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Sainte-Hélène Island was first frequented by the St. Lawrence Iroquoians at least 600 years ago. In 1611, Samuel de Champlain named the island in honour of his wife, Hélène Boullé.
The island’s history and development can be divided into four major phases:
Phase 1: The Barony, 1665–1818
The island was granted to Charles Lemoyne in 1665 and attached to his Longueuil seigneury. In 1700, Lemoyne’s son was named Baron of Longueuil. In the early years, few or no buildings were erected on the island. The Lemoyne family began developing it in the first third of the 18th century: a stone manor, cider press, sheepfold, barn-stable, and a mill. For many years, the island served as a summer residence for the Lemoyne family, who also hosted dignitaries such as renowned Swedish botanist Pehr Kalm. In the summer of 1749, Kalm noted in his writings that the baron had a manor with a garden and a courtyard. The manor was demolished around 1875 after being left abandoned for many years.
Phase 2: The British Garrison, 1818–1870
In 1818, the British government acquired the island and immediately began building military facilities as part of a broader plan to fortify the strategic St. Lawrence River corridor against a possible American attack (the War of 1812–1814 had only recently ended). These included the fort that would later house the Stewart Museum (until 2021), powder magazines, an arsenal, barracks, and a cemetery. Montréal was especially vulnerable at the time, as its fortifications had been dismantled since the early 1800s (unlike Québec City’s citadel, Montréal’s defences had never offered much protection). The island was chosen for its proximity to the city, its commanding views, and its relative inaccessibility by boat due to strong currents. The fort was built near the original shoreline (the island’s area was about 123 acres at the time, compared to over 300 today), close to a military wharf that allowed for supplies. The military complex was built between 1819 and 1823 and was mainly used as a depot for storing military equipment in support of the St. Lawrence defence system. Over 600 soldiers were stationed in the arsenal during the rebellions of 1837–1838.
Phase 3: Municipal Park and Public Works Projects, 1870–1962
In 1870, following Confederation, the British army withdrew and the City of Montréal began negotiations with the Canadian government to repurpose the island for public use. The military sector remained fenced off and inaccessible to the public. In 1874, the city created a Special Parks Commission to manage parks and gardens, including Logan Park (later La Fontaine Park) and Sainte-Hélène Island. The following year, a ferry service was launched between the island and the city. Montréal officially took possession of Sainte-Hélène Island in 1908, while the federal government retained usage rights to the military zone. These rights proved useful during the World Wars, when military buildings were used for storage (munitions and military supplies) and detention: nearly 400 Italians were interned there during World War II in Camp S-43.
The construction of the Harbour Bridge (renamed Jacques Cartier Bridge in 1934), from 1926 to 1930, improved access to the island (by car and on foot). A new phase of development began. Landscape architect Frederick G. Todd proposed a major development plan inspired by the “City Beautiful” movement and American parkways: unifying Îles Ronde, Sainte-Hélène, and Verte; creating a swimming basin; highlighting military buildings; adding playgrounds, etc. Though the Great Depression limited the plan’s full implementation, several elements were completed through large-scale public works projects for unemployed labourers. These included restoration of the military buildings, construction of a water reservoir (now the Lévis Tower atop Mont Boullé), and the Sports Pavilion. Workers quarried local red volcanic stone near the fort to build these structures, lending a cohesive aesthetic to the picturesque and often historicist architectural style of the time.
In 1949, development resumed: Todd’s plans were revived and completed. The Bathers’ Pavilion was finished and pools were added, while the Sports Pavilion was converted into a restaurant—the Hélène-de-Champlain—in 1953.
Other institutions followed: the Stewart Museum, inaugurated in 1955 as a small private museum (initially in the blockhouse, then in the fort), and the Théâtre de la Poudrière, which opened in 1958 in the former powder magazine (and closed in 1968).
Phase 4: Expo 67 – Terre des Hommes
In 1962, Canada was granted the right to host a first-category world exposition, scheduled for 1967 to coincide with the centennial of Confederation. Todd’s original vision was finally realized: materials excavated during the construction of the Montréal metro and the Louis-Hippolyte-La Fontaine Bridge–Tunnel were partially used to connect Île Ronde, Île Sainte-Hélène, and Île Verte, resulting in the expansion of Île Sainte-Hélène (from 123 to approximately 300 acres) and the creation of the entirely artificial Île Notre-Dame. New access points were built, including ramps from the Jacques Cartier Bridge, the Concorde and Cosmos bridges, and the Jean-Drapeau métro station (known as Île-Sainte-Hélène station until 2000).
