Who remembers the name of the beach near the dam in Lasalle.I was real young and went swimming there with my family many times.It was closed in the late fifties or early sixties because of Polio I believe.Anybody know this little History of Lasalle.
THANKS for stopping by, I do my best to acknowledge when someone leaves a comment,you do not have to be a member here & everyone is welcome. Ps: This site is monitored but not actively posting on a regular basis. Mostly these are stories & some photos saved from a defunct site known as Verdun Connections which was on MSN Groups initially then on a social network called Multiply.
80 comments:
DannyB I think you may be talking about "Flat Rock". I swam there in the mid forties & my dad had been a lifeguard there during the depression. It was located between the old fieldstone house & the powerhouse at the Lachine rapids. This also was the water intake for the Aqui. Trust this is the same spot you are talking about. Tony
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Hey Toni, I believe your right.That swimming area is just like a dream in my memory.Many people don't even know it was ever there.That was when the water was clean. Thanks Danny.
hey-dannyb back then they had them speed boat races, around that swimming area, any more info on that?????
Hi Dave, I too crossed that Dam it was very dangerous and would not attempt it today.A lot of guys I know played there and fished there. I think a lot of them stopped crossing when Birney Archamble fell and drowned. A hard lesson. Lots of memorys at the Dam.
Hey DannyB
I am sure I am right. By the way your response was sent to Toni. This was the name of a women's curling material or the name for a women (Antoinette).
Mine is spelt "TONY" short for Anthony my middle name.
Not trying to tick you off but like most kids who went to St. Willibrord's they always needed a little coaching with their spelling although they were not as bad as the kids from Verdun High.
Ha! Ha! my wife wpould probably not agree since this was her school during the Scotty Bowan, Ivan Livingstone era. Her name in fact was Livingstone. You might know her Bad Ass brother "Johnny"
Stay cool
"TONY
remember the snowball fights street against
street.i lived on osbornre and we would always have snowball fights with
egan or moffat ,maybe 25 to 30 kids on each side.we'd have them
at the corner of osborne and verdun ave.man was that hard not to get hit,you
were on the honor system if you got hit you were out.
I REMEMBER THOSE SNOW BALL FIGHTS, WE WERE THE GROUP FROM WOODLAND, THAT HUNG AROUND THE EGAN CROWD. WE GROUPED AND WENT TO THE LANE BEHIND THE FUNERAL PARLOR, LANE GOING INTO OSBORNE STREET, GILBERT GERRY WAS OUR PLATOON LEADER, HE LEAD THE TROOPS, DOWN THAT LANE????. WE RUN BEHIND HIM WITH OUR SNOW BALLS, HE GOT IT FIRST, THEN WE FIRED. MOST OF TIME WE LOST?? OUR GANG WAS LIKE F.TROOP.
Hi Tony, Sorry about that spelling error.Your right about Willibrord.You must have went there too.Because you spelt (would) wpould and that is a dead give away that you also went there or hung around with to many of us students of Willibrord.We were all too busy playing those pinball machines at Pete's on 1St ave. or Pop'S on verdun between 2nd. and 3rd. avenue to learn how to spell.We might even of been at Curries having a beer and a smoke.Export plain and Ex.of course. Dannyb.
DannyB
During my time the resturant on Verdun Ave., between 2nd & 3rd was owned by the O'Sullivan's. I went to St. W with one of the sons Morris or Maurice. Prior to the grocery being Currie's it was owned by my brother-in-law Pat Quinn Jr., who bought it after he sold his "Texaco" station on Verdun Ave. at the corner of 1st. His brother Francis bought it out & they had one hell of a fire there in the early 50's. Pops was on 1st just north of Verdun Ave. at the lane. Am I right? It was called something else then but cannot remember the name. I hung with a guy who lived about 2 houses up from there by the name of Don Snow. Large family, lots of sisters.
Does anyone recognize any of this.
Ton
Hi Tony, When I was a kid going to Willibrord in the 1960's the store north of Verdun ave. was called Pete's and after that a dog grooming salon. Pop's was on the south side of verdun between 2nd. and 3rd.avenues just east of Curries.I don't remember before Currie's it is before my time.Also on the corner of 1st.ave. I though that there was a Calex gas station owned by the Diamonds.
i think the beach in lasalle was called muscle
beach.
