Roberval, Quebec
Encyclopedia
Roberval is a city on the south-western shore of Lac Saint-Jean
in the Le Domaine-du-Roy Regional County Municipality of Quebec
, Canada
. With a population of 10,544 in the Canada 2006 Census
, it is the third largest city on this lake after Alma
and Dolbeau-Mistassini.
It is the seat of the Domaine-du-Roy RCM and the main service centre for the region with a hospital
and some government services. It is also the seat of the judicial district
of Roberval.
It is the only Lac Saint-Jean town whose core is directly on the lakeshore.
Benoît Bouchard
, former cabinet Minister and Canadian Ambassador in France, and Michel Gauthier
, former federal Leader of the Opposition
, represented the area in the federal parliament. Bernard Lord
the former Premier
of New Brunswick
was born here.
Roberval was the 2008 winner of Kraft Hockeyville. In their newly renovated arena, Roberval hosted an NHL preseason game between the Montreal Canadiens
and the Buffalo Sabres
on September 23, 2008.
Roberval is the home of the Traversée internationale du lac St-Jean, an annual swimming competition held since 1955. The major competition feature the crossing of Lake St-Jean over a distance of 32 kilometres (19.9 mi). The 2010 FINA World Open Water Swimming Championships
were also in 2010.
area. The settlement, the oldest village on the shores of Lake Saint-Jean, was first known as Notre-Dame-du-Lac-Saint-Jean, named after the parish founded in 1854. A few years later in 1857, the Municipality of Lac-Saint-Jean was formed but in 1859 was split into several municipalities including the Municipality of Roberval. It was named after the geographic township of Roberval, which in turn was named by surveyor Joseph Bouchette in honour of the first Lieutenant General of New France
Jean-François de la Roque de Roberval (1496 - 1560). In 1862, the Roberval post office opened.
In 1884, the settlement separated from the municipality to form the Village Municipality of Roberval. It experienced rapid growth in the 1880s when Horace Jansen Beemer
, an American entrepreneur from Philadelphia, came to Roberval. He established logging and sawmill businesses and led the construction of the railroad to Quebec City
in 1888. Beemer personally took care of logging, land speculation, and construction of railway bridges. He also built a tourist complex in Roberval in 1898, centred on fishing for landlocked salmon and organized excursions to the Grande Décharge (outlet of Lake Saint-Jean). A fire destroyed the Grand Hotel Roberval in 1908, putting an abrupt end to luxury tourism in the Lake Saint-Jean area.
In 1903, the village of Roberval gained town (ville) status, and in 1956, city (cité) status. In 1976, it merged with the Municipality of Roberval to form the current city.
Private dwellings occupied by usual residents: 4501 (total dwellings: 4844)
Mother tongue:
Lac Saint-Jean
Lac Saint-Jean is a large, relatively shallow lake in south-central Quebec, Canada, in the Laurentian Highlands. It is situated 206 kilometres north of the Saint Lawrence River, into which it drains via the Saguenay River. It covers an area of 1003 km² Lac Saint-Jean is a large, relatively...
in the Le Domaine-du-Roy Regional County Municipality of 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...
. With a population of 10,544 in the Canada 2006 Census
Canada 2006 Census
The Canada 2006 Census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population. Census day was May 16, 2006. The next census following will be the 2011 Census. Canada's total population enumerated by the 2006 census was 31,612,897...
, it is the third largest city on this lake after Alma
Alma, Quebec
Alma is a town in the Canadian province of Quebec.-Geography:Alma is located on the southeast coast of Lac Saint-Jean where it flows into the Saguenay River, in the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean region of Quebec, Canada, approximately 175 km north of Quebec City...
and Dolbeau-Mistassini.
It is the seat of the Domaine-du-Roy RCM and the main service centre for the region with a hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
and some government services. It is also the seat of the judicial district
Judicial districts of Quebec
The province of Quebec is divided into 36 judicial districts by the , R.S.Q., chapter D-11. Each district has a seat where the courthouse is located, although some have more than one courthouse, service point, or itinerant court location....
of Roberval.
It is the only Lac Saint-Jean town whose core is directly on the lakeshore.
Benoît Bouchard
Benoît Bouchard
Benoît Bouchard, PC is a Canadian public official and former politician.After a career as a professor and teacher, Bouchard was elected to the Canadian House of Commons as the Progressive Conservative Member of Parliament for Roberval in the 1984 election...
, former cabinet Minister and Canadian Ambassador in France, and Michel Gauthier
Michel Gauthier
Michel Gauthier is a Québécois politician, who served as leader of the Bloc Québécois from 1996 to 1997. He was Leader of the Opposition during this time.- Biography :...
