Montreal West, Quebec

For the former electoral district, see Montreal West (electoral district).

Montreal West
—  Town  —
Town of Montreal West Ville de Montréal-Ouest
Nickname(s): The Garden Suburb
Motto: Justitia Omnibus (Latin for "Justice for All")
Location of Montréal-Ouest on the Island of Montreal.
Coordinates: 45°27′13″N 73°38′50″W / 45.45361°N 73.64722°W / 45.45361; -73.64722Coordinates: 45°27′13″N 73°38′50″W / 45.45361°N 73.64722°W / 45.45361; -73.64722
Country	Canada
Province	Quebec
Region	Montreal (06)
Founded	1897
Electoral Districts Federal	Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine
Provincial	Notre-Dame-de-Grâce
Government[1][2][3]
– Mayor	Beny Masella
– Federal MP(s)	Isabelle Morin (NDP)
– Quebec MNA(s)	Kathleen Weil (PLQ)
Area[4]
– Total	1.41 km2 (0.5 sq mi)
Population (2006)[4]
– Total	5,184
– Density	3,684.7/km2 (9,543.3/sq mi)
– Change (2001-06)	0.2%
– Dwellings	1,928
Time zone	Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
– Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
Postal code(s)	H4X, H4B
Area code(s)	514/438
Access Routes[5] A-20	Route 138
Website	www.montreal-west.ca

Montreal West (French: Montréal-Ouest) is a town in southwestern Quebec, Canada on the Island of Montreal. On January 1, 2002 it, along with its neighboring suburbs of Côte Saint-Luc and Hampstead, was merged into a borough of the City of Montreal to be known as Côte-Saint-Luc—Hampstead—Montréal-Ouest, though 97% of the town population voted against the merger. The population voted on June 20, 2004 to demerge and Montreal West was re-established as a town on January 1, 2006.

Montreal West is a small, close-knit suburban community made up primarily of single family dwellings. The town is largely composed of young families, and has a total population of 5,184, as of the 2006 census. The town's area is 1.6 km². About 66% of the population of Montreal West speak English as their first language.

The core business area of Montreal West is located on Westminster Avenue between Milner and Curzon. It consists exclusively of small, non-franchised businesses.

Politics and government

Brock Avenue in Montreal West.

Municipal

The Town of Montreal West is served by its mayor, Beny Masella and four city councillors.^[6]

1. Julie Tasker-Brown (Public Security)
2. Dino Mazzone (Finance and Administration)
3. Joe Mckenzie (Public Works)
4. Elizabeth Ulin (Recreation and Cultural Services)

It terms of services, the town has its own public works division, a fire station, a community centre (named after former town mayor John A. Simms), and a Town Hall.

List of mayors

1897 - William Smithson Lingley
1898 - Charles McClatchie
1899 - B.W. Grigg
1900 - J.J. Kirkpatrick
1901 - Walter C. Flyfe
1902 - Edward J. Bedbrook
1903 - C.C. Ballantyne
1904 - Edward J. Bedbrook
1905 - William Smithson Lingley
1906 - J.J. Kirkpatrick
1908 - Edward J. Bedbrook
1909–1910 - C.J. Davies
1911–1927 - James Ballantyne
1927–1935 - Harry Aird
1935–1943 - James R. Pearson
1943–1948 - Robert Hope Ross
1948–1954 - George W. Hodgson
1954–1963 - Forest Norman Wiggins
1963–1965 - Everett Charles Kirkpatrick
1965–1973 - Robert Arthur McQueen
1973–1977 - Alistair Reekie
1977–1989 - Roy D. Locke
1989–2001 - John A. Simms
2002–2005 - Part of the city of Montreal
2006–2009 - Campbell Stuart
2009-Present- Beny Masella

Federal and provincial politics

The Town of Montreal West shares a federal riding with the Montreal neighbourhoods of Notre-Dame-de-Grâce and Lachine. The riding is known as Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine and its Member of Parliament is New Democrat Isabelle Morin.

Provincially, Montreal West again shares a riding with Notre-Dame-de-Grâce. The riding is known as Notre-Dame-de-Grâce and its Member of National Assembly is Liberal Kathleen Weil.

Demographics

The railway tracks bordering Montreal West to the north.

Mother Tongue[7]	Population	Percentage
English	3,430	66.3%
French	745	14.4%
English and French	45	0.9%
English and a non-official language	~	~
French and a non-official language	20	0.4%
English, French and a non-official language	10	0.2%
Italian	330	6.4%
Romanian	60	1.2%
German	50	1.0%

Mother Tongue	Population	Percentage
Polish	50	1.0%
Chinese	45	0.9%
Spanish	45	0.9%
Arabic	35	0.7%
Hebrew	25	0.5%
Ukrainian	25	0.5%
Yiddish	25	0.5%
Greek	20	0.4%
Russian	20	0.4%

language used at work (2006)^[4]

Language	Population	Pct (%)	Anglo.	Franco.	Allo.	Other
English	2,280	72.73%	1,845	195	440	45
French	595	18.98%	295	315	185	55
Non official language	15	0.48%	0	10	20	0
English and French	250	7.97%

Home language (2006)

Language	Population	Percentage (%)
English	4,080	78.92%
French	645	12.47%
Both English and French	85	1.64%
Other languages	355	6.87%

Education

Royal West Academy, the highest rated English-language public school in Quebec.

