Comments on: Norman Bethune Square http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/2007/09/15/norman-bethune-square/ Exploring urban life through word and photography Tue, 16 Mar 2010 01:17:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 hourly 1 By: dragonkingpan http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/2007/09/15/norman-bethune-square/comment-page-1/#comment-312253 dragonkingpan Fri, 13 Nov 2009 06:34:16 +0000 http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/2007/09/15/norman-bethune-square/#comment-312253 bethune is famous in our country china.great person and e... bethune is famous in our country china.great person and e…

]]> By: LiliinTO http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/2007/09/15/norman-bethune-square/comment-page-1/#comment-267001 LiliinTO Fri, 20 Feb 2009 15:49:28 +0000 http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/2007/09/15/norman-bethune-square/#comment-267001 I am a geneologist specializing in fur trade families and Dr. Norman Bethune is the descendant of NorthWest Co/Hudson's Bay Co trader, Angus Bethune, and his Metis wife, Louisa Mackenzie, daughter of Roderick Mackenzie of Terrebonne. Angus Bethune was the eldest son of the Rev John Bethune, the elder, a UEL who was the first Prebyterian minister west of Quebec City and founder of the precurssor to the St Gabriel Street Presbyterian Church, and his French-Cnadian wife, Veronique Ouaden dite Vadeboncoeur (also called Veroniqe Wadin) - the descendant of a multitude of habitant, soldat et filles du roi. While Bethune's contributions seem to be mostly outside of Montreal, Quebec and Canada, much of the research work that he did was done in Montreal. In a country that quickly ignores the work of it countrymen, at least Bethune's name is still remembered somewhere. I am a geneologist specializing in fur trade families and Dr. Norman Bethune is the descendant of NorthWest Co/Hudson’s Bay Co trader, Angus Bethune, and his Metis wife, Louisa Mackenzie, daughter of Roderick Mackenzie of Terrebonne. Angus Bethune was the eldest son of the Rev John Bethune, the elder, a UEL who was the first Prebyterian minister west of Quebec City and founder of the precurssor to the St Gabriel Street Presbyterian Church, and his French-Cnadian wife, Veronique Ouaden dite Vadeboncoeur (also called Veroniqe Wadin) – the descendant of a multitude of habitant, soldat et filles du roi.

While Bethune’s contributions seem to be mostly outside of Montreal, Quebec and Canada, much of the research work that he did was done in Montreal. In a country that quickly ignores the work of it countrymen, at least Bethune’s name is still remembered somewhere.

]]> By: Theresa http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/2007/09/15/norman-bethune-square/comment-page-1/#comment-165088 Theresa Sat, 31 May 2008 22:29:54 +0000 http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/2007/09/15/norman-bethune-square/#comment-165088 Can you name some of the condo projects that have already been developed in and around the Norman Bethune Square. Thanks. Kind Regards, Theresa. Can you name some of the condo projects that have already been developed in and around the Norman Bethune Square. Thanks.

Kind Regards,
Theresa.

]]> By: Gerd http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/2007/09/15/norman-bethune-square/comment-page-1/#comment-100350 Gerd Sat, 10 Nov 2007 14:42:23 +0000 http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/2007/09/15/norman-bethune-square/#comment-100350 Yes, I also was there some years ago;-). It was not possible to make a photo with "Norman Bethune" without some doves. It is interesting for me how unknown Dr. Bethune is in Canada. In China every child knows him. Some Canadian books were written about Dr. Bethune (from Ted Allan and Sydney Gordon, from Larry Hannant, from Roderick Stewart, from Sylvia DuVernet and some others - look for the books by Amazon). Also a film with Donald Sutherland in the role of Dr. Bethune was maked in your area. For Nick D: Dr. Bethune was not only a good lung surgeon, he was also a very strong smoker;-). The closing of the store can not be in the tradition of Dr. Bethune;-). I hope you get with the help of China a new or better square. Kind Regards to Canada from Gerd (M.D. in Germany) (I'm sorry my mistakes in English language) Yes, I also was there some years ago;-). It was not possible to make a photo with “Norman Bethune” without some doves.

