Borough of Jacques Cartier Contact information Tel.: 819 822 6060 Fax: 819 822 6076 arr.jacques cartier@ville.sherbrooke.qc.ca Borough office 2070, boulevard de Portland Centre communautaire et culturel Françoise Dunn Civic address 2050 B, boulevard de Portland Mailing addres P.O. Box 610, Sherbrooke QC J1H 5H9 Hours 8:30 a.m. to noon and 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday Services Your Borough office is at your service! Be it for a document, a telephone number, or simply to find out about services available to you, our staff is there to point you in the right direction, to the right person, or the right department, whatever the reason. The various services offered by the Borough office include the following. Administration Hospitality folder for families who have recently moved to Sherbrooke Information on municipal services Purchase of roll out bins Information on waste collection Application for a garage sale permit Purchase of promotional materials Purchase of the street guide Submission of requests and complaints Services of a Commissioner for Oaths Loisir Sherbrooke card (aquatics) Change of address Recreation Support to organizations and groups organizing events and activities Authorization for street and neighbourhood parties Culture See page 77 For any problems relating to road maintenance, waste collection, or park hours, call 819 821 5858. This service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Your Elected Officials Chantal L Espérance Borough President and Councillor District of Domaine Howard 819 565 8089 chantal.lesperance@ville.sherbrooke.qc.ca Christine Ouellet Councillor District of Beckett 819 542 1382 christeau.0@gmail.com Marc Denault Councillor District of Montcalm 819 823 7018 marc.denault@ville.sherbrooke.qc.ca Pierre Tardif Councillor District of Carrefour 819 566 7926 pierrectardif@videotron.ca RESERVING COMMUNITY spaces Call 819 560 8900 for any one time requests to reserve community spaces. UPCOMING BOROUGH COUNCIL MEETINGS Upcoming council meetings will be held in Room 003 of the Centre communautaire et culturel Françoise-Dunn at 7 p.m. on the following dates: Monday, August 24, September 28, October 26, and November 23 Thursday, December 10 Jacques-cartier Your Elected Officials InfoSherbrookois Autumn 2015 139
HONOURING OUR VOLUNTEERS On Thursday, April 30, the Borough paid tribute to volunteers from eligible organizations by inviting them to a very special evening: the Fête des bénévoles. The celebration was held as part of National Volunteer Week. Representatives from all of the Borough of Jacques Cartier s eligible organizations were present to receive accolades from their Board members in addition to thanks from the Borough of Jacques Cartier s council members. Volunteers often work behind the scenes and this evening enabled us to reward them for their dedication, commitment, passion, and energy. Thanks to each and every one of them, hundreds of projects and activities come to fruition, benefiting all Borough of Jacques Cartier residents. A community s vitality is dependent on the commitment and drive of those who live in it. We would like to applaud them once again for their indispensable and much appreciated involvement. Jacques-cartier Borough Services Back, from left to right: 1. Claude Lefebvre Sherbrooke Loisirs Action 2. Élyse Jetté Azimut Nord 3. Gilles Beaudette Club plein air âge d or du parc Jacques Cartier 4. Jean Paul Gravel Comité des citoyens du parc Chauveau 5. Alain Larochelle Comité vie de quartier nord 6. Gilles Veilleux Comité de surveillance de quartier 7. Yves Phaneuf Fête du Lac des Nations 8. Richard Roy Carnaval de Sherbrooke 9. Sylvie Luce Bergeron Rendez vous d Howard Middle, from left to right: 10. Louisette Santerre Club d âge d or de Saint Boniface 11. Jeannette Délisle Club d âge d or de Saint Charles Garnier 12. Josée Robillard Regroupement du Bois Beckett 13. Georgette Proulx AFEAS Saint Charles Garnier 14. Gilles Lemelin Association des riverains et usagers de la rivière Magog 15. Christiane Roy Carnaval de Sherbrooke 16. Chantal L Espérance Councillor, District of Domaine Howard and Borough President Front, from left to right: 17. Marc Denault Councillor, District of Montcalm 18. Solange Ruel Vachon L Ôbelle 19. Christine Ouellet Councillor, District of Beckett (Absent from the photo) 20. Pierre Tardif Councillor, District of Carrefour 140 InfoSherbrookois Autumn 2015