Montreal West is notable for having Quebec's highest rated Anglophone public high school, Royal West Academy (ranked 39th overall in 2005 by the Fraser Institute). It also has two Anglophone elementary schools, Elizabeth Ballantyne Elementary School and Edinburgh Elementary School which offers French immersion. These schools are part of the English Montreal School Board.

In terms of libraries, the town has a children's library located in each of the above-mentioned elementary schools. Another is located in Royal West Academy. A library for all age groups is located on Westminster Avenue.

Public transportation

A train passing through Montreal West train station.

Montreal West is serviced by six Société de transport de Montréal bus lines. Each of these connects to a corresponding Montreal Metro (subway) station. The Montreal West Train Station also services the area. Trains that run through this station connect passengers to downtown Montreal on one end, and three different routes heading away from the city at the other end.

Religious sanctuaries

Montreal West United Church.

St. Philip's Church in Montreal West.

Montreal West includes three medium-sized churches. One is United (Montreal West United Church [1]), one is Anglican (St. Philip's Church), and the final is Presbyterian (Montreal West Presbyterian Church). The Montreal West United Church also rents space to a Pentecostal service (Overcomers Assembly).

Events

Canada Day

Canada Day is the largest community event of the year in Montreal West. Residents organize a parade route that mainly runs down the main street of Westminster and ends at Strathern Park. Floats represented in the parade include organizations and clubs located in town, as well as some created personally by residents.

The Montreal West Canada Day Parade making its way along Westminster Avenue

A Remembrance Day ceremony in Montreal West

In some years, there have been water fights between sidelined residents and members of the parade (mainly the swimming pool float). Water fights during these years have seen water balloons and super soaker water guns, as well as the odd hose drawn from a house. Organizers have tried to minimize these activities in recent years so as not to detract from the parade itself, with varying success.

Following the parade, residents converge on Strathern Park for a giant picnic/BBQ. Many children's games and activities go on at the park, as well as in the nearby Percival park. The final event of the evening is the fireworks, which take place around 10pm at Hodgson Field.

Fête Nationale du Québec

Annually on June 23rd (the day before the actual holiday) there is a picnic at Davies Park, featuring music performed by Québécois musicians. In the late evening, a large bonfire is held in the centre of the park.

Garbage Bowl

The Garbage Bowl is a yearly tradition held every January 1, where men from Montreal West separate into two teams, the Northern Combines and the Southern Bombers, and play a football game in the frigid weather. Since 1950, the teams have suited up in pajamas with proceeds from donations, food, and commemorative pins going to charity.

Parks and recreation

The War Memorial of Montreal West.

The town of Montreal West has a large number of neighbourhood parks and public spaces. They include: Dave Reid Park, Davies Park, George Booth Park, Hodgson Park, John A. Simms Park, Kirkpatrick Park, Memorial Park, Percival Park, Ronald Park, Roy D. Locke Park, Rugby Park, Sheraton Park, Strathearn Park and Toe Blake Park (which was named after former Montreal Canadiens head coach Toe Blake. The town also has an indoor ice skating rink, clay tennis courts, and a public swimming pool.

Associations & clubs

• Art Etc.
• Montreal West Scout Group
• Montreal West Girl Guides Group
• Montreal West 50 Plus Travel Club
• Montreal West Horticultural Society
• Montreal West Operatic Society
• Montreal West Curling Club (MWCC)
  • Founded in 1912, it is one of the oldest clubs in Quebec. It has over 300 members and has four sheets of curling ice.
• Montreal West Tennis Club
  • 4 Clay courts

Montreal West Logos

• 

  The Montreal West Emblem in English and French

• 

  "Montreal West: The Garden Suburb"

• 

  Logo used for 1997 Centennial Celebrations

Notable natives and residents

• Stuart McLean, writer

See also

• List of former boroughs
• Montreal Merger
• Municipal reorganization in Quebec

References

1. ^ Ministère des Affaires Municipales et Régions: Montréal-Ouest
2. ^ Parliament of Canada Federal Riding History: NOTRE-DAME-DE-GRÂCE--LACHINE (Quebec)
3. ^ Chief Electoral Officer of Québec - 40th General Election Riding Results: NOTRE-DAME-DE-GRÂCE
4. ^ ^{a b c} 2006 Statistics Canada Community Profile: Montréal-Ouest, Quebec
5. ^ Official Transport Quebec Road Map
6. ^ "The Council". Town of Montreal West. http://www.montreal-west.ca/en/the_council.php. Retrieved 2008-05-20. ^{[dead link]}
7. ^ "Montreal-Ouest, V". Detailed Mother Tongue (103), Knowledge of Official Languages (5), Age Groups (17A) and Sex (3) for the Population of Canada, Provinces, Territories, Census Divisions and Census Subdivisions, 2006 Census - 20% Sample Data. Statistics Canada. 2007-11-20. http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census06/data/topics/RetrieveProductTable.cfm?ALEVEL=3&APATH=3&CATNO=&DETAIL=0&DIM=&DS=99&FL=0&FREE=0&GAL=0&GC=99&GK=NA&GRP=1&IPS=&METH=0&ORDER=1&PID=89202&PTYPE=88971&RL=0&S=1&ShowAll=No&StartRow=1&SUB=701&Temporal=2006&Theme=70&VID=0&VNAMEE=&VNAMEF=&GID=773020. Retrieved 2008-02-06. 

External links

• Montreal West Web Page
• Montreal West History