BOROUGH HOME TO SHOPS, CAFÉS AND NIGHT MARKET
On a recent warm day, Popowich gave us a tour of the family home. The two-storey red brick detached structure was built in 1932. Guests are welcomed by a small front porch, just big enough for the couple’s “date-night” bistro set. Once inside, you are instantly immersed in the original charm of the era. The warm, oak wood floors run throughout the home. “It’s one of my favourite elements of the home,” Panesar said.
Through white pocket French doors to the left is a living room. The living room shows unmistakable influences of art deco style embraced by many Montrealers at the time the house was built.
The living room opens to a dining space, with a long, rectangular table. The room has impressive casement windows and two built-in cabinets with stained-glass fronts.
On the upper level, the family’s sleeping quarters are open and airy, with more casement windows letting in light as well as gentle breezes carrying the fragrance of flowers from the family’s side yard.
Back outside, the discussion veers toward the simple practicality of the design. Every element had a purpose, from the type of tiles used for the roof to the small detail of a (still functioning ) door to a milk box on the side of the building. The nononsense feel of the outside doesn’t let on about the exquisite features inside. The home’s charm relies on attention to detail and quality of craftsmanship.
Before the 2002 reorganization of Montreal, Côte-des-Neiges and Notre-Dame-de-Grâce were two boroughs, but they were largely shaped by the same historical factors: the Second World War, the transitioning of farmland to more urban areas, and the influx of immigrants. Stroll down Côte-desNeiges Rd., and you will hear a wide variety of languages spoken: The Community Development Corporation of Côte-des-Neiges’s 2017 borough snapshot says 34 per cent of the population claimed their origins as European, 31 per cent Asian, 12 per cent African, five per cent Caribbean and four per cent Latin American.
At the start of the 20th century, many immigrants arrived in the area. Jewish immigrants came from Eastern Europe and Russia. In 1934, the community built the Jewish General Hospital and later a synagogue and a cemetery. Many Irish from Griffintown found Côtedes-Neiges appealing and moved there, later founding St. Kevin’s Parish in 1938 on Côte-des-Neiges Rd. Eventually more Eastern Europeans arrived, followed by immigrants from Bangladesh, Vietnam and Sri Lanka. The global influences have translated into a wide array of culinary experiences, with an assortment of Indian, Russian, Caribbean, Greek, Lebanese, and Vietnamese restaurants on Côtedes-Neiges Rd. between Côte-StCatherine and Queen Mary roads.
Night owls are particularly well served by establishments that remain open 24/7 along this stretch. Among them, you will find an allnight pharmacy, grocery store, fast food eateries and cafés. There’s even a seasonal 24/7 farmers market, Marché Côte-des-Neiges that lets you shop for fresh produce at 3 a.m., and offers selection of local honey and maple syrup.
No tour of this neighbourhood would be complete without a nod to St. Joseph’s Oratory. The shrine founded in 1904 by Brother André of the Congregation of Holy Cross started as a small chapel, but had to be expanded to accommodate growing crowds. The oratory is undergoing an $80-million upgrade. In 2018 and 2019, renovations will include the construction of a new welcome centre on Queen Mary Rd. In 2020, work begins on a public observatory at the top of the outer dome. The oratory stands high on the northwestern side of Mount Royal. With the dome rising 155 metres above street level, it is visible from kilometres away.
Just as impressive is the view from the basilica. From the expansive observation deck in front of the church, one can see as far as the Laurentians. On any given evening, this makes for spectacular sunset viewing while the sun sinks below the mountains painting a splash of orange, pink, and red across the distant sky.
While the oratory is a popular stop among tourists and residents alike, Dimitrios Tsapekis cited the more practical, family-accommodating features to explain what makes Côte-des-Neiges home.
What he likes best, he said, is access to Highways 40, 20 and 15 and the ample public transit options.
“I like visiting Kent Park,” Tsapekis said. “They have a nice track to run. It is also nice for the kids. There’s a wading pool and sprinklers along with the typical swings and slides.”
I like visiting Kent Park. They have a nice track to run. It is also nice for the kids. There’s a wading pool and sprinklers along with the typical swings and slides.