Expo 67's Man-Made Island

The construction plans for the Expo 67 site included enlarging 2 existing islands, Île Sainte Hélène and Île Ronde, while a third island, Île Notre Dame, was created entirely from scratch.

It has been said that part of Expo 67's success lay upon its unique island setting, in the middle of the St. Lawrence River. Indeed, water played an important part in the ambiance of the Universal Exhibition of 1967.

To grasp the sheer size and scope of the Île Notre Dame project, I've dug up some aerial shots from the library and archives Canada collection:

A general view of Île Notre Dame, looking east.

The Concordia Bridge linked Cité du Havre (Mackay Pier) with Expo's islands.

Waterfront residents of St. Lambert (top of photo) had a great view of Expo.

Ontario and Canada's pavilions rose gracefully out of the water.

A shortage of rubble caused engineers to integrate lagoons into the design.

A great shot of the international pavilions of Île Notre Dame.

Pedestrian bridges passed over the lagoons, while the Minirail rode over water.

A stunning view at dusk of Île Notre Dame, looking south-west.

images: library and archives Canada