Montreal Bicycle Club
  • About
    • TV Series Montreal's Cycling Ghosts >
      • S1 E1 Pilot
      • S1 E2 Ghostly Commands
      • S1 E3 Running with the Bulls
      • S2 E1 Lessons from the Pandemic
    • MBC Historical Bike Tour >
      • Tour Starting Point Shaika Cafe
      • Stop #1 MAAA Grounds
      • Stop #2 Founding of Club at 33 Chomedey
      • Stop #3 Bertie Lane's CDN Hill Climb
      • Stop #4 Lacrosse Grounds
      • Stop #10 Queens park Velodrome Verdun
      • Tour Lunch Break: Lachine Rapids
      • Stop # 11 Fleming Windmill
    • How to join
    • Contact us
    • Issues >
      • Sherbrooke Street Bike Path
  • Minute Book
    • Fixtures Calendar >
      • Instructions on Adding Fixtures to personal Google Calendar
    • MBC Blog
    • Falaise Birder's Blog
    • 2023 Annual Report >
      • January 2023
      • February 2023
      • March 2023
    • 2022 Annual Report >
      • January 2022
      • February 2022
      • March 2022
      • May 2022
      • June 2022
      • July 2022
      • August 2022
      • September 2022
      • October 2022
      • November 2022 >
        • November 2022 (Google Slide)
      • December 2022
    • 2021 Annual Report >
      • January 2021
      • February 2021
      • March 2021
      • April 2021
      • May 2021
      • June 2021
      • July 2021
      • August 2021
      • September 2021
      • October 2021
      • November 2021
      • December 2021
    • 2020 Annual Report >
      • 2020 Composite Photo
      • January 2020
      • February 2020
      • March 2020
      • April 2020
      • May 2020
      • June 2020
      • July 2020
      • August 2020
      • September 2020
      • October 2020
      • November 2020 >
        • Rev Dreams
      • December 2020
    • 2019 Annual Report >
      • January 2019
      • February 2019
      • March 2019
      • April 2019
      • May 2019
      • June 2019
      • July 2019 >
        • 2-3 July 2019 Prince Edward County / Kingston
        • 18-23 July 2019 Saguenay & Charlevoix Tour
      • August 2019 >
        • 2-4 August 2019 Tout Le P'tit Train du Nord
      • September 2019 >
        • 1-2 September 2019 Simcoe County Loop (Wendat Trail)
        • 11-13 September 2019 Rivière-à-Pierre to Quebec City
      • October 2019
      • November 2019
      • December 2019
    • 2018 Annual Report >
      • March 2018
      • April 2018 >
        • Pittsburgh to Washington DC Excursion
      • May 2018
      • June 2018
      • July 2018
      • August 2018
      • September 2018 >
        • Park(ing) Day in Westmount 2018
      • October 2018
      • November 2018
    • 2017 Annual Report >
      • 4 March 2017, Nuit Blanche
      • 21 March 2017, Re-Founders Meeting
      • 25 March - Earth Hour / Turcot Bicycle Overpass
      • 02 April - Fixture Ride highligthing Issues
      • 18 May Atwater Library Lunchtime Series
      • June - Fixture rides
      • July - Fixture rides
      • August - Fixture rides
      • September - Fixture rides
      • October - Fixture rides
      • November - Fixture Rides
      • December - Fixture Rides
    • Club Minute Book 1878-1904
    • 2 Dec 1878 Meeting
  • Poppies
    • Sobriquets A-D >
      • F.E. Adams
      • Susan B. Anthony
      • Louise Armaindo
      • E.W. Barlow
      • A.G. Batchelder
      • Daisy Bell
      • Ernestine Bernard
      • G. T. Bishop
      • Amelia Bloomer
      • Elsa von Blumen
      • Claud Butler
      • Dorothy Coles
      • Phylis Cole & Joan Cole
      • Disreali
      • Dr. Parry E. Doolittle
      • Joseph Drury
    • Sobriquets E-L >
      • Miss M.J. Frothingham
      • Arhur Edward George
      • Forest Gnome
      • Daisy Greville
      • Arthur Harris
      • G. Harries
      • Alice Hawkins
      • Edmond Jacquelin
      • F.M.S. Jenkins
      • G. Kingan
      • Kittie Knox
      • Karolina Kocięcka
      • Karl Kron
      • Pierre Lallement
      • A.T. Lane
      • Exilda Lachapelle
      • G.S Low
      • Annie Londonderry
      • D. S. Louson
    • Sobriquets M-U >
      • Kirkpatrick Macmillan
      • Susan McCormick
      • Birdie Munger
      • Mile A Minute Murphy
      • W.G. Ross
      • Louis Rubenstein
      • Alfred Wesley Sherritt
      • S. Saxe
      • C.J. Sidey
      • The Snowball Sisters
      • James Starley
      • Henry Sturmey
      • Helena Swanwick
      • W. Tately
      • Major Taylor
      • Doreen Thomas
      • H.S. Tibbs
    • Sobriquets W-Z >
      • Vélocio
      • Queen Victoria
      • J.E. Walsh
      • Maria E. Ward
      • W.S. Weldon
      • The Royal Worcester
    • Places >
      • Velocipede Era 1867-1874 >
        • Drill Hall
        • Nordheimer's Hall
        • Crystal Palace
      • High Wheel Era 1874-1891 >
        • 33 Chomedey Street
        • Lacrosse Grounds
        • MAAA Clubhouse (Montreal Gymnasium)
        • Blue Bonnets
        • MAAA Grounds
      • Bicycle Craze of the 1890's >
        • The Wanderers Bicycle Club
        • YMCA Building Dominion Square
        • Queens Park Velodrome
    • Things
  • History
    • 1817-1867 Dandy Horse Era
    • 1867-1874 Velocipede era
    • Birth of the High Wheel Bicycle
    • The High Wheel Bicycle comes to North America
    • Founding of the Montreal Bicycle Club >
      • MBC Uniforms and Symbols
    • The High Wheel Era in Montreal >
      • Canadian Wheelmen's Association (CWA) Annual Meets
    • The MAAA grounds and the transition to the Safety Bicycle
    • The Bicycle Craze of the 1890's
    • The 1899 International Cycling Association World Championship in Montreal
    • Collapse of 19th Century Bicycle Organizations
    • Conclusion >
      • 1900-1918 Everyday transportation
    • Records >
      • Online Sources
      • Books and papers on subject
      • Where to find Artifacts
      • detailed references
      • Historical maps of Montreal
      • 1894 CWA Meet Montreal Map
  • Scrapbook
    • 1870's Ice Velocipede >
      • 1878 MBC By Laws
    • 1880 MBC Meeting to join LAW >
      • 1882 Louise Armaindo 100 mile race in Montreal
      • 1882 Group Photo and early race
      • 1883 MBC History from CWA The Bicycle
      • 1884 Mr Jenkins Ottawa-Matane tour >
        • 1884 CWA Meet in Toronto
        • 1884 CWA request for funds by Karl Kron
      • 1885 Notman Composite Photograph >
        • 1885 Fixtures and race reports
        • 1885 CWA Meet in Woodstock
        • 1885 kangaroos and tricycles
        • 1885 W.G. Ross, early champion
      • 1886 Fixtures, race and CWA parade reports
      • 1887 Bertie Lane & CDN hill >
        • Toast to Bertie Lane
      • 1888 Ottawa Meet >
        • 1888 CWA Belleville Meet
        • 1888 Gnaedinger Cup
      • 1889 CWA St Catherines Meet
    • 1890 MAAA grounds & road racing >
      • 1890 CWA Ottawa Meet >
        • 1891 Road Race, Safeties vs Ordinaries
      • 1891 Arrival of Safety Bicycle >
        • 1891 CWA Hamilton Meet
        • 1891 MAAA grounds racing
        • 1891 Annual Report
    • 1892 Springtime News >
      • 1892 Composite Photo
      • 1892 Racing News
      • 1892 Kingston Meet
      • 1892 Century Run
    • 1893 Annual Report
    • 1894 Sarnia to Montreal Relay Ride >
      • 1894 CWA Meet Montreal
      • 1894 CWA Racing Rules
    • 1895 Annual Report
    • 1896 Annual Report >
      • 1896 Montreal Star Bicycle Issue
      • 1896 Wheel and Cycling Review article on Montreal
    • 1897 Annual Report >
      • 1897 Notman Composite Photograph
      • 1897 Bicycle Map of Montreal
    • 1898 Annual Report >
      • 1898 Montreal Park and Island Railway
      • 1898 Queens Park Velodrome Verdun
    • 1899 World Championship Speculation >
      • 1899 Major Taylor sets World record
      • 1899 World Championship Report
      • 1899 Montreal Gazette 10 Aug
    • 1900 CWA & CCA
    • 1901 Annual Report
  • Cycling Without Age
    • Go Fund Me
    • Cycling Without Age in Westmount
    • The Sociable tricycle
    • 27 Nov 2020 CWA Kick Off Meeting
    • 15 Jan 2021 CWA Progress Meeting
M.A.A.A. Grounds (Westmount Athletic Grounds)
Picture
Newspaper Sketch on Montreal Bicycle Club Races at the M.A.A.A. Grounds 1893 (Montreal Star August 31, 1893)
Quoting from Don Morrow's "A Sporting Revolution: The Montreal Amateur Athletic Association 1881-1981" page 41-43

   "The acquisition and construction of the Westmount Grounds proved timely and advantageous to the M.B.C.. Refined by additions and changes in the 1890's, the completed Grounds facility was an outstanding sporting venue that reflected the organization and attention to detail given to all aspects of the M.A.A.A.'s sporting regime.  The playing field, 600 feet by 430 feet, was underlaid by 600 yards of drainage tile and surrounded by a third-of-mile cinder track, eighteen feet wide for half its length and twelve feet for the remainder.  For the benefit of cycle racing, all curves were banked--which must have decreased the times of runners in any event over 220 yards.  In the very centre of the playing field was a cricket crease, measuring 90 feet by 160 feet, to be used only for matches. At the eastern edge of the Grounds were seven lawn tennis courts, two dirt tennis courts and a practice cricket crease.  Water pipes along the inside edge of the tracks, with connecting hose, allowed the grass to be kept in first class condition.
   There were three full time groundskeepers, uniformly dressed and wearing the whinged wheel crest.  The perimeter of the Grounds on the east, west and south sides was marked by a eight foot planed and grooved pine fence.  The Grandstand ran the entire north length of the field and backed onto Ste Catherine Street.  It was divided into seven tiers of 18-inch-wide seats accessible only form the back of the grandstand.  In the centre of the grandstand was the "Directors' Pavilion", slightly elevated from the seats on the east and west sides of the grandstand. Some 600 seats in the Directors' Pavilion were given over to reserved and advance-sale seats for members,  the press, ladies, and officers of the Association. Beneath the pavilion were two large dressing rooms for the athletes.  A roof over the entire grandstand was supported at the front by narrow iron posts, in an effort to give spectators the clearest view possible of the track and playing field.
    Seated in the stands, spectators looked south over the St Lawrence, with the celebrated Lachine Rapids to the wet and the renowned Victoria Bridge a little to the east.  The only access to the Grounds was via the Grounds was via the Grounds clubhouse fronting on Ste Catherine Street. This clubhouse contained small dressing rooms, a reception room, four "shower baths", a lavatory and to ticket booths on the first floor.  The second floor was fitted up as a "music hall" or auditorium, complete with stage, for large receptions and for rental to outside agencies such as church congregations.  Above the second floor were the caretakers quarters. Since fire was the greatest threat face by the M.A.A.A., the grounds were insured for the full value of $25,000 and the entire facility was dotted with water barrels, water buckets, ladders, axes, pike staffs and fire extinguishers.
