(Redirected from Shawinigan)
'Shawinigan' is a city located on the
Saint-Maurice River in the
Mauricie area in
Quebec,
Canada. It has a population of approximately 51,904 people (2006).
There is a large
hydroelectric complex at Shawinigan Falls nearby.
History
Before Shawinigan was established, the local economy had been largely based on
lumber and
agriculture.
Boomtown
In the late
1890s, Shawinigan drew the interest of
foreign entrepreneurs such as
John Joyce and
J. E. Aldred of the
Shawinigan, Water & Power Company (SW&P) as well as
Hubert Biermans of the
Belgo Company because of its particular geographic situation. Its falls had the potential to become a favorable location for the production of
hydroelectricity.
[1]
In
1899, the SW&P commissioned
Montreal engineering firm Pringle and Son to design a
grid plan for a new industrial town on the banks of the
Saint-Maurice River, providing the ground work for what would become downtown Shawinigan.
[2]
In
1901, Shawinigan was incorporated and became the site of the first production of
aluminum in
Canadian history.
[3] Other industries included
pulp and paper, chemical production and textiles.
Shawinigan also became one of the first
Canadian cities with electric
street lighting.
For decades, the local
pulp and
paper,
chemical and
textile industries created thousands of jobs. The city steadily grew
eastward and
northward. Meanwhile on the other side of the river,
Shawinigan-Sud (then Almaville) developed as a residential hub.
Shawinigan also had a vibrant
English-speaking community, which at times comprised more than 30% of the population. Early on, members of the
French-speaking majority and the more privileged English-speaking minority settled in segregated neighborhoods.
Great Depression
Local
prosperity was interrupted by the
Great Depression in the
1930s. Many plants were forced to temporarily reduce or stop their production, which left many residents jobless. Many families needed
public assistance to survive. The City Council enacted a
public works program to help families.
World War II
World War II put Shawinigan as well as
Canada in general back on the path of
economic recovery.
During hostilities, the windows of local
power plants were painted black to prevent any possible
German aerial attack.
The Shawinigan-based
81st Artillery Battery was called to active duty during
World War II. Its members were trained in
Ontario and the
United Kingdom from
1940 to
1944 and contributed to the
Allies' effort in the
Normandy Landings in
1944-
45, which led to the Liberation of
France.
[4]
In
1948, a
cenotaph, known as
Monument des Braves, was erected in downtown Shawinigan at the intersection of Fourth Street and Promenade du Saint-Maurice (then Riverside Street) near the
Saint-Maurice River, in honour of soldiers who died during that conflict as well as
World War I.
Union Battleground
Because of its large labor population, Shawinigan became a hot bed for
union activities. The workers of the Belgo
pulp and paper plant went on strike in
1955.
In
1952,
Shawinigan sent a
Liberal member to the
legislature. The gesture was largely considered an affront to
anti-labor Premier Maurice Duplessis.
Duplessis responded by refusing to approve the construction of a new bridge between Shawinigan and Shawinigan-Sud. The new bridge was not built until after the
Liberal Party won the
1960 election.
Decline
In the
1950s, Shawinigan entered a period of
decline that would last for several decades.
Technological improvements made industries less dependent on Shawinigan's geographic location. Therefore, many employers would relocate nearby larger cities or close down.
As a reaction to declining opportunities, many residents, many of whom were English-speakers, left the area. Shawinigan High School is the only remaining English-language school in the city following the closure of St. Patrick's (closed circa 1983).
In
1963, the
provincial government of
Jean Lesage nationalized eleven privately owned electricity companies including SW&P. While benefiting the population in general, the decision may have been damaging to local interests.
Emerging Hospitality Industry
Following numerous failed attempts to jump start the local economy, an effort has led to the development of the
hospitality industry. The most notable example of that initiative is the establishment of
La Cité de l'Énergie, a theme park based on local industrial history, with a 115 metre high
observation tower. Since it opened in
1997, it has attracted thousands of visitors to the area.
Merger (2001)
In 2001, Shawinigan
amalgamated with much of the
MRC Le Centre-de-la-Mauricie. The following municipalities were part of the merging:
Trivia
★ The word ''Shawinigan'' means ''portage at the crest'' in
Algonquian, referring to the nearby waterfall. Before
1958 the city was known as ''Shawinigan Falls''.
★ Traditionally, residents of Shawinigan have made a distinction between ''downtown'' (bas de la ville) and ''uptown'' (haut de la ville) Shawinigan. Downtown consists of the oldest and lowest section of town, near the river. Other sections, such as Saint-Marc and Christ-Roy (Christ the King) neighborhoods are built on higher ground and are considered uptown. Côte Saint-Marc is considered the transition between both.
★ Likewise, Shawinigan-Sud has been divided into ''Almaville-en-Bas'' (down) and ''Almaville-en-Haut'' (up) in popular culture.
★ Until the early
1950s, kids who were less than 16 years old had to observe a 9:00 pm
curfew everyday.
[10]
★ Rue Mercier (Mercier Street), which is located in downtown Shawinigan, was named to honor
Premier Honoré Mercier.
★ Until 2001, Shawinigan contained one of the tallest guyed masts in Canada, the
CBC Tower.
