If buildings could speak… - A historical and architectural tour of Vaudreuil-Dorion

 

Former Saint-Jean-Baptiste Church

Former Saint-Jean-Baptiste Church and presbytery. © Bernard Bourbonnais – Musée régional de Vaudreuil-Soulanges, 2017.
The 145 Saint-Jean-Baptiste Boulevard. The Opti-Centre Saint-Jean-Baptiste. © Bernard Bourbonnais – Musée régional de Vaudreuil-Soulanges, 2017.
Project drawn up by architects Joseph-Eugène Perron and Siméon Brais for the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Church (not chosen). May 1948. © Archives Paroisse Saint-Michel de Vaudreuil.
Plan of the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Church drawn up by architects Joseph-Eugène Perron and Siméon Brais (May 1948) which will be modified the following year by Brais & Savard. © Archives Paroisse Saint-Michel de Vaudreuil.
Saint-Jean-Baptiste Church in 1949, before the presbytery’s construction. © Centre d’archives de Vaudreuil-Soulanges, Germaine Saint-Denis Fund. P-28.
Saint-Jean-Baptiste Church following modifications made to its facade in August 1964. © Centre d’archives de Vaudreuil-Soulanges, Centenaire de Dorion Fund, M01b17.7.
Très-Sainte-Trinité Chapel in Dorion, around 1915. © Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec, Collection numérique, 2026994.
Très-Sainte-Trinité Church. Built in 1950 from plans by René Charbonneau and his son Gérard (Charbonneau & Charbonneau). © Bernard Bourbonnais - Musée régional de Vaudreuil-Soulanges, 2017.
Aerial view of the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Church and presbytery, around 1975. In the background, Saint-Jean-Baptiste Elementary School built in 1961. © Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec, Collection numérique, 06M_P690S1_D79-042_0105.
First baptism at the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Church in Dorion in the spring of 1949. Notice that the building is not yet finished. © Centre d’archives de Vaudreuil-Soulanges, Ville de Vaudreuil-Dorion Fund, P-130.6.

place HARWOOD BOULEVARD

Current name Opti-Centre Saint-Jean-Baptiste

Original vocation Saint-Jean-Baptiste Catholic Church

Address 145 Harwood Boulevard, Vaudreuil-Dorion

Construction date 1949

Architect, Firm or Contractor Joseph-Eugène Perron and Siméon Brais (Brais & Savard)

Architectural type Institutional and non-residential

Status Institutional property (City of Vaudreuil-Dorion)

A NEW PARISH, A NEW CHURCH, A NEW CALLING

In 1947, because of Dorion’s1 growing population, it became necessary to create a new parish (Saint-Jean-Baptiste) and, therefore, build a church2. A committee was quickly set up, and a vacant lot on Harwood Boulevard was purchased3. The plans for the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Church were entrusted to architects Joseph-Eugène Perron (1899-1969) and Siméon Brais (1886-1963), who presented their design in May, 19484. For unknown reasons, the final contract was granted solely to Simeon Brais (Brais & Savard) on October 19, 19485. He was responsible for the supervision of the site and, in the midst of construction, had to modify and adapt the original plans to build a more economical and modest church6. The job was finished at the end of April 1949 and the first mass was celebrated on May 17. Siméon Brais also signed the plans and specifications for the presbytery which was built beside the church the following year (1950)8. Facing major financial difficulties, the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Parish donated both buildings to the City of Vaudreuil-Dorion in December 1998, in exchange for a few financial compensations, including the use of the presbytery for 25 years9. The former church was refurbished and now houses the activities of the Optimist Club of Vaudreuil-Dorion and the Maison des Jeunes de Vaudreuil-Dorion.

Test your knowledge

Who am I? I used to be located in front of the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Church but have now disappeared.

Before Saint-Jean-Baptiste Church, around 1970. © Centre d’archives de Vaudreuil-Soulanges, Centenaire de Dorion Fund, M01b17.7.

After 145 Saint-Jean-Baptiste Boulevard. The Opti-Centre Saint-Jean-Baptiste. © Bernard Bourbonnais – Musée régional de Vaudreuil-Soulanges, 2017.

People

Joseph-Eugène Perron (1899-1969)

Originally from Pointe-des-Cascades, Joseph-Eugène Perron (1899-1969) was an important architect who built many religious and institutional buildings, mainly in the Haut-Saint-Laurent, the Laurentians, Lanaudière and Montréal.