The beach in LaSalle was called flat rock we used
to have family picnics there as we couldn't afford to go anywhere
else.
Margo
Flat rock for sure, and Muscle Beach was its nickname, rememeber my mother taking us there during the 2nd world war great memories Jim
Hey Margo, kungfu, et le rest of ye! I saw all of you there at Flat rock, but was too busy swimming around to meet y'all.Used to change out of that wet bathing suit in the bushes above the rocks. Ahh, the old Power House, in later years used to risk a swim to the Island. Mean current going down the sluice. Our bunch made it over and back. "Those were the days my friends, I tho't they'd never end!" Vic C.
Yes, I remember the beach at the dam....and you're right...it was closed during the polio epidemic. I remember as a young child...not being allowed out of our yard in the summer...because polio was easily spread in warm weather. I lived on Alepin & Lasalle Blvd from 1955 - 1980. There was a great french fry shack right at the corner on LaSalle Blvd & Alepin....spent my entire childhood trying to not kill myself at that damn dam! (chuckles).
strange the things you remember when you read a message. I lived at 8587 LaSalle Blvd besides Adam's Restaurant from 1952 to 1955 then we moved to 85-7th avenue as it was a closer walk to Bronx Park School. Was the french fry shack you are speaking of across the road on the water front side. I too spent a lot of time at the dam trying to cross to the island on the other side
the name of the beach in lasalle near the old dame was known as flat rock on one side and muscle beach on the other.
muscle beach is what we called that area. I spent lots of time crossing over and fishing on the other side.
the beach was called Flat Rock in Lasalle
I knew it as "Flat Rock". I guess that's what my parents called it. When I swam there in the 50s, the water seemed clear. Mostly it was walking on stones, not really swimming. Dan
the River was like a magnet for us kids.........even though we were always warned (daily I think) "Don't go near the River"..........that's where we would always be.........the Dam was just a 'Right of Passage' when you could finally make it all the way over........and negotiate the log jam on the other side , if you hadn't learn to walk over the high yellow I-Beam at the end near the island............falling in was not an option , at least not on the low side where the fall was substanial............hahahah If we ever did fall in ,which happened on occasion (at least partially) you would have to stay away from home till you dried off............but the scent of the StLawerance , was unmistakable (at least in the 60's) & your parents would always know ,even if they didn't mention it...........hahahahaha
I too swam at flat rock and if I remember right my
family had huge family picnics there.
I swam there in the 40's and early
50's.
Margo
I go there regularly. The dam has disappeared and been replaced with an access to the peninsula. The surrounding little islands are now a bird aviary and a zillion flowers and rose bushes have been planted there to feed the birds and protect them. I have managed to observe a great heron, sandpipers, bluebirds etc... Great place to be right on the rapids that break the city sounds to fill your ears with their own rush of adrenalin... My parents used to take my brother and I swimming and picnicking at the beach that was located at the end of 9th avenue where we lived in 1952. I remember it well and get to remember those days everytime I take a trek to the rapids. Here's to your memory! Jossbaud
Wasn't that called Flat Rock
When comming from Verdun you had to walk
from where the streetcar stopped before it
turned.Wasn't that part of The Bird Sanctuary
in Ville Lasalle
I worked at Curries in the late 50s snd early 60s.
Of coarse still drink EX. and smoke mild cigs.via
the Native smokes(cheaper).
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My dad also took me swimming at the beach in Lasalle when I was little. And we also ate egg & onion sandwich. My mom always packed that lunch for us. And we had cookies and fresh red plums. What a coincidence. It loved it when he took me there. The rocks hurt my feet though. He would be asleep on his town and I would fill up my little watering can and pour water all over his back. It would jump up and pretend to scold me. How I loved those days. My dad is now 90 years old.
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In the fifty it was called Muscle Beach, it was just above the old power house. Gord RV
I only lived in Verdun from the time I was born in 1952 till I was four. We moved over to Cote St Paul. We lived on Verdun Ave by the corner of Gordon. Then we moved to Desmarchais Blvd in Cote st. Paul. I went to VHS from 1965 to 1969. And You?
