Pierrefonds | |
|---|---|
  Pierrefonds Location of Pierrefonds inMontreal | |
| Coordinates:45°28′0″N73°53′0″W / 45.46667°N 73.88333°W /45.46667; -73.88333 | |
| Country |  Canada |
| Province |  Quebec |
| City |  Montreal |
| Borough | Pierrefonds-Roxboro |
| Area | |
| • Land | 24.91 km2 (9.62 sq mi) |
| Population | |
• Total | 59,093 |
| • Density | 2,372.5/km2 (6,145/sq mi) |
| • Change(2001-2006) |  7.5% |
| • Dwellings(2006) | 22,510 |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| Postal code span | |
| Area codes | (514) and (438) |
Pierrefonds (Quebec French pronunciation:[pjaɛ̯ʁˈfõ]) is a former city in southwesternQuebec, Canada. It is located along theRivière des Prairies on the western shore of the southern part of theIsland of Montreal (part of what is colloquially called theWest Island). It was merged intoMontreal on January 1, 2002, and is today part of the borough ofPierrefonds-Roxboro.
Its origin dates back to the eighteenth century, and is intimately linked to that ofSainte-Geneviève, which was composed at the time of Pierrefonds,L'Île-Bizard,Sainte-Geneviève,Roxboro andDollard-des-Ormeaux.
In 1904,[2] following several previous divisions, the Town of Sainte-Geneviève was split into two new villages: Sainte-Geneviève and Sainte-Geneviève de Pierrefonds. This was the first appearance of the name Pierrefonds. At the heart of the conflict leading to the separation was the notary and local member of the Legislative AssemblyJoseph-Adolphe Chauret, who, in 1902, had a "seigniorial" residence built for himself reminiscent of the community of Pierrefonds in France’s Department ofOise. He named his thatched home "Château Pierrefonds", apparently providing the name for the future city.
In 1935 the two villages of Sainte-Geneviève and Sainte-Geneviève de Pierrefonds merged once again into a single village called Sainte-Geneviève. The name Pierrefonds disappeared, resurfacing on December 18, 1958, when the rest of the territory of the old parish became the City of Pierrefonds.
On 2002-01-01, as part of a province-widemunicipal reorganization, Pierrefonds was joined withSenneville and they became a borough of the city ofMontreal named Pierrefonds-Senneville. In the demerger referendums of 2004, Senneville demerged from Montreal but Pierrefonds did not. On 2006-01-01, Pierrefonds merged with the former city ofRoxboro to form the Montreal borough of Pierrefonds-Roxboro.
One of the leading figures who brought about the 1904 split was a famous (or infamous), fiery notary named Joseph-Adolphe Chauret. Always in the limelight, this colourful fellow was praised by some and criticized by others. His reputation remains controversial to this day, mostly because of his stormy and ostentatious lifestyle[according to whom?].
Inspired by an engraving of the feudal Castle of Pierrefonds inOise,France, in 1902 Chauret built a turreted, gabled residence with the inscriptionChâteau de Pierrefonds on two of its socles. The building only somewhat resembled the much heralded fortress Chauret finally visited in 1911 when he journeyed in Europe. At a time when few people travelled abroad, his trip aroused considerable curiosity among local residents – so much so that crowds greeted him upon his return to Canada.
The name Pierrefonds therefore can be traced to Chauret’s residence.
In 1987, Chauret's property was converted into a residence for the elderly named "Château Pierrefonds".[4]
Pre-amalgamation demographics,Canada 2001 Census.[5]
Note: last census figures before annexation by Montreal.
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