Published on 11 September 2026
by landrianina
To celebrate 75 years of history, we needed much more than just our archives: we also had to draw on the memories of those who, in one way or another, helped shape Carrefour francophone.
That’s the whole idea behind “Trous de mémoire,” a project that invites our community to rummage through their boxes, photo albums, attics, and—above all—their memories to help us piece together our collective history.
Over the past few weeks, community members have answered the call by sharing with us photos, documents, objects, and memories that have been carefully preserved over the years. Each contribution allows us to uncover traces of the past, bring sometimes-forgotten moments back to life, and piece together, bit by bit, the grand history of the Carrefour francophone.
And because behind every memory lies a person, a story, and a connection to our community, we’re also featuring two profiles of individuals who have left their mark on the history of the Carrefour. Two faces, two life stories, and two ways of contributing to this great history.
Enjoy the read!
After our call to fill in the “gaps in our memory,” two charming ladies opened their memory boxes to us and shared treasures that they and their families had carefully preserved over the years.
Claire-Lucie Brunet
Claire-Lucie Brunet, co-chair of our board of directors, responded to our request by lending us valuable documents preserved by her family. Her father was a member of the Youth Center, the organization that founded the Carrefour francophone, and her family has carefully preserved records from that era.
These documents now allow us to better tell the story of the Centre des jeunes and to bring back to life some of its members’ memories.
Thank you, Claire-Lucie, for sharing these treasures with us!
Lyse Lamothe
A former summer camp coordinator at the Carrefour francophone, Lyse Lamothe also shared her box of memories with us. Starting in 1987, she worked at our camps, notably at Camp Ouaouaron and the summer camp on Île-aux-Chênes.
Decades later, Lyse had still carefully preserved items from that time. Today, at the Centre de santé communautaire du Grand Sudbury, she brought them to us so that they, in turn, could bear witness to this history.
Thank you, Lyse, for preserving these little pieces of our history!
Two mysterious faces left their mark on the great “Expo Idéale.” But who were these people, that they inspired Nicholas Dupuis and Isabelle Ratté to depict them as large, colorful masks?
These two faces belong to Jacques Groulx and Georgette Simard-Paquette, two individuals whose life stories are closely tied to the early days and evolution of the Centre des Jeunes.
Jacques Groulx: Founder of the Youth Center
Jacques Groulx was one of the young people who made a very tangible contribution to bringing Father Albert Regimbal’s project to life. At the time, he was living at the Youville Orphanage, located very close to the Sainte-Anne parish. Father Regimbal took an interest in him and wanted to make him one of his collaborators.
When the time came to convert a room beneath the Sainte-Anne Church, Jacques helped with the work. The project was far from simple: part of the basement had to be dug out by hand from the clay and then hauled away in a wheelbarrow. Jacques would later recall this experience as demanding but formative.
On June 17, 1951, the Youth Center was officially inaugurated. The new facility aimed to provide young people with a place where they could meet, engage in cultural and athletic activities, and, above all, take on responsibilities.
Jacques Groulx thus became one of the faces associated with the Youth Center’s early years, to the point of being later described as a “pillar of the Youth Center .”
Decades later, his granddaughter Lucie Groulx attended the official 75th-anniversary ceremony with her family. There, she delivered a moving speech about her family’s connection to the Youth Center and the legacy left by her grandfather.
(Photo: Instructors’ Party, 1952 — Jacques Groulx and Georgette Simard.)
Georgette Simard-Paquette: A Young Woman at the Heart of the Project
Born in 1937, Georgette Simard also met Father Regimbal just as he was preparing to establish the Youth Center. Her family, who lived on Melvin Street, even invited him over for dinner. The young Jesuit took her under his wing and encouraged her to reflect, to take an interest in others, and to get to know herself better.
When the Youth Center opened its doors, Georgette became actively involved. In particular, she participated in training activities and general education courses that, in the 1960s, sought to develop young people’s leadership skills, interests, and personalities.
For Georgette, the Center represented much more than just a place for activities. She described it as her “cradle,” a place that helped her grow and discover herself.
Her connection with the Center did not end with her youth. Over the years, she continued to be involved in various social causes and community life.
Georgette was also present at the grand “Expo Idéale,” where she saw her own face take on a whole new dimension in the form of a large mask created by Nicholas Dupuis and Isabelle Ratté.
(Photo 1: Lucie Groulx and her children at the kickoff ceremony for the 75th anniversary celebrations on June 17, 2026.)
(Photo 2: Georgette Simard-Paquette and Claire-Lucie Brunet at the Grand Expo Idéale on June 17, 2026.)
These memories represent only a small part of the Carrefour francophone’s 75-year history. Behind every document, every object, and every face lie stories of people, projects, and moments that have helped our community grow.
To explore this history in its entirety, the 75th-anniversary book—produced in collaboration with historian Serge Dupuis—brings together the key moments, anecdotes, and testimonials that have shaped the journey of the Centre des Jeunes, which later became the Carrefour francophone.
Want to take a trip down memory lane through our 75 years? Get your copy of the book and dive into the heart of our history!
A series of newsletters created to celebrate the anniversary of the oldest cultural center in French-speaking Ontario will set the tone. Each monthly issue will immerse you in the heart of our history and our projects: exclusive reveals, exciting updates, calls to action, and behind-the-scenes glimpses.
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