Things were not going so well back in Italy at the time. More Italian migrants arrived, and in 1860, 60 Italian families called Montreal home.
In return, the King of France gave them land. Italian settlers served in the French regiment of Carignan-Salières (1670) to help fight the Iroquois. The Italian presence on Quebec soil goes back to the founding of Montreal. While these are obvious examples, they tend to overshadow others who also played an important, if somewhat more modest, role in Montreal’s 375 years.
If we were to recall the Italian Montrealers who have left an indelible mark on Montreal, among the names that most often come to mind are Saputo (Lino and Joey), Gattuso (Pasquale) and Catelli (Carlo Onorato). From the arts to politics, agriculture, real estate, gastronomy and sports, the Italian community has influenced every sector of life in Montreal. Those who remember what this library was like before construction commenced last July will probably be a bit surprised to see them since they've been covered up since an ill-conceived "upgrade" back in the 1960s when they were unceremoniously painted over.īut now they're back, and along with an electric fireplace and some comfy chairs they'll provide the perfect backdrop for a mid-afternoon browse of some glossy Italian fashion mags.Of all the immigrants Montreal has welcomed since its founding, the Italians have had the greatest impact on the city. I took a sneak peak earlier this week and was amazed to see the restoration of murals that date back to the 1920s. The heritage building which first opened in 1921 has undergone extensive renovations that have helped restore many of its original features while at the same time upgrading the facilities with all the latest tech and modern conveniences.
Set to open this Tuesday after more than a year of renovations, the library also features free WiFi, 23 computers and accessible and state of the art everything. Clair branch of the Toronto Public Library. Where's the largest collection of Italian books and magazines in Toronto? It just might be the brand new Dufferin/St.
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