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Saint Catherine Street
Sainte-Catherine Street (French: rue Sainte-Catherine [ʁy sɛ̃t katʁin]) (11.2 km or 7.0 mi) is the primary commercial artery of Downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It crosses the central business district from west to east, beginning at the corner of Claremont Avenue and de Maisonneuve Boulevard in Westmount, and ending at the Grace Dart Extended Care Centre by Assomption metro station, where it folds back into Notre-Dame Street. It also traverses Ville-Marie, passing just east of Viau in Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve. The street is 11.2 km long, and considered the backbone of Downtown Montreal.
A series of interconnected office tower basements and shopping complexes line the street, parallel to the largest segments of Montreal's underground city. Educational institutions located on or near the street include Concordia University, McGill University, Université du Québec à Montréal, Dawson College and LaSalle College.
Nine metro stations serve as access to Sainte-Catherine Street, whereby it passes through residential neighbourhoods, the Quartier des spectacles and the downtown core. It also offers ease of access to the Underground Pedestrian Network.
Sainte-Catherine Street has been a major landmark in Montreal for over a century. However, it is not known exactly when it was built as it was never part of a city plan. Instead, it just happened to be a highly frequented street. The street particularly began to grow after 1736.
At the end of the 19th century, English merchants set up shop along the western portion of the street. This led to a surge in department stores in Philips Square. Sainte-Catherine Street East held home to industry in the 1870s. Traditionally francophone, it became a commercial artery during this time. This is still seen today, with large stores, entertainment venues, cinemas and theatres continuing to attract commercial traffic.
It is not known exactly where the name 'Sainte-Catherine Street' originated, but there are three prevalent theories: The first theory, by Cléphas Saint-Aubin, states the name intends to honour Catherine de Bourbonnais (the suspected illegitimate child of King Louis XV). Another theory is that it was named after Catholic Saint Catherine of Alexandria. The final theory is that the street was named by Jacques Viger after one of his daughters-in-law, Catherine Elizabeth. In its early years, Sainte-Catherine was known as 'Sainte-Genevieve,' or 'Saint-Gabriel'. During this time, it was common for street names to change frequently.
Throughout the 18th century, Montreal had no municipal council. All administrative issues pertaining to roads were the responsibility of the Justices of the Peace. In the late 18th century, the Roads Act of 1796 allowed justices to approve or deny road construction and funding for roads. Further, landowners and farmers were pressured to pay for the construction of streets. Road inspectors, like Montreal's first mayor, Jacques Viger, were appointed; their responsibilities were to ensure roads like Sainte-Catherine Street were level, drained and aligned properly, and adequately paved.
Sainte-Catherine Street was never formally planned, and as a result, it historically grew in different sections. There were four distinct stages of development:
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Saint Catherine Street
Sainte-Catherine Street (French: rue Sainte-Catherine [ʁy sɛ̃t katʁin]) (11.2 km or 7.0 mi) is the primary commercial artery of Downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It crosses the central business district from west to east, beginning at the corner of Claremont Avenue and de Maisonneuve Boulevard in Westmount, and ending at the Grace Dart Extended Care Centre by Assomption metro station, where it folds back into Notre-Dame Street. It also traverses Ville-Marie, passing just east of Viau in Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve. The street is 11.2 km long, and considered the backbone of Downtown Montreal.
A series of interconnected office tower basements and shopping complexes line the street, parallel to the largest segments of Montreal's underground city. Educational institutions located on or near the street include Concordia University, McGill University, Université du Québec à Montréal, Dawson College and LaSalle College.
Nine metro stations serve as access to Sainte-Catherine Street, whereby it passes through residential neighbourhoods, the Quartier des spectacles and the downtown core. It also offers ease of access to the Underground Pedestrian Network.
Sainte-Catherine Street has been a major landmark in Montreal for over a century. However, it is not known exactly when it was built as it was never part of a city plan. Instead, it just happened to be a highly frequented street. The street particularly began to grow after 1736.
At the end of the 19th century, English merchants set up shop along the western portion of the street. This led to a surge in department stores in Philips Square. Sainte-Catherine Street East held home to industry in the 1870s. Traditionally francophone, it became a commercial artery during this time. This is still seen today, with large stores, entertainment venues, cinemas and theatres continuing to attract commercial traffic.
It is not known exactly where the name 'Sainte-Catherine Street' originated, but there are three prevalent theories: The first theory, by Cléphas Saint-Aubin, states the name intends to honour Catherine de Bourbonnais (the suspected illegitimate child of King Louis XV). Another theory is that it was named after Catholic Saint Catherine of Alexandria. The final theory is that the street was named by Jacques Viger after one of his daughters-in-law, Catherine Elizabeth. In its early years, Sainte-Catherine was known as 'Sainte-Genevieve,' or 'Saint-Gabriel'. During this time, it was common for street names to change frequently.
Throughout the 18th century, Montreal had no municipal council. All administrative issues pertaining to roads were the responsibility of the Justices of the Peace. In the late 18th century, the Roads Act of 1796 allowed justices to approve or deny road construction and funding for roads. Further, landowners and farmers were pressured to pay for the construction of streets. Road inspectors, like Montreal's first mayor, Jacques Viger, were appointed; their responsibilities were to ensure roads like Sainte-Catherine Street were level, drained and aligned properly, and adequately paved.
Sainte-Catherine Street was never formally planned, and as a result, it historically grew in different sections. There were four distinct stages of development: