Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue Heritage Town: An Architect's Perspective

Stephen Fai is an assistant professor in the School of Architecture at
Carleton University.

This is a modest book by an esteemed Canadian architect and educator.
The author uses clear, precise language to describe the topography,
history, and significant features of a small town located on the western
edge of Montreal. Originally prepared as a paper for a citizens
committee concerned about local property development, the book concludes
with a series of specific recommendations for preservation of this small
town’s heritage character.

Like many Canadian towns, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue is the product of an
ongoing exchange between topography and transportation. First water,
then rail, and most recently automobile travel left their mark on the
landscape. Each of these modes of transportation heralded a new era of
economic development. The architectural diversity generated by these
various stages of development, according to Bland, needs to be preserved
and nurtured. While this book deals with a specific case study, the
defence of a natural heterogeneity in heritage conservation should be
considered in any discussion of the future of Canada’s small towns.

This book will appeal to architects, planners, and heritage
conservationists, as well as to general and specialized readers
interested in Canadian history.