It is interesting for me how unknown Dr. Bethune is in Canada. In China every child knows him.
Some Canadian books were written about Dr. Bethune (from Ted Allan and Sydney Gordon, from Larry Hannant, from Roderick Stewart, from Sylvia DuVernet and some others – look for the books by Amazon). Also a film with Donald Sutherland in the role of Dr. Bethune was maked in your area.

For Nick D: Dr. Bethune was not only a good lung surgeon, he was also a very strong smoker;-). The closing of the store can not be in the tradition of Dr. Bethune;-).

I hope you get with the help of China a new or better square.

Kind Regards to Canada

from Gerd (M.D. in Germany)
(I’m sorry my mistakes in English language)

]]> By: natali http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/2007/09/15/norman-bethune-square/comment-page-1/#comment-92150 natali Tue, 25 Sep 2007 21:40:39 +0000 http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/2007/09/15/norman-bethune-square/#comment-92150 this is really great article. its described everything i felt about the square. It is seriously fading away... but knowing that they are planning to fix it up might help it out. I bet that most of the people who walk by havent even noticed that there is a square. Good job Christopher DeWolf this is really great article. its described everything i felt about the square. It is seriously fading away… but knowing that they are planning to fix it up might help it out. I bet that most of the people who walk by havent even noticed that there is a square. Good job Christopher DeWolf

]]> By: Christopher DeWolf http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/2007/09/15/norman-bethune-square/comment-page-1/#comment-91019 Christopher DeWolf Sat, 22 Sep 2007 00:27:16 +0000 http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/2007/09/15/norman-bethune-square/#comment-91019 Maisonneuve isn't entirely new --- it actually consists of three different streets stitched together. That's why it works in some places (like west of Guy, east of Berri and right around University) but not in others (around Place des Arts). Slowly, though --- very slowly, considering it has been around for 40 years --- the city is adapting to its presence. All of the new condo development around Stanley faces Maisonneuve with retail; other buildings have created new facades. My favourite recent adaptation is the tall apartment tower at Maisonneuve and Guy. Until two years ago it faced the street with blank walls and concrete planters. Then the building was sold and the new owners redeveloped the ground floor with retail, converting the planters into spacious terraces. A great move --- the terraces are always full of people. Maisonneuve isn’t entirely new — it actually consists of three different streets stitched together. That’s why it works in some places (like west of Guy, east of Berri and right around University) but not in others (around Place des Arts).

Slowly, though — very slowly, considering it has been around for 40 years — the city is adapting to its presence. All of the new condo development around Stanley faces Maisonneuve with retail; other buildings have created new facades.

My favourite recent adaptation is the tall apartment tower at Maisonneuve and Guy. Until two years ago it faced the street with blank walls and concrete planters. Then the building was sold and the new owners redeveloped the ground floor with retail, converting the planters into spacious terraces. A great move — the terraces are always full of people.

]]> By: Desmond Bliek http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/2007/09/15/norman-bethune-square/comment-page-1/#comment-90962 Desmond Bliek Fri, 21 Sep 2007 19:05:50 +0000 http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/2007/09/15/norman-bethune-square/#comment-90962 The Quartier Concordia's sort of a tricky project, no? I'm not sure how much the university can really accomplish in terms of public space, as its not really theirs to meddle with and it'd be awkward for the City to lavish funds on one campus and not other parts of the downtown. The other trick with the square is that Maisonneuve was an artificial slice through the blocks that, until the construction of the metro, stretched from Ste-Catherine to Sherbrooke. Unfortunately, they forgot to change the orientation of the land parcels to front on the square, which is why you get the awkward combination of the side of a Second Cup and the Tim's apartment building, a parking lot, and an alley. The black glass medical building with the Café Dépot and the Guy métro building are doing the best they can, sitting on parcels that really face Guy and MacKay, and not Maisonneuve, like a 'square' suggests that they should. The Quartier Concordia’s sort of a tricky project, no? I’m not sure how much the university can really accomplish in terms of public space, as its not really theirs to meddle with and it’d be awkward for the City to lavish funds on one campus and not other parts of the downtown. The other trick with the square is that Maisonneuve was an artificial slice through the blocks that, until the construction of the metro, stretched from Ste-Catherine to Sherbrooke. Unfortunately, they forgot to change the orientation of the land parcels to front on the square, which is why you get the awkward combination of the side of a Second Cup and the Tim’s apartment building, a parking lot, and an alley. The black glass medical building with the Café Dépot and the Guy métro building are doing the best they can, sitting on parcels that really face Guy and MacKay, and not Maisonneuve, like a ’square’ suggests that they should.

