“Monkland” is the sixth in a series of micro-walks in Montréal. We are planning on extending our micro-walks throughout the island of Montreal, not just confining them to the downtown core. This way, wherever you may be, there will be one close to 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.
“Monkland” is the title we give this walk. It will highlight community, arts and learning, spotlight some history and pay tribute to Montreal’s very own, William Shatner. The name Monkland comes from Sir James Monk (1745-1826), who was, amongst many other roles, the Chief Justice of Lower Canada. Monklands (today’s Villa Maria) and Monkland Avenue are named after him. So we will look at the origins of the name Monkland, walk down this fabulous avenue and enjoy the community of it all, while taking a glimpse into the past by weaving in images of yesteryear.
We have created a couple of other walks that cover other parts of NDG neighbourhood, so this walk centre’s on just walking down Monkland Avenue. We hope you enjoy it!
C & D did this walk on Saturday May 4, 2024. Temperature at start of walk was 11C (52F) and at end of walk was 17C (63F), with cloudy skies. The walk itself is not long, a total of 5KM (3 miles). The terrain is mostly flat. Please follow along the below map.
The Monkland walk starts at Metro Villa-Maria, (Décarie Boulevard and Monkland Avenue).
Photo taken in 1982 by Michel Gravel (courtesy of La Presse/BANQ) showing Villa-Maria students in front of Villa-Maria Metro station.
Right beside the Metro station is the gate and entrance to Villa-Maria, a subsidized private Catholic high school.
In 1795, James Monk purchased a building and land that would become known as “Monklands”. In the 1840’s, when Montreal became the capital of the United Province of Canada, the Governor-General took up residence at “Monklands”. Also during same period in late 1840’s, the main building was leased out as a hotel, “Monklands Hotel”. In 1854, the Congrégation de Notre Dame de Montréal purchased the land and buildings for a convent and a school and renamed it “Villa-Maria”.
Panorama view of Villa-Maria.
Video showing Villa-Maria.
Villa-Maria students in a physical education class on the grounds (credit: Conrad Poirier/BANQ) October 8, 1946.
This long stretch of road leading to and from Villa-Maria is actually the beginning of Monkland Avenue.
Head back to Decarie Boulevard.
You can see how the roadway from Villa-Maria joins straight to Monkland Avenue.
Walk south on Decarie Boulevard for one block.
When you get to Brodeur Avenue, walk down it.
You will see the sunken Decarie Expressway up ahead.
Walk south along this small path on the edge of the Decarie Expressway.
When you see the Decarie Expressway this close below you, you can get an appreciation for the streets and homes that were demolished to make way.
Keep walking along this pathway.
Keep walking along this pathway.
The pathway will now take you over the Decarie Expressway.
The Decarie Expressway.
The path will now take you to the other side of the Decarie Expressway.
Up ahead is the corner of Duquette and Brodeur avenues.
Corner of Duquette and Brodeur avenues.
Walk down Brodeur Avenue.
It’s a very short distance to Girouard Avenue.
So when you get to the end of Brodeur Avenue and you intersect with Girouard Avenue, the brown duplex (4240 Girouard Avenue) in front of you is where the actor William Shatner lived in early 1940’s onwards as a boy, teenager and young man.
The Montreal Star, October 22, 1966.
Coincidentally, right beside the home where William Shatner lived, was the Monkland Theatre.
Looking south on Girouard Avenue.
Walk up to the corner where Girouard Avenue meets Monkland Avenue.
North-west corner of Girouard and Monkland avenues.
Photo taken in 1979 by Paul-Henri Talbot (courtesy of La Presse; BANQ) of north-west corner of Girouard and Monkland avenues. You can see a Perrette store in the middle of photo.
South-east corner of Girouard and Monkland avenues is Parc Paul-Doyon.
Montrealer Paul Doyon (1903-1986) trained on the organ and piano, first at the Nazareth Institute for the Blind, then in Paris thanks to the Prix d’Europe scholarship (1925). Although he was the organist of his parish of Notre-Dame-de-Grâce (1922-1986), he made several tours in Canada, the United States, India and Japan. He participated in a National Film Board film on the use of braille in musical writing. The first Canadian to be honored with the Christian Culture Award (1950), Paul Doyon left his name to the park located near the house he lived in for around fifty years.
above translated from: https://montreal.ca/toponymie/toponymes/parc-paul-doyon
Windsor Star, Thursday March 21, 1957.
A fancy new water fountain was installed here at Parc Paul-Doyon.
South-west corner of Girouard and Monkland avenues is the old Monkland Theatre. Built in 1929, it opened on March 7, 1930 and remained operational until 1981. Now houses commercial and office space.
Monkland Theatre (5504 Monkland Avenue).
Opening night for the Monkland Theatre ! Friday March 7, 1930- “Tiger Rose” and “Paris” were playing. (Photo courtesy of La Presse/BANQ).
Montreal Daily Star, Friday March 7, 1930. Opening night for Monkland Theatre !
Start walking west along Monkland Avenue.
Photo taken in 1940 by Conrad Poirier (courtesy BANQ) of 5516 Monkland Avenue.
Intersection of Old Orchard Avenue.
103 Monkland bus approaches.
Intersection of Marcil Avenue.
We are going to turn right and take a quick deviation and walk halfway up Marcil Avenue.
Walking up Marcil Avenue.
We will see St. Michael’s Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church at 4345 Marcil Avenue.
From early 1930’s to early 1940’s, William Shatner lived here with his family (4407 Marcil Avenue).
Turn around and walk back to Monkland Avenue.
Back on Monkland Avenue now.
