Whispers of history linger in Parc Vinet. This isn’t just any park. It’s a green space steeped in the past of Sainte-Cunégonde. Imagine a time long before the bustling city surrounded it. In 1864 entrepreneurs Workman and Delisle purchased land here. They developed what would become the heart of a thriving community. This area near the Lachine Canal boomed. It became a major industrial center. Houses sprang up rapidly. The streets you see today were laid out then. The park itself sits on land quickly built upon and inhabited.
Parc Vinet witnessed the birth of Sainte-Cunégonde. This village. Later city. It thrived. By 1876 the area had grown enough to officially become the City of Sainte-Cunégonde. The once modest village had exploded in size. It went from about 4000 buildings in 1875 to over 9000 just sixteen years later. Its first city hall proved too small. A competition was held. Architects Joseph-Cajetan Dufort and Alphonse Piché won. Their design. The magnificent Georges-Vanier building. It was completed in 1905. A grand celebration ensued. Citizens gathered. The mayor and city council members hosted a reception. A banquet and ball followed.
The Georges-Vanier building was impressive. It housed more than just city offices. A post office. A police station. A fire station. Even the first French-language public library in Canada was within its walls. Édouard-Zotique Massicotte. The historian archivist and folklorist ran it. It quickly became a hub. In 1914 over 11000 people used its services. Sadly it closed in 1918 due to lack of funding. It reopened in 1947 as the Workman Library. Then as a branch of the Montreal Central Library. The library. Now the Réjean Ducharme Library. Remains a vital part of the neighborhood. The Georges-Vanier building itself underwent major renovations in 2004.
Today as you stroll through Parc Vinet. Remember. You walk upon the foundation of a bustling city. It’s a city built on industry. A city built on community. And a city that continues to thrive. Even though its original city hall is a monument to the city’s past. Parc Vinet is more than a place for relaxation. It is a living testament to the history of Sainte-Cunégonde. And to the enduring spirit of Montreal.