In January of 2012, VanierNow posted a photo essay on the neighbourhood’s 28 dead ends (streets with a single point of entry). We were surprised by the attention these simple snapshots, photographs of many of Vanier’s lesser known corners, received.
Starting with des Pères-Blancs and ending on Stevens Avenue, today’s post revisits these same dead ends. The photographs below (opening with a winter shot and rotating in sequential order) are accompanied with smaller ones (depicting the three remaining seasons).
As the seasons change, various aspects of the landscape appear (or disappear). Some elements—street signs, fire hydrants, roof lines and parked cars—remain a constant while much of the rest of the image changes. With each season, the use of the space and the landscape transforms noticeably (in same cases quite spectacularly). Bitterly cold and mostly deserted streetscapes turn into lush front lawns, liveable squares, paths for bicycles and places for play structures. Conversely, as the temperature drops and the tree canopies turn brightly yellow and orange before they retreat, the cycle resets.
This photographic study of the ordinary and the everyday is meant to add to the ever growing visual archive of Vanier and to provide a snapshot of both known and lesser-known spaces. Some of the photos depict a generic streetscape while others show beautiful tree-lined streets. Together, they depict the Vanier of today.
A map, indicating the location of the dead ends, follows the photos.
By Mike Steinhauer
