Victoriaville, Quebec
Encyclopedia
Victoriaville is a city in central Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, on the Nicolet River. Victoriaville is the seat of Arthabaska Regional County Municipality
Arthabaska Regional County Municipality, Quebec
Arthabaska Regional County Municipality is located in Central Quebec. The regional county municipality seat is Victoriaville. A report released in early 2006 by Maclean's magazine listed Arthabaska as the worst place in Canada for murder per capita but, by 2008, it had fallen to 21st...
and a part of the Centre-du-Québec
Centre-du-Québec
Centre-du-Québec is a region of Quebec, Canada. The main centres are Drummondville, Victoriaville and Bécancour. It has a land area of 6,928.78 km² and a 2006 census population of 224,200 inhabitants.-Description:...
(Bois-Francs) region.
Description
Victoriaville's size and location have earned it the title Capitale des Bois-Francs, referring to the Bois-Francs region of the province. Victoriaville is noted for many of its high-quality hardwood products, including furniture, coffinCoffin
A coffin is a funerary box used in the display and containment of dead people – either for burial or cremation.Contemporary North American English makes a distinction between "coffin", which is generally understood to denote a funerary box having six sides in plan view, and "casket", which...
s, and perhaps most notably, hockey sticks
Ice hockey stick
An ice hockey stick is a piece of equipment used in ice hockey to shoot, pass, and carry the puck. Ice hockey sticks are approximately 150–200 cm long, composed of a long, slender shaft with a flat extension at one end called the blade. The blade is the part of the stick used to contact the...
.
The Parc-Linéaire Des Bois-Francs bike trail traverses Victoriaville. There are many paths for cyclists throughout the city, including ones leading to the summit of Mont Arthabaska, at the southern limits of the city. The Laurier Museum commemorates the summer home of former Canadian Prime Minister Sir Wilfrid Laurier
Wilfrid Laurier
Sir Wilfrid Laurier, GCMG, PC, KC, baptized Henri-Charles-Wilfrid Laurier was the seventh Prime Minister of Canada from 11 July 1896 to 6 October 1911....
.
Many festivals are held throughout the year including the Week-end En Blues series of concerts, the Festival International de Musique Actuelle de Victoriaville
Festival International de Musique Actuelle de Victoriaville
The Festival International de Musique Actuelle de Victoriaville is an annual international music festival held in Victoriaville, Quebec that showcases contemporary music.-External links:*...
(FIMAV) in the spring, and the Exposition Agricole in the summer.
Investment in the industrial park has buoyed the town and spurred new residential and commercial development. It is the home of a prominent Lactantia
Parmalat Canada
Parmalat Canada is a Toronto, Ontario based company that sells dairy products. It is owned by Parmalat SpA of Italy.The Canadian unit was established in 1997 with the purchase of Beatrice Foods Canada and Ault Foods...
dairy factory, two shopping malls ("La Grande Place des Bois-Francs" and "Le Carrefour des Bois-Francs", this one has been renamed and became "le Centre de Victoriaville"), the Cégep de Victoriaville
Cégep de Victoriaville
Cégep de Victoriaville is a post-secondary institution in Victoriaville, Quebec, Canada.-History:The college traces its origins to the merger of several institutions which became public ones in 1967, when the Quebec system of CEGEPs was created.-Programs:The CEGEP offers two types of programs:...
, and a quaint yet vibrant downtown core/shopping area on Rue Notre-Dame. Victoriaville Airport
Victoriaville Airport
Victoriaville Airport, , is located near the town of Victoriaville, Quebec, Canada.-Activity:Victoriaville airport is used by private airplanes. Cascades's Piaggio Avantis are based in Victoriaville. A Beech King Air B100 is used under the company CoopAir, by few business of Victoriaville area...
, located at the town's northern limits close to Route 116
Quebec route 116
Route 116 is an east/west highway on the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River in Quebec, Canada. Until the 1970s it was known as Route 9. Its eastern terminus is in Lévis at the junction of Route 132, and the western terminus is at the junction of Route 134 in Lemoyne part of a concurrency with...
, is a regional airport that receives business flights and light private planes.
The current mayor of Victoriaville is Alain Rayes, who have been elected in November 2009.
Victoriaville (formerly Arthabaska) is the seat of the judicial district of Arthabaska.
History
The Victoriaville area was known to the native Abenaki peoples as Arthabaska or Awabaska, meaning "place of bulrushes and reeds". The area was first claimed in 1802 by a fur trader named John Gregory; the first settlers began arriving several decades later, beginning around 1825. Early colonists from the banks of the Saint Lawrence RiverSaint Lawrence River
The Saint Lawrence is a large river flowing approximately from southwest to northeast in the middle latitudes of North America, connecting the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean. It is the primary drainage conveyor of the Great Lakes Basin...
arrived slowly, blazing trails as they went; the first provincial road would be built in 1844. The parish of Saint-Christophe d'Arthabaska was established in 1851, an event that many see as marking the town's true foundation. In 1854 a train station was erected to serve the Grand Trunk Railway
Grand Trunk Railway
The Grand Trunk Railway was a railway system which operated in the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario, as well as the American states of Connecticut, Maine, Michigan, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. The railway was operated from headquarters in Montreal, Quebec; however, corporate...
line from Richmond
Richmond, Quebec
Richmond, population 3,336 , is a town nestled amidst rolling farmlands on the Saint-François River between Sherbrooke and Drummondville, in the heart of Estrie in Quebec, Canada.-Richmond today:...
to Lévis
Lévis, Quebec
Lévis is a city in eastern Quebec, Canada. It is located on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River, opposite Quebec City. A ferry links Old Quebec with Old Lévis, and two bridges, the Quebec Bridge and the Pierre Laporte Bridge, connect western Lévis with Quebec City. The Société de transport de...
