Trois-Rivières
| Trois-Rivières | |||
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 Trois-Rivières
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| Coordinates: 46°21′N 72°33′W / 46.350°N 72.550°WCoordinates: 46°21′N 72°33′W / 46.350°N 72.550°W[1] | |||
| Country |  Canada |
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| Province |  Quebec |
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| Region | Mauricie | ||
| RCM | None | ||
| Settled | 1634 | ||
| Constituted | January 1, 2002 | ||
| Government[2] | |||
| • Type | Trois-Rivières City Council | ||
| • Mayor | Yves Lévesque | ||
| • Federal riding | Berthier—Maskinongé and Trois-Rivières | ||
| • Prov. riding | Champlain and Maskinongé and Trois-Rivières | ||
| Area[2][3] | |||
| • City | 333.70 km2 (128.84 sq mi) | ||
| • Land | 288.90 km2 (111.54 sq mi) | ||
| • Urban[4] | 177.25 km2 (68.44 sq mi) | ||
| • Metro[5] | 1,041.15 km2 (401.99 sq mi) | ||
| Elevation | 61 m (200 ft) | ||
| Population (2011)[3] | |||
| • City | 131,338 | ||
| • Density | 454.6/km2 (1,177/sq mi) | ||
| • Urban[4] | 126,460 | ||
| • Urban density | 713.5/km2 (1,848/sq mi) | ||
| • Metro[5] | 151,773 | ||
| • Metro density | 145.8/km2 (378/sq mi) | ||
| • Pop 2006-2011 |  4.0% |
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| • Dwellings | 65,528 | ||
| Time zone | EST (UTC−5) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC−4) | ||
| Postal code(s) | G8T to G8Z, G9A to G9C | ||
| Area code | 819 | ||
Highways A-40 A-55 A-755 |
 Route 138 Route 153 Route 155 Route 157 Route 352 Route 359 |
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| Website | www.v3r.net | ||
Trois-Rivières (French pronunciation: [tʁwɑ.ʁi.vjɛʁ], local pronunciation: [tʁwɔ.ʁi.vjaɛ̯ʁ] (
listen)) is a city in the Mauricie region of Quebec, Canada, located at the confluence of the Saint-Maurice and Saint Lawrence Rivers. It is situated in the Mauricie administrative region, on the north shore of the Saint Lawrence River across from the city of Bécancour. It is part of the densely populated Quebec City–Windsor Corridor and is approximately halfway between Montreal and Quebec City. Trois-Rivières is the economic and cultural hub of the Mauricie region. It was founded on July 4, 1634, the second permanent settlement in New France,[6] after Quebec City in 1608.
The city's name, which is French for three rivers, is named for the fact that the Saint-Maurice River, which is divided by two small islands at the river's opening, has three mouths at the Saint Lawrence River. Traditionally, Trois-Rivières was referred to in English as Three Rivers, although in more recent decades it has been referred to as Trois-Rivières in both English and French. The anglicized name still appears in many areas of the town (e.g., the city's Three Rivers Academy), bearing witness to the influence of English settlers in the town. The city's inhabitants are known as "Trifluviens" (Trifluvians).
Trois-Rivières is also the name of a territory equivalent to a regional county municipality (TE) of Quebec, coextensive with the city of Trois-Rivières. Its geographical code is 371. Together with the regional county municipality of Les Chenaux, it forms the census division (CD) of Francheville (37). The municipalities within Les Chenaux and the former municipalities that were amalgamated into Trois-Rivières formerly constituted the regional county municipality of Francheville. Trois-Rivières is the seat of the judicial district of the same name.[7] The Trois-Rivières metropolitan area also includes the city of Bécancour which is situated on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River across the Laviolette Bridge.
Contents |
History [edit]
For a long time, the area that would later become known as Trois-Rivières was frequented by Algonquins and Abenakis, who used it as a summer stopping place. The French explorer Jacques Cartier described the site while on his second journey to the New World in 1535. The name "Trois-Rivières", however, was given only in 1599, by Captain Dupont-Gravé, and first appeared on maps of the area in 1601.[8]
In 1603, while surveying the Saint-Lawrence River, Samuel de Champlain recommended establishing a permanent settlement in the area, which was finally done on July 4, 1634, by the Sieur of Laviolette. Additional inhabitants of the original city of Trois-Rivières include: Quentin Moral, Sieur de St. Quentin; Pierre Boucher, Jacques Le Neuf, Jean Godefroy de Lintot, Michel Le Neuf du Hérisson, François Hertel, François Marguerie, René Robineau, and Jean Sauvaget.[9] The city was the second to be founded in New France (after Quebec City, before Montreal) and – thanks to its strategic location – played an important role in the colony and in the fur trade. The settlement became the seat of a regional government in 1665. Ursuline nuns first arrived at the settlement in 1697, establishing the first school and helping local missionaries to Christianize the local Aboriginals and Métis.
