Mont Durocher Park

Mount Durocher, popular among hiking enthusiasts, is named after the Durocher family who owned the area for nearly half a century.

Marie Louise Laforté and Phileas Durocher got married at the Sainte-Adèle church in 1884 and settled a few years later on Range 9, a bit west of the village of Mont-Rolland. Their son Bruno married Rose Bélair in 1918. They had 12 children, and their father allocated each a lot along the public road, which was renamed Rolland Street. They, in turn, put down roots in the village. Photo: View of the former Range 9 in Mont-Rolland. Collection of Diane Durocher and Robert Senécal.

The Durocher land, measuring 5 by 28 arpents, includes a family home and numerous farm buildings.

At the time, the lot extended from Rolland Street and stretched back beyond the mountain, which is named Mount Durocher.

Rolland Street before 1950. The Durocher house is the one located at the front, in the center.

Photo: Diane Durocher and Robert Senécal Collection

Photo: Louise, Diane, and Madeleine Durocher. Collection: Diane Durocher and Robert Senécal.

Bruno Durocher is selling his land and facilities. According to the newspaper La Presse of the time, the transaction also includes 8 cows, 1 ox, some sheep, 2 horses, and all the farm equipment.

Photo: Francine on Robert Senécal's pony, in front of the buildings, in the 1960s. Collection of Diane Durocher and Robert Senécal.

The Senécal brothers sell their land to a consortium of businessmen from Mont-Rolland, and part of the lot is then transferred to the city of Sainte-Adèle. Mount Durocher is developed into an outdoor park.

Photo: Mount Durocher as it appeared in a Texaco company advertisement, date unknown. Collection of Diane Durocher and Robert Senécal.