Arvida, Quebec facts for kids
Arvida (pronounced ar-VY-duh) is a community of about 12,000 people in Quebec, Canada. It is now part of the larger city of Saguenay. The name "Arvida" comes from its founder, Arthur Vining Davis, who was the president of the Alcoa aluminum company.
Alcoa started Arvida in 1927 as a special industrial town. This was when the first aluminum smelter (a factory that melts metal) was built there. Arvida was carefully planned from the beginning. It was meant to be a "company town" for about 14,000 people. It had churches and schools for different groups. People called it "the City Built in 135 Days." The New York Times newspaper even called it a "model town for working families."
The aluminum factory in Arvida was the biggest in the world from 1943 to 1975. It made two-thirds of all the aluminum used by the Allied forces during World War II.
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Arvida's History
In 1912, a man named James B. Duke bought the rights to use the power from the Saguenay River. By 1925, a large power station called Isle Maligne started working near Lac St. Jean. It was the biggest in the world at that time. In 1926, over 250 houses were ready in Arvida, and the first aluminum was made.
More power stations were built over time. The Shipshaw power station was built during World War II. The Saguenay Inn, a hotel, was also finished in Arvida. In 1950, the Arvida Bridge was built. It was an arched bridge made of aluminum.
Arvida and World War II
During World War II, the aluminum factory grew much bigger. A huge hydroelectric complex was built on the Saguenay River at Shipshaw. This complex made a lot of electricity. Arvida became the largest aluminum production center in the Western world.
Because it was so important for the war, the town was protected by anti-aircraft guns. The factory turned a material called bauxite into alumina, and then into aluminum. This process used a lot of electricity. The factory employed up to 7,500 people in the 1950s and 1960s. Today, Rio Tinto Alcan still runs an aluminum factory in the Arvida area.
In the early 1970s, many people who survived a landslide in nearby Saint-Jean-Vianney moved to Arvida.
Changes to Arvida's City Status
In 1975, Arvida joined with two other cities, Kénogami and Jonquière. They became one new city called Jonquière. Later, in 2002, this larger Jonquière merged with several other towns. They all became part of the new city of Saguenay.
Special Recognition for Arvida
In 2010, local leaders wanted Arvida to be recognized as a heritage site. This was a step towards becoming a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. In 2012, the Canadian government officially called Arvida a National Historic Site. They said it was a great example of a Canadian company town.
In November 2018, the province of Quebec also declared Arvida a Canadian Heritage Site. They recognized its special town planning, unique buildings, and historical importance.
Unfortunately, the Canadian government did not choose Arvida to be suggested to UNESCO in 2017. As of 2023, Canada has 20 World Heritage Sites.
Climate in Arvida
| Climate data for Arvida | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 13.3 (55.9) |
13.9 (57.0) |
22.2 (72.0) |
28 (82) |
34.4 (93.9) |
35 (95) |
35.6 (96.1) |
35 (95) |
33 (91) |
27.8 (82.0) |
22.8 (73.0) |
15.6 (60.1) |
35.6 (96.1) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | −10.3 (13.5) |
−8.3 (17.1) |
−0.9 (30.4) |
7.8 (46.0) |
16 (61) |
21.7 (71.1) |
24.1 (75.4) |
22.2 (72.0) |
16.6 (61.9) |
9.8 (49.6) |
2 (36) |
−6.8 (19.8) |
7.8 (46.0) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −20.1 (−4.2) |
−18.2 (−0.8) |
−10.8 (12.6) |
−1.8 (28.8) |
4.4 (39.9) |
10.1 (50.2) |
13.2 (55.8) |
11.9 (53.4) |
7.2 (45.0) |
2 (36) |
−4.4 (24.1) |
−15.2 (4.6) |
−1.8 (28.8) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −40 (−40) |
−41.7 (−43.1) |
−35 (−31) |
−19 (−2) |
−10 (14) |
−1.1 (30.0) |
2.2 (36.0) |
0 (32) |
−6.1 (21.0) |
−11.1 (12.0) |
−31.1 (−24.0) |
−41.1 (−42.0) |
−41.7 (−43.1) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | — | — | 50.3 (1.98) |
45.7 (1.80) |
75.7 (2.98) |
91.7 (3.61) |
114.1 (4.49) |
97.4 (3.83) |
100.4 (3.95) |
72.3 (2.85) |
73.2 (2.88) |
84.7 (3.33) |
— |
| Source: 1961-1990 Environment Canada | |||||||||||||
Culture in Arvida
A famous building in Arvida is the Église Ste-Thérèse-de-l'enfant-Jésus church. In the northern part of the city, there is the Théâtre Palace Arvida. This is a modern theater that can hold about 500 people.
Notable People from Arvida
- Artist Claire Beaulieu was born in Arvida.
- Thomas J. Hudson, a genome scientist, was born in Arvida in 1961.
- Professional heavyweight champion wrestler Stan Stasiak was born in Arvida.
Images for kids
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The Arvida Bridge, an aluminum bridge.
