Montreal in the 1990s

[MTLskyline]

This three-part series used to be on Openfile until that website was shut down. It has been reposted on Coolopolis.

Montreal in the 1990s
See also: Montreal in the 1980s


Montreal in the 90s series by by KRISTIAN GRAVENOR
Part 1 of 3: A history of hardship http://www.coolopolis.blogspot.ca/2013/10/montreal-in-90s-history-of-hardship-pt.html
Part 2 of 3: Darkness in hopes of a dawn http://www.coolopolis.blogspot.ca/2013/10/montreal-in-1990s-1993-1996-darkness-in.html
Part 3 of 3: Resurgence and revival http://coolopolis.blogspot.ca/2013/10/montreal-in-1990s-resurgence-and.html

[MTLskyline]

A few pics from 1990:

Montreal Skyline by Striderv, on Flickr


http://www.flickr.com/photos/agent_86/469003367/

Bit of a stumpy skyline back then...

saindo de Montreal rumo a Toronto by Nena Porto, on Flickr

Olympic Stadium

1990 Olympic Stadium Montreal Expos 8 by Jerry Reuss, on Flickr


00575_n_11ag9rg82c0576 by clare_and_ben, on Flickr


00574_n_11ag9rg82c0580 by clare_and_ben, on Flickr


Mile-end overview, 1990 by blork, on Flickr

[matthew6]

I didn't think it was that bad.

And Mile End still looks pretty much the same except for all the hipster hangouts on st viateur and fairmont.

[Rico Rommheim]

I grew up in the 90's. More specifically I grew up in the Mile-End.

I remember the bleakness.


The Mile-end today and the Mile-end of 1992 are two different worlds, I'd say.

[matthew6]

Originally Posted by Rico Rommheim

I remember the bleakness.

Yes for sure. I remember those subterranean seedy dealer bars on parc too.

Culturally it's changed but physically..... if I walk up say Jeanne Mance it still looks like Jeanne Mance. With Jewish kids running around everywhere. St Viateur Bagel looks exactly the same. So does Open Da Night. Clintele has changed of course.

[esquire]

I made my first visit to Montreal in 1992, returned in 1995 and came back frequently for the next 6 years. There was a certain gritty, almost unstable element to the city that I didn't see in, say, Toronto or Vancouver in those days. It also seemed down at the heels, as though Montreal was undergoing some sort of massive civic hangover after the sociocultural thrill ride of the 1960s and 70s.

I'm not sure what's changed, but Montreal doesn't give off that vibe anymore. It looks a lot more polished and prosperous these days.

[Robertpuant]

I was really young and remember the atmosphere around town, almost looked like a soviet city overtaken by punks in some part of town.

[MTLskyline]

I posted the link to part 2 in the first post.

Here's some photos from 1991

Le lancer de Dennis Martinez, 31 mai 1991 by Archives de la Ville de Montréal, on Flickr


George Bell des Cubs au bâton, 31 mai 1991 by Archives de la Ville de Montréal, on Flickr


Hockey Montreal Canadiens September 1991 by proacguy1, on Flickr


Game Time by Newfie Bullet, on Flickr


Canada - Montréal, Québec by Chris&Steve, on Flickr

Wow! It used to work!

Canada - Montréal, Québec by Chris&Steve, on Flickr


Blue Bonnets, 1991 by blork, on Flickr


St-Laurent and ave.des Pins, circa 1991 by blork, on Flickr


Dunns, rue Ste-Catherine, 1991 by blork, on Flickr

[MonkeyRonin]

As rad as the '90s were, they were pretty bleak urban-wise.

[MTLskyline]

I posted the link to part 3 in the first message.

Here are some shots from 1992:

scan_itkf-world-championship_ca_montreal_kodak-gold-400-3_roll-a_0004.64RGBI_raw.png by sean dreilinger, on Flickr


scan_itkf-world-championship_ca_montreal_kodak-gold-400-3_roll-a_0014.64RGBI_raw.png by sean dreilinger, on Flickr


Montreal by John Steedman, on Flickr


Img185 by heytampa, on Flickr


Le Tramway by KOBUS 2C, on Flickr


Queen's Hotel Montreal Qc demolition by menezippe, on Flickr


La Creche d' Youville Orphanage by Major_Dundee, on Flickr


Mont Royal, Montreal by John Stein, on Flickr

[G.S MTL]

wow! i miss it.

