Remains of the Lake, identified?

Perusing an old map from pre-canal times in the late 18th century revealed a large lake in approximate location of highway 720 and the Lachine canal, stretching as far south into what would become Lasalle, and off to the east where downtown Montreal begins. It was very hard to find any additional information on this Lake, other than it was called by several names including Little Pierre lake. This painting was the last one I did on my trip down to the canal today after work. Normally I would not have attempted such a scene, but its more about trying to tell the story than making an amazing painting. The suggestions of brownish water at the bottom is actually a drainage ditch feeding into a pipe that goes under a gravel utility road. Water collects here because it would seem to be the lowest point in the area and therefor might represent the bottom of the old lake. I have no way to verify this story, but I suspect that the NDG escarpment is the old north shore of the lake, while the steep road up Senkus street to park Angrignon could have been the south shore. That would suggest a large swampy area to the west and east. Anyways, I will try to make a better painting of the 'drainage ditch' for posterity, and see if there is any additional information on the history of this land available on the internet or library. 

Remains of the Lake? watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, July 2024