Roberval

Roberval, c'est cette petite ville d'environ 11 000 habitants, sur les bords du Lac St-Jean (la seule ville réellement sur le Lac) où je suis né. Roberval, j'adore cette ville, dans le sens où elle représente mes racines. Roberval, je déteste, car justement, comme elle représente mes racines, quand la mentalité robervaloise fait en sorte que la ville est moins ouverte ou belle que je ne le voudrais, ça m'enrage de ne pas pouvoir être fier de l'endroit.

Pour une petite ville d'une petite région, Roberval ne s'en tire pas trop mal. Par contre, lorsque l'on démoli (par peur et ignorance et pour des questions d'argent) les ruines d'un édifice centenaire, je pousse un soupir de décourragement en sachant que Roberval ne développera jamais son potentiel, à cause des robervalois eux-mêmes. J'y ai vécu toute mon enfance, y ai connu mes premiers amis, j'y suis retourné, j'y ai investi, j'ai démarré un petit cinéma, j'y ai organisé deux festivals littéraires et deux festivals de cinéma, je me suis impliqué et j'ai fait ce qui me semblait correct pour Roberval. J'ai écris sur Roberval, et je m'y intéresse encore.

Aujourd'hui par contre, je sais que Roberval n'est plus pour moi, que je n'y vivrai plus pendant des périodes prolongées, même si j'aime beaucoup y retourner (en partie pour voir ses améliorations et critiquer tout ce qui lui fait encore défaut). Mais aujourd'hui, quand je parcours Roberval et les environs autour du Lac St-Jean, je vois toute la région avec des yeux différents, des yeux de voyageurs, et étrangement, je prends plus de photos de Roberval que j'en ai prise pendant les années où j'y ai vécu.

En voici quelques-unes, avec des descriptions anglaises, puisque la page était principalement montée pour mes amis anglophones qui n'ont jamais vu Roberval. Ces photos ont été prises en mai et septembre 2005.

Here's a few pictures of my Home town; Roberval, on the shore of Lake Saint-John, a few hours north-east of Montreal.

For me, Roberval, it's the Lake. Here I sit on the shore, not a minute away from downtown. Pic taken in spring 2005.	The Courthouse is one of the rare old building to have survived in the 150 years of Roberval History. Like many small places, Roberval put down some really nice piece of architecture over the years to rebuilt modern ugly stuff. Sad.	Another nice building, the former Presbytere Notre Dame, which isn't of use anymore, since the church is managed by the central office in St-Jean de Brébeuf. Since that big house is right on the shore of the lake, I would see a nice bed and Breakfast there.
A view of the lake, by the end of summer 2005. The path and the trees are part of the Marina, which gives the boats an artificial lagoon of stillness.	That house is not only old, it's the house of the shoe repair store for decades. It's a bit crooked, not as good looking for real than on a picture, but still, it has something about it which makes it interesting.	Alfred Laliberté is known as one of the best sculptor of Quebec's History. Most of his works is either in a Museum in Québec City or at The Museum of fine arts in Montreal. This sculpture, a huge representation of the Christ as a King, is located near the hospital and the old covenant in Roberval, but strangely enough, we are probably not even a dozen people from Roberval to know that it is a genuine Laliberté.
A view of the eastern part of Roberval, with the belfroy of the St-Jean de Brébeuf church. As a new born kid, I was living in a house next to that church, the lake in front of me.	Another of the old buildings that survive over the years, The City Hall is located on the main street downtown, about halfway between the two churches.	From this point of view (not accessible to tourists: it's from the rooftop of the former psychiatric hospital !), we can see the main street of downtown on the shore, from the courthouse - left - to the former covenant - right.
Aerial view of the French garden, behind the former psychiatric hospital. I can assure you that not 20% of the population knows that this place even exists in their town!	The house on Pelletier Street where I spent most of my life as a kid and a teenager. Still owned by my parents - but they changed everything in there over the years - It's still a bit home to me. Beside, I like the clouds on that picture.	If you're a boat lover - or a boat owner, Roberval is the perfect place on the Lake, Here's a view of the Marina, two minutes from downtown.
A few years ago, a fire destroyed the oldest part of the former covenant downtown. Sadly, the mayor decided to destroy the ruins - out of cowardise and incompetence. This outside wall of the newest part is all that's left from the ruins.	The old lighthouse that used to guide the boats approaching the Marina in Roberval. As a kid, it's was a fun place to hang out with a couple friends and rethink the world, or just talk about girls :)	St-Jean de Brébeuf, the oldest church still standing in the city, picture taken from the park between the church and the lake.
The Cinema Chaplin, in the downtown area. I've founded this new movie theater in my home town at the end of 1998 in a building which used to be a grocery store.	Roberval, it's also a lots of streets way too larges, and - as you can see - really quiet, with the Jean Coutu drugstore facing the Couche-Tard convenience store on huge corners like this one.	That one is funny. Beside Alcatraz in San Francisco and Le Château d'If in Marseilles, it's the only prison I know to be located on the waterfront, and from where a prisonner can have a room with a view. :)
Another view of the Courhouse, with one of the brand new traffic light, installed in 2004 while renovating downtown and getting rid of all the cables hanging over the main street.	The sun is not down, but the moon is up - left - picture taken from my grandfather's room at the end of summer 2005, with the cross on the rooftop of the hospital covenant nearby.	Once again, the lake itself, taken from the Pointe au Pin, a private area on the shore, with beaches facing the Pointe de Chambord, a village nearby Roberval.

Ok, here's a few more pictures. I put them here more out of fun. No old building here... but still the lake, and a couple people from Roberval...

Roberval - Mes origines	Lac St-Jean - Au pays des bleuets	Québec - Culture française
Montréal - Métropole cosmopolite	Vancouver - Beautés de l'ouest

Since one of the school is on the shore, the yellow schoolbus have to wait there for the kids, after school day...	A girl and her bicycle, two cars, and a pick-up... at the busiest corner in town... ok, it's middle afternoon, begining of september, but still, we feel far away from the city, no?	My uncle Réjean, from the rooftop of the former psychiatric hospital, with a view of the western part of the city, the lake and the islands.
That particular view of the shore of the lake was taken from the smallest park of Roberval, just off the main street of downtown somewhere in May 2005.	Since the hospital is located on the waterfront, it has great views of the lake and nice gardens as well, but unfortunately, you have to be either sick, or a nun, to be able to enjoy that large area.	Roberval isn't just parents and friends, it's also the home town of Shadow! Here is a picture with my really good friend, taken on my way to Montreal, spring 2005. Just a day before my flight to Guatemala City. (I like the teeth on that one :).
	Here I am. L'Esprit Vagabond overlooking the city of Roberval. Behind me, waterfront line, downtown, from City Hall to the Courthouse.