   Compared to the facilities of the New York Athletic Club, the M.A.A.A. property was not lavish. It was functional and completely suited to all the M.A.A.A. outdoor activities. Certainly it was everything the Montreal Bicycle Club could want: distances were marked along the inside edge of the track by bronze plaques; an electric timer was capable of recording lap times  and all finishing times; a huge megaphone supporte4d by a tripod was used by announcers to inform the spectators of various aspects of the races; and the track was constantly rolled and kept level by the groundskeepers."

Picture
Picture
Picture
Again Quoting from Don Morrow's "A Sporting Revolution: The Montreal Amateur Athletic Association 1881-1981" page 43-46

    "Traditionally, the M.B.C. held annual races varying in distance from half a mile to five miles, including  a half-mile dash on high wheelers without hands.  To promote interest in competitive cycling, the M.B.C. conducted frequent handicap races, giving less skilled cyclists a chance to compete with more established racers and providing a worthwhile challenge to experienced competitors. The annual reports of the M.B.C. became lengthy catalogues of race victories, mileage accumulated by members of the rides, membership attendance, record times, prizes awarded and non cycling events undertaken by the club. In the later category were such off season adventures as six man bugler bands, euchre competitions,m "smoking concerts" where members sang and recited, cake-walks and member competitions in hockey or basketball.  The vitality and energy exemplified by the M.B.C. during the 1890's was reminiscent of the same qualities in the previous decade of the M.A.A.A. lacrosse and snowshoe clubs. 
   Occasionally the M.B.C. staged "fancy dress parades" in which the cyclists would wear an assortment of costumes and ride through downtown Montreal.  When the city attempted to reap a cash benefit from the cycle craze by charging a five-dollar bicycle tax, the M.B.C. called a mass meeting of Montreal wheelmen and had the tax reduced to two dollars"

Picture
Picture
The Westmount Historical Association has a webpage devoted to the Westmount Athletic Grounds (the former MAAA Gorunds).
https://westmounthistorical.org/wag-athletic-grounds-since-1887/

Picture
WAG c. 1955, race at finish line, Photo credit: Lower Canada College Archives copy
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  • About
    • TV Series Montreal's Cycling Ghosts >
      • S1 E1 Pilot
      • S1 E2 Ghostly Commands
      • S1 E3 Running with the Bulls
      • S2 E1 Lessons from the Pandemic
    • MBC Historical Bike Tour >
      • Tour Starting Point Shaika Cafe
      • Stop #1 MAAA Grounds
      • Stop #2 Founding of Club at 33 Chomedey
      • Stop #3 Bertie Lane's CDN Hill Climb
      • Stop #4 Lacrosse Grounds
      • Stop #10 Queens park Velodrome Verdun
      • Tour Lunch Break: Lachine Rapids
      • Stop # 11 Fleming Windmill
    • How to join
    • Contact us
    • Issues >
      • Sherbrooke Street Bike Path
  • Minute Book
    • Fixtures Calendar >
      • Instructions on Adding Fixtures to personal Google Calendar
    • MBC Blog
    • Falaise Birder's Blog
    • 2023 Annual Report >
      • January 2023
      • February 2023
      • March 2023
    • 2022 Annual Report >
      • January 2022
      • February 2022
      • March 2022
      • May 2022
      • June 2022
      • July 2022
      • August 2022
