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Epilogue
147
One facet of Westmount's image remained
firmly in place - - its concern and care for
gardens and green spaces. In the third year that
Westmount entered the provincial "Villes,
Villages et Campagnes Fleuris" competition,
it emerged as the only municipality to win in
three categories: beautification in its population
category, greenest municipality in the province
and the top regional award.
Religious diversity continued to evolve. In
the 1970s, when the Melville congregation was
unable to maintain its church it was taken over
by the Holy Trinity Orthodox community. A
portrait bust of one of its founders, Doctor
Drago Papich, stands on the grounds in front
of the church.
At Stanley Presbyterian, the church fathers
were pleased to find a like-minded missionary
congregation, the Seventh Day Adventists, who
had worshipped in Westmount since the 1920s,
to move into their fine building. The arrival of
this mostly black Christian group which
attended services on Saturday instead of
Sunday, caused some bewilderment in the
neighbourhood. "At first the police were
frequent visitors," observed Pastor Robert
Samms drily, "but the novelty soon wore off.
It was obvious we wanted to care for and
preserve the church. It is such a beautiful
building, a very special place."
St Andrew's, Westmount's first Presby-
terian church, was sold to its neighbour, Selwyn
House School, and the remaining congregation
from St. Andrew's joined the Dominion-
Douglas Church on The Boulevard.
Changes were also underway at the stately
Mother House of the Congrégation de Notre
Dame. With only a handful of sisters left to
care for the huge building, it was clear the order
was ready to move. But where was the tenant
with a need for so much space?
A happy combination of circumstances
brought together the Marguerite Bourgeoys
teaching order with Dawson College, the largest
of the English CEGEPs (Colleges of General and
Professional Education). The long and skilful
negotiation by Dawson's DirectorGeneral, Sarah
Paltiel, resulted in the government's agreement
to locate Dawson's new campus in the handsome
building and grounds of the order.
Fears of vandalism which might follow a
student invasion proved unfounded. "The
building," reported the new Director-General
Patrick Woodsworth, "has exerted its own
positive influence. It has been unnecessary to
impress the students with the need to respect their
surroundings. They have simply done so."
The college drew Westmount into a larger
urban orbit and underlined an evolution already
underway in the municipality. At the official
opening, the college was praised by Premier
Robert Bourrassa "for its cultural diversity and
contribution towards building a new society,"
and Montreal's Mayor Jean Doré saluted "this
cosmopolitan institution".