Walking west on Monkland Avenue, approaching intersection of Oxford Avenue.
Intersection of Monkland and Harvard avenues.
Monkland Avenue showing Mcleod-Craig Printing at 5731 Monkland Avenue. Photo taken in 1953 by Conrad Poirier.
Continue on and we now reach Wilson Avenue.
On Monkland Avenue, just after Wilson Avenue, if you look left across the street, there is a splendid alley going south.
And if you look right, the alley goes all the way north.
The Canadian Art Theatre, founded by Joy Thomson, at 5767 Monkland Avenue. Photo taken October 4, 1946 by Conrad Poirier. Joy Thomson would go on to create The Mountain Playhouse on Mount Royal overlooking Beaver Lake in 1950. P.S. that looks like Camillien Houde, centre, seated.
Coming up to Melrose Avenue now.
We now reach the intersection of Monkland and Draper avenues.
At Draper Avenue, we will turn right and walk north on Draper.
Walking north on Draper Avenue.
Walking north on Draper Avenue.
As Draper Avenue meets Rue de Terrebonne, Willingdon School will appear.
The east side of Willingdon School facing Draper Avenue, specifying girls entrance.
The symbol of the little owl represents knowledge, insight, learning, scholarship.
Intersection of Draper Avenue and Rue de Terrebonne.
Intersection of Draper Avenue and Rue de Terrebonne.
Willingdon School (5870 de Terrebonne Street) was built in 1929 and officially opened for classes on January 7, 1930 with 866 pupils. Willingdon School was able to relieve both Herbert Symonds School and Kensington School that were nearby of a total of 21 classes due to both those schools being over capacity. Willingdon School is a classic example of the large schools built by the Protestant Central School Board earlier in the beginning of the 1900’s, pre-PSBGM (Protestant School Board of Greater Montreal). These were massive four story brick and stone buildings. Nesbitt School in Rosemont is another example that still stands today.
(1st clipping): The Gazette (Montreal) – Saturday, January 18, 1930.
(2nd clipping): Willingdon students preparing to enroll in West Hill High School. The Gazette, Wednesday, September 4, 1940.
Walk to the next block and go down Royal Avenue where we see the original boys entrance.
West side of Willingdon School on Royal Avenue.
The symbol of the little owl represents knowledge, insight, learning, scholarship.
We continue our walk south on Royal Avenue to Monkland Avenue.
Continue walking west on Monkland Avenue.
Intersection of Monkland and Hampton Avenues.
We are going to just turn up Hampton Avenue for a few steps and take in the YMCA (4335 Hampton Avenue) built in 1940.
YMCA (4335 Hampton Avenue) built in 1940.
There is a massive Bell Canada building here (6055 Monkland Avenue) built in 1928.
Continue walking west on Monkland Avenue.
Intersection of Hingston and Monkland avenues.
Intersection of Beaconsfield and Monkland avenues.
Charlie Dillon Gas & Oil Service Station (6180 Monkland Avenue). Photo taken September 12, 1949 by Conrad Poirier.
Intersection of Grand Boulevard and Monkland Avenue.
Madison Baptist Church (6297 Monkland Avenue), built in 1939.
Intersection of Madison and Monkland avenues.
Intersection of West Hill and Monkland avenues.
We are going to turn right and walk up West Hill Avenue.
Walking up West Hill Avenue.
We now come to the original West Hill High School (1919 to 1952) / Westward High School (1952-1955) / Monklands High School (1955-1979) at 4400 West Hill Avenue, built in 1917.
West Hill High School -1948 Yearbook.
West Hill School Band 1950.
William Shatner in the 1948 West Hill Yearbook.
Monklands High – 1959 yearbook.
The hallways and lockers of Monklands High – 1973 yearbook.
Monklands High School Prom. Wondering what music was playing that evening? The Gazette, May 17, 1958.
Well, here is the Top of the Pops for 1958. Maybe what was playing at the Monklands Prom was “All I Have To Do Is Dream” or was it “Twilight Time”? The Gazette May 17, 1958.
On the west side is Benny Avenue.
Benny Park.
Walk along Benny Avenue to Rue de Terrebonne.
At the intersection of Benny Avenue and Rue de Terrebonne is Saint Monica Catholic Church.
Turn around and start walking east on Rue de Terrebonne.
You will pass by the Mackay Centre for the deaf and physically disabled and Philip E. Layton School for the blind and visually impaired and associated disabilities. Incredible work they do here !
Continue walking east on Rue de Terrebonne. Clear your thoughts and keep your focus on the horizon, this is a peaceful walk along Terrebonne.
Continue walking east on Rue de Terrebonne.
Continue walking east on Rue de Terrebonne.
Once you pass the corner of Draper Avenue, just before Melrose Avenue, you will see an alley on your right, heading south.
Once you pass the corner of Draper Avenue, just before Melrose Avenue, you will see an alley on your right, heading south. We are going to finish this walk by walking down this alley.
We finish our Monkland walk by walking down this alley back to Monkland Avenue where you can then make your way back to Villa-Maria Metro station or if you continue down the alley, it will take you all the way to Sherbrooke Street West. Here are some short video clips.
This concludes the Monkland walk. We hope you enjoyed this walk as much as we did. It was designed as a micro-walk, to get out quickly and walk along Monkland Avenue and enjoy the street while getting a glimpse into the past on community, arts and learning. More micro-walks coming.
Another enjoyable and informative Montreal walk! Great photos!
Thank you Mia. Glad you enjoyed the walk.
This is an extremely interesting walk, thank you for the photos and wonderful explanations.
Hi George, happy you enjoyed the walk.