These looked like pretty easy directions...turn in 540 km.
Driving through Quebec...I know I take the same photo every time we drive by this scene.
And this one!
We're going to Noranda, Quebec this year for our family reunion. We try to choose a different location each year with ties to a family member. The one that started it all was Alaska in 2012; followed by Woodstock, NB in 2013; Bracebridge in 2014; PEI, 2015; Calgary, 2017; and Kingston, 2018. Apparently, we still all want to see each other every year!
We decided to take three days to do the 1500 km trip. The first night we drove to Lévis, Quebec. We stayed at a Day's Inn with a restaurant close by. Jim is looking pretty pleased to have arrived.
Lovely flowers outside the hotel, which I stopped to deadhead, and got a "merci!" from the front desk clerk.
The next day we drove to Mont-Laurier. It should have been an easy drive with us arriving just after 2:00 pm. But an accident on the highway and a couple of construction zones killed that ETA. We got there at 5:00 pm and were pretty much brain dead. Our hotel had a nice balcony and we looked longingly at the brew pub across the four lanes of traffic. After a glass of wine (or two), getting across the highway didn't look quite so enticing, and we took advantage of Skip the Dishes and ate on our balcony.
My eyes were really tired and stinging, but hey...never too bad to take a selfie! Jim and I made a habit of switching drivers every hour or so, making sure that neither of us got tired or bored.
Day 3...on to Noranda! Another easy drive...turn in 280 km! I didn't even notice the direction on top until later. My mother's maiden name was DesRuisseaux. Maybe she was along for the ride.
The topography changed from rocks to sand, but still included lots and lots of trees.
A rest stop...Quebec is really good with these, something we lack in New Brunswick.
We noticed several of these. A great way to keep the bears and other critters out of the garbage.
A pretty lake...there was no lack of lakes.
I loved these scenes and made Jim stop at several. It takes a few minutes to stop the car when you're driving over 100 km/hr, and I would end up trudging back across whatever bridge we had passed to try to get the perfect photo. In the end, I said "good enough!"
Garmin showed us all the lakes...and there were many.
Rouyn-Noranda!! We made it. Jim wrote a little bit about Noranda to send to the kids as follows:
A deposit was discovered in 1920 by a prospector named Edmond Horne from Nova Scotia. He was financed by a syndicate out of New York led by James Y. Murdoch, hence Murdoch Avenue as the main street in Noranda.
The company, Noranda Mines, was formed in 1922 and copper production began in 1927. In the beginning, the only way to Noranda was by canoe and portage. Once the company was formed, the Ontario Northland railway built a railroad from Swastika to Noranda. The ONR had built a railroad from Cobalt to Timmins earlier.
The first people to come to Noranda were real pioneers. They lived in tents while housing and stores were built. Even though everything came by rail, a huge mine with housing for several thousand, and stores to supply people was built in five years.
My uncle Bill, who was a mechanical engineer, came to Noranda in 1927. My father, who went to the University of Manitoba, was working in Alabama doing tree surgery on plantations when the Great Depression hit. My father, who was out of work, hitched rides on freight trains to get to Noranda to live with his brother and, as he said,"to eat."
My mother came to Rouyn to teach in 1935. Rouyn was built by people coming to the area during the depression in search of work. Rouyn became a commercial centre with many stores, hotels and restaurants.
It was interesting that Noranda was 90% anglophone and Rouyn was probably 50% francophone.
Getting back to the pioneers, they faced many hardships in the early years and only the strongest stayed. This meant the mine and the town had very strong leadership and they were committed to providing a good life for the residents.
In the early 1930s, they built quality schools and brought in excellent teachers to ensure their kids had a good education. They built a hockey arena and a curling club, and, by 1934, a 9-hole golf course.
Almost there!
And here we arriving on avenue Larivière...of the 14 of us who were coming, four were born here. Jim; me; Jim's first wife, Ilona; and Jim's sister, Joanne. My family left in 1966 (when I was 8) and other than a short return in 1999, I had never been back. This did not look familiar to me at all.