Hi muppet9696
I lived on Angers corner of deSeve from 1946 until 1970, then lived in LaSalle till 1973 then moved to Nova Scotia. We must know some of the same people...do you know Robert and Valeria MacAshay...sorry I don't think that is how their name is spelled but they live on Desmarchais between Angers and LaVerandrais. My brothers are Lindsay and Randy...did you know the Pritchard boys David and Marcus, and David Curry?
And Steven Berry and Murray Vardon?....Dianne
Diane, what was your maiden name? I should know you. If you were born in 1946 you may know my sister Joan Bennett. I knew the Pritchard boys, but not well. My sister knew the Pritchard's better than I did. I defnitely knew Robert McAshay. My friend Sophie Krawczyk had a big crush on him. He lived down the street from us. Oh my. What a small world. If you live on Angers and DeSeve, you must remember the McEvoys. Nancy was my best friend from when I was 6 10. And the Berry's. I knew too. The McGillis's lived next door and the McEvoys, lived next to them. My name is Brenda. What school did you go to?
BRENDA I ASSUME YOUR LAST NAME IS BENNETT SINCE YOU MENTIONED THAT YOUR
SISTER JOAN IS A BENNETT, ARE YOU AND YOUR SISTER RELATED TO A JOHN BENNETT
WHO IS MARRIED TO MARTHA LOCKART?
No, no relation. I have no one related to me with that last name. My dad was the only boy in his family other than one brother who had no sons.
Hi Brenda:
My maiden name was Rollin, now it is Nowlan and I live in Nova Scotia. Yes I knew the McAvoys very well and Linda Pritchard and I were friends all through the school years. She lives in B.C. and we email and have long chats on the phone. I went to Holy Cross School and Marymount High. Did you know Joan Bandura on Desmarchais? Your sister Joan was she a camp counsellor at the Y on Gordon Ave? Wow, it sure is a small world! ...Dianne
Yes I vaguely remember your family. My sister wasn't a camp counsellor. She starting working after Grade 10. She got a summer job, liked it so much so never finished school. She was born in 1943, went to VHS. I was born in 1952, went to Connaught School and VHS. I knew the Prichard's and so did Joan. She hung around with Linda Moorie (Holy Cross St) Joanne Gregory, and Marian Sumner. I remember them all. I was little then and a pain in the butt and they didn't want me around.
Brenda...do you remember the Edgley's who lived opposite corner to me on Angers and DeSeve? The Cote's on Holy Cross and the Yates also on Holy Cross? Do you know where the Berry's are living, we seem to all move away and loose touch, would be fun to have a big neighbourhood reunion...Di
Hi Brenda, I see you mentioned Marion Sumner. They lived on Jolicoeur Street. She and her sister Margaret were good friends of mine, and we all attended St. Aidan's Church. Would you happen to know where they are now, or what their married names might be. Would love to reconnect. Cheers, Linda
No, I have no idea where anyone is anymore. I moved out to Alberta in 1976 and lost contact with everyone in the old neighborhood. I was in Montreal visiting in 1991 with my two girls and we walked around the old neightborhood. I stopped at McEvoys and spoke with the Norrie McEvoy. That is the only person I saw again in all those years. My sister lives out in St Mathieu and has since 1973. So we have all lost touch.
OK WELL IT WAS JUST A THOUGHT, DO YOU KNOW ANYONE THAT WOULD
KNOW THE FAMILY?
