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A Historic House for the Veterans

Colour photograph of an old Breton-style house with an entrance door at the centre, two windows on the ground floor and two dormers in the attic. The Canadian Legion emblem is featured above the door. A Québec flag flies to the right of the house. The St. Lawrence River is visible in the background.

Date: 1979

Source: Collection Images d’aménagement. Direction des bibliothèques, Université de Montréal https://calypso.bib.umontreal.ca/digital/collection/_diame/id/8679/ (Photo: Pierre-Richard Bisson) 

 

Here is a photograph of Maison Nivard-De Saint-Dizier in 1979 when it was occupied by Branch 202 Crawford Park of the Royal Canadian Legion. The branch’s activities officially started in 1948 but the house was used only sporadically  for special events or occasional member meetings. 

Starting in 1953, Maison Nivard-De Saint-Dizier became an official meeting place for the veterans of Crawford Park and was an important pillar of community life in the neighbourhood. Most of the festivities that were organized there were open to the public. 

Veterans could also go to Maison Nivard-De Saint-Dizier for assistance with procedures for obtaining their old age security pension, health insurance and other government programs. The branch also provided driving services, to go vote for example. Veterans occupied the site continuously until June 2003. Ms. Grimes was the last member of Branch 202.