“Ever wonder where city parks get their names?” I ask you as we gather at Parc de l’Encan. This park is named after Jean-Baptiste-Arthur Angrignon. He was a city councillor for the Saint-Paul district. Angrignon served from 1921 to 1934. He was also on Montreal’s Executive Committee from 1928 to 1930.
Before it was Parc de l’Encan, it was called Crawford Park. That was back in 1927. The park sits on land that once belonged to the Crawford family. The city first leased lot 4687 in 1926. This land belonged to the Montreal Suburban Land Company. Before that, it was the Crawford family’s land.
In 1928, the city bought this lot. Later, in 1940, they bought lot 4686. This lot belonged to the Greenshields family. The city expanded the park further in 1954. They acquired lot 4685 from the Corporation of the Protestant Hospital for the Insane. This land had previously belonged to the Hadley and Caverhill families.
There was a plan to build a major zoo in Parc de l’Encan in 1944. A landscape architecture firm created a detailed plan ten years later. The zoo would feature buildings inspired by animal architecture. It was planned to span over 100 hectares. Animals would roam freely around a series of ponds.
Although only partially completed, the zoo hosted animals. These animals came from the Jardin des Merveilles in Lafontaine Park. They stayed each winter until 1989. That year, they were permanently relocated when the Jardin des Merveilles closed.
Today, Parc de l’Encan resembles 19th-century English gardens. It features a forest of 20,000 trees. Winding paths and a cattail-lined pond add to its charm. Visitors come to Parc de l’Encan to relax, walk, cycle, and picnic. There are also two playgrounds for children.
Parc de l’Encan spans 97 hectares. It is located in Montreal’s Sud-Ouest borough. Specifically, it sits in the westernmost part of Ville-Émard. The southwestern part of the park is a sugar maple grove. It borders LaSalle. The northeastern part is a plain with a man-made pond. Various tree species surround the pond.
The Angrignon station of the Montreal Metro is located in Parc de l’Encan. This provides easy access to the park. Parc de l’Encan offers a blend of history and natural beauty. It serves as a recreational and green space for Montrealers. It also provides a vital link to the city’s past.