Driving past Youville Hospital where we were born. My mother worked here as a nurse and all my siblings were born here as well. It is now a seniors residence.
This is an early photo of the hospital taken somewhere between 1930 and 1945. What a huge building for its surroundings. It was founded in 1929 by the Soeurs Grises de-la-Croix, or, as the English called them, the Gray Nuns.
I was pretty amazed at how close the smelter is to the town. Wait a second...it's right in the town. As Jim pointed out, when the mine began, most people didn't have cars so the town was built up around the mine.
Arriving at Le Noranda Hotel...I wasn't sure what this overpass was.
I meant to ask about the significance of the artwork, but never did. Interesting...
We stayed here in 1999, but it certainly looked different now.
With everyone arriving, the pictures came out and the stories began.
Everyone especially loved this photo of Jim. This is his university graduation picture. He looks about 15!
A glowing reference that Jim's mother received in 1934 to teach in Noranda.
We ate dinner that night in the hotel and made a few plans for the following day.
After dinner, we headed across the street to Twin Kiss for ice cream. OK, we might have gone there every night.
And standing in line we met a few English people. Rouyn-Noranda is now 96% French and 4% English. I'm surprised they get away with the name "Twin Kiss."
The building across the street used to be the Catholic Church, but is now an arts centre.
Damian checking out the cool guitars...
The statue, which belonged to the church, remains today...
Jim told us that when they were kids, they used a long stick and put a cowboy hat on Jesus and a lariat around his hands. The priest was not impressed!
Of course, we thought the story was quite funny and struck a pose. I know God has a sense of humour...
Cracked us up!
A decorated piano close by...
Damian's brief keyboard lessons might need some brushing up!
And just up the street is what used to be the Anglican church where my parents were married in 1953. I'm holding a photo taken in 1999. The church looks a little shabbier now. I wondered if it was still in use.
Uh oh...Damian has the selfie stick...
This reminds me of photos from last year's reunion in Kingston...me trying to get my phone back from Damian!
We walked around the back of the church and noticed a piece of equipment running so the church is being used for something. Yikes, that sky was starting to look a bit ominous.
There are lovely murals around the town...
The United Church where Jim and Ilona were married. It is now the Golden Age Club and looks little like the church it used to be.
We walked down to the lake. This is the new hospital, built in front of the old Youville hospital.
A group shot with 12 of us. Jim's sister, Joanne, and her son, David, had arrived from Edmonton and Calgary while we were having dinner.
Beautiful paved trail around the lake...and then it started to rain as we headed back to the hotel. Tomorrow, we're touring the town.
Randy using us as guinea pigs to get ready for the family photo...Stephanie, my partner in ice cream eating!
We headed out on a walking tour of Jim, Joanne and Ilona's neighbourhood growing up. This was Carmichael elementary school, which they attended in the 1940s and early 1950s.
Listening to stories and looking around...
There are lots of signs around town. They are all in French, but that's how it is when the town is 96% francophone.
I didn't attend this school, but we wore the same uniform as the girls in the bottom photo...a navy tunic with a white blouse.
Lots of stories!
This was the quad where Jim and Joanne lived, part of the housing that was built by the company. Their father was from Manitoba and planted this Manitoba Maple in 1936. Joanne said she remembered their father saying that the neighbours claimed the tree would not grow in this environment. Look at it now!
They originally lived in one of the middle units, but when a unit on the end became available, Jim's mother wanted to move so the kids would stop running through the house to get from the front to the back yard.
Jim and Joanne in front of their dad's tree ♥
Next, it was on to their house on Carter Avenue...this photo is from our visit in 1999.
And the house today...one thing Joanne commented on was how many trees there are now. Living so close to the mine in the early days, emissions made growing trees difficult.
Great memories...
A last look at Carter Avenue...
Next stop was the green space where the neighbourhood kids would gather to play baseball. They broke a few car windows before the company built them a regulation sized backstop.
The shabby looking white garage on the left also suffered many hits from wayward balls.
This was the guest house for the company and is now the meeting place for smelter tours.
About this time, Dominic had had enough stories. He loves his sleep and was running a little low...
This house was the Assistant Manager's house...
This blurb is from the Noranda mining website: In 1925, Noranda Mines confirmed that they were resting on one million tons of gold and copper ores. It therefore decided to invest in its future and laid down the groundwork for a mine, a smelter and a city on the north shore of Osisko Lake.
And the beautiful mansion in the foreground was the Manager's house in 1939. Not too shabby!
Here it is today...
It is now a music conservatory and arts centre.
I was still amazed at how close the houses are to the smelter. The mine ceased operation in 1976, but the copper smelter, the only one in Canada, continues to operate.
Another beautiful mural...
The rec centre was a big part of their lives growing up. It included the arena where Dave Keon, who played for 15 years with the Toronto Maple Leafs, started his hockey career.
Hence, the new rec centre being named...
Centre Dave Keon...Randy tried the door but it was unfortunately locked.
This was the apartment building that Ilona's parents owned on Murdoch Avenue and where she lived growing up. Her mother and father both came to Canada from Finland, her mother in 1930 and her dad in 1929. Her father came to Rouyn with his brother where they opened a grocery store, before going to work at the mine. Her mother came to visit a friend and met her dad and they were married in 1939.
And then it was on to the high school...
The kids were having fun climbing and trying to amuse themselves. I told Damian that I wished I could ask my parents questions now that I'm older and more interested than I was as a child. Then it was "oh no...more old people stories!" I'm sure he and Dominic were feeling the same.
This was the house that their father's brother, Uncle Bill, built. He was in Noranda before Jim's father and was part of the reason he ended up here.
Dominic decided he needed to wash his hands in the bird bath. He said "how dirty can the water be?" Gag...
Coming back up to the rec centre...it is huge!
Working our way back to the hotel...the smelter at the end of the street. At some point, I think I finally got over how close to everything it is.
Walking past the Anglican church again. The next morning, which was Sunday, we did see people going in and out of the church, so I guess it is still in use. A google search of All Saints Anglican church indicates it closed in 2007.
Back by the guitar sculptures...and time for a short rest before heading out on our next tour.
Jim had connected with a lady who maintains an email listing for former Noranda people. She had suggested getting in touch with the organization called Neighbours, who supports the needs of the English-speaking population in the city. They help with navigating government agencies, medical appointments, and any service that might be required for anglophones living in the area.
We met at their office, which has this beautiful mural on the wall. The mural started with the lady hanging out white sheets, but they soon realized the white sheets would make awesome symbols of each of the nationalities that came to Noranda in search of jobs and a new life.
Her husband is blowing her a kiss as he heads off to the mine...
Here is our group getting ready to go on a little tour. On the left is Shannon, the summer student who helped prepare wonderful tourist bags for us.
We drove out to the golf course...
The smelter never far from any view...
Jim and his friends learned to golf here. The company made sure to provide opportunities for sports for all its employees' families.
The club house...
Always time for more stories...
Or a nap...
It has changed since Jim golfed here. Some of the group managed to make some purchases in the pro shop.
Dominic was coming to life again!
And then it was on to the Botanic Park, a project which began in 1989.
A wedding was being held that day. Entrance to the park is free.
And then the boys made it their mission to photobomb any picture I was trying to take.
They were pretty good at it! Flying sideways, jumping up from below...
It provided them with some entertainment...
We were feeling a bit bushed about now and decided that those who were interested would tour the garden the next afternoon.
That night we planned to go for dinner at the microbrewery, Le Trèfle Noir, only to find out when we got there that children are not allowed. They suggested the very delicious Pizzé, who were quickly able to accommodate our group of 14.
Phew! A busy day! Tomorrow some people are taking a tour of the smelter and some are reliving other memories in the town.
1 comment:
Great blog! What a great way to remember such a great time!
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