Since 25 May 2007, Google Street View (GSV) has been providing panoramic views of streets and roadways. Camera cars began shooting in the Montreal area in September 2007 and an exhaustive survey was completed in the spring of 2009. On 7 October 2009, Google put its first Canadian GSVs online, with St. Lambert part of the coverage.

To use GSV, go to http://maps.google.ca. Near the left edge of the map is a vertical zoom scale with a man-shaped icon ("Pegman") on top. If a GSV is available in the visible map, Pegman will be yellow. Maps can be clicked, dragged, and zoomed until a desired location is centered.

Pegman can also be dragged; when this is done, GSV streets are highlighted in blue. When Pegman is dropped on a blue street, a Street View will appear. In its upper left corner is a compass icon with which the view can be rotated and its direction known. Just below the compass are '+' and '-' buttons for zooming (closer, or out of Street View).  In the lower right corner is a map showing the location of the GSV. Pegman is there, pointing in the direction of his view. This map can be expanded by clicking the top left corner. In its larger format, satellite images and terrain maps can be selected.

Above the view is a "Search Maps" feature in which addresses can be entered. This feature can also find businesses and services.

There are glitches in GSV. Faces and license plates are deliberately blurred -- sometimes Google misses a spot, or blurs spots needlessly. Addresses can be well off. Fortunately, many of St. Lambert's buildings and landmarks seem almost unchanged (or in cases like CCHS, recognizable despite changes) since the 1960s.

More information, including a YouTube tutorial, is at http://maps.google.ca/streetview (YouTube site is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGWfvHmS0wg). Most of the St. Lambert work was done on a beautiful spring day. Search and enjoy!