French sovereignty in Trois-Rivières continued until 1760, when the city was captured as part of the British conquest of Quebec. Sixteen years later, on June 8, 1776, it was the theatre of the Battle of Trois-Rivières (part of the ill-fated Invasion of the province of Quebec by Americans from the Boston area—les Bostonnais) during the American Revolutionary War.
Trois-Rivières continued to grow in stature throughout the period and beyond; in 1792 it became the seat of a judicial district, and in 1852, that of a Roman Catholic diocese.
In 1908, the greater part of the city of Trois-Rivières was destroyed by a fire in which the majority of the city's original buildings, many dating back to French colonial years, were destroyed. Only a few were spared, including the Ursuline Monastery and the De Tonnancour Manor. As a result of the destruction, a major redesign and renovation of the city was undertaken, including the widening and renewal of many of the city's roads. As well, many new businesses and industries became established in the town, which attracted many new residents.
In the 1960s, Trois-Rivières undertook a large-scale project of economic diversification, including the establishment of several cultural institutions and attractions. The Old City of Trois-Rivières was declared an "historic sector" in 1964. The Laviolette Bridge, linking Trois-Rivières to Bécancour and the south shore of the Saint-Lawrence River, was opened officially on December 20, 1967. Finally, in 1969, the city appeared on Canada's academic map with the establishment of the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, known for its chiropractic school, its podiatric medical education and its excellent programs for primary and secondary school education.
Although historically an important center of commerce, trade and population, Trois-Rivières has relinquished much of its earlier importance to the two major cities of Quebec: the metropolis of Montreal and the capital of Quebec City. It does, however, remain one of the principal medium-sized cities of Quebec, along with Saguenay, Sherbrooke and Gatineau.
Municipal reorganization [edit]
On January 1, 2002, the former city of Trois-Rivières along with its neighbouring towns of Cap-de-la-Madeleine, Sainte-Marthe-du-Cap, Saint-Louis-de-France, Trois-Rivières-Ouest, and the municipality of Pointe-du-Lac, were combined to form the new city of Trois-Rivières.
Cityscape [edit]
The city's main street is Boulevard des Forges, an area several blocks long in the heart of the Old City composed of century-old buildings housing a great variety of cafés, restaurants, clubs, bars, and shops. In the warmer months, the area is regularly closed to vehicular traffic to accommodate various festivals and events, turning the downtown core into a pedestrian mall.
Notable landmarks include the Forges du Saint-Maurice, a foundry dating back to the 1730s, the Ursulines Monastery, and Notre-Dame-du-Cap Basilica.
Economy [edit]
Trois-Rivières is Canada's oldest industrial city, with its first foundry established in 1738.[10] The forge produced iron and cast for 150 years, much of it being shipped to France to be used in Royal Navy ships.[11] The first port facility was built in 1818 near rue Saint-Antoine, and today handles 2.5 million tonnes of cargo annually.[12] The first railway was built in 1879 to support the growing lumber industry.[13]
The city was known as the pulp and paper industry capital of the world from the late 1920s until the early 1960s.[14] The city once had five mills in operation (Trois-Rivières Ouest, Wayagamack, C.I.P. and St-Maurice Paper). Today, there are three mills left operating (Kruger Trois-Rivières Ouest, Kruger Wayagamack and Cascades Lupel ex-StMaurice Paper), the closures due largely to a decline in newsprint demand and globalization. The closures were not limited to just the pulp and paper industry; Trois-Rivières experienced an industrial decline in the 1980s and 1990s, with the closure of several textile mills, with unemployment rising to 14 percent in the 1990s.[15]
Trois-Rivières is attempting an industrial revitalization by establishing technology parks and taking advantage of its central location to both Montreal and Quebec City, its university and port. An example of the new economy is Marmen Incorporated, which manufactures wind turbine towers and employs 1,000 people between its operations in Trois-Rivières and Matane.
The city's other prominent industries include metal transformation, electronics, thermoplastics, as well as cabinet making and the production of food crops. An industrial park adjoining Trois-Rivières Airport serves also as a major centre for the aeronautical industry.
