I couldn’t resist reblogging this fabulous article by DJ Gagnon (one of my favourite Montreal bloggers) about the abandoned Canadian Pacific Viger Station, firstly because it’s good, but also because I am a huge rail nerd and because finally, after years of sitting empty and forlorn, it appears that something will soon become of what remains one of the most majestic buildings in Montreal. Blocks of apartments will be constructed behind the building, bringing more life to the Old Montreal neighbourhood, and the new University of Montreal Hospital currently under construction nearby will drive growth in the area and attract visitors. The station itself will probably reopen as some kind of luxury hotel/retail mix. Here is Gagnon’s text: djgagnon: Place Viger Station and Chateau Viger, late 1940s An old map of Montreal will follow … For international readers: Viger is pronounced VEE-zjay. The Canadian Pacific’s first station in Montreal was “Quebec Gate Barracks” - at the corner of Berri and Notre Dame. This was where the first transcontinental train for the west departed. In 1890, the station’s name was changed to Dalhousie Square - after the nearby public square - the land for the latter had been donated by Governor General Dalhousie in 1821. Viger Gardens were named in memory of Denis Viger, whose widow Charlotte- Perrine Cherrier donated the original parcel of land in 1818. Later, a cousin of Montreal’s first mayor Jacques Viger was one of many who donated additional land for the gardens and public square which eventually became Place Viger. A major urban fire in 1852 razed the area and neighbouring wards … The refurbished Viger Gardens were opened in 1860.  ’First Mayor Jacques Viger’ had died in 1858, so Denis Viger was probably forgotten about by this point. Place Viger (Square) was completed and opened in 1867. In August 1898, Chateau Viger (the CPR ‘Loire Valley chateau-style building’ behind) was opened by CPR President Van Horne. It housed railway station facilities on its ground floor. An important element of this location was Place Viger’s proximity to the Victoria Pier - the mooring point for Canadian Pacific steamships … From England, one could travel by ship to Montreal … travel the short distance from Victoria Pier to Place Viger Station, staying over at the hotel if desired … take the CPR train to Vancouver and its harbour-side hotel … and if necessary … take another CPR ship to Asia. With an increase in passenger business in the early 1900 … more ‘gates’ and tracks for passenger trains were added by building the structure in the foreground in 1910 … and the ground floor of the hotel was then used for hotel purposes. Trains would travel ‘away’ to the right from the far side of this building in the foreground. Part Two Here photo and most information from: The Major Squares of Montreal; Marc H Choko; 1990; Meridian Press.

I couldn’t resist reblogging this fabulous article by DJ Gagnon (one of my favourite Montreal bloggers) about the abandoned Canadian Pacific Viger Station, firstly because it’s good, but also because I am a huge rail nerd and because finally, after years of sitting empty and forlorn, it appears that something will soon become of what remains one of the most majestic buildings in Montreal. Blocks of apartments will be constructed behind the building, bringing more life to the Old Montreal neighbourhood, and the new University of Montreal Hospital currently under construction nearby will drive growth in the area and attract visitors. The station itself will probably reopen as some kind of luxury hotel/retail mix. Here is Gagnon’s text:

djgagnon: Place Viger Station and Chateau Viger, late 1940s

An old map of Montreal will follow …

For international readers: Viger is pronounced VEE-zjay.

The Canadian Pacific’s first station in Montreal was “Quebec Gate Barracks” - at the corner of Berri and Notre Dame. This was where the first transcontinental train for the west departed. In 1890, the station’s name was changed to Dalhousie Square - after the nearby public square - the land for the latter had been donated by Governor General Dalhousie in 1821.

Viger Gardens were named in memory of Denis Viger, whose widow Charlotte- Perrine Cherrier donated the original parcel of land in 1818. Later, a cousin of Montreal’s first mayor Jacques Viger was one of many who donated additional land for the gardens and public square which eventually became Place Viger.

A major urban fire in 1852 razed the area and neighbouring wards … The refurbished Viger Gardens were opened in 1860.  ’First Mayor Jacques Viger’ had died in 1858, so Denis Viger was probably forgotten about by this point. Place Viger (Square) was completed and opened in 1867.

In August 1898, Chateau Viger (the CPR ‘Loire Valley chateau-style building’ behind) was opened by CPR President Van Horne. It housed railway station facilities on its ground floor. An important element of this location was Place Viger’s proximity to the Victoria Pier - the mooring point for Canadian Pacific steamships …

From England, one could travel by ship to Montreal … travel the short distance from Victoria Pier to Place Viger Station, staying over at the hotel if desired … take the CPR train to Vancouver and its harbour-side hotel … and if necessary … take another CPR ship to Asia.

With an increase in passenger business in the early 1900 … more ‘gates’ and tracks for passenger trains were added by building the structure in the foreground in 1910 … and the ground floor of the hotel was then used for hotel purposes. Trains would travel ‘away’ to the right from the far side of this building in the foreground.

Part Two Here

photo and most information from: The Major Squares of Montreal; Marc H Choko; 1990; Meridian Press.

djgagnon

Blog comments powered by Disqus

blog comments powered by Disqus