Church, religion and education

Forestville is, at one time, a private village administered by Anglo Canadian Pulp & Paper Mills. The city then extends from the St. Lawrence River to, more or less, the current route 138.

The other part of the agglomeration of the locality, St-Luc-de-Laval, is then a totally separate municipality of Forestville.

The city we know today is the result of a municipal merger between three villages. On January 5th, 1980, the villages of Forestville, St-Luc-de-Laval (also called Forestville-Nord) and Baie-Laval (located at the east end of Forestville) merged to form the city that we knows today.

Father Luc Sirois, pastor of Forestville from 1945 to 1961, is an important figure in the history of the city. Upon his appointment, the priest Sirois embarked on the preparations for the construction of a church. Founder of the parish of St-Luc-de-Forestville, he also had the first schools built.

Picture: Father Luc Sirois in 1956.

The construction of the church, Dom Bellot style, began in 1946. At the request of Bishop Labrie, the work is divided into two phases. The first involves the construction of the presbytery and the basement of the church, while the construction of the outer frame of the church took place in 1954.

Picture: The construction of the external structure of the church, in 1954.

Ten years after the construction of the basement, the large church is finally completed. Its total construction cost was $ 188,000, a fortune for the time.

Picture: Interior finish of St-Luc church.

The blessing of the church took place in 1956. This large church, which can accommodate the population of Forestville, has almost doubled in size in dozens of years.

In 1961, the church is very active here. She has three priests, six religious and six nuns.

Picture: A mass in 1956.

At the time, the school system is under the responsibility of the bishop. The latter must adapt rapidly to the strong demographic growth. Built in 1947, Saint-Luc School is run by the Sisters of Notre-Dame du Bon-Conseil of Chicoutimi.

Picture: Saint-Luc Elementary School, Forestville, 1960.

In addition, there is the Dominic Savio high school, in 1953, where the Brothers of the Christian Schools are located. It is in this establishment that gives itself the 11th year, a high level of studies for the time. The same building houses the Polyvalente des Rivières nowadays.

Picture: The school Dominique Savio of Forestville in 1955.

From the 1950s, various businesses and social organizations are born. Chamber of commerce is particularly being talked about of, claiming the improvement of services and infrastructures, hence the road 15 and the construction of a bridge on the Saguenay, a subject still relevant today!

Picture: The Federal Building (Post Office) in Forestville in 1958.