Climate [edit]
The area has a humid continental climate (Köppen Dfb). Winters are long, cold, and snowy: the January high is −7.3 °C (18.9 °F), with lows dropping to −20 °C (−4 °F) on 30 nights per year and to −30 °C (−22 °F) on 3.5 nights.[16] Snowfall averages 241 centimetres (95 in), with reliable snow cover from December to March.[16] Summers are warm, with a July high of 25.5 °C (77.9 °F), though highs reach 30 °C (86 °F) on 4.8 days per summer.[16] Spring and autumn are short and crisp. Precipitation averages 1,100 millimetres (43.3 in), and is the greatest during summer.
| Climate data for Trois-Rivières | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 13.0 (55.4) |
10.0 (50) |
17.0 (62.6) |
31.5 (88.7) |
32.2 (90) |
34.5 (94.1) |
34.0 (93.2) |
36.1 (97) |
30.5 (86.9) |
27.2 (81) |
20.0 (68) |
12.5 (54.5) |
36.1 (97) |
| Average high °C (°F) | −7.3 (18.9) |
−4.6 (23.7) |
1.4 (34.5) |
9.9 (49.8) |
18.6 (65.5) |
23.2 (73.8) |
25.5 (77.9) |
24.1 (75.4) |
18.3 (64.9) |
11.5 (52.7) |
3.8 (38.8) |
−3.8 (25.2) |
10.1 (50.2) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −12.5 (9.5) |
−10.0 (14) |
−3.7 (25.3) |
4.7 (40.5) |
12.4 (54.3) |
17.3 (63.1) |
19.8 (67.6) |
18.6 (65.5) |
13.1 (55.6) |
6.9 (44.4) |
0.0 (32) |
−8.3 (17.1) |
4.9 (40.8) |
| Average low °C (°F) | −17.6 (0.3) |
−15.4 (4.3) |
−8.8 (16.2) |
−0.5 (31.1) |
6.2 (43.2) |
11.5 (52.7) |
14.1 (57.4) |
13.0 (55.4) |
7.9 (46.2) |
2.2 (36) |
−3.8 (25.2) |
−12.8 (9) |
−0.3 (31.5) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −41.1 (−42) |
−35.6 (−32.1) |
−35.0 (−31) |
−17.2 (1) |
−6.1 (21) |
−1.5 (29.3) |
3.5 (38.3) |
1.1 (34) |
−7.2 (19) |
−10.6 (12.9) |
−25.6 (−14.1) |
−35.5 (−31.9) |
−41.1 (−42) |
| Precipitation mm (inches) | 85.6 (3.37) |
59.8 (2.354) |
74.9 (2.949) |
80.2 (3.157) |
92.3 (3.634) |
101.3 (3.988) |
108.6 (4.276) |
107.7 (4.24) |
104.7 (4.122) |
94.0 (3.701) |
101.6 (4) |
89.1 (3.508) |
1,099.8 (43.299) |
| Rainfall mm (inches) | 24.0 (0.945) |
17.2 (0.677) |
37.7 (1.484) |
67.5 (2.657) |
92.2 (3.63) |
101.3 (3.988) |
108.6 (4.276) |
107.7 (4.24) |
104.7 (4.122) |
91.9 (3.618) |
75.6 (2.976) |
30.2 (1.189) |
858.5 (33.799) |
| Snowfall cm (inches) | 61.7 (24.29) |
42.7 (16.81) |
37.2 (14.65) |
12.7 (5) |
0.1 (0.04) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
2.1 (0.83) |
25.9 (10.2) |
59.0 (23.23) |
241.3 (95) |
| Avg. precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 13.5 | 11.0 | 10.8 | 11.6 | 13.5 | 14.4 | 13.7 | 12.9 | 13.5 | 14.2 | 14.2 | 13.4 | 156.7 |
| Avg. rainy days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 2.8 | 2.6 | 5.5 | 10.0 | 13.5 | 14.4 | 13.7 | 12.9 | 13.5 | 13.8 | 10.1 | 3.8 | 116.6 |
| Avg. snowy days (≥ 0.2 cm) | 12.2 | 9.6 | 6.5 | 2.8 | 0.08 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.6 | 5.9 | 11.0 | 48.68 |
| Source: Environment Canada[16] | |||||||||||||
Culture [edit]
Trois-Rivières hosts the FestiVoix de Trois-Rivières, a 10-day summer music festival which attracts in excess of 300,000 visitors annually.[17] The city also hosts the Festival International de la Poésie – an international poetry festival – as well as the Festival International Danse Encore,[18] and the MetalFest de Trois-Rivières every November. In 2009, Trois-Rivières was designated as the 2009 Cultural Capital of Canada for cities having a population of 125,000 or more.[19]
Trois-Rivières is officially the "Poetry Capital of Quebec";[20][21] numerous plaques displaying poetic verses are installed throughout the centre of the city, and its International Festival of Poetry (held each year in the first week of October) honours this title.
