Historical plaque celebrates YMCA's ties
History has a way of getting lost under layers of brick and mortar. Concordia’s commemorative plaque program keeps the university’s rich history alive, even as its dynamic new buildings point emphatically to the future.
“We need to remember our history,” said Nancy Marrelli, Concordia archivist emerita, at the recent unveiling of the project’s third plaque, which commemorates the university’s strong connection to the Montreal YMCA.
“If a plaque is there, people are going to read it and they’re going to be aware of their history,” Marrelli said.
The handsome gold plaque graces the lobby of the Kenneth E. Norris Building on Drummond Street, which was originally built in 1956 to accommodate Sir George Williams University. It then merged with Loyola College in 1974 to become Concordia University.
The university moved out of the building in 1992, and after extensive renovations, it became the new home of the Montreal YMCA. However, as the plaque attests, Concordia and the YMCA share a history that goes back much further than the construction of the Norris Building.
In 1844, Sir George Williams and 10 other young Christian men established the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) in London, England, in response to the lack of recreational opportunities for men flocking to the city for new jobs. Soon YMCAs sprang up everywhere, and the Montreal YMCA, – the first in North America, – opened in 1851.
The Montreal Y began holding evening educational courses in French and shorthand in 1873. The courses were very popular, and others were added regularly.
In 1926, the organization’s educational program was turned into a co-educational college named after the Y’s main founder – Sir George Williams. The college awarded its first degrees in 1937 and received its university charter in 1948.
“Many people have no idea where the name Sir George Williams comes from,” said Marrelli. “It’s a shared history that spanned many decades and, really, the official separation between the Y and Sir George Williams only happened in 1966.”
Concordia’s President Frederick Lowy assisted at the plaque unveiling, which coincides with the YMCA’s 160th anniversary. “This commemorative plaque attests to the importance of the historic connection between our two institutions,” he said.
Daniel Boisvert, chair of the board of directors of the YMCAs of Quebec, thanked Concordia for donating the plaque, and underlined the importance of two particular values in the creation and development of both institutions.
“Philanthropy and volunteering have truly been the foundation of the organization in its many forms, including the education program that eventually became Concordia University,” he said.
The commemorative plaque in the lobby of the YMCA is the third commemorative plaque to be unveiled in downtown Montreal. The other two are located on the Henry F. Hall Building (1455 De Maisonneuve Blvd. W.) and the John Molson School of Business Building (1450 Guy St.).
The plaque locations were chosen because of their connection to Concordia’s institutional history. “The Hall Building is really the anchor of the campus, and the John Molson School of Business grew out of the Faculty of Commerce, which has a strong link to the history of Sir George Williams University,” explains Clarence Epstein, director of Special Projects and Cultural Affairs.
Epstein adds that the downtown campus was chosen for the first phase of the commemorative plaque program because the university’s history is not as evident from street level as it is on the Loyola Campus.
Loyola will receive its own commemorative plaques in the future, but where and when those plaques will be unveiled remains to be determined. “We will likely focus on public areas along the Sherbrooke Street artery, where people will be able to learn about the connection between Concordia and the city,” Epstein says.
Related links:
• “Commemorative Plaques Honour Concordia History” — NOW, October 12, 2010
• YMCA Quebec