Saint-Henri is the well-known, historical working class neighborhood memorably recorded by Gabrielle Roy in her novel "The Tin Flute". The area is characterized by its rich history within Canada's industrial and social landscape, which has left a pronounced imprint on this community.
Today, Saint-Henri's is being re-born in the shadow of downtown Montreal as a trendy residential neighborhood with its unique character and charm.
History
The area was historically known as The Tannery because of the artisans shops where leather tanning took place. Saint-Henri was named for Église Saint-Henri which at one time formed Place Saint-Henri along with the community's fire and police station. Église Saint-Henri was so named to commemorate Fr. Henri-Auguste Roux (1798-1831), the superior of Saint-Sulpice Seminary. The municipality of Saint-Henri was formed by a merger of worker villages in 1875 and was later incorporated into the City of Montreal in 1905.
Geography
Saint-Henri is a neighborhood in southwestern Montreal in the borough of Le Sud-Ouest.
Saint-Henri is bounded to the east by Atwater, to the west by Autoroute 15, to the south by the Lachine Canal, and overlooked from the north by Westmount.
Demographics
The social makeup of Saint-Henri consists of a multi-ethnic collage of people of varied origins and backgrounds.
Cityscape
Traces of the borough's industrial heritage are still visible although today it is mostly a residential community. Saint-Henri has perhaps the most varied housing in Montreal, including examples of the city's last remaining early wooden houses, as well as more recent luxury condominium developments built right on the Lachine Canal, and new loft projects in buildings converted from industrial spaces.
Highlights
Opened in 1933, Atwater Market is a farmers' market located in Saint-Henri at the bottom of Atwater Street, near the Lachine Canal. The market is notable for its Art Deco style building designed by architect Ludger Lemieux (1872 - 1953). The interior is home to butchers, a bakery, and restaurant. The outside market has many farmers stalls with local and imported produce, as well as cheese stores, a wine store, and a fish store. A pedestrian bridge connects the market to the bicycle path that travels along the Lachine Canal from the Old Port of Montreal to the Lachine Marina which contributes to a great summer ambiance for the area.
Transportation
The neighborhood of St-Henri is served by the Lionel-Groulx and Place-Saint-Henri metro stations.
Schools
Local schools include Polyvalente Saint-Henri and James Lyng High School.
Services
With the recent influx of young professionals and students, the area is benefiting from expanded public services.
Links
www.municipalite.saint-henri.qc.ca
www.imtl.org
