Jean-Drapeau Park turns off 150 candles

150 years ago Friday, the city of Montreal formalized the right of its residents to access a portion of St. Helens Island, creating its first major park. A look at some of the most important dates in the history of Parc Jean-Drapeau, this important place in the history of the metropolis.

It was discovered by Champlain

Frequented by the Iroquois for hundreds of years, St. Helens Island was named in 1611 by Samuel de Champlain in honor of his wife, Helen Bullet. It was granted to Charles Le Moyne in 1655, then attached to his lordship of Longueuil. He built the first buildings there: a stone barn, a cider press, a sheepfold, a barn and a mill. The island has long served as a summer residence for the Le Moyne family, who hosted distinguished guests.

Military period

In 1818, the British government bought it and immediately began to build buildings for the accommodation of soldiers. The Anglo-American War had just ended when Montreal was considered vulnerable to an American attack. In 1837-1838, up to 600 men were placed in the arsenal. The island partially retains its military and prison character until the two world wars.

Inauguration

After Confederation, in 1870, the British Army withdrew from the island and the City of Montreal began discussions with the Canadian government to acquire the right to use it. The idea was promoted by then-mayor Aldis Bernard, whose brief mandate (1873-1875) was devoted to the creation of large public parks, hence his nickname “the mayor of parks.” On February 9, 1874, the entry to the island was formalized by the municipal council. A few months later, in June, at least 6,000 Montrealers traveled by steamboat to attend an open-air concert celebrating the park's grand opening.

Main works

The construction of the Le Havre Bridge (renamed the Jacques Cartier Bridge), which opened in 1930, made it possible to reach St. Helens on foot or by car. Landscape architect Frederick Gage Todd then developed the first master development plan, linking the construction of several facilities and Round Island (where the amusement park is located today). In 1962, Montreal was chosen
Hosting the 1967 World's Fair celebrating Canada's centennial. The St. Lawrence Islands were chosen as the site, and Todd's Archipelago Expansion Project came back to life with the creation of Notre Dame Island, an artificial island thanks to the dredging of the riverbed and the excavation of the subway.

Holy

The Universal and International Exhibition, commonly known as Expo 67, put the metropolis on the international stage. The event, which will be held under the theme “People's Land”, will welcome 62 nationalities. More than 100 thematic pavilions were built, and the site received 50 million visitors in six months. A few years later, a 2.2 km swimming pool was built on Notre Dame Island to host the rowing and canoeing events for the first Olympic Games hosted by Canada in 1976. Two years later, another international competition was held on the island of Notre Dame. caliber: Formula 1 World Championship, won by Gilles Villeneuve that year.

Rejuvenating treatment

The hosting of these last two events affected the Expo 67 pavilions. Of the original hundred, only seven remain, including the one named the Biosphere by Jean Drapeau, the mayor of the United States in 1968. The park was named after the man who still holds the longevity record at the beginning of the city in 1999. Since then, Parc Jean-Drapeau has become the site of many cultural events, including the annual Osheaga Festival since 2006. In April 2021, the Société du parc Jean-Drapeau presented a master plan that calls for an investment of $1 billion. for over 10 years to offer rejuvenating treatments.

Sources: Heritage Montreal, City of Montreal and Jean-Drapeau Park