Julien Perron

Birth 1931 in Montréal

Death 2019 in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield

FROM SAINT-HUBERT STREET TO SAINTE-ANGÉLIQUE STREET

Julien Perron was born on March 6, 1931 at 4258 Saint-Hubert Street in Montréal¹. He was the son of Julienne Julien (1905-1999) and architect Joseph-Eugène Perron (1899-1969)². After studying at Valleyfield College, Julien Perron enrolled at the Montréal School of Fine Arts where he studied from 1952 to 1957. During a school project, Julien Perron designed a house that he later built in 1956 (1190 Elizabeth Street³, Ville Saint-Laurent - now Montréal) in order to reside there with his new wife Carmen Dumberry. She was born in Vaudreuil and was the daughter of Annette Ménard (1912-1995) and Jean-Paul Dumberry (1910-2003), butcher-grocer, and mayor of the Saint-Michel de Vaudreuil village. Julien Perron and Carmen Dumberry’s marriage was celebrated on May 7, 1956 at the Saint-Michel Church in Vaudreuil. During the summer, the couple resided in one of Jean-Paul Dumberry's properties located at 22 Sainte-Angélique Street in Vaudreuil.

FIRST EXPERIENCES AND ACHIEVEMENTS

In 1957 after his studies, Julien Perron held various clerical positions in Montréal. He first worked at Hydro-Québec, then successively for the architectural firms Dufresne & Boulva and Durnford, Bolton, Chadwick & Ellwood. In 1960, he opened his own private practice. One of his first projects was the design of the Caisse populaire de Vaudreuil building (2 Saint-Michel Street). During the same period (1960-1963), Julien Perron briefly partnered with his father Joseph-Eugène Perron (Perron & Perron). Together, they carried out the modernization of Dorion City Hall (1960-1961). Father and son also drew the plans for the City of Dorion's municipal garage (1960-1961) and the Saint-Zotique Church (1962-1963)⁴.

PRIVATE RESIDENCES AND COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS

During his career, Julien Perron also designed several private residences. Most are located in Dorion, Vaudreuil, Coteau-du-Lac, Ville Lasalle, Ville Saint-Laurent, and Salaberry-de-Valleyfield. For example, in 1960-1961, he built his in-laws' new home in Vaudreuil (28 Sainte-Angélique Street)⁵. He also designed a few Vaudreuil-Dorion commercial buildings, including the building at 300 Saint-Charles Avenue (1964 and expanded in 1969)⁶.

THE ANGERS & PERRON FIRM

In November 1965, Julien Perron joined forces with architect Marc Angers (Angers & Perron). During this ten-year period, Julien Perron signed the plans for a large number of institutional buildings. In the school sector, Julien Perron designed the Petit-Détour school (now closed) in Rivière-Beaudette (1965) and redeveloped the Wilson Academy in Coteau-du-Lac (1967)⁷. Their most important institutional projects were the Ahuntsic College Sports Centre (1972), Beauharnois High School (1972), and the Valleyfield College gym (unknown construction date). At the municipal level, Julien Perron built several fire stations in the Vaudreuil-Soulanges area: Coteau-du-Lac (1966), Île-Perrot (1968-1969), Saint-Clet (1969), and Vaudreuil (1973-1974 - demolished in 2009). In Île-Perrot, he is also credited for the Town Hall (1967) and the municipal garage (1968-1969). In 1973, he also designed the Kirkland arena in the West Island of Montréal.

RELIGIOUS BUILDINGS

In addition to the Saint-Zotique church, Julien Perron also signed the plans for the Notre-Dame-de-Lorette Parish presbytery in Pincourt in 1963 (33 Lussier Street), annexing this new building to the church sacristy. The latter, built in 1952, was the work of architect Paul-Marie Lemieux (1902-1969). Two years later (1965-1966), in the wake of the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Julien Perron renovated the choir loft of the Saint-Laurent Church (Ville Saint-Laurent) and modified the horizontal volume of the building that was originally built from 1835 to 1837⁸. In 1967-1968, Julien Perron also designed the new Saint-Pierre Church in Pointe-des-Cascades (Angers & Perron)⁹.

LAST PROJECT: THE EXPANSION OF VALLEYFIELD HOSPITAL

In the mid-1970s, Julien Perron joined forces with Marc Lafleur (Lafleur & Perron). Originally from Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, he was the son of the architect Jean-Marie Lafleur (1902-1985). In 1974, Julien Perron and Marc Lafleur successfully bid for the expansion of the Valleyfield Hospital¹⁰. Unfortunately, before the construction of the new annex began, Julien Perron was involved in a serious car accident on January 26, 1975. He was only 43 years old. This regrettable event forced him to prematurely abandon all professional activities. The expansion of the Valleyfield Hospital only began in late 1978 and was completed in 1980¹¹.

Mr. Julien Perron passed away on January 3, 2019.