]]> By: Patrick Donovan http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/2007/09/15/norman-bethune-square/comment-page-1/#comment-90453 Patrick Donovan Wed, 19 Sep 2007 15:36:46 +0000 http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/2007/09/15/norman-bethune-square/#comment-90453 Nice informative piece. Norman Bethune square (and the entire Concordia Campus) definitely needs some work. I was a student there ten years ago and there was a push for "the greening of Mackay" - but every time I go back to have a look, very little has changed. Anyone knows what happened to that project? Nice informative piece. Norman Bethune square (and the entire Concordia Campus) definitely needs some work. I was a student there ten years ago and there was a push for “the greening of Mackay” – but every time I go back to have a look, very little has changed. Anyone knows what happened to that project?

]]> By: Christopher DeWolf http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/2007/09/15/norman-bethune-square/comment-page-1/#comment-89612 Christopher DeWolf Sun, 16 Sep 2007 04:55:29 +0000 http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/2007/09/15/norman-bethune-square/#comment-89612 Nick, I actually used to work at that Multimags. It was an interesting place. In fact, I still see some of the regular customers around town now and again. Nick, I actually used to work at that Multimags. It was an interesting place. In fact, I still see some of the regular customers around town now and again.

]]> By: Fagstein http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/2007/09/15/norman-bethune-square/comment-page-1/#comment-89468 Fagstein Sat, 15 Sep 2007 16:55:43 +0000 http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/2007/09/15/norman-bethune-square/#comment-89468 The <a href="http://buildings.concordia.ca/sgw/quartier.php" rel="nofollow">Quartier Concordia project</a> plans to replace the square ... err, triangle, with expanded sidewalks on both sides and just one roadway. That won't solve the pigeons though. That's caused by all the food people throw there to attract them. The Quartier Concordia project plans to replace the square … err, triangle, with expanded sidewalks on both sides and just one roadway.

That won’t solve the pigeons though. That’s caused by all the food people throw there to attract them.

]]> By: Nick D http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/2007/09/15/norman-bethune-square/comment-page-1/#comment-89461 Nick D Sat, 15 Sep 2007 16:38:25 +0000 http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/2007/09/15/norman-bethune-square/#comment-89461 Thanks for this -- I go through this square all the time but I didn't know who Norman Bethune was. I've been enjoying this blog for a while and had almost thought of suggesting that you write something about the Tim Horton's on that square -- one of the most culturally diverse meeting points in the city. Another thing: that square, just in the last few weeks, has lost one of downtown's best magazine stores (the Multimags next to Java U), which has closed because the new tobacco laws make it illegal for a shop in a university building to sell tobacco (they leased their space from Concordia), and it seems newsagents make all their profit from the cigarettes they sell. For me, the closure of that newsagents is a real loss to life of the square (since the time-honoured combination of newsprint and coffee has now been broken). I'd be interested to see if anyone has commented on this. Keep up the good work with this blog! Thanks for this — I go through this square all the time but I didn’t know who Norman Bethune was.
I’ve been enjoying this blog for a while and had almost thought of suggesting that you write something about the Tim Horton’s on that square — one of the most culturally diverse meeting points in the city.
Another thing: that square, just in the last few weeks, has lost one of downtown’s best magazine stores (the Multimags next to Java U), which has closed because the new tobacco laws make it illegal for a shop in a university building to sell tobacco (they leased their space from Concordia), and it seems newsagents make all their profit from the cigarettes they sell. For me, the closure of that newsagents is a real loss to life of the square (since the time-honoured combination of newsprint and coffee has now been broken). I’d be interested to see if anyone has commented on this.
Keep up the good work with this blog!

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