Jean-Talon railway station
| CPR Park Avenue Station | |
|---|---|
| Gare Jean-Talon | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Metro station, Retail, and formerly railway station |
| Architectural style | Art Deco |
| Location | Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
| Address | 395 Jean Talon Street West |
| Coordinates | 45°31′50″N 73°37′25″W / 45.5305°N 73.6237°WCoordinates: 45°31′50″N 73°37′25″W / 45.5305°N 73.6237°W |
| Current tenants | Joe Fresh |
| Inaugurated | 1931 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Colin Drewitt |
CPR Park Avenue Station (French: Gare Jean-Talon) is a former railway station located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is located at the northern end of Park Avenue and its main entrance faces Jean-Talon Street. It is situated in the Park Extension neighbourhood of the borough of Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension.
History
The Canadian Pacific Railway built the CPR Park Avenue Station, which was designed by architect Colin Drewitt and opened in 1931.[1] It was inaugurated in the presence of Camillien Houde, the mayor of Montreal at the time. Jean-Talon station replaced the Mile End railway station, which was located near the corner of Saint Laurent Boulevard and Bernard Street.
In its time, all trains headed toward Quebec City, Ottawa and the Laurentians, including Le Petit Train du Nord, traveled through Jean-Talon Station.
The station's role as an important railway stop permitted the station to host many important figures. One such event occurred in 1939, when the station was the site of a royal visit by George VI and the Queen Mother, who were accompanied by former Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King.
CPR Park Avenue Station was an important stop for railway passengers until the early 1950s. Following the closure of Viger Station in 1951, Jean-Talon station suffered a swift decline in traffic. It was closed itself in 1984 when Via Rail Canada transferred the southern terminal of the Montreal-Quebec City (Ste-Foy) via Trois-Rivieres train service from Windsor Station to Central Station. The same year, the city of Montreal acquired the building and ceded part of the building to the Montreal Urban Community for the construction underground of the Parc Metro station, which opened in 1987.
The central portion of the building became an Indigo Books and Music store, which closed and was replaced by a Société des alcools du Québec store, which itself closed in 2010.
Current use
The building no longer serves its original vocation as a railway station. The main entrance to the building, faces the intersection of Park Avenue and Jean-Talon. The central portion of the building currently houses a Joe Fresh outlet.
The entrance to the Parc Metro station was built within the former men's smoking room, in the portion of the building facing Hutchison Street.
Adjacent to the CPR Park Avenue Station is the separate Parc commuter rail station which opened in 1997 as Jean-Talon, although its name was changed to Parc in 2000.
References
- ↑ Jean-Talon railway station at IMTL.org