(Jocelyn Riendeau, Le Soleil)
For a long time, Place Jacques-Cartier stood out as the pulsating heart of downtown Quebec. The soul of the Saint-Roch district. Until 1911, there was even a very lively Halles building and market.
At the time, Place Jacques-Cartier was to Lower Town what Place d’Youville was to Upper Town. The department stores on Rue Saint-Joseph were located right next door. And all the children of Quebec City knew that Santa Claus arrived at the Paquet department store around mid-November.
Should we talk about history? In April 1918, this is where the conscription riots began. On the first night of the unrest, the crowd ransacked the police station. They wanted to free two young men who were at risk of being sent to war…
From the 1970s, the Saint-Roch district was wrecked. Place Jacques-Cartier is nothing more than a shadow of itself. In 1983, the inauguration of the Gabrielle-Roy library was good news. But it encroaches on space. The place will never recover.
The final blow was given with the construction of the Fresk tower in 2015.
Today, the large public square has become a “small square”. Even the statue of Jacques-Cartier took refuge in Cap-Rouge! Only the buildings located south of rue Saint-Joseph survived the orgy of demolitions.
The disappearance of Place Jacques-Cartier symbolizes the gap that still separates Upper Town and Lower Town in Quebec. You do not agree? So ask yourself the following question: could we have done the same thing with Place d’Youville?
We extend an invitation to all. Do you have photos in your hands representing a missing facet of Quebec City? A crossroads, a building, a business, a wooded area? Send them to us. Show us your treasures. And even if you can no longer find the photos, do not hesitate to contact us to share your memories.