Swimming in the River...........usually if you swam in the River when I was a kid,....it was because you Fell In.....hahahaha & then couldn't go home till you dried off,.....cause you were NOT supposed to be playing down at the River,.....Remember that familiar warning from Mom,............. and Don't go downnnnnn tooooo the Riveeerrrrrrr,..........as her Voice trailed off in the distance ...........hahahahah Reply
Recommend Delete Message 1 of 44 in Discussion From: Dannyb-- (Original Message) Sent: 6/2/2003 6:28 PM Who remembers the name of the beach near the dam in Lasalle.I was real young and went swimming there with my family many times.It was closed in the late fifties or early sixties because of Polio I believe.Anybody know this little History of Lasalle. another Dannyb submission, back in 2003 HF&RV
i used to swim at that beach by the dam after a day doing caddie work at the lasalle golf course
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i have also picked apples there sandy...the lasalle golf course was a very prominent place in it's day...i think progress elininated it
HI Danny B , My Mom used to take us swimming , by bus, from Verdun to Lasalle . and my memory tells me it was called Flat Rock, I remember the flat rocks and lying there with the water running over us , it was below the powerhouse dam , is that the place , by the way Pal , how is your wife making out , Jimmy
The Powerhouse,.....was there any of us that did not go there,..the once the place was in ruins,....I think that was when it really became 'the place' to visit,...as kids from Verdun we made that trek out to the'Dam',...to play & explore amonst the ruins,.....Unbelievable that it was left as accessible as it was,..Surprisingly enough ,there didn't seem to be as many accidents as there could have been,.....Although one vision that stays with me is when they pulled a little kid from the River,......I can still see his 'Lifeless' body being lifted into a boat just below the Dam,..........and I also seem to Remember that it was mostly a volunteer type of group doing the recovery,.....Fireman were there too,......Strange what we Remember ,but I guess that was designed to make us a little more careful,......Man we took some serious risks ,didn't we,.....Playing on the ice,...playing by the river,...trying to go out on the river ,on some old junk from the Dump,..............hahahaha it's funny all the beautiful looking 'greenspace' along the River front today,...and the Condos near the old Stadium,.....are all built on,.....Fill,..otherwise known as garbage,......We used to make snow forts in the 100's of tons of Snow that was dumped there every year,.....and in the summer ,we adventured through the actual dump,.....only to be on the lookout for 'Rats'..............(the four legged type)..................hahahahaha We did encounter a few of the two legged variety though,........Here's a question for anyone out there,...but perhaps for Joey-Verdun,......does anyone have any pictures of the old 'Powerhouse',...or the Leblanc's Boat Rental place,....or the River bank in general,........ ..maybe some more recent than this ..Yep,..you can bet these guys would never have believed ,that after 'Dumping Years of Garbage here that one day,.....People would pay 3 & 4 Hundred Thousand dollars to live in what amounts to an 'apartment'.........of course We wouldn't be stupid enough to pay that much a or more for 'Just' an apartment,.............but we will if you call it a 'Condo'............hahahahaha and be happy to do it,......Here's another question,......Is there any type of Football Stadium anymore,.anywhere in Verdun?? or did the developpers get all the good land ,........must be some really great views from those vantage points up on the bank,................ Have Fun & Remember Verdun,................
SURE REMEMBER,IT WAS CALLED (MUSCLE BEACH ) USE TO GO THERE WITH MY FRIENDS
ABBY DOZOIS, ELLIOT GOSBROUGH IN THE LATE 50'S. GOOD TIMES WE HAD.
Abby Dozois , one of the greatest guys, used to make laugh so hard I would roar, saw him a couple of years ago , he is still around , great guy, Jimmy
kungfu, The expression the girls used was "laugh so hard I would almost pee my pants". Funny to hear the boy's version "laugh so hard I would roar". Cheers.
