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Benedict Labre House - The disintegration of Griffintown

Constructed between 1870-1880, this row of tenements displays a Breton and Scottish style with authentic mansard roofs and paired doors. Originally part of a larger block of homes that were destroyed during the 1960s and 1980s, two of the three remaining buildings now house The Benedict Labre House (BLH), a day centre for the homeless established by Tony Walsh in 1952 (Ville de Montréal, Service de la mise en valeur du territoire et du patrimoine, Division patrimoine et toponymie, 2007). This Catholic outreach centre originally provided succor to the residents of Griffintown, which was, at the time, predominantly Irish and working-class neighbourhood. Today, BLH serves a largely itinerant population of men and women from diverse ethnic, linguistic and economic backgrounds.

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Uploaded on March 17, 2021
Taken on March 17, 2021