Parks and urban spaces

This park was part of the vast estate of Dosithée Legault dit Deslauriers, which stretched from Lake Saint-Louis to north of Dawson Avenue and Roy to Allard Avenues. In 1891, Hartland St. Clair MacDougall (1840-1917) purchased the southern part of the estate and built his summer residence, which he named “Ashburton” in honor of his hometown in Great Britain. John Wilson McConnell also used Ashburton as his summer residence, but it was completely destroyed by fire shortly after his death in 1963. The estate was then the site of a large residential development (south of Chemin Bord-du-Lac, across from the park). In 1969, the McConnell Foundation donated the land to the City of Dorval, which developed what is now the magnificent Windsor Park for the enjoyment of all.

As early as the 19th century, residents of Dorval and Montreal seeking a vacation spot flocked to the area. Following a drop in the lake level, the beach deteriorated and the City of Dorval decided to turn it into a park, from 1957 to 1977, for the enjoyment of everyone: picnickers, boaters, hikers, and photographers. In 1967, a cenotaph was erected in memory of Dorval soldiers who died during World War II. The park features a gazebo where free shows are held in the summer.

The park was built on the former Lautan site to mark the year 2000. This vast area, formerly known as “Prairie de Guillaume,” stretches between Chemin Bord-du-Lac and Lake Saint-Louis. It was part of the Meloche farm and was once a marsh that was home to remarkable wildlife. Opposite is Dixie Island with its 25-meter-high lighthouse, which has served as a guide for river navigation since 1915. Behind this island, the south shore of Lake Saint-Louis (4 km wide here), which can be seen, is part of the Kahnawake reserve. Upstream (to the right) are two other islands, the tiny Bushy Island (formerly Bouchard) and Dorval Island. Under French rule, the three islands were named the Courcelles Islands in honor of the governor of New France.