Demographics [edit]
| Trois-Rivières | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1871 | 11,107 | — |
| 1881 | 12,340 | +11.1% |
| 1891 | 11,784 | −4.5% |
| 1901 | 13,540 | +14.9% |
| 1911 | 18,445 | +36.2% |
| 1921 | 33,072 | +79.3% |
| 1931 | 48,699 | +47.3% |
| 1941 | 59,685 | +22.6% |
| 1951 | 72,154 | +20.9% |
| 1956 | 83,189 | +15.3% |
| 1961 | 93,451 | +12.3% |
| 1966 | 99,974 | +7.0% |
| 1971 | 103,703 | +3.7% |
| 1976 | 106,031 | +2.2% |
| 1981 | 111,453 | +5.1% |
| 1986 | 114,675 | +2.9% |
| 1991 | 121,483 | +5.9% |
| 1996 | 124,417 | +2.4% |
| 2001 | 122,395 | −1.6% |
| 2006 | 126,323 | +3.2% |
| 2011 | 131,338 | +4.0% |
| [22][23] | ||
Prior to amalgamation in 2001, the new city of Trois-Rivières was divided among six municipalities. The largest visible minority groups in Trois-Rivières are Blacks (2.2%) and Asians (1.4%).
Municipal population, pre-amalgamation (December 14, 2000)[24]
| Municipality | Population |
|---|---|
| Trois-Rivières | 48 285 |
| Cap-de-la-Madeleine | 32 927 |
| Trois-Rivières-Ouest | 24 170 |
| Saint-Louis-de-France | 7 798 |
| Pointe-du-Lac | 6 846 |
| Sainte-Marthe-du-Cap | 6 428 |
| Total | 126 454 |
Age structure
- 0–14 years: 16.1%
- 15–64 years: 68.6%
- 65 years and over: 15.3%
Religious groups
- Catholic: 93.7%
- Protestant and other Christian: 2.7%
- No religious affiliation: 3.3%
Sport [edit]
Trois-Rivières has an internationally known racetrack named Circuit Trois-Rivières. The track hosts American Le Mans Series, SCCA Pro Racing Trans-Am Series, NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, and the Star Mazda Series events.[25] The Trois-Rivières Aigles are an expansion team in the Can-Am League, and play their home games at Stade Fernand-Bédard.
Transportation [edit]
Local bus service is provided by the Société de transport de Trois-Rivières. The Laviolette Bridge links Trois-Rivières to Bécancour of the Centre-du-Québec administrative region on the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River.
Media [edit]
Notables [edit]
- Steve Bégin, NHL hockey player.
- Jean Béliveau, retired NHL hockey player for the Montreal Canadiens, inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1972.
- Marc-André Bergeron, NHL hockey player.
- Guy Bertrand, radio-TV personality and CBC French Radio and Television official linguistic advisor (French links:[26] fr:C'est bien meilleur le matin)
- Jacques De Noyon, worked in the fur trade as a coureur de bois. In 1688 he led an expedition beyond Lake Superior into territory previously unknown to fur traders. He was the first white man to explore this region.[27]
- Maurice Duplessis, former Premier of Quebec (1936–39, 1944–59)
- André Dupont, former NHL hockey player
- Madeleine Ferron, writer
- Gérald Godin, politician and poet
- Annie Groovie, children's book author and creator of Léon
- Jean Grou, an original settler of Trois-Rivières with a national monument placed at his original farm Coulèe Grou.
- Simon Kean, super heavyweight boxer who qualified to represent Canada in the 2012 Olympics
- Claude G. Lajoie, Federal Liberal politician elected in 1971, 1972, 1974, 1979, 1980 and building contractor, businessman
- Félix Leclerc, songwriter; worked in a Trois-Rivières radio station.
