Located in the western end of the central part of Montreal, Notre-Dame-De-Grace is a quiet neighborhood that is seeing a renewal in terms of both population and commercial development. Notre-Dame-De-Grace, or NDG as it is known by Montrealers has long been a haven for families seeking a balance between proximity to the downtown core and a safe, affordable environment in which to raise their children. The abundance of inexpensive housing has also made NDG attractive to the city’s student population. As an added bonus, Concordia University maintains a large campus at the western-most edge of the neighborhood.
Comfortable Character
The architectural flavor of Notre-Dame-De-Grace is a mixture of older residential buildings, a scattering of high-rise apartment complexes and a generous amount of green space in the form of parks, dog runs and school fields. Most of the residential space is divided into duplexes, single family dwellings and the occasional condominium. The gentrification that has hit many of the downtown areas of Montreal has yet to take hold in NDG, and it is considered a renter’s paradise.
Another pleasant aspect of the area is the integration of commerce into the casual lifestyle befitting an NDG resident. With the exception of a couple of judiciously placed chain supermarkets and video stores, shoppers in Notre-Dame-De-Grace can select their wares from a hundreds of small food stores, clothing boutiques and specialty shops that meet a variety of needs. There are no big box stores and only one real strip mall in the entire neighborhood. Most of these stores are located along the two largest streets in NDG – Sherbrooke and Cote-St-Luc – which are within easy walking distance of almost anyone’s home.
Village Within A Village
The portion of Monkland avenue which stretches from Decarie boulevard to Cavendish boulevard is known as the Monkland Village. The Village consists of artistic shops, unique restaurants and has a somewhat bohemian image. Most of NDG’s nightlife is concentrated in this area of the borough. In the summertime the street itself is closed to vehicle traffic for the Monkland festival, which provides outdoor musical entertainment, dancing, food and fun for the whole family. During the festivities merchants also hold sidewalk sales and great bargains can be found on many items.
Revitalization of An Iconic Neighborhood
During the late 80’s and early 90’s Notre-Dame-De-Grace suffered from an economic downturn that saw many businesses leave the area. Storefronts closed and several historically significant buildings like the Cinema V theatre were shuttered and left to the elements. Starting around 2000, community leaders began to organize and find funding to restore the landmarks. Cinema V’s beautiful Egyptian motifs and carvings are now restored to their former glory, although the final use of the building is still up in the air. This urban renewal also included a wave of new businesses opening their doors to NDG’s growing population. Concordia University’s Oscar Peterson concert hall was also completed and became a focal point for the university’s arts community. With the trendier residents of Montreal starting to tire of the Plateau neighborhood and trying to escape it’s constant construction and hustle and bustle, a new breed of young, hip tenants moved to the borough. They brought with them a taste for unique food that resulted in many successful new restaurant openings.
The future of Notre-Dame-De-Grace
While it is far too early to tell if NDG’s recent facelift will radically change the nature of the neighborhood, most of the area’s longtime residents aren’t worried that the things that attracted them to the area in the first place will get lost in the shuffle. The borough’s reputation for excellent apartment deals, safe streets and family friendly parks is in no danger of disappearing. Notre-Dame-De-Grace should definitely be on anyone’s list of places to investigate should they consider moving to the city of Montreal.
Welcome to New To Montreal ! If you are new here, you can learn more about Montreal in subscribing to the RSS feed or via E-mail. Thanks for visiting!
