Victoriaville, Quebec

Infobox City
official_name =Ville de Victoriaville
other_name =City of Victoriaville
native_name =
nickname =Victo
motto =

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image_blank_emblem =Victoriaville logo.gif
blank_emblem_size =139px


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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = flagicon|Canada Canada
subdivision_type1 = Province
subdivision_name1 = flagicon|Quebec Quebec
subdivision_type2 = Region
subdivision_name2 = Centre-du-Québec
subdivision_type3 = Municipality
subdivision_name3 = Arthabaska Regional County Municipality
subdivision_type4 =
subdivision_name4 =
government_type =
leader_title =Mayor
leader_name =Roger Richard
2006-2009
leader_title1 =Governing Body
leader_name1 =Victoriaville City Council
leader_title2 =MPs
leader_name2 =André Bellavance
leader_title3 =MNAs
leader_name3 =Jean-François Roux
leader_title4 =
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established_title = Established
established_date =June 23, 1993
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area_total_km2 = 84.20
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population_as_of = 2006
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population_total = 40486
population_density_km2 = 480.8
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timezone = EST
utc_offset = −5
timezone_DST = EDT
utc_offset_DST = −4
latd=46 |latm=03 |lats= |latNS=N
longd=71 |longm=57 |longs= |longEW=W
elevation_footnotes =
elevation_m = 148
elevation_ft =
postal_code_type =Postal code span
postal_code =G6P-G6T
area_code =819
website = [http://ville.victoriaville.qc.ca Ville de Victoriaville]
footnotes =

Victoriaville (nicknamed "Victo") is a city in central Quebec, Canada, on the Nicolet River. Victoriaville is the seat of Arthabaska Regional County Municipality and a part of the Centre-du-Québec (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, coffins, and perhaps most notably, hockey sticks.

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 [http://www.museelaurier.com/ Laurier Museum] commemorates the summer home of former Canadian Prime Minister Sir Wilfrid Laurier.

Many festivals are held throughout the year including the Week-end En Blues series of concerts, the Festival International de Musique Actuelle de Victoriaville (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 dairy factory, two shopping malls ("La Grande Place Des Bois-Francs" and "Le Carrefour Des Bois-Francs"), the Cégep de Victoriaville, and a quaint yet vibrant downtown core/shopping area on Rue Notre-Dame. Victoriaville Airport, located at the town's northern limits close to Route 116, is a regional airport that receives business flights and light private planes.

The current mayor of Victoriaville is Roger Richard, whose term expires in 2009.

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 River 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 line from Richmond to Lévis, uniting the region with Montreal and Quebec City. The municipality of Victoriaville itself was created on May 8, 1861, named to honour Queen Victoria, the reigning monarch at the time. Victoriaville became a full-fledged town in 1890, having reached a population of 1,000. [" [http://pages.videotron.com/shgv/archives/Debuts/debuts01.htm Arthabaska Victoriaville-Les débuts] ." Société d'histoire et de généalogie de Victoriaville. (French)]

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 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 mountain that overlooks the city; as well, in 2004, the section of Route 116 that passes through Victoriaville was renamed boulevard Arthabaska.

Media

The weekly newspaper "La Nouvelle", with a circulation of over 42,000, is a major source of the town's local news.

Two radio stations, CFJO ("O97,3") and CFDA ("Passion-Rock 101,9") serve Victoriaville. Both stations air programming produced partially in Victoriaville and partially in Thetford Mines.

Demographics

*2001 Population: 38,841
*2005 Population: 40,105
*Latitude: 46°03′17″ N
*Longitude: 71°57′36″ W
*Area: 81,96 km²
*Density: 489.3 people/km²

Most residents speak French as their first language.

ports

Jean Béliveau, ten-time Stanley Cup winner with the Montreal Canadiens, was raised in Victoriaville after moving there from Trois-Rivières at a young age.

The city is currently home to the Victoriaville Tigres junior hockey team, who have played in the QMJHL since 1987. They play at the Colisée Desjardins.

Notable Victoriaville residents

*Sir Wilfrid Laurier, Canadian Prime Minister (1896–1911)
*Édouard Richard, member of the Canadian House of Commons
*Jean Béliveau, hockey player for the Montreal Canadiens (ret., HoF)
*André Bellavance, Bloc Québécois MP for the Canadian House of Commons
*Sylvie Boucher, Conservative MP for the Canadian House of Commons
*René Corbet, hockey player for the Colorado Avalanche
*Philippe DeRouville, hockey player
*Dumas, singer
*François Labbé, businessman
*Marc Aurèle de Foy Suzor-Coté, painter and sculptor
*Isabelle Mercier, professional poker player
*Gilbert Perreault, hockey player for the Buffalo Sabres (ret., HoF)
*Les Chick'n Swell, comedy group
*Jonathan Goulet, professional mixed martial artist

ee also

* Monarchy in Quebec

References

External links

*fr icon [http://www.ville.victoriaville.qc.ca/ City of Victoriaville]
*fr icon [http://pages.videotron.com/shgv/ Société d'histoire et de généalogie de Victoriaville]
*fr icon [http://www.lanouvelle.net/ La Nouvelle / L'Union]
* [http://www.fimav.qc.ca/ International Festival Musique Actuelle Victoriaville (FIMAV)]
* [http://www.museelaurier.com/ Laurier Museum]