REGROUPEMENT DU BOIS BECKETT Fall is on its way! Come take in the colourful trees: the old growth forest is a vast old maple grove with many beech trees and other hardwood species. At the edge of the forest there are magnificent hundred year old hemlocks (coniferous), gradually decreasing in numbers as you go further into the forest. The eldest trees are undoubtedly the sugar maples, a few specimens of which are 300 years old! This is definitely an old growth forest. In 2000, the Ministère des Ressources naturelles of the time took an inventory of Quebec s Exceptional Forest Ecosystems (EFEs). Obviously, the vast majority of the EFEs identified were in rural settings not urban or suburban. On a side note, there are three types of EFEs: shelter forests (the forest itself isn t rare but it is home to rare flora and/or fauna), rare forests, and old growth forests (untouched or undamaged, that have not been affected by humans, past or present). In 2000, there were only two recognized EFEs in urban settings, the Papineau woods in Laval, and the other in Sherbrooke, guess where... We ask that you respect the code of ethics in terms of cleanliness, keeping your dog on a leash at all times, etc. This is because the rigorous criteria that merited this scientific and heritage recognition remain unchanged. But does the Bois Beckett (BB) still meet them, and will it in the future? The Regroupement du BB is aware of the delay in repairing and leveling nearly all of the walking paths in its six kilometre network of groomed trails. We will have to work twice as hard. NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH COMMITTEE Are you curious about the illegal activities taking place in your neighbourhood? Would you like to be notified of suspicious people or vehicles to look out for? Are you looking for the best way to protect your home? Become a member of your Neighbourhood Watch Committee! Visit our Web site surveillancedequartier.org to learn about our activities. The Neighbourhood Watch Committee is always looking for volunteers whose contribution is important to its work and success. If you would like to get involved, contact Marcel Cyr at 819 822 4522 or ginmar16@gmail.com. Visit our updated Web site where you can now become a member ONLINE. There is strength in numbers and we are proud to state that we have more than 100 members striving to fulfil this mission of vigilance. We would like to preserve the integrity of the BB forever, and to promote planning and management that will respect its precious diversity and its EFE status, where environment, history (heritage), and sustainable development come together. As these words are being written, we don t know what fate will be reserved for the BB in the PARCS NATURE network, which is supposed to be unveiled this fall. Will the peaceful haven and the contemplative, quiet, calm, and tranquil nature of this site (which distinguishes it from other parks and green spaces in Sherbrooke) be preserved? In the meantime, we ll wrap up with an informal invitation to ornithologists and other nature enthusiasts who enjoy observing birds. The BB s biodiversity ensures that more than 100 bird species nest there each year. Some sport distinct fall plumage. On one hand, these woods are home to horizontal biodiversity varied natural settings in a relatively small area, and on the other hand, they feature vertical biodiversity some birds are fond of the canopy of the BB s tall forest, some prefer being halfway up, and still others, like being on the forest floor... Have we sparked your interest in birdwatching? Quick, before most of them leave for winter! Certain small overwintering species chickadees, woodpeckers, etc. and a few large ones barred owls, pileated woodpecker, etc. will remain. Lin Sweeney, 1 st Vice President, RBB (and member of the SLOE) boisbeckett.org LET S RECYCLE WITH RÉCUPEX! The Borough of Jacques Cartier has a Récupex bin for dropping off unwanted clothing. This bin is located at the entrance of the parking lot for the Borough of Jacques Cartier s office, at 2070, boulevard de Portland, enter via Rue Farwell. Récupex is a non profit organization that has been specializing in clothing recycling since 1991, and is the only social integration business in the Estrie region that has provincial accreditation from Emploi Québec. Borough Services Jacques-cartier InfoSherbrookois Autumn 2015 141
Borough Services LA FÊTE DES FAMILLES DE L ARRONDISSEMENT JACQUES CARTIER On Saturday, June 6, the Borough of Jacques Cartier held its Fête des familles de celebration. Thanks to Mother Nature, the event was held outside in Parc du Marquis de Montcalm, much to the delight of the families who gathered there. Participants enjoyed a free lunch and a diverse program of activities. For the second year, a dozen organizations, as well as the police and fire departments took part in an exhibition featuring organizations. This event provided good visibility, for both volunteer recruitment and activity registrations. The Borough would like to thank all the volunteers, partners, and sponsors who contributed to the event s success. See you next year! Jacques-cartier Winner of the tablet offered as part of the Salon des organismes with Chantal L Espérance, Borough President 142 InfoSherbrookois Autumn 2015