- Martyr, a technical death metal band
- The New Cities, a Canadian rock band, notable for their song "Dead End Countdown"
- Jean Nicolet, French-Canadian explorer
- René Robert, former NHL hockey player
- Star Wars Kid, Internet celebrity
- Jean-Guy Talbot, former NHL hockey player, an arena with his name
- Éric Thériault, comic book artist and writer
- Luc Tousignant, the only French Canadian to start as quarterback in the Canadian Football League (Montreal Concordes)
- Henri Wittmann, linguist
- Aaron Hart, businessman
Sister city [edit]
Tours, France
See also [edit]
References [edit]
- ^ Reference number 63803 of the Commission de toponymie du Québec (French)
- ^ a b Geographic code 37067 in the official Répertoire des municipalités (French)
- ^ a b "Census Profile — Trois-Rivières". Canada 2011 Census. Statistics Canada. 2012-02-08. Retrieved 24 May 2012.
- ^ a b "Census Profile — Trois-Rivières, Population Centre". Canada 2011 Census. Statistics Canada. 2012-02-08. Retrieved 24 May 2012.
- ^ a b "Census Profile — Trois-Rivières, Census Metropolitan Area". Canada 2011 Census. Statistics Canada. 2012-02-08. Retrieved 24 May 2012.. The census metropolitan area consists of Trois-Rivières, Bécancour, Champlain, Saint-Luc-de-Vincennes, Saint-Maurice, Wôlinak, Yamachiche. In the 2006 census, the census metropolitan area had not included Saint-Luc-de-Vincennes or Yamachiche.
- ^ Roy-Sole, Monique. "A Tale of Tenacity", Canadian Geographic Magazine, April 2009, Vol. 129, No. 2, p. 31.
- ^ Territorial Division Act. Revised Statutes of Quebec D-11.
- ^ untitled[dead link]
- ^ Report Concerning the Archives of Canada for the year 1905. Vol I. of III., p. li.
- ^ "Forges du Saint-Maurice National Historic Site of Canada". Parks Canada. Retrieved 2009-03-27.
- ^ Roy-Sole, Monique. "A Tale of Tenacity", Canadian Geographic Magazine, April 2009, Vol. 129, No. 2, p. 32
- ^ "Le Port de Trois-Rivières". Retrieved 2009-03-27.
- ^ Roy-Sole, Monique. "A Tale of Tenacity", Canadian Geographic Magazine, April 2009, Vol. 129, No. 2, p. 35
- ^ Roy-Sole, Monique. "A Tale of Tenacity", Canadian Geographic Magazine, April 2009, Vol. 129, No. 2, p. 36
- ^ Roy-Sole, Monique. "A Tale of Tenacity", Canadian Geographic Magazine, April 2009, Vol. 129, No. 2, p. 37
- ^ a b c d Canadian Climate Normals 1971-2000, Environment Canada. Retrieved June 23, 2012.
- ^ "Le FestiVoix de Trois-Rivières". Retrieved 2009-04-03.
- ^ "Accueil". Festival encore. Retrieved 2012-07-07.
- ^ Roy-Sole, Monique. "A Tale of Tenacity", Canadian Geographic Magazine, April 2009, Vol. 129, No. 2, p. 38
- ^ "Tourisme Trois-Rivières".
- ^ "Festival International de la Poésie".
- ^ "Évolution démographique des 10 principales villes du Québec (sur la base de 2006) selon leur limites territoriales actuelles1, Recensements du Canada de 1871 à 2006" (in French). Institut de la statistique du Québec. 2008-02-01. Retrieved 2012-02-08.
- ^ These figures correspond to the territory of the city of Trois-Rivières following the municipal reorganizations of 2002 and 2006.
- ^ "Ville de Trois-Rivières". Laville.v3r.net. Retrieved 2012-07-07.
- ^ "Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières". Gp3r.com. Retrieved 2012-07-07.
- ^ "Le français au micro | zone radio". Radio-Canada.ca. Retrieved 2012-01-02.
- ^ "Jacques de Noyon 1668-1745". Ontarioplaques.com. Retrieved 2012-07-07.
External links [edit]
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Trois-Rivières, Quebec |
- (French) Official site of Trois-Rivières
- (English) Tourisme Mauricie Regional tourist office
- (English) Tourisme Trois-Rivières Municipal tourist office
- (French) Troisrivieresplus.net
- (French) Répertoire des clubs de golf de Trois-Rivières
- (French) Le Nouvelliste
- (English) Grand-Prix de Trois-Rivières
- (English) Pictures of Trois-Rivières (2001 to date)
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Saint-Étienne-des-Grès | Notre-Dame-du-Mont-Carmel, Saint-Maurice | Champlain | |
| Yamachiche |  |
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| Lac Saint-Pierre | Saint Lawrence River / Nicolet | Saint Lawrence River, bridge to Bécancour |
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