Gone but not fogotten.

He was Montreal’s Emperor Norton.

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The River

I come from down in the valley
where mister when you’re young
They bring you up to do like your daddy done
Me and Mary we met in high school
when she was just seventeen
We’d ride out of this valley down to where the fields were green

We’d go down to the river
And into the river we’d dive
Oh down to the river we’d ride

Then I got Mary pregnant
and man that was all she wrote
And for my nineteenth birthday I got a union card and a wedding coat
We went down to the courthouse
and the judge put it all to rest
No wedding day smiles no walk down the aisle
No flowers no wedding dress

That night we went down to the river
And into the river we’d dive
Oh down to the river we did ride

I got a job working construction for the Johnstown Company
But lately there ain’t been much work on account of the economy
Now all them things that seemed so important
Well mister they vanished right into the air
Now I just act like I don’t remember
Mary acts like she don’t care

But I remember us riding in my brother’s car
Her body tan and wet down at the reservoir
At night on them banks I’d lie awake
And pull her close just to feel each breath she’d take
Now those memories come back to haunt me
they haunt me like a curse
Is a dream a lie if it don’t come true
Or is it something worse
that sends me down to the river
though I know the river is dry
That sends me down to the river tonight
Down to the river
my baby and I
Oh down to the river we ride

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Verdun, April 12, 2013

Can only remember this much snow a couple of times in my life this far into April and probably only in the last 15 years or so. My father was born on April 22 and he always said that his father claimed there was still snow in the backyard the day he was born. My dad would be about 73 before he ever actually saw any snow on April 22.  Miss you, man!

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Nun’s Island Is Awesome!

For years I have been an outspoken critic about the rampant development on Nun’s Island. Every time a new highrise goes up there is at least a couple hundred more cars stepping in line to get on that bridge to somewhere. Too much of a money maker for some in Verdun, and a sign that the community over there is completely uninterested in protecting their own interests. So I have visually thrown in the towel and am going to celebrate the development of Nun’s Island in pictures. I figure it’s the least I can do for all those mainland Verduners that have had their view of the Saint Lawrence totally wrecked over the last 50 years.

Here is a start.

Does Anyone Else See It?

Nun’s Island Is Awesome!

Both images are available at Cafe Victoria until the end of April, are nicely framed 8 x 10′s, and very reasonably priced.

Look for more of these coming soon!

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Neath Turcot Exhibition at Cafe Victoria Through April

Hope to see a lot of you at the vernissage this Saturday between 4 and 7, if not, please drop by during the month. I feel this is the best show I have done yet in terms of it’s scope of ideas, blending old projects with new and the ever ongoing.

Neath Turcot

Cafe Victoria

4559 Rue Wellington

Verdun

514-564-8088

Metro de l’Eglise

Vernissage  Saturday, April 6, 4-7

 

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Richard Bergeron of Projet Montreal in Verdun on Sunday

How To Put Montreal Back On Track with Richard Bergeron

Sunday, March 24, 3pm

Centre culturel et bibliothèque de Verdun
5955, avenue Bannantyne
Verdun (QC) H4H 1H5
Canada

 

***English below

L’association Projet Montréal à Verdun a le plaisir de vous inviter à une conférence du chef de Projet Montréal, Richard Bergeron, le dimanche 24 mars 2013, à 15 h. Cette conférence s’intitule « Comment remettre Montréal sur ses rails ».
Dans le cadre de sa présentation, Richard Bergeron présentera le bilan qu’il dresse des dix dernières années de gouvernance à Montréal et les solutions proposées par Projet Montréal pour réaliser la relance durable de notre métropole. Projet Montréal propose de mettre en œuvre des projets concrets, tels que le tramway et l’entrée maritime, inspirés des meilleurs exemples de développement urbain durable.
Cette conférence s’inscrit dans le cadre de la Tournée des arrondissements qui mènera le chef de Projet Montréal dans chacun des arrondissements de la Ville d’ici aux élections municipales de novembre 2013.
La conférence se tiendra le dimanche 24 mars 2013, de 15 h à 16 h 30, au Centre culturel et bibliothèque de Verdun, au 5955, avenue Bannantyne. La conférence sera précédée de l’assemblée générale annuelle des membres de Projet Montréal à Verdun.
Entrée libre, mais inscription obligatoire. Conférence en français et période de questions bilingue.
Pour vous inscrire : http://ow.ly/jdGAY

