Viger Square

This article is about the public square. For the former railway station and hotel, see Place Viger.
Viger Square
French: Square Viger

Agora by Charles Daudelin is a prominent sculpture in Viger Square.
Type Town square
Location Old Montreal, Ville-Marie Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Coordinates 45°30′45″N 73°33′14″W / 45.5126°N 73.554°W / 45.5126; -73.554Coordinates: 45°30′45″N 73°33′14″W / 45.5126°N 73.554°W / 45.5126; -73.554
Created September 11, 1860
Operated by City of Montreal
Status Open all year

Viger Square (officially in French: Square Viger) is an urban square in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It was greatly changed by the construction of the Ville-Marie Expressway in the 1970s. The square is divided into three sections. It is bordered to the west by Saint Denis Street, to the east by Saint André Street, to the north by Viger Street and to the south by Saint Antoine Street.

History

Force sculpture fountain by Claude Théberge.

In the 1840s, the city of Montreal acquired several parcels of marshland permitting for its development. Trees were planted and pathways were traced.

Prior to 1851, a hay market and public scale operated on the site on the east side of Saint Denis Street. The hay market moved a few times on the site, but was always to the east.

Viger Square was inaugurated on September 11, 1860. In 1865, greenhouses were added, although were moved to La Fontaine Park in 1889.

In 1870, Viger Square was the only public place in Montreal to hear live music. Ernest Lavigne directed his orchestra in Viger Square from 1885 to 1889, before he moved to Sohmer Park.

In 1892, to enlarge the square at the request of citizens, the cattle market was demolished near rue Saint-André. Some members of the French-Canadian elite moved near the square, which experienced a boom with the construction of prestigious buildings such as Place Viger (700 Saint Antoine Street) by architect Bruce Price in 1898 and the École des hautes études commerciales (535 Viger Avenue) in 1908-1910.

Early in the twentieth century, several redevelopment projects were suggested for this vast space, among them were plans to build a municipal library, an auditorium to celebrate the 300th anniversary of Montreal in 1942 or to accommodate a large parking lot in the 1950s.

It was the development of road infrastructure that ended up taking over the space; the park was destroyed when the underground Ville-Marie Expressway was built in the 1970s. When the highway was finished, a new Viger Square was created on its concrete roof in three parts, delimited by Saint-Denis, Berri, Saint-Hubert and Saint-André Streets. The development of the three sections was entrusted to sculptors Charles Daudelin, Claude Théberge and Peter Gnass and completed in 1985.

The artist-run center Dare-Dare was based in Viger Square from August 2004 to July 2006 and presented more than a dozen exhibitions, events and performances.

Future plans

As it stands today, Viger Square holds little resemblance to what it once was. It is criticized because of the strong presence of concrete structures, and especially homeless people. The Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal project will bring many changes to the neighborhood. Public consultations will take place that will lead a significant restructuring of Viger Square.

Jean-Olivier Chénier Monument

The Jean-Olivier Chénier Monument on Saint Denis Street, opposite Viger Square.

The Jean-Olivier Chénier Monument is a memorial designed by Alfonso Pelzer located on Saint Denis Street opposite Viger Square. A committee created in 1893 gave Jean-Olivier Chénier his monument in Viger Square on April 24, 1895. It stands 4.33 metres (14.2 ft) tall and is made of pink granite, bronze and copper. [1][2]

Sculptures

References

  1. ↑ Monument à Jean-Olivier Chénier
  2. ↑ Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online
  3. ↑ McLauchlin, Matt. "Charles Daudelin". metrodemontreal.com. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
  4. ↑ McLauchlin, Matt. "Claude Théberge". metrodemontreal.com. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
  5. ↑ McLauchlin, Matt. "Peter Gnass". metrodemontreal.com. Retrieved 17 November 2016.

Further reading

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