Windsor Station (Montreal) facts for kids
Windsor Station (Gare Windsor) is a famous old building in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It used to be a very busy train station for the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR). For many years, from 1889 to 1996, it was also the main office for CPR, one of Canada's biggest railway companies.
This historic building is located near Avenue des Canadiens-de-Montréal to the north, Peel Street to the east, Saint Antoine Street to the south, and the Bell Centre to the west.
Windsor Station is considered very important to Canada's history. It was named a National Historic Site of Canada in 1975. Later, in 1990, it was recognized as a Heritage Railway Station. In 2009, it became a provincial historic monument in Quebec. The building's walls are made of gray limestone from a local quarry in Montreal. Some of its large columns outside are about 7 feet (2.1 meters) wide!
Quick facts for kids Windsor Station |
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Gare Windsor
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Windsor Station in 2017
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| General information | |
| Type | Office building, and formerly train station |
| Architectural style | Richardsonian Romanesque |
| Location | Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
| Address | 1160 (formerly 1160 rue de la Gauchetière) (concourse), 1100 avenue des Canadiens-de-Montréal (offices) |
| Coordinates | 45°29′50.86″N 73°34′7.18″W / 45.4974611°N 73.5686611°W |
| Construction started | 1887 |
| Completed | 1889, 1916 |
| Cost | CA$2 million (1888–89) |
| Owner | Cadillac Fairview |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Bruce Price |
| Awards and prizes | Heritage railway station (Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada) |
| Official name: Windsor Station (Canadian Pacific) National Historic Site of Canada | |
| Designated: | 1975 |
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Heritage Railway Station (Canada)
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| Designated: | 1990 |
| Type: | Historic monument |
| Designated: | 2009 |
Contents
A Look Back: History of Windsor Station
The Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) started building Windsor Station in Montreal in 1887. They wanted it to be their main office and a major train station. An architect from New York City named Bruce Price designed the building. He chose a style called Romanesque Revival, which uses rounded arches and strong, heavy stone. The station cost about $300,000 to build. The first trains left from Windsor Station on February 4, 1889. It was originally called Windsor Street Station because it was on Windsor Street, which is now called Peel Street.
Growing Bigger: Expansions
Windsor Station was expanded several times as it became busier. The first expansion happened between 1900 and 1903. Another big expansion took place from 1910 to 1913. The third and final expansion in 1916 added a tall fifteen-story tower. This tower was so big that it changed the look of Montreal's skyline. Brothers Edward and William Maxwell, who were Canadian architects, were in charge of this last expansion.
The station was an important part of Dominion Square. It helped manage the flow of many passengers and connected to other types of transportation. The building had four floors facing Osborne Street (now Avenue des Canadiens-de-Montréal) and five floors on Donegani Street because the ground sloped downwards.
Saving the Station
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In 1970, CPR announced a plan to tear down Windsor Station. They wanted to build a huge 60-story office building in its place. This new building was going to be designed by the same architects who designed the World Trade Center in New York City. However, after many delays, the plan to demolish Windsor Station was stopped. People wanted to save this historic building.
Changing Train Services
In 1978, a new company called Via Rail took over passenger train services from both Canadian National (CN) and CPR. At first, trains continued to use their usual stations. But by 1979, most of Via Rail's long-distance trains that used Windsor Station moved to Central Station. This included famous trains like The Atlantic Limited and The Canadian.
Some local trains, like the "Dayliners" that went to Quebec City, continued to use Windsor Station until 1984. The daily train from Montreal to New York City, called the Adirondack, also used Windsor Station until 1986. Both of these services then moved to Central Station. Other local trains to places like Montebello and Mont-Laurier stopped using Windsor Station when their services were cancelled in 1981.
Even after long-distance trains left, Windsor Station continued to be a terminal for commuter trains. These were trains that helped people travel from the suburbs into the city for work or school. The Montréal/Dorion-Rigaud suburban train (now called the Vaudreuil-Hudson line) used the station. Later, new commuter lines were added, like the Blainville line in 1999 and the Delson line in 2001.
A New Station and a New Purpose
In 1993, construction began on the Molson Centre, which is now known as the Bell Centre. This is a large arena for hockey games and other events. The arena was built right where the train tracks and platforms of Windsor Station used to be. This meant that Windsor Station could no longer be used for trains.
The Molson Centre opened in 1996. A new train station, called Lucien-L'Allier Station, was opened at the western end of the arena to replace Windsor Station for commuter trains. Until 2001, the new station was called Terminus Windsor. The name was changed to Lucien-L'Allier Station to avoid confusion with the old Windsor Station building and to connect it to the Lucien-L'Allier metro (subway) station which is located underneath. You can still walk through the Bell Centre to get to both Windsor Station and the Lucien-L'Allier metro station.
Windsor Station was also the main office for CPR until the mid-1990s. After some changes in the company, CPR moved its headquarters to Calgary in 1996.
Windsor Station Today
Since 1993, Windsor Station is no longer connected to the railway network. It was sold by CPR to a company called Cadillac Fairview in 2009. This meant it was no longer under the rules for heritage railway stations. Instead, it was classified as a provincial heritage site in Quebec that same year.
Today, parts of Windsor Station are used as office spaces. There are also some restaurants and cafés inside. The large main hall, which is open to the public, can be rented for different events and parties.
The lower floor of Windsor Station is part of Montreal's RÉSO, which is a network of underground tunnels and walkways. This connects the building to the Bonaventure metro station and the Lucien-L'Allier commuter train station, as well as the Bell Centre. The 13 train tracks that used to run into Windsor Station have been removed. In their place, there is now a public square where people can gather.
Images for kids
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Windsor Station in 2017
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Windsor Station circa 1900
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The Delaware and Hudson's Montreal Limited at Windsor Station on August 27, 1970
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Entrance to Windsor Station in 2008
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Windsor Station's main concourse as a party venue, August 2017
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Public park, with Wikipedians
