maire Gérald Tremblay annonçait que la démolition de la remarquable enfilade de bâtiments patrimoniaux près du Monument-National sur le boulevard Saint-Laurent débutera le 9 avril. Sans préciser quel serait le sort des pierres ou des façades qui, numérotées avec soin, échapperaient éventuellement au concasseur, le maire confirmait qu’aucun projet de construction n’était à l’étude pour ce site qui deviendra ainsi un nouveau trou béant dans le tissu urbain montréalais.

Ces bâtiments patrimoniaux que la Ville ordonne de démolir sont entièrement situés dans l’aire de protection du Monument-National, un bien culturel classé et donc sous l’autorité et la protection des lois du Québec et de la ministre québécoise de la Culture, Christine St-Pierre. Les autorités montréalaises ont donc dû demander l’autorisation de démolir à la ministre en invoquant l’urgence au nom de la sécurité du public. La ministre a accordé cette autorisation à l’administration municipale avec certaines exigences administratives, comme la production de plans et devis pour numéroter, déposer et entreposer certaines pierres ou façades patrimoniales, mais sans la moindre exigence quant à leur reconstruction dans un futur projet immobilier.

Élément incontournable

Pourtant, ces bâtiments et ce lieu ne sont pas insignifiants. Grand méridien de Montréal, le boulevard Saint-Laurent est un élément aussi incontournable de l’identité montréalaise que le Vieux-Montréal, le mont Royal ou les quartiers. Malgré sa condition inégale, sa fragmentation administrative et ses importants besoins de vue d’ensemble et de revitalisation, il a su échapper aux visées des constructeurs d’autoroutes surélevées des années 1950 puis aux démolisseurs de toutes sortes. Il y a 30 ans, la Ville de Montréal envisageait même de demander au gouvernement du Québec de le classer «arrondissement historique», une idée que le gouvernement canadien a concrétisée en 1996 en lui attribuant une telle désignation, mais à titre honorifique et sans effet réel de protection.

Entre la rue Viger et l’avenue des Pins, l’ensemble architectural en pierre grise du boulevard Saint-Laurent constitue le legs d’une grande vision de développement de la métropole marquée par une affirmation de la présence francophone à la fin du XIXe siècle. C’est à cette époque qu’on bâtit le Monument-National, édifice exceptionnel réalisé par souscription publique, «un lieu sacré où les beaux-arts se seront unis pour exalter les épisodes sublimes de notre histoire et pour rappeler à ceux qui suivront les traits aimés des défenseurs de nos droits» (Le Monde illustré, 4 octobre 1890) qu’on voyait relié à un opéra rue Saint-Denis.

Le boulevard et le Monument-National présageaient ainsi du Quartier des spectacles actuel, réalisé de nos jours grâce aux investissements massifs d’argent public pour réparer les plaies urbaines et les démolitions des années 1970 et produire des aménagements dont Montréal s’enorgueillit justement aujourd’hui.

Anachronisme inexplicable

Nous sommes maintenant à l’ère du développement durable et de l’Agenda 21 pour la culture, de Montréal ville UNESCO de design et métropole culturelle. 2012 est l’année d’entrée en vigueur de la nouvelle loi québécoise sur le patrimoine culturel, adoptée à l’unanimité de l’Assemblée nationale, et des consultations sur le futur Plan de développement de Montréal où la culture et le patrimoine devront avoir droit de cité.

À plus petite échelle, 2012 est aussi l’année de la revitalisation de bâtiments et de sites patrimoniaux — par exemple, l’édifice longtemps abandonné à l’angle du boulevard Saint-Laurent et de l’avenue des Pins, restauré grâce à la détermination des élus — et de démarches sérieuses et chargées d’espoirs, comme celles menées par les nouveaux propriétaires du silo 5 ou de la maison Lafontaine.