The city is home to:
Famous People
★
Peter Blaikie, a prominent
attorney;
★
Jean Chrétien, who was
Prime Minister of Canada from
1993 to
2003;
★
Louise Forestier, who is a
singer and an
actress;
★
Martin Gélinas, an
NHL player;
★
Jacques Lacoursière, a renowned
historian;
★
Carole Laure, an
actress;
★
Jacques Plante, an
NHL goaltender
★
Camil Samson, who was Member of the
provincial legislature for the district of
Rouyn-Noranda and the Leader of the
Ralliement créditiste du Québec;
Heavy Industries
★ an
Alcan aluminum plant: built in
1941 and located at 1100 Boulevard Saint-Sacrement, it took over the production of a
1901 structure which is located near the Saint-Maurice River and is currently managed by La Cité de l'Énergie;
★ the Belgo
pulp and paper plant;
★ the
Shawinigan 2 (1911) and
Shawinigan 3 (1948)
power plants: established by the
SW&P, they have been the property of
Hydro Quebec since
1963 and are also located near the Saint-Maurice River;
Other Institutions
★ the
62nd (Shawinigan) Field Artillery Regiment: a militia unit of the
Canadian Army which was called to active duty during
World War II;
★
La Cité de l'Énergie;
★ the
Collège Shawinigan: a
CEGEP whose main campus is located at 2263 Avenue du Collège;
★ the
Shawinigan Cataractes: the only
QMJHL franchise to have stayed in the same city since the league's inception in
1969. They play at the
Arena Jacques Plante (855 Rue Broadway);
★ the
Shawinigan-Sud Tax Center;
Annual Events
★ The
Classique internationale de canots de la Mauricie: a prestigious marathon canoe race, in existence since
1934;
★ Grand-Mère's
Fête nationale du Québec celebration: consisting of a
bonfire and a live performance from local musicians, its audience arguably ranks among the largest crowds in the
Mauricie area. It takes place at the
Parc de la rivière Grand-Mère.
[11] The tradition goes back decades ago.
[12]
Streets
Many of the oldest streets of Shawinigan were numbered, like the streets of
Manhattan,
New York. Similarly,
Avenue Broadway was named after the famous thoroughfare, located in the same borough.
Several other streets and avenues were named to honor famous people, including:
★
George-Étienne Cartier
★
Samuel de Champlain
★
Dollard des Ormeaux
★
Peter Julian Eymard
★
Comte de Frontenac
★
King George V
★
Lomer Gouin
★
Victor Hugo
★
Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville
★
Marshal Joseph Joffre
★
Pope John XXIII
★
Curé Labelle
★
Monsignor Louis-François Laflèche
★
Sieur de La Salle
★
Wilfrid Laurier
★
Calixa Lavallée
★
Honoré Mercier
★
Marquis de Montcalm
★
Pierre Laporte
★
Cardinal Richelieu
★
Basile Routhier
★
Jean Talon
★
Major General Georges Vanier
Landmarks
★ The
Trou du Diable (Devil's Hole): this mysterious location consists of a
swirl in the
Saint-Maurice River nearby the falls. Legend has it, the Trou du Diable has no bottom, making it impossible to rescue anyone who falls into it;
[13]
★
Parc Saint-Maurice: located in downtown Shawinigan, it was part of the city's original plan.
Footnotes
1. Transactions 2004: Life, Learning and the Arts, The Royal Society of Canada, November 19, 2004
2. Power and Planning: Industrial Towns in Québec, 1890-1950, CCA, 1996
3. Alcan célèbre le centenaire de la production d'aluminium au Canada, Alcan Inc., November 1, 2001
4. J.J. Bellemare, 60 ans d'artillerie en Mauricie, Shawinigan, 1996
5. Rapport du mandataire du Gouvernement - La réorganisation municipale du Centre-de-la-Mauricie, 2000
6. Community Profiles, Statistics Canada, 1996
7. Shawinigan includes Baie-de-Shawinigan, which was established in 1907 and merged in 1998.
8. Grand-Mère includes Sainte-Flore, which was established in 1862.
9. The Catholic parish of Saint-Gérard-des-Laurentides was established in 1922.
10. Fabien LaRochelle, Shawinigan depuis 75 ans, 1976
11. La fête nationale en Mauricie, Karine Parenteau, Voir, June 22, 2006
12. Vandalisme dans le parc de la rivière Grand-Mère, Clin d'oeil historique, L'Hebdo du St-Maurice, February 23, 2007
13. Brasserie Le Trou du Diable
See also
★
62nd (Shawinigan) Field Artillery Regiment
★
La Cité de l'Énergie
★
List of hydroelectric stations in Quebec
★
Mauricie
★
Mauricie Legislators
★
Mayors of Shawinigan
★
Municipal reorganization in Quebec
★
Robert Trudel
★
Saint-Maurice Federal Electoral District
★
Saint-Maurice—Champlain Federal Electoral District
★
Saint-Maurice Provincial Electoral District
★
Saint-Maurice River
★
Shawinigan, Water & Power Company
★
Shawinigate
References
★
Shawinigan official site
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