Shawinigan is an industrial city in decline about 30 km north of Trois-Rivières, which is halfway between Montreal and Quebec City, on the St-Maurice River. It has 52000 inhabitants.
The tour starts in Shawinigan-Sud (South of Downtown)
Cité de l'énergie, Museum and viewing tower. An icon of the city and its region!
Now let's head to Downtown Shawinigan
The next photos show the area north of Downtown, a working class area
Last : The Grand-Mère Area, North of Shawinigan proper
The "Grand-Mère Rock" (Grand-Mère is French for Grandmother) is what gave the city its name. It once was in the river next to a waterfall where a dam now stands. It was moved to its actual location after the WW1
It was I think the Belgo has closed and not set to reopen. I also think it's the first city of Quebec (or is it Canada) to get electricity but i'm not sure about this one.
There you have it, a portrait of a Quebecois city. Looks very much like some of the inner suburbs of Montreal (Verdun, Lasalle, Ville St. Pierre, etc.). Hometown of Jean Chretien.
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The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts. (Bertrand Russell)
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"The destructive effects of automobiles are much less a cause than a symptom of our incompetence at city building" - Jane Jacobs 1961ish