Emotions are stirring among groups and individuals in the Little Burgundy area and across the city following a recent announcement that the City of Montreal has purchased the property at 3502 Coursol Street, once the location of the Negro Community Centre (NCC).
The announcement came during the last week of December, accompanied by a promise that the City will be partnering with the Centre for Canadians of African Descent (CCAD), the organization that has been working for the revival of the NCC, which ceased to function in 1989.
Andrea Este, vice president of the CCAD told the contact that she received the good news in a call from Dominique Ollivier (chairperson of the City’s executive committee) but her organization is still short on details of future.
“She hinted of a partnership between the City and the CCAD. Also there’s talk of using the space to build affordable housing and reserving a floor or two for our organization but nothing has been worked out, so we’re waiting for more information.
We have a lot of ideas of what can be done including a community centre as well as a reception hall and even a museum to archive and exhibit our history but we can’t plan until we know what the city’s plans are.”
Este added that in addition to affordable housing, there’re other needs in the surrounding community that can be met by using the location appropriately.
In the interim, Este says the CCAD will be strengthening its board of directors to better position itself to challenges ahead .
Currently along with Este, the board includes Jared Roboz serving as president, Michael Sweeney as treasurer, Tamara Este as secretary and Kamala Bala as administrator.
Timeline of evolution and demise of the organization and the building that houses the NCC.
1927: Eleven members of the congregation of Union United Church meet in Reverend Charles Este’s basement, intending to create a community centre. The Negro Community Center’s purpose was “to alleviate social and economic conditions among Blacks in Montreal.”
1930: The NCC takes over space in the basement of Union United Church, on Delisle St.
1955: The NCC moves into the Iverley Community Centre at 2035 Coursol St. and merges its 90 per cent black membership with the 100 per cent white membership of the Iverley.
1958: Fundraising and government money helps the NCC to evolve into a full-service community centre, serving a multi-ethnic clientele of all ages.
1965: The Iverley Community Centre presents the deed of 2035 Coursol to the NCC board and from that point onward, the Negro Community Centre owns the building.
1987: A portion of the exterior back wall collapses and fundraising begins almost immediately to rebuild the crumbling wall; the reconstruction did not finish until over a year later. This situation created a crisis that lead to the eventual closure of 2035 Coursol as many programs could not operate within the building and were moved out or were stopped altogether.
1988: Centraide advises the NCC Board that they could no longer continue funding the centre.
1989: The NCC is forced to vacate the building at 2035 Coursol St.
1993: All NCC programming ceases.
1994: The Center qualified under the Canada-Quebec infrastructure program to received $2 million…unable to raise $1 million
1999: The city of Montreal calls a meeting to talk about how to revamp the NCC’s former building and turn it into a museum and cultural centre.
2007: The city of Montreal awards a grant of $2.5 million to the NCC. $500,000 is granted immediately while the balance is deemed contingent on the federal and provincial governments’ contributions of $2 million each.
2010: The NCC / Charles H. Este Cultural Centre officially launches the “Help Rebuild the NCC” fundraising and awareness campaign.
On Sunday, April 13, 2014: The western wall of the Negro Community Centre building collapsed.
May 2014: NCC board claims insolvency and files for bankruptcy.
2015: Property at 2035 Coursol Street, Little Burgundy sold
2022: News of City of Montreal purchasing property at 2035 Coursol Street, Little Burgundy.