, former federal Leader of the Opposition
Leader of the Opposition (Canada)
The Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition , or simply the Leader of the Opposition is the leader of Canada's Official Opposition, the party with the most seats in the House of Commons that is not a member of the government...
, represented the area in the federal parliament. Bernard Lord
Bernard Lord
Bernard Lord, ONB, QC, is a Canadian politician and lobbyist. Lord served as the 30th Premier of New Brunswick from 1999 to 2006.-Early life:...
the former Premier
Premier
Premier is a title for the head of government in some countries and states.-Examples by country:In many nations, "premier" is used interchangeably with "prime minister"...
of New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
was born here.
Roberval was the 2008 winner of Kraft Hockeyville. In their newly renovated arena, Roberval hosted an NHL preseason game between 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 ...
and the Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo Sabres
The 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:...
on September 23, 2008.
Roberval is the home of the Traversée internationale du lac St-Jean, an annual swimming competition held since 1955. The major competition feature the crossing of Lake St-Jean over a distance of 32 kilometres (19.9 mi). The 2010 FINA World Open Water Swimming Championships
2010 FINA World Open Water Swimming Championships
right|200pxThe 6th FINA World Open Water Swimming Championships was being held July 15–23, 2010 in Lac Saint-Jean near Roberval, Quebec, Canada.The championships featured 3 race distances: 5-kilometer , 10-kilometer and 25-kilometer...
were also in 2010.
History
Circa 1850, the first settlers began to colonize the area, followed afterwards by families especially from the CharlevoixCharlevoix
The Charlevoix region, located in Quebec, includes parts of the north shore of the Saint Lawrence River and the Laurentian Mountains region of the Canadian Shield...
area. The settlement, the oldest village on the shores of Lake Saint-Jean, was first known as Notre-Dame-du-Lac-Saint-Jean, named after the parish founded in 1854. A few years later in 1857, the Municipality of Lac-Saint-Jean was formed but in 1859 was split into several municipalities including the Municipality of Roberval. It was named after the geographic township of Roberval, which in turn was named by surveyor Joseph Bouchette in honour of the first Lieutenant General of New France
Lieutenant General of New France
Lieutenant General of New France was the military post that governed early New France from 1598 until 1627. Before 1598, the office was briefly occupied from 1541 to 1543. The office was replaced by the title of Governor of New France in 1627...
Jean-François de la Roque de Roberval (1496 - 1560). In 1862, the Roberval post office opened.
In 1884, the settlement separated from the municipality to form the Village Municipality of Roberval. It experienced rapid growth in the 1880s when Horace Jansen Beemer
Horace Jansen Beemer
Horace Jansen Beemer was a railway contractor and businessman.There is little known of Beemer before he came to Canada in the 1870s and was employed on the Welland Canal. He was soon involved in contracts of his own including a municipal water system in Quebec City and a railway contractwith the...
, an American entrepreneur from Philadelphia, came to Roberval. He established logging and sawmill businesses and led the construction of the railroad to 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...
in 1888. Beemer personally took care of logging, land speculation, and construction of railway bridges. He also built a tourist complex in Roberval in 1898, centred on fishing for landlocked salmon and organized excursions to the Grande Décharge (outlet of Lake Saint-Jean). A fire destroyed the Grand Hotel Roberval in 1908, putting an abrupt end to luxury tourism in the Lake Saint-Jean area.
In 1903, the village of Roberval gained town (ville) status, and in 1956, city (cité) status. In 1976, it merged with the Municipality of Roberval to form the current city.
Demographics
Population trend:- Population in 2006: 10,544 (2001 to 2006 population change: -3.3 %)
- Population in 2001: 10,906
- Population in 1996: 11,640
- Population in 1991: 11,628
Private dwellings occupied by usual residents: 4501 (total dwellings: 4844)
Mother tongue:
- English as first language: 0.3 %
- French as first language: 98.8 %
- English and French as first language: 0 %
- Other as first language: 0.9 %
See also
- Roberval (provincial electoral district)Roberval (provincial electoral district)Roberval is a provincial electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that elects members to the National Assembly of Quebec. The riding was created in 1930 from parts of the Lac-Saint-Jean provincial electoral district...
, a provincial electoral district - Roberval—Lac-Saint-JeanRoberval—Lac-Saint-JeanFor the electoral district in the Quebec National Assembly see Roberval Roberval—Lac-Saint-Jean is a federal electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1949.The riding was created in 1947 from parts of Lake St-John—Roberval riding.The...
, a Canadian federal electoral district