Siméon Brais (1886-1963)

Siméon Brais (1886-1963) was a Montréal architect who contributed to the architectural landscape of Vaudreuil-Dorion for over 50 years.

References

  1. To facilitate reading and to respect Vaudreuil-Dorion’s historical development, the text in this heritage tour uses the names of Vaudreuil or Dorion for events prior to 1994, year in which the cities merged. 

    Also, when citing this heritage tour, please do so as follows: Sébastien Daviau, Jean-Luc Brazeau, and Édith Prégent. If buildings could speak. A historical and architectural tour of Vaudreuil-Dorion. Vaudreuil-Dorion, City of Vaudreuil-Dorion / Musée régional de Vaudreuil-Soulanges, 2017, <https://www.circuitvd.ca>, accessed [insert date].

  2. Parish of Saint-Michel de Vaudreuil, archives, decree of erection of the Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Dorion service, November 9, 1947. Official document signed by Bishop Joseph-Alfred Langlois, Bishop of the Diocese of Valleyfield.

  3. Bureau de la publicité des droits de la circonscription foncière de Vaudreuil-Soulanges, registration number 62700, m. not. not., Ubald Larivée, August 19, 1947. Sold by Louis-Philippe Chicoine, a bourgeois from Dorion, to Édouard Grandmaison and Émile Charlebois from Vaudreuil, as well as to Raymond Trudeau, Paul Émond, Hermyle Lalonde, Édouard Crevier, Louis Laboursodière, Oscar Dumont, Arthur St-Jean, Télesphore Lalonde, Emmanuel Leroux, John Sabourin, Édouard Charlebois, Albert Castonguay, Louis Bonhomme, Wilfrid Chevrier, Maurice de Repentigny, John Dumoulin, Albert Bourbonnais and Hector Castonguay de Dorion and registration number 63304, m. not., Ubald Larivée, December 26, 1947. Sale by Raymond Trudeau et al. to the Desserte de St-Jean-Baptiste de Dorion, represented by trustees Oscar Dumont, Wilfrid Chevrier, Édouard Crevier, Arthur St-Jean, Évariste Daoust and Father J.-A. David.

  4. Parish of Saint-Michel de Vaudreuil, archives, Register of minutes of the parish of Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Dorion, notebook from November 9, 1947 to December 10, 1961, meeting of May 27, 1948 and plans for the church of Saint-Jean-Baptiste in Dorion (5) and façade projects for the church of Saint-Jean-Baptiste in Dorion (2) signed J.-Eugène Perron, architect and Brais & Savard, architects, May 1948.

  5. Parish of Saint-Michel de Vaudreuil, archives, Minutes of the parish of Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Dorion, notebook from November 9, 1947 to December 10, 1961, meeting of November 19 and 21, 1948.

  6. Saint-Michel de Vaudreuil Parish, archives, summary specifications for the construction of a chapel in Dorion, Vaudreuil County. Qué. On behalf of the Syndics de la Desserte de St-Jean-Baptiste and on the basis of sketches prepared by Brais & Savard, Architects. Montréal and decree concerning the construction of a church in the St-Jean-Baptiste district of the City of Dorion, Vaudreuil County, January 5, 1949. Official document signed by Joseph-Alfred Langlois, Bishop of the Diocese of Valleyfield.

  7. Parish of Saint-Michel de Vaudreuil, archives, Register of minutes of the parish of Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Dorion, from November 9, 1947 to December 10, 1961, meeting of April 24, 1949 and May 1, 1949.

  8. Parish of Saint-Michel de Vaudreuil, archives, Register of minutes of the parish of Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Dorion, notebook from November 9, 1947 to December 10, 1961, meeting of October 20, 1949, plans for the presbytery of the Saint-Jean-Baptiste service in Dorion (5) signed by Brais & Savard, architects, Montréal, July 1949 and summary specifications for the construction of a presbytery and garage in Dorion, Que., Vaudreuil County, on behalf of the Syndics de la Desserte de St-Jean-Baptiste and based on plans and details prepared by Brais & Savard, Architects, Montréal, Que. Once again, the July 1949 plans will be simplified and modified to meet budgetary constraints.

  9. Bureau de la publicité des droits de la circonscription foncière de Vaudreuil-Soulanges, registration number 337926, m. not. not., Pierre-André Lamarre, December 22, 1998. Sale by the Fabrique of the Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Dorion parish to the City of Vaudreuil-Dorion.