Sainte-Marie (industry, baseball and the streets)

(above photo is Sainte-Catherine Street East, near corner of Dufresne – August 5, 2023) © WalkMontreal

WalkMontreal is pleased to bring you an incredible walk thru Sainte-Marie, one of Montreal’s working class neighbourhoods. This was the historic “suburb” that existed outside to the east of the fortifications of Montreal in the 17th century which became an industrial area and is said to be part of the old Faubourg à m’lasse neighbourhood, but, that was more west of Papineau Avenue. This walk is going to be on the east side of Papineau Avenue. Throughout the years, this area gained a reputation for crime and poverty. Recent efforts have cleaned up this area considerably. We are going to look for where the old Delorimier Stadium stood, look for old industry and walk some fascinating streets.

C&D did this walk on Saturday August 5, 2023 from 11:25AM to 1:30PM. The total length was approx. 4KM (2.5 miles). The terrain is mostly flat, some incline on Papineau, but not difficult at all. It was a sunny day with some clouds and a temp. of 26C (79F).

We start this walk at the corner of Sainte-Catherine Street East and Papineau Avenue.

Intersection of Sainte-Catherine Street East and Papineau Avenue.

Let’s start walking north on Papineau Avenue.

Intersection of Boulevard de Maisonneuve East and Papineau Avenue.

On the west side of Papineau Avenue, at corner of Logan Street is the old Taylor Church, a Protestant church built in 1894. The seating capacity when it opened was 1,450.

The old Taylor Church, a Protestant church built in 1894.

The Montreal Daily Star, December 10, 1894.

The old Taylor Church, a Protestant church built in 1894.

Intersection of La Fontaine Street and Papineau Avenue.

École Garneau (previous École secondaire Gabriel-Souart), built in 1916.

Continue walking up Papineau Avenue.

This building just before Ontario Street East, was the Montreal Dairy Company, built in 1910. Produced milk and ice cream.

Former Montreal Dairy Company.

The Gazette, August 14, 1915.

Former Montreal Dairy Company.

Continue walking up to Ontario Street East.

Beautiful old ghost sign.

Intersection of Ontario Street East and Papineau Avenue. Lets start walking east on Ontario Street.

Walking east on Ontario Street East.

Passing Cartier Street as we continue to walk east on Ontario Street East.

Intersection of Ontario Street East and Dorion Street.

We come to Parc des Faubourgs.

Parc des Faubourgs.

Notre-Dame-de-Guadalupe Church, built 1925.

Parc des Faubourgs.

Notre-Dame-de-Guadalupe Church.

Parc des Faubourgs.

Notre-Dame-de-Guadalupe Church.

Ontario Street East at corner of Bordeaux Street.

Parc des Faubourgs.

Intersection of Ontario Street East and De Lorimier Avenue.

Intersection of Ontario Street East and De Lorimier Avenue in 1930’s. (credit: Archives de la Ville de Montréal). This is looking north on De Lorimier Avenue. The Delorimier Stadium is on the right. This was a 20,000 seat stadium, built in 1928 and demolished in 1972. The stadium was a venue for the Montreal Royals baseball team, the Montreal Alouettes football team, concerts, boxing/wrestling matches, parades/circus, etc. More on this stadium at the end of our walk.

As we can see in the above photo, there are streetcar tracks and overhead wires. The below newspaper ad gives us the schedule in 1928 of the Montreal Tramways Company’s service to the stadium. There were tramway cars every 15 to 20 minutes. (credit: The Gazette, May 5, 1928).

At the north east corner of Ontario and De Lorimier is Place des Royaux, which pays tribute to the great baseball player, Jackie Robinson.

Place des Royaux, which pays tribute to the great baseball player, Jackie Robinson.

Jackie Robinson wearing his Royals jersey in 1946. (credit: Conrad Poirier -BANQ ref # P48S1P12829).

Place des Royaux, which pays tribute to the great baseball player, Jackie Robinson.

Let’s continue walking east on Ontario Street East.

Intersection of Ontario Street East and Parthenais Street.

We are going to take a quick detour and turn left and walk north on Parthenais Street.

Walk north on Parthenais Street.

We want to take a look at this old industrial building.

This is the Grover Building, built in 1938. Echo’s a time of industry.

The Grover Building now houses artists and others.

The Grover Building.

So lets turn around and head back south on Parthenais Street. The more modern, black building that dominates the skyline here is the Sûreté du Québec, built in 1969.

Intersection of Coupal and Parthenais streets.

Head east on Coupal Street.

At the end of Coupal Street, it will meet with Fullum Street. The old Fire Station No.19 is here. Built in 1903, today it serves as a theatre.

Old Fire Station No.19 is here. Built in 1903, today it serves as a theatre.

Intersection of Coupal and Fullum Streets. We are going to now walk south on Fullum.

Walking south on Fullum Street.

Sidestreet off Fullum Street on the east is Magnan Street.

Fullum Street.

Continue walking south on Fullum Street

Intersection of Fullum and Olivier-Robert streets.

Olivier-Robert Street.

Mural on Olivier-Robert Street.

Olivier-Robert Street.

Intersection of Boulevard de Maisonneuve East and Fullum Street. Old Maison Mère des Soeurs de la Providence, built 1884-1888.

Intersection of Sainte-Catherine Street East and Fullum streets. Old Maison Mère des Soeurs de la Providence, built 1884-1888.

