Old News

One Year Ago

April 26, 2007

VIN D'HONNEUR: "The City of Westmount honoured three former residents at the bi-annual Vin d’honneur ceremony earlier this month at Victoria Hall. Family members of the honourees and guests mingled around the displays of the lives of the 2007 inductees — internationally acclaimed artist Ghitta Caiserman-Roth (1923-2005), award-winning author Gabrielle Roy (1909-1983), and financier and philanthropist extraordinaire Lord George Mount Stephen (1829-1921), who was the veritable father of the Canadian Pacific Railroad. As they browsed through the exhibits of photos, books, letters and articles, many visitors exchanged stories of their memories of the personalities who not only led extraordinary live but also impacted, Westmount, Quebec, Canada and the world."

Ten Years Ago

April 30, 1998

C.L.S.C. CLOSES: “In an effort to reduce its spending and centralize more of its services, the CLSC Métro is recommending the closure of its little-used Westmount branch at 300 Victoria Ave. Citing a steadily decreasing volume of activity, as well as fairness to those living in the eastern part of Westmount, the CLSC’s proposal calls for part of the money saved by this closure to finance the opening on weekends of its main branch downtown—thus providing service seven days a week. ‘It’s a sane use of what funds they have,’ said Westmount resident Barbara Moore, who served on the CLSC Métro’s board of directors for four years. Currently the chair of the mutual support section of the Westmount Healthy City Project, Moore agrees with the CLSC’s prediction that the closure would have a minimal effect on the surrounding community.”

Twenty-Five Years Ago

April 28, 1983

REPORTER BANNED: “The chief reporter of the Westmount Examiner, Laureen Sweeney, Tuesday was denied her usual access to news at the Westmount Fire Brigade headquarters on Stanton street. She was told by the fire chief, Edward Martell, that she could interview him only by telephone. Ald. André Gervais, commissioner of public safety, told The Examiner last week that the general committee of council on April 18 decided that the fire chief would be required to make all departmental news available to The Examiner but left it to him to determine the method of dissemination. Tuesday of last week, April 19, Chief Martell told Mrs. Sweeney at the end of a normal news interview of his decision to restrict her reporting to telephone contact.”

Seventy Years Ago

April 29, 1938

NEWS FROM EUROPE: “Italy is making elaborate preparations for the forthcoming visit of Adolf Hitler, George W. Cavey told the Rotary Club at its weekly luncheon at Victoria Hall, yesterday. Mr. Cavey said a special railway station is being built at which Hitler will arrive and that after his departure the station will be levelled. Mr. Cavey, who has just returned from an extensive tour of Europe, declared Hitler has done much to aid the lower income brackets and expressed the belief that bloodshed was averted by Germany’s annexation of Austria. In Italy, Mr. Cavey found considerable improvement in road conditions and said that Mussolini was doing all possible to advance the welfare of his people.”