      • September 2022
      • October 2022
      • November 2022 >
        • November 2022 (Google Slide)
      • December 2022
    • 2021 Annual Report >
      • January 2021
      • February 2021
      • March 2021
      • April 2021
      • May 2021
      • June 2021
      • July 2021
      • August 2021
      • September 2021
      • October 2021
      • November 2021
      • December 2021
    • 2020 Annual Report >
      • 2020 Composite Photo
      • January 2020
      • February 2020
      • March 2020
      • April 2020
      • May 2020
      • June 2020
      • July 2020
      • August 2020
      • September 2020
      • October 2020
      • November 2020 >
        • Rev Dreams
      • December 2020
    • 2019 Annual Report >
      • January 2019
      • February 2019
      • March 2019
      • April 2019
      • May 2019
      • June 2019
      • July 2019 >
        • 2-3 July 2019 Prince Edward County / Kingston
        • 18-23 July 2019 Saguenay & Charlevoix Tour
      • August 2019 >
        • 2-4 August 2019 Tout Le P'tit Train du Nord
      • September 2019 >
        • 1-2 September 2019 Simcoe County Loop (Wendat Trail)
        • 11-13 September 2019 Rivière-à-Pierre to Quebec City
      • October 2019
      • November 2019
      • December 2019
    • 2018 Annual Report >
      • March 2018
      • April 2018 >
        • Pittsburgh to Washington DC Excursion
      • May 2018
      • June 2018
      • July 2018
      • August 2018
      • September 2018 >
        • Park(ing) Day in Westmount 2018
      • October 2018
      • November 2018
    • 2017 Annual Report >
      • 4 March 2017, Nuit Blanche
      • 21 March 2017, Re-Founders Meeting
      • 25 March - Earth Hour / Turcot Bicycle Overpass
      • 02 April - Fixture Ride highligthing Issues
      • 18 May Atwater Library Lunchtime Series
      • June - Fixture rides
      • July - Fixture rides
      • August - Fixture rides
      • September - Fixture rides
      • October - Fixture rides
      • November - Fixture Rides
      • December - Fixture Rides
    • Club Minute Book 1878-1904
    • 2 Dec 1878 Meeting
  • Poppies
    • Sobriquets A-D >
      • F.E. Adams
      • Susan B. Anthony
      • Louise Armaindo
      • E.W. Barlow
      • A.G. Batchelder
      • Daisy Bell
      • Ernestine Bernard
      • G. T. Bishop
      • Amelia Bloomer
      • Elsa von Blumen
      • Claud Butler
      • Dorothy Coles
      • Phylis Cole & Joan Cole
      • Disreali
      • Dr. Parry E. Doolittle
      • Joseph Drury
    • Sobriquets E-L >
      • Miss M.J. Frothingham
      • Arhur Edward George
      • Forest Gnome
      • Daisy Greville
      • Arthur Harris
      • G. Harries
      • Alice Hawkins
      • Edmond Jacquelin
      • F.M.S. Jenkins
      • G. Kingan
      • Kittie Knox
      • Karolina Kocięcka
      • Karl Kron
      • Pierre Lallement
      • A.T. Lane
      • Exilda Lachapelle
      • G.S Low
      • Annie Londonderry
      • D. S. Louson
    • Sobriquets M-U >
      • Kirkpatrick Macmillan
      • Susan McCormick
      • Birdie Munger
      • Mile A Minute Murphy
      • W.G. Ross
      • Louis Rubenstein
      • Alfred Wesley Sherritt
      • S. Saxe
      • C.J. Sidey
      • The Snowball Sisters
      • James Starley
      • Henry Sturmey
      • Helena Swanwick
      • W. Tately
      • Major Taylor
      • Doreen Thomas
      • H.S. Tibbs
    • Sobriquets W-Z >
      • Vélocio
      • Queen Victoria
      • J.E. Walsh
      • Maria E. Ward