Upcoming events in the Borough of Jacques Cartier Activities in Parc Jacques Cartier this fall Saturday, September 5, 1 to 4 p.m. Grande Randonnée Parkinson A fundraising activity for the Société Parkinson Estrie. Sunday, September 6, 9 a.m. to noon Walk for premature babies A walk organized to support families of premature babies in the Estrie region and which also takes place in seven other cities in Quebec to honour of our little fighters. Saturday, September 12, 9 a.m. to noon Walk to raise awareness of obesity (supported by the CHUS Foundation) Come walk with your family and friends! Health booths, children s activities, door prizes, and much more! Information: 819 346 1110, ext. 28079 Sunday, September 13, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Great multiple sclerosis walk Great annual walk benefitting the Estrie Multiple Sclerosis Association, for the local community. Sunday, September 27, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Bladder cancer awareness walk Bladder Cancer Canada Sunday, October 4, 8 a.m. to noon CIBC Run for the Cure Rain or shine, come run or walk 1 to 5 km or 10 km to raise money. Performances, children s games, activities, etc. Saturday, October 17 Rallye Diabète Estrie Sunday, December 5, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Santa Shuffle 5 km Santa Shuffle Fun Run, 1 km Elf Walk, and Christmas dog run at 1:30 p.m. Jacques-cartier Borough Services InfoSherbrookois Autumn 2015 143
Jacques-cartier Borough Services A PAGE IN THE HISTORY OF THE BOROUGH OF JACQUES CARTIER A neighbourhood that reflects our legal history Even today, several buildings located near Court, William, Winter, and De Montréal streets bear witness to the region s legal history. These buildings are important markers of our heritage. Created in 1823, at first the judicial district of St. Francis was a lower court that only heard small claims cases. More important cases were transferred to Trois Rivières. The court sat in the courthouse located on Rue Marquette, where the cathedral stands today, and a jail was set up in the basement of the judicial building. However, in 1828, there had yet to be a proceeding initiated in Sherbrooke. At this time, the district was made up of 40 townships and included 13 500 inhabitants. 10 years after it was created, the district of St. Francis became a superior court and covered the counties of Stanstead, Compton, Wolfe, Richmond, and Sherbrooke. The birth of a legal district In short order, the courthouse on Rue Marquette and its small jail became ill suited for the region s growing population. A new jail with 16 cells was built in 1825 on Rue de Montréal, where Plein Soleil school is located today. The jail housed American patriots in 1838 and 1839. After it closed, the building became an armoury, then a performance hall, and in 1884, it was transformed into a skating area. In 1841, a courthouse was erected nearby, on Rue William. The classic revival style building was built between 1839 and 1841, and today it is the oldest public building in the city. The plans were drawn by architect William Footner, who also designed Plymouth Trinity Church and the Marché Bonsecours in Montreal. From this time on, the district truly became the heart of the legal district. Judges and lawyers settled nearby, particularly on Rue Court. Around 1880, Judge Georges Étienne Rioux built his house next to the courthouse. The house would also be inhabited by his son, lawyer Émile Rioux. The courthouse on Rue William maintained its judicial functions until 1904, when it was transferred to Strathcona square. Since 1912, the building has been occupied by the 53 rd regiment, Sherbrooke Hussars. The Winter Street Prison: A heritage treasure in peril In 1865, construction began on this well known building, which is now the oldest stone building in Sherbrooke. The first prisoners crossed the threshold in 1867 and the last left in 1990 when they were transferred to the prison on Rue Talbot. For more than 120 years, the prisoners were housed in conditions that were often tough. The Sherbrooke building quickly gained a reputation of being the most unsanitary prison in Quebec. Toilets were only installed in 1899 and the prison was not equipped with a central heating system and electricity until 1914. From when it was built until it closed, the prison hadn t changed much, so it represents an important vestige of a 19 th century prison environment, as well as being a site that is steeped in history and memory. Soldiers training in the yard of the former jail, located at the corner of William and De Montréal. The jail was destroyed in 1889. Photo: Circa 1925. Société d histoire de Sherbrooke collection. Sherbrooke s second courthouse, at the end of Rue Court, circa 1880. Société d histoire de Sherbrooke collection. The outer wall surrounding the jail yard is one of the oldest non restored ones in Quebec. The photo was taken in 1986, just before the jail was closed. Société d histoire de Sherbrooke collection. 144 InfoSherbrookois Autumn 2015