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Outremont Park chalet

Outremont Park (corner of Saint-Viateur and Outremont)

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Published on : May 12 2021

Last modified on : July 09 2025

In an opinion letter submitted to La Presse on January 18, 2021, Matilde Asencio, a citizen of Outremont, reports on threats to the chalet in Outremont Park. Indeed, according to the author, the borough would have decided to expand the chalet according to a notice posted on it since December 2020 and where we can read that “the rehabilitation and expansion of the Outremont Park chalet will be carried out next year [2021]”.

The chalet was eventually restored by the borough, and the architectural features of the building were preserved.

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Chalet du parc Outremont

Source: Google Street View, mai 2021

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Still according to this citizen, it would be a bad idea to enlarge the cottage at the risk of losing its characteristics which testify to the built heritage of Outremont. In fact, according to Pierre-Richard Bisson’s study on the built and landscape heritage of the borough, which was started in 1988 and whose report was submitted in February 1993, the cottage is of definite heritage interest for 3 reasons

  • rarity: the chalet is one of the first examples of the use of stucco as an exterior cladding material, a novelty introduced in Outremont by the chalet’s architect, Aristide Beaugrand-Champagne;
  • longevity: located in the heart of the park for almost a century (96 years in 2021), the rural character of the building gives the impression of being away from the city and gives it a unique appearance;
  • the contribution to the harmony of the environment: its location away from the park is not insignificant, because in addition to being an architect, Aristide Beaugrand-Champagne was also a landscaper. He wished, in doing so, to draw the attention of the passerby to the two works present in the park, namely “the fountain, installed in 1916, and the monument to the memory of the soldiers fallen in the First World War, inaugurated in July 1925.”

In conclusion of her opinion letter, Ms. Asencio rightly points out that any modification to the architecture of the current chalet would undermine the memorial and heritage value of this exceptional building, which would be “irretrievable” to quote her. Instead, it is proposed that the borough should begin restoration work that respects the character of the building with original materials as soon as possible, in order to prevent it from deteriorating further and reaching a point of no return, where demolition would be the only option. A petition launched by the group Les résidents d’Outremont pour la démocratie, addressed to the borough’s mayor, Philippe Tomlinson, is currently online (as of February 1, 2021) and aims to collect 5,000 signatures in order to “defend Outremont Park in order to safeguard both its bucolic character and its exceptional historical value.”

Source : La Presse +, section Débats, January 18, 2021 (in French)

  • Municipality or borough

    Outremont borough

  • Issues

    Mechanisms for protection

    Urban Development

    Urban landscape

  • Owner(s)

    Public: municipal

  • Threat(s)

    Vacant

    No upkeep

    Lack of knowledge

  • Conception

    Aristide Beaugrand-Champagne, architect

  • Manager(s)

    City of Montréal

  • Categorie(s)

    Civic

    Public spaces / Parks / green space

  • Construction year

    1925

  • Recognition status

    Located in an area of exceptional heritage value – Outremont Park

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