Pierrefonds, Quebec facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Pierrefonds
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Former city
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 Pierrefonds
Location in Montreal
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| Country |  Canada |
| Province |  Quebec |
| City |  Montreal |
| Borough | Pierrefonds-Roxboro |
| Area | |
| • Land | 24.91 km2 (9.62 sq mi) |
| Population
(2006)
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| • 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 |
H8Z, H9H, H9K
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| Area code(s) | (514) and (438) |
Pierrefonds (pronounced pyair-FOHN) used to be a city in Quebec, Canada. It is located on the northwestern part of the Island of Montreal, right by the Rivière des Prairies. This area is often called the West Island. On January 1, 2002, Pierrefonds became part of the larger city of Montreal. Today, it is a part of the Pierrefonds-Roxboro borough.
Contents
History of Pierrefonds
The story of Pierrefonds began a long time ago, in the 1700s. It was closely connected to the area of Sainte-Geneviève. Back then, this larger area included what are now Pierrefonds, L'Île-Bizard, Sainte-Geneviève, Roxboro, and Dollard-des-Ormeaux.
How Pierrefonds Got Its Name
In 1904, after some earlier changes, the Town of Sainte-Geneviève split into two new villages. These were Sainte-Geneviève and Sainte-Geneviève de Pierrefonds. This was the first time the name "Pierrefonds" appeared.
A key person in this split was a notary and local politician named Joseph-Adolphe Chauret. In 1902, he built a large home that looked like a castle. It reminded people of a place called Pierrefonds in France. He named his new home "Château Pierrefonds." This is how the future city likely got its name.
Changes Over Time
In 1935, the two villages of Sainte-Geneviève and Sainte-Geneviève de Pierrefonds joined together again. They formed one village called Sainte-Geneviève. So, the name Pierrefonds disappeared for a while.
However, the name came back on December 18, 1958. The rest of the old parish area officially became the City of Pierrefonds.
Becoming Part of Montreal
On January 1, 2002, Pierrefonds went through a big change. As part of a province-wide plan to reorganize cities, Pierrefonds joined with Senneville. Together, they became a "borough" of the city of Montreal. A borough is like a smaller district within a big city. This new borough was called Pierrefonds-Senneville.
Merging with Roxboro
Later, in 2004, people in Quebec voted on whether their former cities should stay part of Montreal or become separate again. Senneville voted to leave Montreal and become its own town once more. But Pierrefonds voted to stay part of Montreal.
Then, on January 1, 2006, Pierrefonds joined with the former city of Roxboro. They formed the new Montreal borough of Pierrefonds-Roxboro, which is what it is called today.
Origin of the Name Pierrefonds
The name Pierrefonds comes from a famous notary named Joseph-Adolphe Chauret. He was a very lively person. Some people liked him, while others did not. He was known for his exciting and showy lifestyle.
In 1902, Mr. Chauret built a house that looked like a castle. He was inspired by pictures of the old Château de Pierrefonds in Oise, France. He even put the name "Château de Pierrefonds" on parts of his house.
His building only somewhat looked like the real castle in France. Mr. Chauret finally visited the actual castle in 1911 during a trip to Europe. Back then, not many people traveled abroad. So, his trip made many local people curious. Crowds even greeted him when he returned to Canada!
So, the name Pierrefonds for the city came from Mr. Chauret's special house. In 1987, his property was turned into a home for older people, still called "Château Pierrefonds."
Notable People from Pierrefonds
Many interesting people have lived or grown up in Pierrefonds:
- Paul Brousseau - an ice hockey player.
- William Carrier - another ice hockey player.
- Mylène Farmer - a famous singer and songwriter.
- Kathleen Fraser - a kayaker.
- Alexander Julien - a musician, part of the band Vision Eternel.
- Normand Lacombe - an ice hockey player.
- Justin McInnis - a football player.
- Harley Morenstein - an internet personality.
- Adam Kelly Morton - an actor, writer, and producer.
- Rene Paredes - a football player.
- Geneviève Robic-Brunet - a cyclist.
- Peter Worrell - an ice hockey player.