C’est donc dire à quel point, en 2012, la démolition massive et concertée des bâtiments patrimoniaux du boulevard Saint-Laurent est un anachronisme inexplicable et un retour inacceptable à une époque si néfaste au coeur de la métropole. Le fait que cette démolition ait été entièrement orchestrée entre cabinets politiques, fonctionnaires et promoteur en invoquant l’urgence et la sécurité du public, et sans consultation préalable de la population par la Commission des biens culturels du Québec ou le Conseil du patrimoine de Montréal, est aussi un recul démocratique dont on a toutes les raisons de s’inquiéter.

Renverser la vapeur

En leur offrant toute notre collaboration à cette fin, nous demandons donc à la ministre de la Culture et à la Ville de Montréal de renverser la vapeur pour s’engager fermement à maintenir la continuité et le patrimoine du boulevard Saint-Laurent et des abords du Monument-National, et, plus spécifiquement:

-de suspendre l’exécution de tout ordre ou autorisation de démolir les bâtiments ou façades d’intérêt patrimonial sur l’îlot du Monument-National;

-d’exiger la consolidation de ces bâtiments ou façades d’intérêt patrimonial pour assurer la sécurité du public comme cela fut exigé d’autres propriétaires et veiller à la qualité des travaux à cet effet;

-d’établir une servitude notariée pour assurer le maintien des bâtiments ou des façades d’intérêt patrimonial sur cet îlot;

-de mandater la Commission des biens culturels du Québec et le Conseil du patrimoine de Montréal pour qu’ils consultent la population sur les avenues de conservation et de revitalisation de cet ensemble patrimonial.

Phyllis Lambert, Directeur fondateur et président du conseil des fiduciaires du Centre canadien d’architecture et
Dinu Bumbaru, Directeur des politiques chez Héritage Montréal

Our requests for a federal designation, however, did not enjoy the same success. Federal authorities argued that La Fontaine was already sufficiently commemorated through municipal and hospital toponomy, through the provincial classification of the house where Louis-Hippolyte La Fontaine was born, which was relocated within Boucherville, and through a federal commemorative plaque at the Bar Association library, a position that we contest as inadequate commemoration of La Fontaine and the events of 1849 with which the house on Overdale is most certainly associated.

In 2005, Heritage Montreal formally called upon the Canadian government – successor to La Fontaine’s government – to commit to a project to revitalize the site and transform it into one dedicated to the commemoration and interpretation of the historic events that the house bore unique witness to and that are at the origins of Canadian parliamentarianism. To date, the federal government has proven regrettably indifferent.

Heritage Montreal shares the wishes of many, including Projet Montréal, to see some progress in the case of the La Fontaine House, particularly in light of the current more favourable conditions conducive to its revitalisation. Heritage Montreal has had encouraging exchanges with representatives of the new owners, who purchased the house and surrounding land in 2011, and who have demonstrated awareness and sensitivity to the site’s heritage value.

In this context, Heritage Montreal maintains its position urging the intervention of federal authorities to start by classifying and designating the La Fontaine house as a national historic monument. The Foundation also calls upon the participation of provincial and municipal authorities in the revalorisation process of this heritage site, which bears witness to Montreal’s role in the establishment of Canadian democracy.

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Heritage Value:

Inaugurated in 1966, the Montreal Planetarium was designed by the architects David, Barrott, Boulva. Its modern architecture is interesting for its play of volumes, notably for the truncated roof that reveals the presence of the spherical central volume and for the modules which spring from the building’s façade suggesting a structure about to launch itself. Its most notable architectural element is on the inside – its spherical core is unique in Montreal and could provide an exceptional opportunity as a site for, for example, contemporary artistic creation. The Planetarium is adjacent to the former Chaboillez Square, most of which was cut off by access roads to the Ville-Marie autoroute. Consequently, the Dow Planetarium plays a significant role as a backdrop for Peel Street, a key axis linking the mountain and the river.

