Kelly of Ville St-Laurent seeks to learn about history of house still standing on Boul Cote Vertu, at the corner of Begin Street behind the Vitre Lebeau
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A previous post is entitled:
Q & A with Graeme Decarie regarding the history of Cartierville and Ville St. Laurent
House at Cote Vertu and Begin. Source: Kelly of Ville St-Laurent
In a comment at that post I’ve added a question from Kelly.
Question from Kelly:
I enjoyed reading the article about St-Laurent and the Decarie/Descaire family.
I have lived in VSTL my entire 57 years.
There is a house still standing on Boul Cote Vertu, at the corner of Begin Street. It is behind the Vitre Lebeau – would you know anything of this history. Although the house is sadly falling apart – I am fascinated by the look into the past.
I have added a google aerial shot.
https://www.google.com/maps/@45.4942453,-73.7098942,101m/data=!3m1!1e3
Thank you for any help.
Update: On May 5, 2020 Kelly wrote:
I visited the old house on Cote Vertu this week-end, see attached pic- the address could be 3705 or 3703.
My contact at the city has his team pulling what they have in the archives – wow I’m so happy.
The only thing he could confirm is that the house is in a very bady deteriorated state – sad!
Detail from house at Cote Vertu and Begin. Source: Kelly of Ville St-Laurent
[End of message]
It’s an impressive looking house
I’m reminded of a previous post (see link below), about a house in Ontario that I’ve passed by many times when driving between Stratford and Toronto. The post features photos of an abandoned house that I’ve found most interesting to have a close look. We have some comments at the post from people who were living at the house before it was abandoned. I found it of much interest to read their comments:
Boarded-up early 1900s house at Trafalgar Road and Derry Road retains echoes of bygone days
Graeme Decarie, Aug. 6, 2016. Moncton, N.B. In an email comment about the photo, Graeme writes: “It doesn’t capture the lush glory of my hair.”
I’m reminded as well of the concept that what once were farmers’ fields are now urban areas:
Toronto and Montreal wiped out their farmsteads
I grew up in Cartierville and have from time to time written about the changes that have occurred since my own childhood years:
Farmers’ fields north of Montreal is where the City of Laval was built
Graeme Decarie. Source: MCHS 1962-63 yearbook
I’m reminded as well about the history of land use in the neighbourhood in Mississauga where I taught as an elementary teacher prior to my retirement from teaching in 2006:
Munden Park Public School celebrated its 50th Anniversary on June 15, 2019
In the comments section below we have a comment from Graeme Decarie. I’ve included a couple of photos of him at this post just so we know what a good looking guy he is.
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Want to join the discussion?Feel free to contribute!
Some comments from Facebook:
“That area at one time was farms and horse riding was big through that area before cote vertu was widened.”
“I used to ride at the Double D Ranch on Cote Vertu!”
“My friends and I loved going horse back riding there.”
One Facebook comment mentioned a YouTube video that’s of interest:
Life in a hidden trailer park in Ville St-Laurent
Additional comments:
“I know it’s been there for many decades and is on a grandfathered zoning law for all these years.
“Last I checked last summer prices were really cheap from those who wanted to sell.
“You might be able to check both gazette and st laurent archives.”
Graeme Decarie writes:
I don’t think I remember that house. There was one on Cote Vertu that was very old and long since abandoned.
But it was stone and, I think, it was demolished. This was on a stretch of Cote Vertu to the west of (damn. I forget the name of the street that Bombardier is on.)
Oh! Is it possible that your house was to the East of Decarie? I remember an old farmhouse and a crucifix there. When I was a kid, I used to take my rifle, slung over my shoulder and riding on the busses and street cars, then I would walk down the road that is now the expressway behind MCHS to a creek near what became MCHS.
There were a lot of Decaries in St. Laurent going up to what would become TMR in 1900 or so.In fact, it was mostly Decaries. The lawyer who was hired by the railway company to buy all around the road to TMR was a Decarie, who bought up all the properties from St. Laurent to what would become TMR.
Decaries also owned the land that became the horse racing track, Blue Bonnets.
But I’m afraid all that is as close as I can get to that house.
graeme Decarie
That stone farm house on Cote Vertu was just west of Sir Winston Churchill High School. Right beside it actually. A family called Trueax (not sure of the spelling) lived there.
The name of the street Bombardier, formerly Canadair, is on was called Laurentian Boulevard. We would hunt in “The Back Woods” behind Canadair.
What memories!
The Truax’s went to SWCHS.
The creek was a central part of life for kids in the 1950s. Wonderful to know of your own connection to the creek, Graeme!
The creek that you refer to may be (likely is) Raimbault Creek, about which much has been written at this site.
Click here for previous posts about Raimbault Creek >
The following post features two maps of the creek:
Question from Norman Bates regarding Raimbault Creek in Cartierville, Quebec
The following post features an archival aerial photo of the creek:
With help from Peter Halliday, we’ve located an archival photo of Raimbault Creek near the Back River
I went to Sir Winston Churchill high school. I remember the name Truax.
In the beginning of the 70’s, My grandfather used to own or rent this house. I remember it very well.
Grandpa used to come pick us up with his blue chevy nova. 100 CV. LE Saphir. My my my !!!!
Part 2:
Must of been 4/5 years old at the most.
Siiting in the back seat
Remembering how long the strech was in my young aged brain.
Obviously, those 2 industrial buildings weren’t there!!!
Ironically, the mechanics beside or in front of Lebeau ( if still there) used to be a Sunoco gas station, with service must i say, situated at 200 CV/ Lebeau (now Ultramar). Owner was Mr. Gilles, bought by Mr. Jacques in the 90’s.
Wonderful to learn these details, Jay. You have helped in a big way to truly bring to life the memories connected with the house!
My father grew up in this house! His family lived there amongst many farming families that surrounded them. They were not farmers themselves, but his father did a lot of riding and wanted to live in the countryside. My father’s family was English and all of his neighbours were French which is how he learned to speak the French language so beautifully. He would go over to the farming families on the weekend to help them with their chores and play with the kids. We have photos and video of this old home in its heyday (and in very good condition). Sad to see it now – I wish it could be restored.
Wonderful to know of your connection to this house! I would be pleased to post photos and short videos in the event you would like to share them at this website. You could send such items to me by email as attached files and I would be able to take it from there. I can be reached at jpill@preservedstories.com