Some 60 countries took part in Expo 67. They “either built their own pavilion or joined with others in regional pavilions. […] The pavilions were designed by some of the world’s top architects. The variety was striking, and some of the designs were breathtaking. […] Inside, exhibits ranged from displays of consumer goods and machinery to imaginative presentations of a country’s history and traditions.” (The Canadian Encyclopedia)
Several pavilions still stand today: the United States (now the Biosphère), the Republic of Korea; and on Île Notre-Dame: the pavilions of Canada, France, Québec, Jamaica, and Tunisia.
Following the Expo’s success, the City of Montréal extended the experience through Terre des Hommes, which remained open to the public until 1984. Regular shows were staged at Place des Nations, including the first Montréal International Jazz Festival in 1980.
However, with the end of Expo 67 came the slow deterioration of its remains. Some countries dismantled their pavilions, but the maintenance of others was left to the City of Montréal, which operated Terre des Hommes. The Société du parc Jean-Drapeau later took over. New developments on Îles Notre-Dame and Sainte-Hélène—such as the 1976 Summer Olympics and the creation of the Gilles-Villeneuve racetrack in 1978—led to the demolition of several pavilions. In 1986, 13 pavilions were demolished due to advanced deterioration.
The amusement park La Ronde, which opened on Sainte-Hélène Island during Expo 67, still exists and has been operated by Six Flags since 2001.
Parc Jean-Drapeau is a major metropolitan landmark, located in the St. Lawrence River across from Old Montréal and the historic village cores of Saint-Lambert and Longueuil, and connected by two of the city’s most remarkable engineering works: the Victoria and Jacques Cartier bridges. The site features architectural icons such as former Expo 67 pavilions, the Lévis Tower, and the old Sainte-Hélène Island fort—each evoking a distinct era in the island’s history. Parc Jean-Drapeau symbolically illustrates the transformation of a site of military defence serving European monarchies in a colonial society into one of leisure and recreation, now a place of rejuvenation and access to nature for citizens of a modern metropolis. Beyond its association with the landmark Expo 67 event, the park stands as a heritage site embodying Montréal’s modernization and democratization.
Place des Nations was designed by French-born Québécois architect André Blouin, who also created the France Pavilion at Expo 67 and the Desjardins Complex. Breaking from the model of classical amphitheatres, the site is defined by its asymmetrical design, particularly its concrete bleachers and giant glulam beams. It reflects both the modernist spirit and the Expo 67 emblem, which is embedded in the rear stage wall. Place des Nations was built as part of the large-scale development of Sainte-Hélène Island and surrounding islets for Expo 67. Located near the Expo Express station and in the shadow of the Concorde Bridge, at the southern tip of the island, it served as the official ceremonial space for welcoming foreign dignitaries, and as a venue for public performances celebrating global cultures. For about fifteen years after the Expo, Place des Nations continued to host performances. It remains one of the most important surviving sites from the Expo, and as such, is a key witness to the spirit of openness to the world that still defines Montréal today.
The Biosphère, a geodesic dome designed in 1967 by architects Richard Buckminster Fuller and Shoji Sadao, stands as an unmistakable feature of Montréal’s skyline. During Expo 67, the steel structure—then covered in a polymer skin—was the largest of its kind in the world and housed the United States Pavilion. A fire in 1976 destroyed the polymer covering, but the steel structure was preserved. It was not until 1990 that Environment Canada proposed a museum project for the site: the Biosphère. Architect Éric Gauthier was tasked with designing a new museum within Fuller’s dome. In April 2021, the museum became part of Montréal’s Espace pour la vie network.
The former Sainte-Hélène Island Fort
The British army began building its military facilities on the island in 1820. The complex included an arsenal (ammunition depot), powder magazine, armoury, and barracks capable of housing up to 274 soldiers and officers. After the military left in 1870, the fort and its outbuildings remained closed to the public. It was requisitioned during both World Wars—for military storage in the First, and as a prison camp during the Second. Between the wars, some restoration work preserved parts of the complex. In 1955, the Montréal Military and Maritime Museum opened in the arsenal. Renamed the Stewart Museum, it displayed military collections until its closure in 2021. The former fort remains a physical reminder of the island’s military era and showcases the architectural style typical of early 19th-century military citadels.
