This station was the stage entrance.

In 1989, I was a theatre student at Dawson College, right above Atwater. I’d pass through those tunnels every day, carrying scripts and big dreams. This wasn’t just a metro stop — it was a backstage door to becoming someone else.

Atwater was also the home of the legendary Forum, where the Canadiens played — but more importantly to me, it was where the stars performed.

At night after class, we’d linger near the Forum’s doors just to hear the echo of live bands. U2, Madonna, Bowie — they were inside, and we were outside, but it felt like we belonged in that world too.

Atwater was youth, ambition, and the sound of something bigger.