, uniting the region with Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
and Quebec City
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
. The municipality of Victoriaville itself was created on May 8, 1861, named to honour Queen Victoria
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
, the reigning monarch at the time. Victoriaville became a full-fledged town in 1890, having reached a population of 1,000.
Among the many milestones in the growth of Victoriaville are the establishment of a hospital, the Hôtel-Dieu d'Arthabaska, in 1931; the opening of a seminary, the Collège du Sacré-Coeur, in 1942; the creation of a school specialized in cabinet making and woodworking, the École Québécoise du Meuble et du Bois Ouvré (ÉQMBO), in 1965; and the inauguration of the Cégep de Victoriaville
Cégep de Victoriaville
Cégep de Victoriaville is a post-secondary institution in Victoriaville, Quebec, Canada.-History:The college traces its origins to the merger of several institutions which became public ones in 1967, when the Quebec system of CEGEPs was created.-Programs:The CEGEP offers two types of programs:...
in the space previously occupied by the Collège du Sacré-Coeur, in 1969. Train service through Victoriaville was discontinued in 1960; the disused train tracks were eventually removed and the space was transformed into bicycle paths, forming the Parc Linéaire — with a "Vélogare" replacing the old station.
In June 1993, after a referendum on amalgamation, the municipalities of Sainte-Victoire-D'Arthabaska, Arthabaska and Victoriaville merged to form the city of Victoriaville. The aboriginal name "Arthabaska", unique and well-appreciated by residents, was retained in several ways, notably in the name of the regional county municipality and in the name of the highest (and only) mountain that overlooks the city; as well, in 2004, the section of Route 116
Quebec route 116
Route 116 is an east/west highway on the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River in Quebec, Canada. Until the 1970s it was known as Route 9. Its eastern terminus is in Lévis at the junction of Route 132, and the western terminus is at the junction of Route 134 in Lemoyne part of a concurrency with...
that passes through Victoriaville was renamed boulevard Arthabaska.
Media
The weekly newspaper La Nouvelle-Union, is a major source of the town's local news, since national news organisations tend to run larger stories affecting larger areas or cities.Two radio stations, CFJO
CFJO-FM
CFJO-FM is a French language Canadian radio station in Thetford Mines, Quebec, which broadcasts on 97.3 MHz with an effective radiated power of 100,000 watts...
("O97,3") and CFDA
CFDA-FM
CFDA-FM is a Canadian radio station, broadcasting a soft adult contemporary format at 101.9 FM in Victoriaville, Quebec. It shares the programming of Réseau des Appalaches's Passion-Rock network with sister station CKLD-FM in Thetford Mines....
("Passion-Rock 101,9") serve Victoriaville. Both stations air programming produced partially in Victoriaville and partially in Thetford Mines. CKYQ
CKYQ-FM
CKYQ-FM is a Canadian radio station, broadcasting at 95.7 FM in Plessisville, Quebec. Owned by 176100 Canada Inc., the station airs a hot adult contemporary format branded as KYQ FM.-History:...
("KYQ FM"), a station licensed to Plessisville
Plessisville, Quebec
Plessisville, Quebec is a county seat of L'Érable Regional County Municipality, Quebec, Canada. Routes 116 and 165 go through it. The city is 185 km from Montreal and 95 km from Quebec City...
, also has a studio and a transmitter in Victoriaville.
Demographics
- 2001 Population: 38,841
- 2006 Population: 40,486
- Latitude: 46°03′ N
- Longitude: 71°57′ W
- Area: 81,96 km2
- Density: 489.3 people/km2
Most residents speak French as their first language.
Sports
Jean BéliveauJean Béliveau
Jean Arthur "Le Gros Bill" Béliveau, is a former professional ice hockey player who played parts of 20 seasons with the National Hockey League's Montreal Canadiens. As a player, he won the Stanley Cup 10 times, and as an executive he was part of another seven championship teams, the most Stanley...
, ten-time Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
winner with the Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
, was raised in Victoriaville after moving there from Trois-Rivières
Trois-Rivières
Trois-Rivières means three rivers in French and may refer to:in Canada*Trois-Rivières, the largest city in the Mauricie region of Quebec, Canada*Circuit Trois-Rivières, a racetrack in Trois-Rivières, Quebec...
at a young age.