[Nosyt]

It's a shame Ben's closed down.

[matthew6]

St Laurant in all its gritty 90's charm

• Video Link

[MTLskyline]

1993


http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multime...hl.milestone.stanley.cups/content.5.html

Mayor Jean Doré

Jean Dore by imagesdistributioncanada, on Flickr


Pierre Trudeau and 3 sons by Dawn One, on Flickr


gm_08636 Montreal, Quebec 1993 by CanadaGood, on Flickr


Quebec Montreal 1993-0206 Street Snow by CanadaGood, on Flickr


Quebec Montreal 1993-0205 Downtown Snow by CanadaGood, on Flickr


Quebec Montreal 1993-0204 Downtown Snow by CanadaGood, on Flickr


Winter traffic by zadcat, on Flickr


De LaGauchetiere Street, Montreal,Quebec by menezippe, on Flickr


De LaGauchetiere,Montreal,Qc by menezippe, on Flickr


CANADIAN VICKERS OFFICES MONTREAL QC by menezippe, on Flickr


Queen's Hotel Montreal Qc demolition 4 by menezippe, on Flickr


Queen's Hotel Montreal Qc demolition 7 by menezippe, on Flickr


Queen's Hotel Montreal Qc demolition 12 by menezippe, on Flickr


The Start 1993 Montreal Grand Prix by World Where You Live, on Flickr


1993_08 Montreal 0 by Mark & Andrea Busse, on Flickr


http://www2.ville.montreal.qc.ca/archive...o/democratisation/rcm/piece11/index.shtm


http://www2.ville.montreal.qc.ca/archive...o/democratisation/rcm/piece10/index.shtm


http://www2.ville.montreal.qc.ca/archive...o/democratisation/rcm/piece12/index.shtm

[Rico Rommheim]

Thanks for sharing all these great vintage pics.


This one, I don't remember that CN building. I kind of like it.

[Rico Rommheim]

^Found it on vanishing montreal.

I have grown to like those types of buildings. Love the glass blocks that compromises much of the 4th floor.


http://www.vanishingmontreal.com/2010_12_01_archive.html

Now, there's just a huge empty land there.

A quick google search tells me that this was the CN bonaventure building, wich was a freight rail terminal.


http://www.imagescn.technomuses.ca/_images/common/photos/original/CN005852.jpg

[MTLskyline]

^ I remember that building! They demolished it about 10 years ago. I think they had planned to put another phase of the Jardins Windsor there. I remember CN used the building well after the tracks were ripped up in that part of town (which explains why almost all the buildings for a few blocks west of there date from the late 80s/early 90s).

[chris]

The photo of Patrick Roy holding the Stanley Cup is not from 1993; it's from 1986 when the Habs won the Stanley Cup in Calgary.

[kool maudit]

i arrived in montreal in 1995. it felt very different than it does today, and there was an enormous sense that most things of significance were happening elsewhere. the city was totally anomalous in the canadian context — it was fractious and unmoored, and had the visual aspect of a philadelphia or a cleveland. there were outdated signs and cars, and a lot of rusty infrastructure. the latter is still there, of course, and in many cases is even rustier, but things like the lachine canal reconstruction and the parc/des pins adaptation give it a different sense; one does not feel that it will remain in state forever.

the anglo scene that now animates mile-end was then located in the southwestern plateau, on streets like coloniale and hotel-de-ville. it was far less common to encounter someone whose big ideas were related to money or success; marginal creative projects were more the norm. i miss that city, but recognize it as a somewhat perverse form of missing, and one that is related to the universal missing of one's youth. i was 18, 19, 20 in those years. rent was cheap. but today's montreal is the greater city.

[MolsonExport]

Feels almost like yesterday. Reminds me of my UG days at Concordia (90-94). The city was....on the edge. Aside from the cup and the completion of the two tallest, things were quite shitty in Montreal back in the early-mid nineties. bleak times, economically and politically.

I miss the old Queen's hotel. Yes, a shambles, but I loved the grittiness of it from the exit ramp from the Ville Marie Tunnel. I miss the Expos and their crappy scoreboard. I miss the old Dunn's location on Ste. Cath.