Real Estate in Ahuntsic & Cartierville
Geography
The municipality of Ahuntsic-Cartierville is located on the Island of Montreal and borders the Riviere des Prairies on the northwestern side of the city. Several islands on the Riviere des Prairies, such as the Ile aux Chats, Ile Perry, and Ile de la Visitation, also known as Visitation Island, are included in the Ahuntsic-Cartierville region.
Demographics
Ahuntsic-Cartierville is approximately 23 square kilometers in total area and is surrounded by the boroughs of Montreal North, Villeray, Saint-Michel, Parc Extension, Saint-Laurent, and Pierrefonds-Roxboro. Internally, Ahuntsic-Cartierville is made up of four districts: Saint-Sulpice, Bordeaux-Cartierville, Ahuntsic, and Sault-au-Recollet. Each district is governed by its own councilor, and all four councilors work under the borough's mayor. The current mayor is Marie-Andrée Beaudoin, and the municipality has a population of around 125,000 people.
History
The Ahuntsic-Cartierville borough was first populated in 1695 when the Sulpician religious society established the military post, Fort Lorette, in Sault-aux-Recollet. They felt that the military presence would make the area safer and more appealing to traders interested in the fur industry as well as French Canadian colonists. Due to its natural and rustic beauty, the borough quickly became a popular location for the wealthy in the city of Montreal to establish their country residences. A tram connected Ahuntsic-Cartierville to the center of the city in 1898 when it became the last stop on the Montreal Park and Island Railway line. The borough was annexed by Montreal in 1916. In 1959, the Henri-Bourassa Boulevard was built and linked the outlying borough to the heart of city, making it more accessible for commuters. The roadway was named for the politician and newspaper founder, Henri Bourassa, and shares its name with a metro station that was the former terminus of the city's Orange Line.
Education and Culture
The borough is home to two colleges, the College de Bois-de Boulogne and the College Ahuntsic, as well as four English speaking pre-collegiate schools. Ahuntsic-Cartierville boasts three libraries, one of which is dedicated specifically for children. The area's cultural museum, the Maison du Pressoir, speaks to the borough's long and proud heritage as one of the oldest settled regions of Montreal. The Pressoir was originally a residence that was constructed in 1806; it has been preserved as a cultural landmark, and is situated in the middle of the park at Visitation Island.
Sports and Activities
One of the most distinctive features of Ahuntsic-Cartierville is its extensive and impressive parks and green spaces. The Parc-Nature de l'Ile de la Visitation and the historic village maintained there is considered the borough's best attraction and features 34 hectares of preserved wildlife and landscape. Open year round, the Parc has an extensive bike path and is an ideal destination for the performance of many outdoor activities including walking, fishing, and bird-watching. During the winter months, the Parc is open for cross-country skiing, hiking, and sledding.
