Showing 7 results

The Coaticook youth centre, Maison des jeunes de Coaticook, was founded in 1983 for the primary purposes of encouraging the autonomy of adolescents (ages 12-17), to provide a location for youth to gather together, to provide youth with activities that respond to their interests, and to prevent problems specific among youth. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors with various committees to support its activities. Initially, the Maison de jeunes de Coaticook rented space from the high school école Polyvalente La Frontalière but later on was able to secure their own space on Laurence Street. Also known as La Mayz de Coaticook, the organization celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2003. The Maison de jeunes de Coaticook continues to be active as it pursues objectives similar to those established in 1983.

The Coaticook factory that would eventually become the Canadian Celanese had its earliest beginnings in 1872 with the purchase of water rights from Levi Baldwin to Thomas McDuffee. They would then be acquired by Frederick Cross for the establishment of a rake factory. The factory went through a series of changes in ownership and purpose until it was acquired by Trenholme and Armitage in 1889 and became the Coaticook Woolen Mills. The factory was destroyed by fire in June 1889 and was rebuilt, continuing operations until 1919 when it was sold to Walter Blue. The factory again underwent multiple transactions until 1944, when it was acquired by Coaticook Textiles Limited. Under this ownership, the factory was expanded and by 1954 it employed 125 workers.

The Canadian Celanese was established in Coaticook in 1956 with the purchase of Coaticook Textiles Ltd’s building and equipment. In 1963, the Canadian Celanese Company merged with the Canadian Chemical Company to become a division of Chemcell Limited. In 1972, its corporate name was changed again to Celanese Canada. In 1980, the principal activity of the Celanese was the manufacture of acetate lining and texturized polyester fabrics. At this time, 80 per cent of their production went to Drummondville for dying and dressing.

In 1984 and 1985, Canadian Celanese’s plant in Coaticook was purchased by Produits Cellulaires Waterville. The company subsequently closed the plant, transferring Coaticook employees to Waterville.

Françoise Maurice was born in Coaticook on 17 December 1916. Her love for books and music developed during her childhood through access to many books in the family home and the pursuit of music lessons at the convent in Coaticook. Following the opening of a public library in Coaticook in 1959, Maurice began as a volunteer and eventually acquired a permanent position. Her passion for arts, culture and heritage showed through her organization of exhibitions of art, photographs, and antiques. The eventual outcome of an antique exhibition was the establishment of the Beaulne Museum. Maurice held a position at the library for 32 years but was also involved with setting up some of the first dance classes, volunteered for the Beaulne Museum and the Coaticook Historical Society, and taught piano, among other things. In 2003, the City of Coaticook honoured her years of service to the library and the community by renaming the library in her honour. Maurice passed away the 11 September 2009, at the age of 93.

Jean-Nil Drolet was born on 5 June 1930 in Coaticook, the oldest child of Léo Drolet (1907-1935) and Hélène Aurore Lapointe (1907-1988). As a boy, Jean-Nil participated in sports and the Catholic Boy Scouts. Mr. Drolet married Rita Carbonneau on 16 July 1955 in Coaticook and together they had eight children: Claire, Julie, Léo, Guy, Michel, Raynald, Marie, and Johanne. Early on, Mr. Drolet worked for Kilgour in Coaticook and obtained a diploma from the Université de Sherbrooke in school administration. In his professional life, he was active in the unions in Coaticook and served as secretary-treasurer of Commission scolaire de Coaticook in the 1960s, as well as for the Foyer de Coaticook Inc. and the Local Artisan 928. Under his tenure with the school board, two new schools were built (Albert-l’Heureux secondary/high school and Sacré-Coeur primary/elementary school). Mr. Drolet also served as the secretary for the Board of Directors for the Centre Hospitalier de Coaticook and in 1971, he went on to become the General Director of the Centre Hospitalier de Coaticook. Mr. Drolet has been very active in many community organizations throughout his life.

Father Arthur Sideleau died at the Maison Aube-Lumière in Sherbrooke on January 26, 2013, at the age of 87. Born on October 29, 1925 in Hartford, USA, he was the son of William Sideleau and Exilia Bureau. After his studies at the Séminaire de Sherbrooke and the Grand Séminaire de Sherbrooke, he was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Philippe Desranleau at the Basilica Cathedral of Saint-Michel in Sherbrooke on June 7, 1952. He was curate at Saint-Stanislas-Kostka in Ascot Corner (1952), chaplain to the Ursulines in Stanstead (1952), curate at Saint-Michel in Sherbrooke (1952), at Saint-Fortunat (1952-1953), at Saint-Joseph in Valcourt (1953) and at Saint-Hippolyte in Wotton (1953-1958), and ceremonial assistant at the Archbishop's Office (1958-1959), assistant chaplain at the Hôtel-Dieu de Sherbrooke (1958-1961), pastor of Sainte-Suzanne de Stanhope (1961-1968), verifier of parish registers (1969-1974), librarian at the archdiocese (1969- 1970), procurator at the Grand Séminaire de Sherbrooke (1970-1972) and chaplain at the Centre hospitalier universitaire de Sherbrooke (1974-1991). He retired to Westbury in 1991.

Founded in February 1930 by Willie A. St-Pierre, Léon-C. Drolet and Dr. Raoul Laurence, the École Musicale du Comté de Stanstead was a choir and operatic association that was headquartered in Coaticook. The first music director was Oscar Cartier. At the outset, the École musicale aimed to give free weekly concerts at the Town Hall. It appears that the École Musicale was dissolved around 1931 or 1932.

Philibert (Joseph Louis) Cloutier was born April 24, 1919 at Manseau, married Eva Carignan on May 25, 1945, and died May 29, 2005 in Coaticook.