Armoury or Bust: A Century in Westmount

Westmount, Quebec – 21 October 2025: In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Westmount Armoury, the RMR Museum is proud to unveil a new exhibition, Armoury or Bust: A Century in Westmount. The exhibit traces the spirited campaign that gave birth to the Armoury—an enduring home for The Royal Montreal Regiment (RMR) and a cornerstone of the Westmount community since 1925.

Visitors will discover how a handful of determined citizens and soldiers, led by figures like Lieutenant-Colonel C.B. Price, Mayor John McKergow, and Lieutenant-Colonel Frank Fisher, fought to secure an armoury worthy of the Regiment’s wartime legacy. Through rare photographs, newspaper clippings, architectural plans, and personal stories, the exhibit brings to life the journey from the 58th Westmount Rifles drilling at the old Hillside Riding Academy to the triumphant opening of the Gothic-style Armoury designed by Ross & MacDonald—the same architects behind Montreal’s Eaton Centre and Toronto’s Royal York Hotel.

The exhibition also explores the Armoury’s century-long role as both a regimental stronghold and community landmark: a place where generations trained, paraded, celebrated, and even helped Westmount residents during the 1998 Ice Storm.

As Defence Minister MacDonald declared at the original opening, “This splendid edifice is more than a memorial to the boys who have not come back—it is a challenge to the men of the future to prepare themselves.”

A century later, that challenge still rings true.

Join us in honouring 100 years of service, memory, and pride within the heart of Westmount.

School and group visits are welcome.
RSVP or inquire at info@rmrmuseum.com | (514) 496-2003 ext. 2328