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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].
The majority of the information in this text comes from the testimony of Mrs. Christiane Perron Walters, daughter of Julien Perron and granddaughter of Joseph-Eugène Perron, recorded by Sébastien Daviau on June 14, 2017. The information provided by Mrs. Perron Walters was mainly based on the testimony of her father, Julien Perron, architect, her mother, Carmen Dumberry and her uncle, André Perron. Notes from Julien Perron's notebooks concerning his achievements (1956 and 1975) have also been compiled by Mrs. Perron Walters and serve as a basis for this text. Mrs. Perron Walter also gave us copies of photographs, project sketches, newspaper clippings and the Lafleur & Perron promotional brochure (1974). Only information not provided by Mrs. Christiane Perron Walters will be detailed in the notes.
Before the change made by the City of Montréal, the residence’s address was 940 Rochon Street. Since Julien Perron's office was in his home, this address is often found on the plans and specifications he signed.
On this subject, see in this website the file on Dorion's former city hall (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> and Luc Noppen, Nadine Maltais and Édith Prégent (dir.). Database of the built heritage of the MRC de Vaudreuil-Soulanges. Vaudreuil-Dorion. Canada Research Chair in Urban Heritage ESG UQAM \ MRC de Vaudreuil-Soulanges \ Musée régional de Vaudreuil-Soulanges, December 2015 version. The former Dorion City Hall, the municipal garage and the Saint-Zotique church are located at the following addresses respectively: 190 Saint-Charles Avenue in Vaudreuil-Dorion, 205 Valois Street in Vaudreuil-Dorion and 1174 Rue Principale in Saint-Zotique.
Among others, he drew plans for the following houses: 42 Saint-Louis Street in Vaudreuil (1961 - Perron & Perron), 415 chemin de la Baie in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield (1963), 161 Hôtel-de-Ville Street in Dorion (1963), 227 du Club Avenue in Dorion (1964), 232 Lalonde Street in Dorion (1965), 680 41st Avenue in Ville Lasalle (1969), 155 du Club Avenue in Dorion (1974), 90 Galt Street in Dorion and 245 Saint-Jean-Baptiste Street in Dorion.
The following buildings were added: 421 Saint-Charles Avenue (1963), 600 Harwood Boulevard (1972) and 455 Saint-Charles Avenue (1973). However, these three buildings were significantly modified over the years. For example, the building at 600 Harwood Boulevard (Polyclinique médicale Vaudreuil) was twice expanded since its construction in 1972. The last extension of this building reflects a new architectural approach and was designed by architect Martin Lefebvre (1965) of Cormier Lefebvre Architectes. One of the two offices of this firm is located in Vaudreuil-Dorion (Cormier Lefebvre's website). Accessed August 18, 2017 from <http://clarchitectes.ca>; Anonymous, « Vaudreuil.Signature du contrat [pour le nouveau Centre médico chirurgical du Comté de Vaudreuil] », L'Écho de Vaudreuil-Soulanges, July 12, 1972, n.p.; Anonymous,« Levée de la première pelletée de terre à la Caisse Pop de Vaudreuil […]. Construction d’un nouvel édifice sur le boul. Roche », L'Écho de Vaudreuil-Soulanges, August 8, 1973, n.p.). The two excerpts from the newspaper L'Écho de Vaudreuil-Soulanges were graciously provided by Mr. Luke De Stéphano.
Luc Noppen, Nadine Maltais and Édith Prégent (dir.). Database of the built heritage of the MRC de Vaudreuil-Soulanges. Vaudreuil-Dorion. Canada Research Chair in Urban Heritage ESG UQAM \ MRC de Vaudreuil-Soulanges \ Musée régional de Vaudreuil-Soulanges, December 2015 version. The two buildings are located at the following addresses: 829 Rue Principale in Rivière-Beaudette and 4 Rue Principale in Coteau-du-Lac. Today, the Wilson Academy is known as the Coteau-du-Lac school, Wilson Academy Pavilion.
Saint-Laurent Church file. Accessed on the Grand répertoire du patrimoine bâti de Montréal website. Accessed June 15, 2017, <http://patrimoine.ville.Montréal.qc.ca>. The Saint-Laurent Church is located at 805 Sainte-Croix Avenue, Saint-Laurent (Montréal).
Luc Noppen, Nadine Maltais and Édith Prégent (dir.). Database of the built heritage of the MRC de Vaudreuil-Soulanges. Vaudreuil-Dorion. Canada Research Chair in Urban Heritage ESG UQAM \ MRC de Vaudreuil-Soulanges \ Musée régional de Vaudreuil-Soulanges, December 2015 version. Located at 87 chemin du Fleuve in Pointe-des-Cascades, the Saint-Pierre Church was purchased by the Pointe-des-Cascades municipality on May 30, 2016.
Marc Lafleur was born on July 16, 1939 in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield. He obtained a bachelor's degree from the Montréal School of Architecture in 1965. Like Julien Perron, Marc Lafleur worked with his father. In 1967, Jean-Marie Lafleur (1902-1985) and Marc Lafleur joined forces to create the firm Lafleur & Lafleur (Anonymous. Les architectes Lafleur et Perron Valleyfield. Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, promotional brochure of Lafleur & Perron, 1974, n.p.).
Anonymous, « Approbation des esquisses définitives de l’hôpital », Le Progrès de Valleyfield, August 2, 1978, p. 15; Yves Bélanger, « La première pelletée de terre est retardée [d'environ 15 jours] », Le Progrès de Valleyfield, November 22, 1978, p. 3; Yves Bélanger, « Sur le chantier de l’hôpital le député Laurent Lavigne vérifiera si les travailleurs de la région ont été embauchés », Le Progrès de Valleyfield, August 15, 1979, p. 2; Announcement,« Appel d’offres – Division 2 [bid for the expansion and renovation of the Valleyfield hospital centre - architects : Lafleur & Perron, 19 du Marché Street, Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, contractor: Janin Construction Limitée, 7085 Côte-des-Neiges, Montréal], Le Soleil, June 13, 1979; Announcement, "« Appel d’offres – Division 2 [bid for paint, sealant and vinyl on walls for the expansion and renovation of the Valleyfield Hospital Centre - architects : Lafleur & Perron, 19 du Marché Street, Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, contractor: Janin Construction Limitée, 7085, Côte-des-Neiges, Montréal], Le Soleil, January 14, 1980.

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

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