The city is currently home to the Victoriaville Tigres
Victoriaville Tigres
The Victoriaville Tigres are a junior ice hockey team that plays in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The team is based out of Victoriaville, Quebec. The team plays its home games at the Colisée Desjardins.-History:...
junior hockey team, who have played in the QMJHL since 1987. They play at the Colisée Desjardins
Colisée Desjardins
The Colisée Desjardins, formerly the Colisée des Bois-Francs, is a 3,420 capacity multi-purpose arena in Victoriaville, Quebec, Canada. It is home to the Victoriaville Tigres ice hockey team. The arena was built in 1980 and is also known as the Amphithéatre Gilbert-Perreault. Naming rights to the...
.
Notable Victoriaville residents
- Sir Wilfrid LaurierWilfrid LaurierSir Wilfrid Laurier, GCMG, PC, KC, baptized Henri-Charles-Wilfrid Laurier was the seventh Prime Minister of Canada from 11 July 1896 to 6 October 1911....
, Canadian Prime Minister (1896–1911) - Édouard RichardÉdouard RichardÉdouard-Émery Richard was a Canadian historian and politician.Richard was born in Princeville, Quebec to Louis-Eusèbe Richard and Hermine Prince. After receiving his law degree in 1867, taking courses at both Université Laval and McGill College, Richard began to practice in Arthabaskaville with...
, member of the Canadian House of CommonsCanadian House of CommonsThe House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament... - Jean BéliveauJean BéliveauJean Arthur "Le Gros Bill" Béliveau, is a former professional ice hockey player who played parts of 20 seasons with the National Hockey League's Montreal Canadiens. As a player, he won the Stanley Cup 10 times, and as an executive he was part of another seven championship teams, the most Stanley...
, hockey player for the Montreal CanadiensMontreal CanadiensThe Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
(retired, Hall of FamerHockey Hall of FameThe Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it is both a museum and a hall of fame. It holds exhibits about players, teams, National Hockey League records, memorabilia and NHL trophies, including the Stanley Cup...
) - André BellavanceAndré BellavanceAndré Bellavance is a Canadian politician.Bellevance is currently a member of the Bloc Québécois in the Canadian House of Commons, representing the riding of Richmond—Arthabaska since 2004...
, Bloc Québécois MP for the Canadian House of CommonsCanadian House of CommonsThe House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament... - Sylvie BoucherSylvie BoucherSylvie Boucher is a Canadian politician of the Conservative Party who was elected Member of Parliament for the riding of Beauport—Limoilou, Quebec in the 2006 election by a margin of 812 votes over her Bloc Québécois opponent.On February 7, 2006, Boucher was appointed as parliamentary secretary to...
, Conservative MP for the Canadian House of CommonsCanadian House of CommonsThe House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament... - René CorbetRené CorbetRené Corbet is a Canadian ice hockey player who currently plays for the Frisk Tigers of the Norwegian GET-ligaen. He has previously played in the National Hockey League with the Quebec Nordiques, Colorado Avalanche, Calgary Flames, and Pittsburgh Penguins.-Playing career:Corbet was drafted in the...
, hockey player for the Colorado AvalancheColorado AvalancheThe Colorado Avalanche are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver, Colorado, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Avalanche have won the Stanley Cup twice, in 1995–96 and 2000–01. The franchise... - DumasDumas (singer)Dumas is a Québécois singer and a native of Victoriaville, Quebec.- Profile :He came out with his first album Dumas en 2001, when he was 21. His second album, Le cours des jours made him more well-known. One song on the Le cours des jours album was sung by Marie-Annick Lépine, from the group Les...
, singer - François LabbéFrançois LabbéFrançois Labbé is a pioneering Canadian mass media owner who started the first commercial French language radio network in Canada, the Réseau des Appalaches, in 1972....
, businessman - Marc Aurèle de Foy Suzor-CotéMarc Aurèle de Foy Suzor-CotéMarc-Aurèle de Foy Suzor-Coté was a Canadian painter and sculptor.He was born in Arthabaska, Quebec in 1869. He studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris with Léon Bonnat during the 1890s...
, painter and sculptor - Isabelle MercierIsabelle MercierIsabelle Mercier is a professional poker player.Mercier originally learned to play poker as a child, but prior to turning to a poker career, she earned an undergraduate law degree from the Université de Montréal and practiced commercial law for six months...
, professional poker player - Gilbert PerreaultGilbert PerreaultGilbert Perreault is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey centre who played for seventeen seasons with the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League. He was inducted to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1990. Known for his ability to stickhandle in close quarters, he was regarded as one of the...
, hockey player for the Buffalo SabresBuffalo SabresThe Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:...
(retired, Hall of Famer) - Les Chick'n Swell, comedy group
- Jonathan GouletJonathan GouletJonathan Goulet is a retired French Canadian mixed martial artist. He has most recently fought as a welterweight for the Ultimate Fighting Championship, where he made his successful debut at Ultimate Fight Night 2, defeating Jay Hieron by technical knockout.-Mixed martial arts career:Goulet is...
, professional mixed martial artist - Eric Brule, professional hockey player