Historical photos of the Alexis Nihon Plaza

Looking at these old photographs of the Alexis Nihon Plaza I am flooded with memories, all of them happy. The literally hundreds of times I passed through the Plaza, the stores that used to be here that I had forgotten about, the people, and what store replaced a different store in the Plaza. This shopping complex is always immaculate and well maintained. Canadian poet, Louis Dudek, lived on Ingleside Avenue which is within walking distance of the Plaza; he often visited the Plaza and invited many of us to have coffee with him in the food court here. 

1967

Aerial view of the Alexis Nihon Plaza, looking up Atwater Street

This photograph shows the site of the future Alexis Nihon Plaza when it was
a baseball park; you can see the Mother House in the background on the right

Thomas D'Arcy McGee, born on this day in 1825

From the library of Canada's website:

Born in Ireland in 1825, Thomas D’Arcy McGee was a poet, journalist, author, Irish patriot, Canadian politician and Father of Confederation. Forced to flee the country of his birth, he immigrated to the United States in 1848, then settled in Montréal in 1857. He was originally a strong advocate for Irish rebellion against the British, but his stance changed over the years to pushing for peaceful reforms. McGee was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada in 1857, where he became a vocal supporter of Confederation. He was assassinated on April 7, 1868, in Ottawa, and was given Canada’s first state funeral.

One of our greatest Canadians, Thomas D'Arcy McGee, was born on this day, 13 April 1825, in Carlingford, Ireland. 

Photographs of Thomas D'Arcy McGee's mausoleum

When I used to visit Cote des Neiges Cemetery (and adjoining Mount Royal Cemetery), both located in the center of Montreal on Mount Royal, I would visit Thomas D'Arcy McGee's mausoleum. Over the years I visited McGee's final resting place any number of times, it was part of my itinerary when I visited both cemeteries. Here are some photographs of McGee's mausoleum at Cote des Neiges Cemetery; these are photographs I took between 2012 to 2018 and others that interested me. 

Thomas D'Arcy McGee

God bless you, Mr. McGee.

Death of Thomas D'Arcy McGee, 7 April 1868

On this day, 7 April 1868, almost a year after Canadian Confederation, Thomas D'Arcy McGee was assassinated in Ottawa. There was an incredible outpouring of grief, he was well known as a politician working towards Confederation and he was one of Sir John A. Macdonald's closest friends. McGee was assassinated outside of his rooming house, located within walking distance of Parliament in Ottawa; his funeral in Montreal was the largest funeral for a Canadian politician, statesman, and poet.

The funeral cortege in Montreal, 1868

Wanted poster for the assassin of Thomas D'Arcy McGee

The funeral cortege in Montreal, 1868

McGee mausoleum at Cote des Neiges Cemetery, 2015

Notman photograph of McGee's Mausoleum, 1926

McGee's mausoleum, 2015

McGee's mausoleum, November 2015

McGee's mausoleum, November 2015

Stephen Morrissey outside of Thomas D'Arcy McGee's mausoleum, winter 2015

At McGee's Mausoleum, 2012

The garden on April 4th, 2023

It's April 4th today and the snow is still here, but rain is forecast and perhaps by later this week the snow will have melted. Our gardening season is short here, it's from May to October. Winter is from January to the end of March and then overlaps into April, and then it is still cold but at least the snow is melting. May 1st comes suddenly and people begin installing their window air conditioning units; at last we can open the windows and turn off the furnace. Here, we all listen to daily weather forecasts, and we wait for this cold weather to end. 

In the sun the snow has already melted

Tulips are already coming up

This is a hollyhock coming up

In the sun, where plants are protected and the
snow has melted, tulips are beginning to grow

Five Poets Breaking into Song, reading on 28 April 2023

You can access this Zoom poetry and music event through the QR code on the poster; I am looking forward to participating in this event!

"When You Are Old" by W.B. Yeats

 

Western Park located on Atwater Avenue; opened in 1870,
it was renamed Cabot Square in 1957

When you are old and grey and full of sleep,

And nodding by the fire, take down this book,

And slowly read, and dream of the soft look

Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep;

How many loved your moments of glad grace,

And loved your beauty with love false or true,

But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,

And loved the sorrows of your changing face;

And bending down beside the glowing bars,

Murmur, a little sadly, how Love fled

And paced upon the mountains overhead

And hid his face amid a crowd of stars.