   | Angrignon Park is home and host to a wide range of wildlife, especially waterfowl. A grand pond shaped like a river flows through the centre for more than a kilometre. People can walk beside this pond, but there are several banks where the paths are set farther back from the shore. This, combined with the variety of wetland plants, encourages communities of mallard ducks to thrive. Larger birds, such as Great Blue herons, can also be seen resting among the cattails. It isn’t a long flight for these creatures, which likely hail from the nearby Heron Island bird sanctuary in the St. Lawrence River. On a bike, you can access the park from various directions, but make a point of leaving via the south gate, riding over the aqueduct (built in 1856), and travelling through the Douglas Institute grounds, where you will glimpse a wall of post-war architecture beyond the fields that occupy the easternmost part of the estate. These districts grew up quickly after 1933, earning the former city of Verdun in which they are found the well-deserved reputation of “bedroom” community. Wind your way out onto Lasalle Boulevard and the extensive bicycle path that runs the length of the southern shores of Montreal. From here, you can ride east toward Nun’s Island or west toward Quenneville Bay and finally Lachine. During the summer, the well-tended lawns and flowerbeds attract visitors of all ages. There is a 100-plot community garden and a baseball diamond. Families make use of the many picnic tables and playgrounds, and dogs have a special run just for them. Main avenues provide cyclists with a quick and safe thoroughfare. In the spring and fall, the park is more suited to long walks under canopies of new blossoms or falling leaves. In the winter, the snow and ice transforms the light of early morning and late afternoon into a magical, tangible substance. During this season, you can cross-country ski on over 11 kilometres of trails. |
QUÉBEC, CANADA
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