Intersection of Sainte-Catherine Street East and Fullum streets.

Old Merchant’s Banks of Canada, built in 1905. (2281 Sainte-Catherine Street East).

Église Saint-Vincent-de-Paul, built in 1925-1928. (2310 Sainte-Catherine Street East).

We are going to walk west one block to the intersection of Parthenais and Sainte-Catherine streets.

The Dominion Oilcloth and Linoleum Company Building, built in 1929. (2200 Sainte-Catherine Street East).

The Dominion Oilcloth and Linoleum Company Building. You can see the Jacques-Cartier Bridge in the background.

Looking south on Parthenais Street, zooming in on the Jacques Cartier Bridge, built 1925-1930.

This is the south west corner of Sainte-Catherine and Fullum streets. The building in back was where the The Dominion Oilcloth and Linoleum Company factory stood.

Dominion Oilcloth and Linoleum in 1968 (credit: Real St Jean – BANQ / La Presse – ref # P833S5D1968-0472).

Continue walking back east on Sainte-Catherine Street East. We will see the Saint-Vincent-de-Paul church, built in 1925-1928. (2310 Sainte-Catherine Street East).

Saint-Vincent-de-Paul church.

Continue walking back east on Sainte-Catherine Street East.

Sainte-Catherine Street East, near Dufresne Street.

Sainte-Catherine Street East.

Sainte-Catherine Street East, corner of Dufresne Street.

Old Savings Bank

Sainte-Catherine Street East.

Dufresne Street.

One block over, we are going to walk north on Poupart Street.

At the south east corner of Poupart and Champagne streets is this old church. It was the Lacroix Presbyterian Church (later the Lacroix United Church), built in 1890.

The Lacroix Presbyterian Church was one of the very few French language Presbyterian church’s in Montreal. It originally began as a Mission by Pastor Duclos in 1884 and the church was built in 1890 to bring together families that were said to be living in isolation in this area.

This Presbyterian church eventually joined the United Church of Canada in 1925, but, by 1936 it’s congregation dwindled, eventually it closed in the spring of 1937.

Intersection of Poupart and Champagne streets.

Turn left and walk west one block, as Poupart Street begins again to go north.

Champagne Street at corner of Poupart Street. Start walking north on Poupart Street.

Ruelle Vert off Poupart Street.

Walking north on Poupart Street.

Poupart Street.

Intersection of La Fontaine and Poupart streets.

Poupart Street.

Poupart Street, just before we get to Ontario Street East.

We come to Centre Gédéon-Ouimet, built in 1914. (1960 Poupart Street).

Centre Gédéon-Ouimet.

Centre Gédéon-Ouimet (facing Ontario Street East).

The W.C. MacDonald’s Tobacco Factory, built in 1874. (2455 Ontario Street East).

MacDonald Tobacco Factory in 1973 – (credit: Armour Landry – BANQ – ref # P97S1P04890).

Intersection of Ontario Street East and D’Iberville Street.

We are now going to walk north on D’Iberville Street.

On west side of D’Iberville Street, is Parc Walter-Stewart. Land donated by the President of MacDonald Tobacco.

Intersection of D’Iberville and De Rouen streets. Turn left and walk west along the walking path here.

Walk west along this walking path. Parc-Walter-Stewart is on your left here.

A community garden is here.

Nice green area.

We come to a collective in urban gardening with the Emily De Witt greenhouse.

Continue on the path.

Community gardening.

Continue on the path.

Community gardening.

Intersection of Dufresne and Larivière streets. We will turn right and walk west on Larivière Street.

Larivière Street.

Saint-Eusèbe-de-Verceil church, built between 1913 and 1919. It is now abandoned and in disrepair.

Walking along Larivière Street.

Intersection of Larivière and Fullum streets.

Saint-Eusèbe-de-Verceil church, built between 1913 and 1919. It is now abandoned and in disrepair. (2151 Fullum Street).

Walk one black west on Larivière Street to the corner of Harmony Street.

Intersection of Larivière and Harmony streets.

Continue west on Larivière Street for about two blocks and you will arrive at Parc des Royaux. This park pays tribute to the Montreal Royals baseball team that played at Delorimier Stadium (a.k.a. Delorimier Downs) from 1928 to 1960.

Parc des Royaux.

Delorimier Stadium with Montreal Royals in 1933. (credit: Norman Macmillan Hinshelwood – McCord Museum).

Parc des Royaux.

Looking south thru soccer fields, you can see the Jacques-Cartier Bridge.

Parc des Royaux.

Jackie Robinson’s debut on April 18, 1946. Montreal Royals beat the Jersey City Giants by a score of 14 to 1, at Roosevelt Stadium in Jersey City. (credit: International News Photo).

There is a lot of history on the Montreal Royals and many star players came out of this team over the years, including Jackie Robinson, there are names such as Sparky Anderson, Roberto Clemente, Duke Snider, Don Drysdale, Roy Campanella, Tommy Lasorda, etc….and many other talented players not mentioned here. But wait…we also had Chuck Connors on our beloved Royals team! Connors would go on to Hollywood fame as an actor. This is great knowing he was walking this area and whacking balls around Delorimier Stadium way back between 1948 and 1950. The 6’5″ Connors even married a lady from Montreal. Below newspaper clipping shows Chuck Connors in rear row, center/left, smiling from ear to ear.

(credit: The Montreal Daily Star, September 8, 1948).