Nature
Westmount Summit, one of Mount Royal’s three peaks, rises above Westmount and Montreal with a broad plateau, sweeping views, and Saint Joseph's Oratory nearby. In the late 19th century, McGill University acquired land here for an observatory and survey access roads, reflecting the era’s need for astronomy in science and timekeeping; some surrounding height restrictions still endure. As urban growth reduced the observatory’s usefulness, part of the site became Summit Woods, sold to Westmount in 1940 to remain parkland. Today the area is a major urban forest and sanctuary, preserving observatory foundations, rich wildlife, and traces of an earlier botanical garden and bird sanctuary on its slopes.
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