Former Merchants, then Royal Bank, 409 Selkirk
Former Bank of Commerce, then Montreal, 607 Selkirk
It's great news for an area of town that, like many other older neighbourhoods, saw its bank branches begin to disappear in the 1980s. Take a look at any major intersection in the North End and you'll likely see the remnants. In fact, ACU's new branch was itself Royal Bank from 1979 to 1997.
I was in West Broadway back in 2001 when ACU opened a branch there. It was a handy addition to the neighbourhood and, more importantly, a great vote of confidence in a neighbourhood struggling to rebound.
You can read more about the new branch in ACU's February newsletter.
Related:
ACU's North End Branch officially open Assiniboine Credit Union (2012)
ACU Announces North End Branch Assiniboine Credit Union (2011)
ACU set to open branch in the North End Free Press (2011)
It's nice to see a financial institution moving into the North End instead of moving out. It doesn't seem like that long ago there was a plethora of banks to choose from in the area... now the only ones are on the fringes of the North End. I wonder how ACU makes it work in an area where the big banks can't, though?
ReplyDeleteIt's also a pretty nice looking renovation project. Between ACU and the "new" North End YMCA across the street, that stretch of McGregor is looking pretty good. It's also nice to see that Safeway has kept its store nearby up and running - it all makes for a pretty active neighbourhood hub.