Great War Memorial Hall - Misplaced Pages

Islamic Centre of Montreal
The Islamic Centre of Montreal, c. 2017
Religion
Affiliation	Islam
Ecclesiastical or organisational status	War memorial hall (1929–2012) Mosque (since 2012)
Status	Active
Location
Location	4538 rue de Verdun, Verdun, Montreal, Quebec
Country	Canada
Location in Montreal
Geographic coordinates	45°27′32″N 73°34′17″W / 45.4590°N 73.5714°W / 45.4590; -73.5714
Architecture
Architect(s)	Frank R. Foster
Groundbreaking	April 20, 1929
Completed	1929 (as a hall)

The Great War Memorial Hall now the Islamic Centre of Montreal since 2017, is an historic building in the Verdun neighbourhood of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is located on rue de Verdun across from Verdun borough hall and Verdun station. From its opening in 1929 to 2012, it was owned by the Royal Canadian Legion Branch #4. The building was then sold to the Islamic Centre of Montreal, which has used the space as a mosque and community centre.

History

The hall's design and construction were overseen by Montreal architect Frank R. Foster on land supplied by Verdun mayor J.A.A Leclair. The cornerstone was laid on April 20, 1929, and it officially opened on October 6, 1929, with a ceremony including Governor-General Freeman Freeman-Thomas, 1st Marquess of Willingdon. Verdun, then an independent city, was a booming street suburb of Montreal, and approximately 20% of male residents were veterans of World War I.

References

Harris, Owain (9 November 2012). "A legion hall's last days". Cult MTL.
"A Gathering Place". Verdun in Wartime: An Engaged Community. communitystories.ca. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
Durflinger, Serge (1 November 2011). Fighting from Home: The Second World War in Verdun, Quebec. UBC Press. p. 116. ISBN 978-0-7748-4104-7.