Who was Cecil P Newman you ask? A name synonymous with LaSalle’s rise. He wasn’t just any resident. He was the first mayor. Cecil P Newman. Born in Lachine in 1866 he became a landowner on Boulevard LaSalle. Imagine his orchard stretching between Orchard Avenue and 90th Avenue. A true testament to LaSalle’s agricultural past.
This wasn’t just about apples and pears though. He was a municipal councillor before LaSalle even became a city. In 1911 and 1912 he served Lachine. Then in 1912 everything changed. LaSalle became its own city. Cecil P Newman was elected its first mayor. His term was short. Just two years. But what a significant two years. He oversaw the acquisition of Maison Brunning. This beautiful building. It became LaSalle’s city hall. A lasting legacy.
He lost the next mayoral election. A heartbreaking defeat by a mere two votes. But politics is a fickle beast. He bounced back. He returned as a city councillor from 1917 to 1923. He witnessed LaSalle’s incredible growth. Residential industrial and demographic growth. It boomed. A testament to the city he helped shape.
Cecil P Newman didn’t vanish after his political career ended. His impact lives on. A boulevard and an electoral district bear his name. A permanent mark on the city he loved and served. He passed away in 1952. His legacy however. It remains. Cecil P Newman. A name forever etched in LaSalle’s history. A story of ambition perseverance and a deep love for his community. He’s more than just a name on a street sign. He’s the face of a city’s very beginnings. He’s LaSalle’s first mayor. He’s Cecil P Newman.