Used as a snow dump, the site of the former Francon quarry (now known as the Saint-Michel quarry) looks like a huge crater of greenery in the heart of Montreal. This area covers approximately 20% (17% to be exact) of the district of Saint-Michel...
Located in the Hochelaga-Maisonneuve neighborhood, the silo # 3 was built in 1923. The architect was John S. Metcalfe who were responsible for the construction of most silos in the Port of Montreal (1, 2, 3, 5). It is thanks to its innovations that the Port of Montreal was the largest grain port in North America in 1914.
As I wrote, it was built in 1923 by Canadian Vickers at the east of the others silos. By this choice, the Port of Montreal wanted to avoid traffic congestion around the other silos already built. With annexes built in 1928, it was more than 150 000 metric tons of grain that could be stored into the complex of four sets of silos.
With the rationalization of the port of Montreal in 1978, the silo number 3 ceased its grain shipments by vessel and will specialize in trucks loading to serve the domestic market. Nine years later, it will cease all its operations.
From 1987 to 1993, the structure was used successively by Miron companies, Lake Ontario Cement and Ciment Québec, for the handling, processing and storage of cement powder.
Today, several portions of this huge complex have been demolished, and a new warehouse was built on the site of the former Miron lift. The site is abandoned, although its owner is still the Port of Montreal. The photos were taken in 2013.
In 2014, the grain elevator number 3 is back to life. It is modernized at the cost of $ 22 million and will be used by the company CanEst Transit. See article in the e-magazine Logbook, published by the Port of Montreal at :
Used as a snow dump, the site of the former Francon quarry (now known as the Saint-Michel quarry) looks like a huge crater of greenery in the heart of Montreal. This area covers approximately 20% (17% to be exact) of the district of Saint-Michel...
The history of the Babcock & Wilcox in the Galindo valley began during the First World War when the difficulties of the Compañía de los Caminos de Hierro del Norte de España will result in the sale of the plant to the Babcock & Wilcox...
Cynically, we could almost say that the factory is as large as the village in which it is located. You should know that we are far away in the countryside, it that kind of place where everybody know each other by his first name. At first glance,...
Hochelaga-Maisonneuve has been deeply marked by the train, in its development. Even today, it is surrounded by three tracks : the Canadian Pacific to the west, the now abandoned Canadian National to the east and the one of the port of Montreal to...