Photo: Hélico Inc, Tourisme Montréal
Over the last few decades several events have made Parc Jean-Drapeau a vulnerable site, particularly its building and landscape heritage. A notable example is the cutting up of the massive laminated wood beams of Place des Nations to make way for trucks, the demolition of the former Alcan aquarium at La Ronde, the Olympic House and the Centre de telecommunications at Cité du Havre, as well as the original interior of the La Toundra restaurant in the Canadian Pavilion, the dilapidation of the Expo 67 furniture, the privatization of Île Notre-Dame or the Place de l’Homme for concerts and shows, the neglect of the canals on Île Notre-Dame and the transformations of the Jacques-Cartier Bridge. These few examples alone demonstrate the pressing need for a frame of reference that respects all of the elements of heritage value on this territory. The heritage ensemble of Jean-Drapeau Park deserves coherent, concerted and exemplary management in recognition of the importance of this site in Montreal’s history.
Used as a warehousing site, Place des Nations has been subject to affronts and negligence that completely ignore its value. In 2013, the City and the Quebec government announced its restoration by the Société du parc Jean-Drapeau in the lead up to the 375th anniversary of Expo 67 in 2017. A budget was set aside for this purpose, but the project was shelved and the future use of the Place des Nations is still in question.
While the former American Pavilion was given a new vocation in 1995 following an agreement between the federal government and the City of Montreal, Environment Canada’s lease expired on December 31, 2019, leaving the future of the Biosphere uncertain.
In 2019, the Office de consultation publique de Montréal launched a public consultation on the future of Parc Jean-Drapeau. The consultation’s conclusions “emphasize the importance of recognizing the site’s overall quality and natural environment as the park’s main appeal, restoring coherence, showcasing its spaces, landscapes, and heritage, promoting sustainable mobility, and ensuring sound environmental management.” The report also identified four guiding principles for the development of the next master plan:
Following this process, the Société du parc Jean-Drapeau released its 2020–2030 Master Plan for Conservation, Development and Enhancement. The plan outlines several initiatives aimed at highlighting the park’s heritage features, including the restoration of Place des Nations, enhancement of Mont Boullé, the ponds and the Plaine des Jeux, and upgrades to the Cosmos and Expo Express footbridges. It also includes a proposal to expand the Sainte-Hélène Island heritage site to include La Ronde and Cité du Havre.
Following the publication of the Master Plan, some projects have moved forward, such as the revitalization of the Plaine des Jeux and the restoration of Place des Nations. In 2023, architects were selected for the Place des Nations reconstruction project. Héritage Montréal reached out to Parc Jean-Drapeau’s management regarding the architectural heritage expertise that would be brought in to carry out this project. We continue to closely monitor its progress to ensure that the site’s unique heritage is respected.
At La Ronde, two rides dating back to Expo 67 were removed: the Pitoune in 2018, followed by the Minirail in 2022. The park’s administration had committed to displaying one of the Minirail trains.
In 2020, the City of Montréal announced it would resume management of the Biosphère, integrating the museum into the Espace pour la vie network. The museum reopened in 2021.
Over the years, Héritage Montréal has participated in the following initiatives:
Given the heritage issues at stake, we are monitoring this file closely and remain in contact with the management of Parc Jean-Drapeau.
Ville-Marie borough
Urban Development
Civic Heritage
Public: municipal
Vacant
No upkeep
Lack of knowledge
Inappropriate/incompatible use
St. Helen’s Island park : Frederick G. Todd; Place des nations : André Blouin, architect; Biosphère : Richard Buckminster Fuller and Shoji Sadao, architects (1967); Éric Gauthier, architect (1995).
Ville de Montréal (owner); Société du parc Jean-Drapeau (manager)
Public art
Public spaces / Parks / green space
Landscape view
St. Helen’s Island park : 1937; Place des Nations : 1966; Biosphère : 1967, 1995
Located on a recognized heritage site; Located in an area of exceptional heritage value
How do you see this Montreal site? What legacy has it left us? What future can we create for it? Where to start to get there? Who wants to participate in the project?
You have questions? Want to do more, but lack the information? Consult our toolkit to learn more about the heritage of the Montreal metropolitan area, the preservation mechanisms in place and possible actions.
