Place D'Youville (Quebec) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Place D'Youville |
|
|---|---|
| City square | |
 Place D'Youville and its skating rink |
|
| Dedicated to: | Marie-Marguerite d'Youville |
| Location: | Québec City, Quebec, Canada |
Place D’Youville, also referred to as carré D'Youville, is a public square in the core of Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. It is situated on rue Saint-Jean, one of the oldest roads in Quebec City. It marks the boundary between the Quebec Parliament Hill and Old Quebec. The square is named in honour of Marie-Marguerite d'Youville, a French Canadian widow who founded the religious order known as the Grey Nuns of Montreal.
In addition to the square itself, Place D'Youville is also used to refer to the area surrounding the bus terminal for the Réseau de transport de la Capitale (Quebec City's transit system), the Palais Montcalm, and the Théâtre Capitole de Québec.
Part of the square is transformed into a skating rink during winter months, and to its west is the sculpture "The Muses" by Alfred Laliberté, donated by the Government of Quebec for the 375th anniversary of the city in 1983.
History
The area where the square is situated has been occupied since the 1730s, and is historically part of the Saint-Jean district. The original buildings were demolished in 1815 to create a glacis in front of the fortifications of Quebec. This was flattened in 1871 and was replaced by the Montcalm market, which was later replaced with a grassy area in 1932 after the market closed, when the Palais Montcalm was built to the south.
Redevelopment
In 1987, the City of Quebec completed renovations in the region which included several upgrades that were performed to give a modern character to the square. The layout was modified to improve design for pedestrian traffic and entertainment.
UNESCO designated the year 1987 as the International Year of Shelter for the Homeless and media was focused on young runaways who were "squatting" at abandoned buildings. Quebec media turned their attention towards Place D’Youville in 1988 when it reported a "nocturnal fauna" and the presence of youth gangs forming around the fortifications and on rue Saint-Jean. Residents and merchants responded to the redevelopment plan by accusing the municipal government of having created an area conducive to juvenile delinquency. Charitable organizations in the region noted an increase in demand of services from individuals under 24 years of age.
Red Bull Crashed Ice
The square was included in part of the course for the 2014 Red Bull Crashed Ice event which took place March 20–22, 2014. The track had been the longest of the four ice-cross downhill championship events that year, with the others having been held in Helsinki, Finland, St. Paul, Minnesota, and Moscow, Russia.