***

The Verdun Projet Montréal association is pleased to invite you to a conference featuring the leader of Projet Montréal, Richard Bergeron on Sunday March 24th at 3 PM at the Verdun Culture Centre Library. The conference is entitled : How to put Montreal back on track.
Throughout the presentation, Richard Bergeron will unveil the results of his study of the last decade in Montreal and the solutions put forward by Projet Montréal to make our metropolis a sustainable city. Projet Montréal wants to implement feasible projects such as the tramway and the maritime gateway, inspired by the best examples of urban sustainable development.
This conference is part of the Borough Tour that will bring the leader of Projet Montréal to all of Montreal’s boroughs from now until the November 2013 municipal elections.
The conference will be held on Sunday March 24th from 3 pm to 4.30 pm at the Verdun Culture Centre Library, 5955, Bannantyne avenue. The conference will be preceeded by the annual general assembly of the Projet Montreal members of Verdun.

Admission is free but registration is mandatory. Conference in French with a bilingual Q&A.

Register here.

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Verdun Lanes – Winter

All of these were taken behind Wellington street between 1st and 2nd on the Verdun side. On different days – wink!

 

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Some More Verdun Lanes

Haven’t posted any of these in a while. Time again, I guess.

Verdun/Wellington, Argyle/Melrose

Verdun/Wellington, Argyle/Melrose

Bannantyne/Verdun, 6th/5th

Wellington/Lasalle, 1st/Willibrord

Bannantyne/Verdun, Woodland/Argyle

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Art And Pasta In Verdun November 10

It’s a fundraiser for Projet Montreal. We need to get the corrupt parties out of our city and this is a great chance to contribute to the campaign, get to know what’s going on, eat some fine food, maybe purchase  a beautiful work of art by a local artist, or just meet some people who care. Should be a great time!

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Mark Berube and The Patriotic Few

Saw this band at the Verdun Cultural Center tonight and they are definitely worth checking out!

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Verdun Lanes – la Fete de la Ruelle

Was on the cool side but lots of people came out to the lane and had a good time.  Many thanks to Francoise Glutnay for organizing this wonderful event!

Meal and coffee for 2 bucks. Nice!

That sort of looks like one of my Verdun Lanes pictures, hey, it IS one of my Verdun Lanes pictures heh heh.

The obligatory sidewalk sale painting at the lane celebration! (wink wink).

The greatest art gallery on the planet! And have to say I  was pretty thrilled to have two projects, Turcot and Verdun Lanes, cross paths like this. It just doesn’t happen like this very often, folks! And, I still have about 8 Turcot pictures nicely framed 20×24 inches as you can see here, for sale!  http://neath.wordpress.com/2012/07/29/turcot-pictures-for-sale/ Email me for details at neathatturcot (at) yahoo dot com

I think I like the glare.

Love this. That is probably the most successful photograph I have ever made. It functions on so many invisible levels. It truly summarizes the way I felt at Turcot at times, the whole stupid political struggle, the environment -  it’s my Don Quixote for the 21 st century. But enough about me…

Merci, Francoise et tout le monde for a really great time!

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Art In The Lane – Sunday, October 7

(Event been moved to Sunday)

Between 1st and 2nd, between Wellington and Verdun.  4.5 blocks from de l’Eglise Metro. 1 -9 pm.

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Verdun Lanes – Garages

Bannantyne/Lasalle Riverview/Godin

Beurling/Bannantyne Beatty/Moffat

Champlain/Bannantyne Argyle/Melrose

 

Verdun/Evelyn Regina/Hickson

Gertrude/Ethel Regina/Strathmore

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Verdun Lanes – Stairs

Bannantyne/Verdun 3rd/2nd

Champlain/Bannantyne 4th/3rd

Wellington/Ethel Hickson/Church (Back of old Palace Theatre)

Bannantyne/Verdun Osborne/Egan

Champlain/Bannantyne Osborne/Egan

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Verdun Lanes – Sheds

Beurling/Bannantyne Beatty/Moffat

Champlain/Bannantyne 4th/5th

Wellington/Lasalle 5th/4th

Verdun/Wellington Woodland/Argyle

Rushbrooke

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