(above photo looking north-east, from Place du Canada – February 11 2023) © WalkMontreal
“Dorchester Square and Place du Canada area” is the second of a series of micro-walks thru the downtown core of Montréal. These micro-walks will typically be about 2KM and take 30 to 40 minutes, depending how fast you walk. If you work downtown, or you attend a college or university downtown or you are a tourist staying at a hotel downtown….these walks are for you ! They are designed so that you can get out and stretch your legs, see some interesting sites and appreciate the history these streets have to offer.
“Dorchester Square and Place du Canada area” walk starts at the corner of Peel and Sainte-Catherine streets, thru Dorchester Square onto the central core of downtown Montreal and will loop back thru Place du Canada and end at the corner of Metcalfe and Sainte-Catherine streets. Dorchester Square and Place du Canada were previously together known as Dominion Square. We will reflect on history, see some magnificent architecture and walk these fabulous streets.
Emphasis is placed on the massive construction in a ten year period from late 1950’s to late 1960’s: The Queen Elizabeth Hotel (1958), Place Ville Marie (1962), CIBC Tower (1962), Terminal Tower (1966), Château Champlain (1966), Place du Canada (1967), Central Station (rebuilt 1967), Place Bonaventure (1967).
C & D did this walk on Saturday February 11, 2023. Temperature was -5C (23F), with a wind chill of -12C (10F) and it was a sunny day. The walk itself is not long, a total of 2.6 KM (1.6 miles). The terrain is mostly flat, some downhill and uphill, but not steep. There are also some stairs at Bell Centre to climb. Please follow along the below map.
- Dorchester Square
- Sun Life
- Place Ville Marie
- Queen Elizabeth Hotel
- Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral
- Central Station
- Place Bonaventure
- The Former Gazette Building
- Chateau Champlain
- Place du Canada
- Bell Centre
- Windsor Station
- St. George’s Church
We start this walk at the corner of Peel and Sainte-Catherine streets, the cross roads of Montreal, said to be the very centre of downtown Montreal.
Looking at the south-west corner of Peel and Sainte-Catherine streets.
Peel Street looking south, and Sainte-Catherine Street looking west.
Corner of Peel and Sainte-Catherine streets in 1940’s (credit Library and Archives Canada).
Corner of Peel and Sainte-Catherine streets in 1978 (credit Tom Gibson – Concordia University Archives).
Peel Street.
A fixture on Peel Street for decades was Metropolitan News (credit Archives Montreal 1966).
Peel Street.
Sun Life Building on east side Dorchester Square, built in three stages of construction between 1913 and 1931.
The annex of the historic Windsor Hotel (opened in 1878) still stands today at Peel and Cypress streets.
Sun Life Building seen from across Dorchester Square. Robert Burns statue is seen on left and Boer War Memorial in centre.
The Boer War Memorial.
The Boer War Memorial.
Looking south thru Dorchester Square.
The CIBC Tower, completed in 1962, it has 45 floors.
The CIBC Tower is at the south-west corner of Dorchester Square, occupying the spot where the Windsor Hotel stood.
The CIBC Tower being erected in 1961 (credit BANQ/La Presse Paul Henri Talbot).
Looking south thru Dorchester Square.
The Boer War Memorial.
The Lion of Belfort, sculpted in 1897.
Sun Life Building.
South end of Dorchester Square.
The Lion of Belfort.
The Lion of Belfort.
At the south end of Dorchester Square, if you look to the south-east corner of René-Lévesque Boulevard and Rue de la Cathédrale, is Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral (Cathédrale Marie-Reine-du-Monde et St-Jacques-le-Majeur), built between 1875 and 1894.
Looking across René-Lévesque Boulevard to Place du Canada, a large urban square that prior to 1967, with both Dorchester Square and Place du Canada combined was Dominion Square.
Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral.
Looking from Place du Canada towards Sun Life Building.
Rue de la Cathédrale, with Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral.
Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral.
Looking back at the CIBC Tower from Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral.
Sun Life Building from Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral.
Corner of Mansfield Street and René-Lévesque Boulevard, with the Queen Elizabeth Hotel on right.
Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral.
Queen Elizabeth Hotel, built 1958.
Place Ville Marie, built between 1958 and 1962, has 47 floors.
The Montreal Star, May 22, 1964 advertisement for “Altitude 737” restaurant-lounge at the top of Place Ville Marie.
Two couples dining with cocktails in “Altitude 737” restaurant-lounge in 1966 (credit Archives de la Ville de Montreal).
Queen Elizabeth Hotel. To the left of it is the Terminal Tower, built in 1966.
Below is a splendid sketch of the Queen Elizabeth Hotel (The Montreal Star, April 12, 1958).
Marius Plamondon was a “maitre-verrier” (master glass worker) who created a 60 foot stained glass window for the Queen Elizabeth Hotel.
