Grand-Mère

• Name — Grand-Mère • Settlement Type — Shawinigan • Subdivision Type — Country • Subdivision Type1 — Province • Subdivision Type2 — Region • Subdivision Name2 — Shawinigan • Seat Type — Electoral Districts Federal • Seat — Champlain • Parts Type — Provincial • Parts — Laviolette • Government Type — Borough • Leader Title — Mayor • Leader Name — Michel Angers • Leader Title1 — Federal MP(s) • Leader Name1 — François-Philippe Champagne (LPC) • Leader Title2 — Quebec MNA(s) • Leader Name2 — Marie-Louise Tardif (Independent) • Established Title — Founded • Established Date — 1898 • Established Title2 — Merged • Established Date2 — January 1, 2002 • Area Land Km2 — 62.95 • Population As Of — 2001 • Population Total — 13,179 • Population Density Km2 — 209.4 • Population Blank1 Title — Dwellings • Population Blank1 — 6710 • Timezone — EST • Utc Offset — -5 • Timezone Dst — EDT • Utc Offset Dst — -4 • Area Code — 819 • Blank Name — Access Routes • Website — http: www.shawinigan.ca • Illustration — Bridge & Hydro-Quebec's dam in Grand-Mère • Illustration — 50e Avenue in Sainte-Flore. Sainte-Flore was a separate parish municipality until 1970 when it was amalgamated into Grand-Mère. • Illustration — A plaque commemorating the 50th anniversary of Grand-Mère attached to the "old woman" rock • Illustration — The Grand-Mère rock

Grand-Mère was founded in 1898. Like some of its neighbouring towns, it owes its economic origins to the St-Maurice river on which it is located. A major hydroelectric dam that was built on the river in 1916 was one of the oldest and largest Hydro-Québec generating stations. The dam was replaced by a larger dam in 2004. The abundance of relatively inexpensive electricity led to the development of industry, primarily based on the production of paper. Logs which were used for the paper pulp were floated downstream on the St-Maurice to the paper mill from more northerly areas. The mill, which has changed ownership over the decades, has had a lasting impact on the town, from the creation of its award-winning golf course to the construction of several of the town's historic buildings. The surrounding area consists of forested hills, lakes, and flat plains and farms, with much glacial activity still evident. The Mauricie region in which Grand-Mère is located has been struggling economically for decades, and boasts some of the most inexpensive real estate in Canada. The name of the town comes from a rock formation that resembles an old woman with a hair bun at the base of her head ("grand-mère" is French for grandmother). The formation formerly stood in the rapids of the Saint-Maurice River adjacent to the town. When the hydroelectric dam was built, the formation was moved in 1916 and rebuilt. It is now in a small park overlooking the St-Maurice River, at the corner of 4e and 5e Avenues. The area's biggest attraction is La Mauricie National Park.

There are five public schools. All of them are affiliated to the Commission scolaire de l'Énergie school board. • School — Level — Location — Number of Students • Antoine-Hallé — Elementary — 1001, 8 e Rue — 217 • École de Sainte-Flore (Saint Flora's) — Elementary — 3351, 33 e Rue — 148 • École secondaire du Rocher — Secondary — 300, 7 e Rue — 923 • Laflèche — Elementary — 153, 1321, 5 e Avenue — 261 • Saint-Paul (Saint Paul) — Elementary — 461, 16 e Avenue — 133

From 1898 to 2001, Grand-Mère had its own mayor and its own city council. The mayors were: • # — Mayor — Taking Office — Leaving • 1 — François Normandin — 1898 — 1898 • 2 — T. Desaulniers — 1898 — 1900 • 3 — A. Turcotte — 1900 — 1901 • 4 — F.-X. Gingras — 1901 — 1902 • 5 — A. Roy — 1902 — 1903 • 6 — A. Tremblay — 1903 — 1905 • 7 — J. Desaulniers — 1905 — 1908 • 8 — J.-A. Robert — 1908 — 1910 • 9 — Pierre-Calixte Neault — 1910 — 1916 • 10 — Dr. G.-A. Ferron — 1916 — 1919 • 9 — Pierre-Calixte Neault — 1919 — 1920 • 11 — J.-P. Lalonde — 1920 — 1923 • 12 — Dr. J.-Edmond Guibord — 1923 — 1930 • 13 — L. Trépanier — 1931 — 1931 • 14 — J.-Alfred Gagnon — 1931 — 1935 • 15 — Dr. Joseph Onésime Honorius Ricard — 1935 — 1939 • 14 — J.-Alfred Gagnon — 1939 — 1943 • 16 — Elzéar Dallaire — 1943 — 1951 • 17 — A. Thibeault — 1951 — 1953 • 18 — J.-E.-A. Matteau — 1953 — 1957 • 19 — Joseph-Alfred Therrien — 1957 — 1965 • 20 — H. Prud’Homme — 1965 — 1970 • 21 — Jean-Marie Lafontaine — 1970 — 1982 • 22 — Jacques Marchand — 1982 — 1994 • 23 — Gérald Bastarache — 1994 — 1998 • 24 — Linda Lafrenière — 1998 — 2001

Grand-Mère is served by the Montreal–Jonquière train and the Montreal–Senneterre train.