Westmount Historical Association Lecture Series

WESTMOUNT HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION

Spring Lecture Series 2010

"A Visit to Westmount's Victoria Avenue"

Thursday, February 18, 2010
EVOLUTION OF FIRE STATION #2

The architectural firm of ARCHITEM Wolff Shapiro Kuskowski, based in Westmount, took on the challenge of transforming Westmount Fire Station No. 2 at the corner of Victoria Avenue and The Boulevard into three living units. Over a period of fifteen years, they were involved with three different clients. In developing a concept and design for contemporary condominiums, they emphasize the ability to analyze the strong iconic architecture of the original architecture.

Speaker: Elizabeth Shapiro, architect with ARCHITEM Wolff Shapiro Duskowski

Thursday, March 18, 2010
WESTMOUNT STATION and the CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY

For three-quarters of a century, the foot of Victoria Avenue was a gateway to all of North America. Although the Canadian Pacific Railway's Westmount Station was just a suburban stop on the way out from Windsor Station downtown, trains stopped there whether they were local commuter trains or transcontinental expresses. The adjacent Glen Yard allowed servicing and storing of CP's passenger equipment. Justin Bur will discuss the development of the CP network around Montreal, the different Westmount station buildings, and the changes that led to the station's relocation to Vendôme.

Speaker: Justin Bur, M.Urb (Urban Planning)

Thursday, April 15, 2010
METRO GROCERY STORE ON VICTORIA AVENUE

Victoria Avenue has provided food services at the corner of Victoria Avenue and Sherbrooke Street for Westmount residents who like to walk comfortably or drive and park to do their shopping. The store has been a METRO grocery store since 1992 when it replaced Steinberg supermarket. Before being on the present site, Steinberg had been located on the opposite side of Sherbrooke before Hogg Hardware took over the space. Mr. Fletcher, the manager of Metro store and Steinberg supermarket, will talk about the renovations and his ongoing involvement with improving customers' shopping experience.

Speaker: Speaker: Mr Graham Fletcher, Manager of METRO Inc and Steinberg Supermarket

Thursday, May 20th, 2010
DEVELOPMENT of the VISUAL ARTS CENTRE

The Visual Arts Centre was incorporated in 1971 and opened in its present location at the corner of Victoria and Summerville Avenues in April 1974. Virginia McClure will explain how it developed out of The Potters' Club, which had existed since 1946. Five friends, fascinated with creating ceramics in the basement of a house on Lansdowne Avenue in 1946, moved to Elm Avenue in 1956, then to the first floor of a greystone building at 326Victoria Avenue in 1964 and finally into their present home in 1971. Today the VISUAL ARTS CENTRE has a full time director, Victoria LeBlanc, and over 3,500 students every year.

Speaker: Virginia McClure, potter, painter and author of The Yellow Painting, a memoir

The four lectures will take place in the Westmount Public Library, 4574 Sherbrooke Street West, from 7 to 9 pm. Admission is free for members. Non-Members $5.00 at the door.

Lecture series prepared by Caroline Breslaw and Doreen Lindsay

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