2 Lisgar; Where the Hub of the Family Lived

2 Lisgar; Where the Hub of the Family Lived

by Madi A. 02/2026

Every time they arrived, the same question: Was the main door locked? The maintenance person usually kept it locked to prevent vagabonds from the neighboring bus station from entering for shelter. Since there were no cell phones in the 1960s, visits had to be planned well ahead of time.

The building, constructed in the 1920s, was a massive dark-brick structure in the heart of downtown. The Federal Building stood directly across the road. On the ground floor were the National Bank of Canada, Harvey's Surplus, and Uptown Cleaners. The air outside often carried the clean scent of dry cleaning from the shop. The surplus store was a fun place to explore. It was three stories: the main floor was full of vintage items, the top floor had camping, fishing, and outdoor equipment, and the bottom floor housed a local art gallery. You could usually find parking on the street in front of the building or in the limited shared parking to the side.

As the door was unlocked upon their arrival, they were met by a narrow flight of twenty-two stairs leading to the second floor. There were railings on both sides; it was easiest to hold onto both and guide yourself up. To a young child, it seemed like a never-ending stairway. She always wondered how her elderly grandparents managed to climb all those stairs to reach their home. She often thought that if she lived there, she would limit her outings to once a day.

Once you reached the second floor, the next flight of stairs was just around a short path: eleven stairs to a landing, a turn, and eleven more to the top floor. Their two-bedroom apartment was located down a wide hallway, the last door on the right.

The climb was always rewarded. The moment you reached the hallway, the scent of the building changed from the cold, drafty stairwell to the warmth of her grandmother's kitchen, the smell of desserts baking, meat roasting, or her famous homemade soup cooking.

Her grandmother would always greet them at the door. The large living room was the first room they entered. It was so inviting, featuring a large wooden stereo console, a floor-standing cabinet with a turntable, AM/FM radio, and built-in speakers, with a La-Z-Boy chair beside it. A few side tables, topped with handmade embroidered doilies that her grandmother had crafted to protect the wood, held table lamps lit for ambiance. A large blue French Provincial sofa and a massive TV console were arranged in perfect harmony. The sound of French channels, whether a news reporter or a family show, would fill the room.

In front of the sofa was a long coffee table, covered with embroidered doilies, always overflowing with treasures and snacks. To finish the look, beautifully handmade wall-to-wall sheers and fabric curtains hung behind the sofa.

Through a doorway to the right was the large eat-in kitchen. While counter space was scarce, the walk-in pantry was the highlight of the room, with everything perfectly organized on its shelves. The bathroom was tucked off the corner of the kitchen, featuring a narrow walkway around a huge clawfoot bathtub.

In the cooler months, her family gathered for weekly dinners. Since her father worked just down the street, he would stop in every Tuesday for a lunch of homemade soup. Her grandmother was always happy to sit and visit with him. These memories remained the heartbeat of the family until the mid-70s, when the building was sold. and they were forced to move.

The building was old, and the wiring was not up to date, creating a fire hazard. Throughout the years, it would be evacuated due to heat found in the walls from faulty wiring. Eventually, it was deemed unsafe, too dangerous, and with liability too high.

In her teen years, she would help her grandmother with the grocery shopping and carry the bags up the two flights of stairs.

Every holiday, her grandparents hosted the entire family. There were over thirty relatives: twelve aunts and uncles, plus all the children. It was a whirlwind of activity, but the food preparation was a well-oiled machine. Everyone took part in making the feast memorable. When it was time to eat, it was buffet-style; everyone filled their plates and found a spot at the kitchen table, on TV trays, or simply sat with plates on their laps.

During the week before family dinners, she, her mother, and her grandmother would spend hours baking cakes, cookies, and fancy desserts. Once the feast was over, the cleanup was just as organized as the meal itself. While the children occupied themselves with cards, board games, and toys, the desserts were set up on the kitchen table, creating a decadent centerpiece for the family to gather around.

Christmas was the most special of all. Every year, they gathered at her grandmother's to watch the local Christmas parade as it wound its way through the streets surrounding their building. While the crowds cheered below, her grandmother always had hot drinks and plenty of desserts prepared, waiting to warm everyone up the moment they stepped inside.

On Christmas Day, the entire family gathered for dinner. French folklore music played on the stereo console, creating a festive atmosphere. In the afternoon, her grandfather would dress as Santa, and all the children would sit on the floor surrounding him to receive a gift.

As a tradition, her aunt Rizzo would gather all the children in a circle. As the song leader, she would sing and perform the interactive song, Catrinette, which is a French folk song, chansons à répondre québécoises. The children would shadow her words and mimic her actions. It was a pleasant and fun tradition that lived on. 

As the children grew older, the large two-bedroom apartment was no longer big enough. The door to the hallway would be left open, and the older children sat on the hallway floor to hang out. It was a quiet space, a getaway where they could have their own private area.

Her memories of the late 1960s in her grandparents' apartment were very special. From their balcony, she watched the demolition of the old Borgia Market area, the clearing of the land, and the construction of the new City Centre, which opened in the fall of 1973.

As a child, 2 Lisgar Street was the center of everything. Every stair climbed led to warmth, every visit led to laughter, and every holiday strengthened the ties that held the family together. Though the apartment is long gone, its heartbeat still echoes in the memories it built.

2 Lisgar Street