Kungfu. If you knew Abby, Did you also know my brother Stan Allison? Winston Allison
Thank you for your kind words........Still around ..Lasalle Abbey
Bev, Sent u an email re trying to contact Abby or Elliot......no reply yet, so wondering if it reached u...........Sonny Martin
Hello Winston...we all miss our golf partner Stan think of him often......Abbey
Hello Sunny nice to hear from you hope all is well....Abbey
Abbey, Just sent you an email requesting your fone #.....Sonny
Abbey. I didn't know you were on here. I was mentioning to Bev and Claude, that whenever I spoke to Stan, for whatever reason, both your names would come up. I don't know what it was, but it seemed that the three of you were joined at the hips. I don't believe he had better friends than the both of you. And he thought the world of you both. Friends were extremely important to him, and he was very loyal to them. It makes me feel good that he did have friends that were also loyal, and loved him as I did. He was a wonderful brother. Thanks. Winston
Abby; nice to see your still around, Gil Pitcher passed away 2 years ago, but I'm still going. writting this from Florida. Ron Larman
Hi Sunny, This Elliot Gosbrough does he have a sister Bernice. If so I may be able to get a message to him or a #. Danny
Hi Kungfu, My wife is doing ok. She has lost the use of her left arm and has weakness over her left side. This makes her mobility not that great and has made her very nervous to move around. It will be two years soon and I guess it will be a lifetime struggle with the weakness. Very hard for someone in their 40's. Thanks for asking Jimmy. Danny
Hi Danny, Not sure about Bernice...however it's Goldsborough and he does have a brother, Ralph.............Elliot was an alderman I believe in verdun for a while and owned a tavern in the Point......Chez Mama, I think Thanks for your help.....Sonny
Hello Ron ! nice of you to contact ...Sorry about Gil ....time does fly...stay in touch... Going to Phoenix Feb 2 back March .....Abbey
Hi Sunny, He owned Momma's on Center and Shear. If you want to Email me your Phone # or a message of some kind I'll make sure he gets it. I do not like to give out phone #'ers without asking first. Email to doloresgeraldi@sympatico.ca Danny
Hi again Sunny, Elliot said he would love to hear from you. He recently moved and has not got his home phone connected yet. I have a cell phone number that I will email you at the address in your VC profile. Danny
It was Muscle Beach. Used to swim there as a teenager. B
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I lived in LaSalle, Verdun/Crawford Park (born there in 1948), and Lachine. In the late 50's and until 1960 or 61 (You're right...all beaches in Montreal shut down after the polio epidemic. I got hepatitis from the sewage in the water), I swam in Agrinon Park, the Aqueduct, and the St. Lawrence. The dam you referred to was the remnants of "The Powerhouse". There was a gigantic eddy out of the current proper where we swam (just east of the LaSalle Golf & Country Club), although I did see a man drown after getting swept into the current and the Lachine Rapids.
Brad
Victoria, B.C.
muscle beach i think...just reliaze this is an old message
also use to swim at the bottom of Clemenceau street... It was a Clifford Bradley that drown, way back when, in the St..Lawreence., was a very nice person John
I remember we used to get a ride up to a small island down from the pav. Jump into the water and swim straight across and the current would take us right to the pav. Bob
...........the River ,as seen at Dawn ,Sept 17th ,2004 Photo can be seen in the Album posted by NoStop514,on page 3 of our Pictures Link,...............this is a beautiful shot taken from Herron Island,................. this shot also taken on Herron Island,and obviously in the fall season, so I thought these two pictures were appropriate for this time of year,as well as the topic thread.......................the River was a big part of our lives, as we all lived right by it,....and were warned as kids not to 'go down to the River'..........in any season,we warned Not to Play on the ice,........ of course we did just exactly all those things........but we were forewarned about the treacherous current,.......in certain spots,......not to mention just how polluted the water was in,our time,..........It's great to see the massive clean up of the waterfront,..................and that People are Having Fun Again,in the old mighty StLawerence River...................
Well you think we were our Mothers ,when we were growing up, Wanna see what the kids are doing now............. check out this "River Surfing" (there's quite a few videos of surfing waves & rapids in Montreal) ...........but this one shows the kids journey from morning till night,just heading out to Have Fun .........( I think this generation too,.....Will ...Remember Verdun .....) ...........I like the words to the song in the back ground,.....these kids aren't sitting on a front gallery Dreaming their Lives away,..........They are having a Blast................................................ enjoy the film: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTD8h4YST7s ...........and Mom's out there,Do You know where your kids are?
hahahah That first sentance ,should have read "So you think we 'Worried',Our Mothers when we were kids".................
muscle beach or power house beach i think
I also remember flat rock. My mother would take my sister Iona and me (Neta) Fee about once a year to picnic with some friends there. She was very nervous about us swimming since my half brother Geroge Dowd had drowned in the St. Lawrence in 1928. He had been fishing with his friend, Roland Mees who lived on the same street we did (Rielle Ave) It was a great outing for us.
I now live in California.
Yes It was called Flat Rock & Later Muscle Beach
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