Inaugurated in 1917, this ornamental park covering 12.75 acres, was first called Monahan Park. It was developed on two lots acquired from the Congrégation Notre-Dame in 1910 and the City Ice Company in 1913.
The fact that Marguerite Bourgeoys purchased the land in 1668 from François Le Ber explains the change in name, which was effective June 11, 1922.
A brief history of this land according to the Annals of the Congrégation de Notre-Dame
“The land on which the park is located was acquired in two parts by the Congrégation de Notre-Dame. The first portion included a parcel of land purchased from Marin Deniau. He had occupied the land as of 1662 and left Pointe-Saint-Charles in 1669 or 1670. Marguerite Bourgeoys did not miss the opportunity to expand the territory of the farm and, since she would be leaving soon for France, she put Jean Duceau in charge of the transaction. Marin Deniau’s land was purchased for the price of 1,000 livres tournois, payable in 4 instalments of 250 livres, both in money and in kind. The sale deed described the land as follows: ‘On said land there are two days’ work with a plough, six acres work with a hoe, same quantity of six acres fenced & the rest covered with woods.’ The site of the current park also included a parcel of land purchased from Pierre Mallet. He occupied the land from 1662 to 1669, then sold it to the Congrégation de Notre-Dame in 1704 for the sum of 2,500 livres, 500 of which was payable in three years. In exchange, the Mallet couple, whose three sons were married and settled down, asked the nuns, who had been working the land since 1699, to pay them a pension until their deaths.” (Émilia Chicoine, CND, La Métairie de Marguerite Bourgeoys à la Pointe-Saint-Charles) (Translation)