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Pont Bordeleau Bridge


Universal Guide Number: 61-13-03

The first bridge 1 was built on that spot in 1875, the year that the "Côte St-Paul" road was opened. It had been built to allow easy access, back and forth, between St-Tite, St-Stanislas, and St-Narcisse. After the founding of St-Séverin in 1889, the number of people using the bridge dropped substantially, and the rest of inhabitants in the village didn't see much use for it.

In 1891, François-Xavier Bordeleau (land registry #169 in St-Séverin), his son Théotime, and his brother Basilide (land registry #167 and #168), together with a number of other residents on the North side of Rivière des Envies, presented a petition to have the bridge repaired. They outlined the fact that the bridge allowed their children to reach the school on the South side in only a few minutes, but without it, they would have to walk more than 2 miles (3/4 "lieue").


Click to enlarge

(Published by
Daniel, 2000-10-22)

 A year later, the municipal council closed the bridge, as recommanded in a report by special road superintendant Alphonse Lanouette. Shortly thereafter, council was blamed for that closing, and had to pay a fine of $16.35. The bridge was rebuilt in 1895 at the cost of $240., payed by the municipality. Regular upkeep, however, remained the responsibility of those using it. In 1915, Hormidas Trépanier received $550. to redo the bridge. It was rebuilt once again in 1932, then equipped with a roof-top by the Ministry of Colonization.
According to the St-Séverin centennial book1, the Ministry of Cultural Affairs (now the Ministry of Culture and Communications) did a complete retrofit in 1978, and then, declared it a historical site. However, a recent article published in Le Nouvelliste underlines that this isn't the case. Let's hope the designation will not take too long, for, 25 years later, the bridge is in great need of repair works and of an assurance that it will be preserved for future generations.  (Picture of closed bridge).

The "Bordeleau Bridge" is located 3.2 miles South-West of St-Séverin on Hwy 159, on the South side of "Rang de la Rivière" (Bordeleau Road; "rang" means a small gravel road).

You then turn right, 0.1 mile to the bridge. It has only one laneway, extends 110 feet, and can accommodate 11½ feet in height.

In April 2006, Mr. Jean Goupil sent me two superb pictures of the "Pont Bordeleau", taken in the early Spring.
Click to enlarge
Click to enlarge

Don't forget to visit the site of the "Société québécoise des ponts couverts", which is dedicated to preserving this valuable heritage!

    1 St-Séverin de Proulxville, 1889- 1989, Éditions du Bien Public, Trois-Rivières, 1989, pp. 57-58.


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