Post date: Nov 15, 2012 10:30:37 PM
Park Extension Historical Society
Société d’histoire de Parc-Extension
President’s Report to 3rd Annual General Meeting
Rapport de la présidente à la 3e Assemblée générale annuelle
28 October 2012, 4:15 pm – 640 Jarry W. – 16h15 le 28 octobre, 2012
This, our second full year, was marked by the wish to find funding for a project for seniors to record memories, to welcome more members, and as well continue to participate in the local scene by promoting local history. Three board members frequently attend meetings of local networking groups, such as one developing a project about population migration in Park Extension. We are still finding our place in the leisure and cultural scene, ready to adapt to whatever is happening.
The President attended the QAHN (Anglophone History Network) conference in May and several of us visited “Disappearing Neighbourhoods” at the Centre d’histoire de Montréal. We, in turn, were visited by Concordia post-doctoral Communications student Giuliana Cucinelli and helped her find seniors to interview. A CEGEP student researching our parks visited the archives.
Another “Jane’s Walk” guided tour was given with the help of Leslie Lutsky, focusing on food along Jean Talon Street; it was repeated in the fall at the request of “Cuisines Collectives”. A history presentation was made to Afrique au féminin. We were invited to co-sponsor the Montreal book launch of “Walls: Travels Along the Barricades” whose author, Marcello DiCintio, did research here and includes local views in his book. Again, this year, we joined PEYO’s summer festival day, helping children make paintings.
Our 2011-12 activities began in November with the Awards Supper gala at Park View Receptions to present certificates for architectural preservation to Livingstone Presbyterian and renovated apartments at 625 Greenshields. Robert N. Wilkins spoke about Edwardian Montreal.
In early 2012 it became apparent that someone should do something about the threats of demolition to the 1931 Barclay caretaker house and 1966 St. Roch Footbridge. The board agreed to take up these causes, followed by much footwork, combined in the latter with the young “Aimons la Passerelle” group. Meetings under the bridge culminated in September with media coverage from our press tour of 4 threatened sites. At this moment the bridge still stands although the borough’s deadline for demolition is running out. Likewise, Barclay School’s north entrance has lost its stairs as excavation encroaches around the “house”. Facebook sites of our Society and “Aimons la passerelle” are good animators of comments and photos as this unfolds. We thank our secretary Sasha for creatively maintaining our much-visited web site.
The Laurier-Dorion provincial riding’s modest Support to Voluntary Organizations we welcome, but unfortunately a New Horizons Program for Seniors applicasion was rejected, partly due to lack of premises. A “Plan B” to engage seniors was then tried, and Vanier film/communi-cations student S. Marques made videos during a 7-week Canada Summer Job. A board director offered a “Memoirs” course however poor response and nice summer weather was against this.
In conclusion, we sincerely thank our founding Treasurer, Shirley Moge Laberge, for her devotion, good work and encouragement since 2009, maintaining our “financials”.
We are always looking for stalwart members who, indeed, soon become friends. Nous cherchons toujours des bénévoles, et esperons que l’an prochain quelqu’un sera disponible pour faire des traductions, par exemple.
Mary McCutcheon
President