Montreal DistrictsNotre Dame de Grace District
Cote des Neiges (MBK) and Notre Dame de Grace mostly called NDG is a borough whose evolution began during the middle of the 19th century. Both districts are located West of the Mount-Royal.
During the 19th century Notre Dame de Grace was a farm territory famous for its Montreal sweet melons that were shipped to fancy New York restaurants. During those days, NDG was, for the most part, a district with a population slightly richer than middle-class. As the years went by, top-of-the-range residential constructions changed the nature of the neighbourhood. NDG now is a highly residential district located in the western part of the borough. Four Main AreasThe district is divided into four main areas. The area generally called “Westmount adjacent”, is located between Décarie and the town of Westmount. It is bordered to the south by de Maisonneuve and to the north by the lands of Villa Maria. A second area generally called the “Monkland Village” by the residents, extends to the west of Décarie until a more or less definite limit that could be Beaconsfield or Kensington, between Sherbrooke to the south and Côte-Saint-Luc to the north. Under the pressure of the real estate market, an area traditionally more modest located south of Sherbrooke tends to get more refined and to slowly get incorporated into the “Monkland Village”. Finally, west of the “Monkland Village” as far as Montreal-West, there’s a vast territory that started to emerge after the Second World War. The area is limited to the south by St-Jacques and to the north by Côte Saint-Luc. The charm of NDG rests on its streets bordered by hundred year old trees and on its elegant Anglo-Saxon residences. With times, the population expanded and eventually became a happy mixture of Francophones and Anglophones. Today, NDG is one of the most beautiful districts of Montreal. In all its part, the residents benefit from a middle class architecture present ever since the beginning of i ts development. It now contributes to the richness of its residential inheritance. Life in Notre Dame de Grace is animated and enjoyable.
The church of St-Augustine of Canterbury was built in 1917 and is located on St-Anthony, corner of Marcil. St-Malachy, a Catholic Church on Isabelle was built in 1938 for the Anglophones living in the neighborhood. The church of St-Raymond located on St-Jacques also goes back to 1938 and is frequented by an Italian population. Santa Monica, a nice Irish church located on de Terrebonne and Ste-Catherine de Sienne a church located on Somerled were both built in 1950. The Notre Dame de Grace district is located West of the Décarie Highway. NDG is a residential district easily accessible by STM Montreal. NDG is also home of the private Villa Maria High School (girls only), of the Loyola High School (boys only) and of the Concordia University. The house of Pierre Hurtubise is the only house that kept its original aspect, except for the brick addition on its East side that goes back to 1875. Close to the actual Victoria Street, the house is now the site of a museum, thanks to the Héritage canadien du Québec that took possession of it in 1955 to insure its preservation.
To find out more about the area and to enjoy yourself, a walk on the popular Monkland Avenue with its many coffee shops, restaurants and terraces is an essential and a pleasant venture. Simply get off at the Villa Maria metro station. You may also visit Victoria Street for its Caribbean and Jamaican shops and restaurants. Commercial activities are also concentrated on Somerled, Côte Saint Luc, Sherbrooke and St-Jacques where you’ll find all the usual and not so usual convenience stores (grocers, drugstores, cleaners and many others).
Notre Dame de Grace is characterized by a large basin of people of English origin, by a highly educated population and by a strong participation of the residents in the community life of the district. Although the average family income is higher than the average in Montreal, the district shelters groups who need support. Among them, a significant number of people with low-income, immigrants, elderly and single-parent families. Thank you for visiting Notre Dame de Grace District. Cote des Neiges District (MBK)
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