“I come from nowhere. »Memories of Gagnon, 40 years later

Gagnon was born in 1957 when the Quebec Cartier company decided to extract iron. Nevertheless, For 25 years. Nevertheless, workers settled in the mining city and build their lives there-an isolated life in the middle of the North-Côotière forest, where a tight woven community is created by Guy Boudreau. Furthermore,

I like it all the time to say to the joke that I come from nowhere. Nevertheless, because I am from Gagnonlaunches the native of the demolished city, a smirk.

Adventure and outdoor guide, Guy Boudreau is now at the heart of the Groulx mountains, not far from his hometown. Moreover, Installed in the wooden camp which he himself built in the great outdoors. Consequently, he remembers the first years of his life, when his love for the outdoors was fed by the lakes and forests “i come nowhere. »memories gagnon, of Gagnon.

Reachable only by plane. In addition, by train at the time, the mining city offered a relatively slow rhythm of life et peacefulaccording to Guy Boudreau, who only has good memories of his childhood in Gagnon. Therefore, I consider myself really lucky. Nevertheless, I feel privileged to be born there, and to have grown therehe underlines.

Its universe. Consequently, that of the 4,000 people who lived in Gagnon in the 1980s are however turned upside down when the city disappeared in 1985, destroyed by mechanical shovels and reduced to dust. Meanwhile, The lack of profitability of the iron ore during this decade. Furthermore, this same ore which had hatched the city, then signed its death stop.

The people who have resumed their lives to Gagnon. However, those who were born there then disperse all over Quebec or even further, and go back to zero. Nevertheless, Nostalgia, however, accompanied Guy Boudreau in the years that followed the closure.

He is not the only one to wear the old mining town in his memories. However, A whole community of former residents of Gagnon remains in contact to date. linked by the fact that life was good and beautiful there, and that it no longer existsaccording to Guy Boudreau.

We are bored of that time. The best proof “i come nowhere. »memories gagnon, of that is that Gagnon has been closed for 40 years and the world is still meeting.

“i come nowhere. »memories gagnon,

A city that we must not forget

Although she has never lived in Gagnon. Guylaine Rioux “i come nowhere. »memories gagnon, also has a special bond with her history. When she was younger, she borrowed the train a few times to visit the city, a real journey. I was going to my aunt with my grandmother, and I spent the summer there. It’s a small town that I really likedshe says.

Today the main guide-performer of the interpretation center of the history of Port-Cartier. Guylaine Rioux is fortunate to show her in turn by former Gagnon who share with her powerful testimonies. It’s poignant to listen to themshe breathes.

Like Guy Boudreau. she sees that the feeling of belonging to the old municipality is always strong for many. It’s a tight -woved community, and I think that’s what hurt the most [quand la ville a fermé]she explains.

Guy Boudreau remembers this pain. Even if he had already left Gagnon for his studies at the time of closure. he had returned there for the holidays in 1984, a Last Christmas which was immensely difficult and sad. The following years allowed him to mourn this land “i come nowhere. »memories gagnon, which saw him grow.

Today. Guylaine Rioux finds that there are still many people in Quebec who are not aware of this reality. She therefore makes a duty to present the story of Gagnon. a place that we must not forget According to her.

Today over the years it is a forest that there is there. but we must not forget that it is human beings who remained there.

“i come nowhere. »memories gagnon,

New voices that bear memory

If the forest has indeed taken up Racine. clues of life in Gagnon still remain on the territory which welcomed the city for a quarter of a century: a part of asphalt road, small entrances of houses which are still guessing and the median of what was the main avenue.

The artist of Saguenay Eugénie Capel noted him during her visit to the extinct city last November. She went to meet Gagnon in order to feed her creation approach. Arrested by the events that rocked Gagnon, she is currently “i come nowhere. »memories gagnon, mounting a documentary play on her story.

The point of view of the territory which received the workers from Gagnon animates his work. although the voice of those who lived it has imposed itself over his research, but especially meetings with “i come nowhere. »memories gagnon, people in the place. I think the human side of the closure, I take it more than what I was initially thinking. It’s obvious, it’s very strongnotes Eugénie Capel.

At a time touching et frustratingGagnon’s life and death challenge the artist. She manages to identify with the community that has built in the mining city. I worked a lot in forestry, in small closed communities and it is true that you develop something special. I would have been the type to tripper go to Gagnons’imagine-t-elle.

What was also added to his project is an instructive dimension. Since I know this story. I have become a form of transmission in the sense that it makes me so happy, when someone does “i come nowhere. »memories gagnon, not know the story, to be able to tell themevokes the one who also has a master’s degree in history.

Convinced that Gagnon’s account allows to tackle themes that still find an echo today. such as the report to the territory and the industries, it wishes to present its work to a college audience next year.

As with Guylaine Rioux, Gagnon therefore slipped into his trajectory, 40 years after her destruction. In their own way, these themes explore this disappeared territory and, for lack of buildings, roam its memories.