The Montreal Planetarium was the first public planetarium in Canada. Its creation, as a result of a substantial donation from neighboring Dow Breweries, demonstrates the preoccupation with popular scientific education in Montreal during Expo 67 and the era of space exploration.

The Threat:

The City of Montreal’s plan to relocate the Planetarium to the vicinity of the Botanical Gardens, part of a project to group together all of the city’s scientific museums (Muséums Nature), may be warranted for practical reasons and a legitimate need to modernise the Planetarium, but it would result in the loss of the primary function of the planetarium structure and could serve as a pretext for its demolition. This would deprive Montreal - a city recently given the prestigious title of a UNESCO City of Design - of an exceptional facility, one that could contribute to the cultural revitalization of this part of downtown that borders the commercial centre of the city, the École de Technologie Supérieure and the Cité du Multimédia. The City of Montreal is currently leaning toward this proposal, and is seeking offers that would revitalize the Planetarium in conjunction with the École de Technologie Supérieure.

Heritage Value:

The 9th floor of the former Eaton’s department store and its restaurant constitute a significant and remarkably intact example of Art Deco interior architecture. Its unique design and decoration is evocative of that of the great ocean liners of the era.

In the collective memory of Montrealers, the 9th floor restaurant is remembered as part of the era of the great downtown department stores. Legend has it that this restaurant was modelled after the Île de France ocean liner but the reality is that many architects at the time were inspired by naval structures and forms, creating the Streamlined Moderne style. The French architect who designed the 9th floor restaurant – Jacques Carlu (1890-1976), who also designed the Palais de Chaillot in Paris – was engaged by the Eaton department stores in both Montreal and Toronto and was also active in the United States.

The Threat:

The transformation of the old Eaton’s department store into a shopping mall included the demolition of the kitchen of the 9th Floor Restaurant, although some of the original equipment was salvaged and placed in storage. Currently, this magnificent space has been mothballed by the owner under the watchful eye of Quebec’s Minister of Culture and Communications, who classified the restaurant as a historic site at Heritage Montreal’s request in 2000. However, each passing year means that the memory of the restaurant fades a little more, which could in the medium term threaten the conservation of the site and deprive Montrealers of a very special place.

Heritage Value :

Built between 1880 and 1883 for George Stephen, the founding president of the Canadian Pacific and a magnate of the 19th century Canadian economy, this residence is one of the most impressive and luxurious of the Square Mile. It was designed by the well-known architect William Tutin Thomas in an opulent architectural style inspired by the palaces of the Italian Renaissance. Its interior décor is a definitive marvel, with exquisite carpentry in a variety of rare woods, a grand main staircase, stained glass and exceptional pieces of furniture. It is one the (too) rare 19th century interiors that remains relatively intact today.

The Threat:

The house was classified as a historic monument in 1975, including a surrounding protected zone. However, the 2011 closure of the Mount Stephen Club, which was created in order to ensure the house’s survival, brings with it uncertainty for the future of this exceptional heritage building.

Heritage Value:

The New City Gas Company was built at a time when Montreal was entering a significant phase of its industrialization: the lighting revolution made possible the illumination of streets and buildings through the widespread production and distribution of gas, leading to increased productivity in the workplace. The company was a major participant in this revolution and, through the complex genealogy of gas companies that were later transformed into electric companies, is the ancestor of Hydro-Québec.

Like many industrial heritage ensembles, here and around the world, the New City Gas Company of Montreal complex was built in several stages by a number of different engineers, contractors, and architects. The New City Gas ensemble was built between 1859 and 1861 in accordance with the plans of John Ostell (1813-1862), a leading 19th-century Montreal architect. Ostell was also a board member and then president of the company, after being a shareholder of the Montreal Gas Light Company, founded in1836. Despite the loss of some parts of the building, largely to make way for the elevated tracks of the Canadian National Railway in the 1920’s, the New City Gas complex is largely intact. Its impressive roofs and stone masonry are a strong and evocative presence in the urban landscape, as seen from neighbouring Griffintown or from the train or highway.