The below newspaper article outlines this (The Montreal Star and Herald, February 8, 1958).
And the 60 foot stained glass window shows in below postcard in the hotel’s “Les Voyageurs Cocktail Lounge” (postcard 1960’s).
The promenade of Place Ville Marie.
A giant ring was installed in 2022 on the plaza.
The Terminal Area Plaza, as it was named outlined in an artist’s sketch published in October 11, 1956.
Queen Elizabeth Hotel.
René-Lévesque Boulevard – looking east.
René-Lévesque Boulevard – looking west. The Terminal Tower is on the left.
It was advertising itself as the “International Centre of the World” (The Gazette, November 25, 1966).
Place Ville Marie.
René-Lévesque Boulevard – looking west.
René-Lévesque Boulevard – looking west.
Place Ville Marie.
Queen Elizabeth Hotel.
Looking west down Belmont Street from corner of Robert-Bourassa Boulevard (formerly know as University Street). You can see the dome of the cathedral in background.
The smaller brown brick building in the middle is Central Station which is below this whole area (originally built in 1943 but rebuilt under this complex in 1967). Access is via any of these buildings or via main entrance on De la Gauchetière Ouest. There is some striking Art Deco on exterior and interior of Central Station.
Some Art Deco on exterior of Central Station.
Some Art Deco on exterior of Central Station.
Some Art Deco on interior of Central Station.
Some Art Deco on interior of Central Station.
Walk south on Robert Bourassa Boulevard to corner of De la Gauchetière. The massive Place Bonaventure is here.
The Gazette June 14, 1965.
Place Bonaventure (built 1964-1967).
Place Bonaventure.
Walking along De la Gauchetière Street,
Corner of De la Gauchetière and Mansfield streets.
Walking along De la Gauchetière Street.
Place du Canada (built 1964-1967) and Château Champlain (built 1966-1967).
1000 de la Gauchetière Building.
Place du Canada and Château Champlain.
Artist rendition of Château Champlain (Montreal 65 Magazine, January 1965).
Postcard image showing the hip lounge and restaurant, “L’Escapade” on the 36th floor of the Château Champlain.
Walking south to Saint-Antoine-Street, is the former Montreal Gazette building (built 1924-1925)
Corner of Saint-Antoine and Peel streets is the Windsor Station (built 1888),
Windsor Station.
Looking north on Peel Street,
At the north-east corner of Saint-Antoine and Peel is Place du Canada building and Château Champlain.
Windsor Station.
Walking west on Saint-Antoine, with Tour des Canadiens in distance.
Tour des Canadiens.
We come to the Bell Centre now, and we will walk these stairs beside it to Avenue des Canadiens de Montreal.
Taking stairs beside Bell Centre.
At Le Cour Rio Tinto promenade.
In honour of Howie Morenz.
In honour of Maurice “The Rocket” Richard.
In honour of Jean Béliveau.
In honour of Guy Lafleur.
The Bell Centre, with huge development of towering glass surrounding it.
Windsor Station.
Windsor Station.
Windsor Station on Avenue des Canadiens de Montreal.
Windsor Station.
St. George’s Anglican Church (built 1869-1870).
St. George’s Anglican Church.
St. George’s Anglican Church.
St. George’s Anglican Church.
Corner of Peel Street and Avenue des Canadiens de Montreal.
As you cross over Peel Street, you come to Place du Canada Square.
Place du Canada Square and Dorchester Square combined, used to be Dominion Square, pre-1967.
It is surrounded by these magnificent buildings we just highlighted.
As you walk thru Place du Canada Square, you get this incredible view.
Sun Life Building.
Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral.
The CIBC Tower.
Exiting the north part of Place du Canada Square on René-Lévesque Boulevard and crossing over to Dorchester Square.
Back in Dorchester Square, we see the Boer Monument once again.
Metcalf Avenue.
Continue north on Metcalf Avenue.
The rear of the Dominion Square Building, built in 1929.
Metcalf Avenue as we approach Sainte-Catherine Street.
Intersection of Sainte-Catherine and Metcalf streets.
As we were finishing our walk, we had heard about an old fashioned confectionary that existed back in the 1920’s called “Venus Sweets”.
The address scheme was different back then. But, that looks like a scrumptious place indeed!
Looks like the building still exists but with a different tenant on the left.
Intersection of Sainte-Catherine and Metcalf streets.
And on Sainte-Catherine Street between Metcalf and Peel streets is the Dominion Square building, reminding us of the original name of Dorchester Square and Place du Canada.
We hope you enjoyed the walk, with the photos and just a touch of the history in this area. When we add old images of places, whether it is a photo or a newspaper add or a postcard, it is to gain insight into the era and to remember it.
WalkMontreal is an initiative by C & D to get people out to walk, learn and enjoy the city. This is the second of our micro-walks that we are putting together. There will be more, all covering the downtown core.