Villeray, Quebec
Encyclopedia
Villeray is a neighbourhood in Montreal
, Quebec
, Canada
. It is part of the Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension
borough and is situated in the north-central part of the Island of Montreal
.
Villeray is the only example in Montreal where public transit predated full urbanization. Convenient transit encouraged rapid urban development. One of the larger farms remained green space and has become Parc Jarry.
.
by the Clercs de Saint-Viateur
. The arrival of this additional population created certain health issues, as regular bathing was not so common then. A public bath, the bain St-Denis, was built on St-Hubert St. in 1909-1910 but this was not sufficient: typhoid, tuberculosis
and smallpox
were endemic in the area, leading to a level of infant mortality
much higher than in other parts of Montreal.
the typical Montreal duplex and triplex became the standard domestic architecture in Villeray, and the town filled up with rows of these buildings, whose spiral front staircases, back alleys, clotheslines and sheds are well-known features of residential Montreal.
, Montreal city councillor from 1921 and member of its executive committee from 1924, saw in Jarry Park a means of offering some open green space to fight the diseases that spread among children in summertime and to encourage them to participate in sports and families to picnic and relax together. It was due to his efforts that the city purchased this land, which had up till then been leased from the corporation of its original owner, Stanley Clark Bagg
(memorialized by Bagg Street further south in Plateau Mont-Royal). Raoul Jarry died in 1930 and the park is named after him (whereas Jarry Street
is named after Bernard Bleignier dit Jarry, an 18th-century landlord).
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It is part of the Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension
Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension
Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension is a borough in the city of Montreal, Quebec. It has a population of 145,485 and an area of 16,05 km².-Location:...
borough and is situated in the north-central part of the Island of Montreal
Island of Montreal
The Island of Montreal , in extreme southwestern Quebec, Canada, is located at the confluence of the Saint Lawrence and Ottawa Rivers. It is separated from Île Jésus by the Rivière des Prairies....
.
Origin of the name
The village Villeray took its name from Louis Rouer de Villeray (1628-1700), who held various positions in the French régime. It became a town in 1896, before which the area had been farmland. At its annexation to Montreal in 1905 its population was 800 (compared to 145,000 in the most recent census). At the time Villeray was surrounded by quarries which provided material for the construction of many of the buildings in the area as well as several of the city's major landmarks. For some years the inhabitants were chiefly stone workers, farmers and owners of small businesses.Villeray is the only example in Montreal where public transit predated full urbanization. Convenient transit encouraged rapid urban development. One of the larger farms remained green space and has become Parc Jarry.
Geography
The territory of Villeray was well provided with streams and ponds and very amenable to cultivation. The original Jarry Farm covered 64 arpents (approximately 22 hectares, or 54 acres) and stretched as far north as the present-day Metropolitan (highway 40), south to Villeray St., east to St-Hubert and west to Foucher. The owner, one Stanislas Jarry, broke the land up into 680 lots at the beginning of the 20th century. Other members of his family owned land in what would eventually be called Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-ExtensionVilleray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension
Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension is a borough in the city of Montreal, Quebec. It has a population of 145,485 and an area of 16,05 km².-Location:...
.
A burst of development at the beginning of the 20th century
Originally Villeray's houses were wooden ones, typically owned by workers, with sheds and stables in back. From 1915 to 1930, Villeray saw a boom which brought with it the need for schools, churches, a public bath and a fire station, built at the corner of Jarry and St-Hubert in 1912.Construction of the first public bath
The imposing deaf-mutes' institute, with a façade made of Montreal stone, was built near Faillon and de Castelnau during World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
by the Clercs de Saint-Viateur
Clerics of Saint Viator
The Viatorians, or Clerics of Saint Viator , are a Roman Catholic religious order founded in Lyon, France in 1831 by Father Louis Querbes. Its patron, Saint Viator, had been a 4th century catechist in Lyon...
. The arrival of this additional population created certain health issues, as regular bathing was not so common then. A public bath, the bain St-Denis, was built on St-Hubert St. in 1909-1910 but this was not sufficient: typhoid, tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
and smallpox
Smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
were endemic in the area, leading to a level of infant mortality
Infant mortality
Infant mortality is defined as the number of infant deaths per 1000 live births. Traditionally, the most common cause worldwide was dehydration from diarrhea. However, the spreading information about Oral Re-hydration Solution to mothers around the world has decreased the rate of children dying...
much higher than in other parts of Montreal.
Post World War II
After World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the typical Montreal duplex and triplex became the standard domestic architecture in Villeray, and the town filled up with rows of these buildings, whose spiral front staircases, back alleys, clotheslines and sheds are well-known features of residential Montreal.
Raoul Jarry
Raoul JarryRaoul Jarry
-City Councillor:In 1921, he was elected to the City Council of Montreal for the district of Villeray. He was re-elected in 1924, 1926 and 1928. From 1924 until his death, Jarry was a Member of Montreal's Executive Committee. He played a role in the development of Jarry Park in...
, Montreal city councillor from 1921 and member of its executive committee from 1924, saw in Jarry Park a means of offering some open green space to fight the diseases that spread among children in summertime and to encourage them to participate in sports and families to picnic and relax together. It was due to his efforts that the city purchased this land, which had up till then been leased from the corporation of its original owner, Stanley Clark Bagg
Stanley Clark Bagg
Stanley Clark Bagg was a Canadian landowner in Villeray, a district of Montreal. He owned the land that became Jarry Park.-External links:*...
(memorialized by Bagg Street further south in Plateau Mont-Royal). Raoul Jarry died in 1930 and the park is named after him (whereas Jarry Street
Jarry Street
Jarry Street is a street on the Island of Montreal which stretches from Boulevard de l'Acadie in the west to Boulevard Ray-Lawson to the east.The street is nearly entirely served by the bus route 193 Jarry...
is named after Bernard Bleignier dit Jarry, an 18th-century landlord).