The Threat:

As part of a promising project to redevelop the Bonaventure expressway, the Société du Havre (created at the initiative of the City of Montréal), proposes to create a high-traffic bus corridor linking the South Shore to downtown Montreal along Dalhousie – a narrow street that runs alongside the New City Gas Company and now ends at the Canadian National railroad tracks. This proposal would require the building of a long and costly tunnel under the railroad tracks and result in some 1,400 bus trips past the building each day. The building of the tunnel would seriously threaten the integrity and solidity of this heritage building, and the heavy flow of buses would undermine any plans to revitalize the New City Gas Company.

Heritage Value:

Constructed in the 1840s, this house, despite certain modifications, is a rare example of the Neo-Classical greystone mansions built in the St. Antoine ward in that era. Its setback from the surrounding streets is a reminder of its original setting on landscaped grounds.

This house was home to one of our most important 19th century politicians, Louis-Hippolyte LaFontaine, who was the first Prime Minister of the united Canadas following the 1841 Union of Lower Canada and Upper Canada. LaFontaine was a key player in the creation of the country’s democratic institutions. In April 1849, the house was attacked by the rioters who had burned down the Parliament Building on the site of present-day Place d’Youville , to protest the adoption of the Compensation Act for all damages suffered during the 1837-38 Rebellion.

The Threat:

Intervention by Heritage Montreal saved the house from demolition 20 years ago. Although the interior of the house was subsequently refinished, it has sat empty and abandoned for many years. The owner seems uninterested in a use of the house that would be appropriate and that respects its historical and architectural heritage.
Initiatives of Héritage Montréal

News:

March 8, 2012: Acting as Worthy Successors of La Fontaine

In 1987, Heritage Montreal requested that the La Fontaine House be protected against the imminent threat of demolition it faced. In 1988, the City of Montreal accepted our request, citing the La Fontaine House as a “historic monument”, thus preventing its demolition by placing it under the city’s protection and in anticipation of a revitalisation project. Our requests for a federal designation, however, did not enjoy the same success.

In 2005, Heritage Montreal formally called upon the Canadian government – successor to La Fontaine’s government – to commit to a project to revitalize the site and transform it into one dedicated to the commemoration and interpretation of the historic events that the house bore unique witness to and that are at the origins of Canadian parliamentarianism. To date, the federal government has proven regrettably indifferent.

Heritage Montreal shares the wishes of many, including Projet Montréal, to see some progress in the case of the La Fontaine House, particularly in light of the current more favourable conditions conducive to its revitalisation.

In this context, Heritage Montreal maintains its position urging the intervention of federal authorities to start by classifying and designating the La Fontaine house as a national historic monument. The Foundation also calls upon the participation of provincial and municipal authorities in the revalorisation process of this heritage site, which bears witness to Montreal’s role in the establishment of Canadian democracy.

To read the text in its entirety, please click here

Heritage Value:

From 1843 to 1949, the city of Montreal built many municipal public baths. Built throughout many investment campaigns, these baths bear witness to the municipality’s will to improve sanitation and public health in working class neighbourhoods, where many residential buildings did not include bathrooms.

Montreal has conserved many of these baths, considered today to be a heritage ensemble illustrating the social programs and public hygiene movements of the city, offering a portrait of civic architecture, most notably from the Great Depression era of the 1930s. Although a few public baths have been demolished or converted for other uses, most continue to operate as their original design intended.

The Threat:

- The Émard and Schubert baths were threatened with closure for budgetary reasons during tense negotiations between the City of Montreal and its boroughs.
- Other public baths such as the Saint-Michel or Hushion baths were closed by previous municipal administrations and are still in need of a new vocation – either the reestablishment of their original vocation or the introduction of a new use that can draw on the particular character of these heritage buildings and ensure their longevity.