      • W.S. Weldon
      • The Royal Worcester
    • Places >
      • Velocipede Era 1867-1874 >
        • Drill Hall
        • Nordheimer's Hall
        • Crystal Palace
      • High Wheel Era 1874-1891 >
        • 33 Chomedey Street
        • Lacrosse Grounds
        • MAAA Clubhouse (Montreal Gymnasium)
        • Blue Bonnets
        • MAAA Grounds
      • Bicycle Craze of the 1890's >
        • The Wanderers Bicycle Club
        • YMCA Building Dominion Square
        • Queens Park Velodrome
    • Things
  • History
    • 1817-1867 Dandy Horse Era
    • 1867-1874 Velocipede era
    • Birth of the High Wheel Bicycle
    • The High Wheel Bicycle comes to North America
    • Founding of the Montreal Bicycle Club >
      • MBC Uniforms and Symbols
    • The High Wheel Era in Montreal >
      • Canadian Wheelmen's Association (CWA) Annual Meets
    • The MAAA grounds and the transition to the Safety Bicycle
    • The Bicycle Craze of the 1890's
    • The 1899 International Cycling Association World Championship in Montreal
    • Collapse of 19th Century Bicycle Organizations
    • Conclusion >
      • 1900-1918 Everyday transportation
    • Records >
      • Online Sources
      • Books and papers on subject
      • Where to find Artifacts
      • detailed references
      • Historical maps of Montreal
      • 1894 CWA Meet Montreal Map
  • Scrapbook
    • 1870's Ice Velocipede >
      • 1878 MBC By Laws
    • 1880 MBC Meeting to join LAW >
      • 1882 Louise Armaindo 100 mile race in Montreal
      • 1882 Group Photo and early race
      • 1883 MBC History from CWA The Bicycle
      • 1884 Mr Jenkins Ottawa-Matane tour >
        • 1884 CWA Meet in Toronto
        • 1884 CWA request for funds by Karl Kron
      • 1885 Notman Composite Photograph >
        • 1885 Fixtures and race reports
        • 1885 CWA Meet in Woodstock
        • 1885 kangaroos and tricycles
        • 1885 W.G. Ross, early champion
      • 1886 Fixtures, race and CWA parade reports
      • 1887 Bertie Lane & CDN hill >
        • Toast to Bertie Lane
      • 1888 Ottawa Meet >
        • 1888 CWA Belleville Meet
        • 1888 Gnaedinger Cup
      • 1889 CWA St Catherines Meet
    • 1890 MAAA grounds & road racing >
      • 1890 CWA Ottawa Meet >
        • 1891 Road Race, Safeties vs Ordinaries
      • 1891 Arrival of Safety Bicycle >
        • 1891 CWA Hamilton Meet
        • 1891 MAAA grounds racing
        • 1891 Annual Report
    • 1892 Springtime News >
      • 1892 Composite Photo
      • 1892 Racing News
      • 1892 Kingston Meet
      • 1892 Century Run
    • 1893 Annual Report
    • 1894 Sarnia to Montreal Relay Ride >
      • 1894 CWA Meet Montreal
      • 1894 CWA Racing Rules
    • 1895 Annual Report
    • 1896 Annual Report >
      • 1896 Montreal Star Bicycle Issue
      • 1896 Wheel and Cycling Review article on Montreal
    • 1897 Annual Report >
      • 1897 Notman Composite Photograph
      • 1897 Bicycle Map of Montreal
    • 1898 Annual Report >
      • 1898 Montreal Park and Island Railway
      • 1898 Queens Park Velodrome Verdun
    • 1899 World Championship Speculation >
      • 1899 Major Taylor sets World record
      • 1899 World Championship Report
      • 1899 Montreal Gazette 10 Aug
    • 1900 CWA & CCA
    • 1901 Annual Report
  • Cycling Without Age
    • Go Fund Me
    • Cycling Without Age in Westmount
    • The Sociable tricycle
    • 27 Nov 2020 CWA Kick Off Meeting
    • 15 Jan 2021 CWA Progress Meeting