Old News

Ten Years Ago

February 24, 2000

SIGNS OF THE TIMES: "The City of Westmount’s steadfast opposition to Montreal Mayor Pierre Bourque’s ‘one island one city’ plan became more visible this week with the installation of large anti-amalgamation signs throughout the city. 'These signs will stay up as long as necessary,' said Mayor Peter Trent as he and Director General Bruce St. Louis inspected two newly-erected signs in front of City Hall on Tuesday morning. St. Louis said the signs will also be placed at other strategic locations around Westmount — in front of Victoria Hall, at the corner of Edgehill Road and The Boulevard, in the Glen and at the intersection of Dorchester, Ste. Catherine and Clarke Avenue."

Fifteen Years Ago

February 23, 1995

BURST MAIN: “Engineers at Montreal Waterworks have yet to pin down the exact cause of last Friday’s burst pipe that caused massive flooding at Clarke Avenue and Sherbrooke Street. But on the day of the flood, Westmount city workers cited old pipes and rapidly fluctuating temperatures as possible causes. At about 6:45 a.m. last Friday, a 36-inch water feeder main broke underneath Clarke and Sherbrooke, smashing through a hole in the street, followed by a break in a second 36-inch main, a 24-inch main and a 12-inch main shortly after.”

Twenty Years Ago

February 22, 1990

BILINGUAL STAND: “The City of Westmount is expected to declare itself in support of bilingualism across Canada in a city council statement being prepared for release on Monday. The bilingual stand is being drafted by Councillor Paul Fortin in response to resolutions by Sault Ste Marie and Thunder Bay adopting unilingual English stands. ‘Now is the time to be counted,’ Coun. Fortin said yesterday. ‘There is a terrible backlash among francophones in Quebec. The language issue is dynamite.’”

Thirty-Five Years Ago

February 20, 1975

SKATING PARTY: “Last Friday evening Staynor Park rang to laughter and the ‘Skater’s Waltz’ as neighbourhood residents turned out for a Valentine costume skating party at the park rink, organized by local residents. About 150 persons from Clandeboye, Greene, Prospect and Staynor came out in costumes of all descriptions.”

Forty-Five Years Ago

February 26, 1965

MERGER THREAT: “For the second time in less than a week the City of Westmount has made representation to Quebec officials on provincial actions that may greatly affect the future of the city. A telegram signed by Mayor Michael L. Tucker was sent this week to Minister of Municipal Affairs Pierre Laporte stating Westmount’s opposition to Bill 13 in its present form. The Bill, now before the Legislature, would permit the amalgamation of municipalities without a referendum of the municipalities’ property owners.”

Sixty-Five Years Ago

February 23, 1945

LOCAL HERO: “Cpl. Charles H. Murdoch, 22, son of Mr. And Mrs. C.R” Murdoch of Greene avenue, was reported in a recent overseas despatch to have saved the lives of three of his comrades when he rescued them from drowning. He failed through exhaustion to save a fourth. A member of the 7th Rec’ce Regiment, he went overseas with his regiment in July, 1941, a few days before his 19th birthday.”