(above photo looking south on Crescent Street – April 15, 2023) © WalkMontreal
“From Stanley Street to Mackay Street” is the third 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.
“From Stanley Street to Mackay Street” walk starts at the corner of Stanley Street and René-Lévesque Boulevard West and will take us westward thru the downtown core going up and down Stanley, Drummond, Rue de la Montagne, Crescent, Bishop and Mackay streets. As we walk we will intersect with René-Lévesque Boulevard, Saint-Catherine Street and De Maisonneuve Boulevard. We are focusing on this area and walking these streets only because this is a key area of downtown Montréal for shopping, business and nightlife. As well as the number of people who have taken up residence in this area, Concordia University has a presence here with an enrollment of over 45,000 students. We will see the glass and steel skyscrapers along René-Lévesque and De Maisonneuve boulevards, the Victorian buildings along all these streets that still survive, the restaurants and bars that make Montréal vibrant and the retail shops that line Saint-Catherine Street for blocks. All of this contributes to this city being truly cosmopolitan.
C & D did this walk on Saturday April 15, 2023. Temperature was 23C (73F) and it was a sunny day. The walk itself is not long, a total of 3 KM (1.9 miles). The terrain is flat. Please follow along the below map.
Starting point: Stanley Street and René-Lévesque Boulevard West
Walking north on Stanley Street.
Stanley Street intersects with Saint-Catherine Street.
Stanley Apartments, built in 1897. (1433 Stanley Street)
Stanley Street intersects with De Maisonneuve Boulevard.
Intersection of Drummond Street and De Maisonneuve Boulevard.
Walk south on Drummond Street.
The George Stephen House, built between 1880-1883. It is a designated National Historic Site and said to be the best example of Rennaissance Revival architecture in Canada. (1440 Drummond Street)
The Drummond Medical Building, built 1929 in Art Deco style. (1414 Drummond Street)
YMCA building (built 1954-1957). 1435 Drummond Street
Drummond Street intersects with Saint-Catherine Street,
Fire Station No.25, (built 1913). 1212 Drummond Street
Drummond Street intersects with René-Lévesque Boulevard West.
René-Lévesque Boulevard West.
Walk north on rue de la Montagne.
O’Sullivan College, (building was built in 1936). 1191 de la Montagne.
Beautiful Victorian greystone.
Académie Bourget (built in 1914). 1230 de la Montagne.
Rue de la Montagne intersects with Saint-Catherine Street.
Saint-Catherine Street.
Walking north on rue de la Montagne.
Mural in parking garage by Ola Volo.
Intersection of Rue de la Montagne and De Maisonneuve Boulevard.
Corner of Crescent Street and De Maisonneuve Boulevard.
Walking south on Crescent Street, with the immense 21 story Leonard Cohen mural by Gene Pendon and El Mac.
Ruelle Nick-Auf Der Maur, on the east side of Crescent Street, named after the respected journalist and “boulevardier” of Montreal, Nick Auf Der Maur.
Intersection of Crescent and Saint-Catherine streets.
Saint-Catherine Street looking east.
Saint-Catherine Street looking west.
Continue south on Crescent Street.
The YWCA, (built 1952). 1355 René-Lévesque Boulevard West.
René-Lévesque Boulevard West near corner of Bishop Street.
Walking north on Bishop Street.
Intersection of Bishop and Saint-Catherine streets.
St. James The Apostle Anglican Church (built 1864). 1439 Saint-Catherine Street.
Looking east on Saint-Catherine Street.
Walking north on Bishop Street.
The Bishop Court Apartments, (built 1904). 1463 Bishop Street.
The Royal George Apartments (built 1912) is another example of Renaissance Revival style. Now owned by Concordia University, the facade remains.
Intersection of Bishop Street and De Maisonneuve Boulevard, showing the Hall Building of Concordia University.
Corner of Mackay Street and De Maisonneuve Boulevard.
Walking south on Mackay Street.
Intersection of Mackay and Saint-Catherine streets.
Looking west on Saint-Catherine Street.
Intersection of Mackay and Saint-Catherine streets.
Walking south on Mackay Street.
At the south end of Mackay Street are some very interesting and beautiful stained glass examples above the doors.
Below is an example of keeping an old greystone building and incorporating it into a new modern glass and steel building.
And we end the walk here at corner of Mackay Street and René-Lévesque Boulevard West.
We hope you enjoyed the walk, with the photos and just a touch of the history in this area.
WalkMontreal is an initiative by C & D to get people out to walk, learn and enjoy the city. This is the third of our micro-walks that we are putting together. There will be more, all covering the downtown core.