WESTMOUNT
This historic district, made up of large portions of the town of Westmount, is a classic example of the Victorian suburbs that began springing up in Canada during the second half of the 19th century. Built between 1890 and 1930 on the southwest slopes of Mount Royal, Westmount offered its inhabitants a healthy and privileged living environment interlaced with extensive green spaces, far from the population density, noise, and pollution of the big city. This suburb sustained a vibrant community life with its elegant institutional, religious, and cultural buildings, including city hall, houses of worship, schools, a library, and a community meeting hall. Its rich built heritage influenced architects nationwide and remains as a testament to the building styles that swept Canada at the turn of the 20th century. The early adoption of restrictive zoning and the creation of an architectural commission in 1916 illustrate the municipality’s pioneering efforts and ongoing commitment to protect and conserve the harmonious setting of Westmount.
Français
Ce secteur historique, qui s’étend sur la majeure partie de la ville de Westmount, constitue un modèle exemplaire des banlieues victoriennes qui ont fait leur apparition au Canada à partir de la seconde moitié du XIXe siècle. Développée entre 1890 et 1930 sur le flanc sud-ouest du Mont-Royal, cette localité dotée de grands espaces verts offrait un milieu de vie sain et privilégié à ses habitants, loin des quartiers populeux, de la pollution et du bruit de la grande ville. Elle favorisait une vie communautaire dynamique qui tirait profit d’élégants édifices institutionnels, religieux et culturels, dont l’hôtel de ville, les lieux de culte, les établissements scolaires, la bibliothèque et la salle communautaire. D’une grande richesse, son patrimoine bâti a influencé la production architecturale ailleurs au Canada et témoigne aujourd’hui des principaux styles architecturaux en vogue au pays au tournant du XXe siècle. L’adoption d’un zonage limitatif et la création d’une commission d’architecture en 1916 illustrent l’engagement précoce et continu de la municipalité à protéger le cadre harmonieux de Westmount.
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This plaque text is recorded in the Directory of Federal Heritage Designations, published by Parks Canada for the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada. Plaque texts come from the Directory’s open dataset in the languages the Directory publishes them in; the pin on this page is ours, worked out from the Directory’s street address or local area and marked approximate. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. TreeAlive is an independent project and is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Parks Canada or the Government of Canada. Open Government Licence – Canada