Bromont
Bromont is a city in southern Quebec, Canada, at the base of Mont Brome; it is in the Brome-Missisquoi Regional County Municipality. The Bromont area and its resort, Ski Bromont, is well known as a tourist destination for its downhill skiing, mountain biking, BMX-riding and water slides. It also features golf and equestrian events in moderate weather. Bromont also boasts a high-tech industrial park, which includes IBM,[6] General Electric, and Teledyne DALSA. Bromont (Roland Désourdy) Airport serves the region.
Bromont | |
|---|---|
Mont Brome overlooking the city | |
| Motto: Ville Branchée | |
Location within Brome-Missisquoi RCM | |
Bromont Location in southern Quebec | |
| Coordinates: 45°19′N 72°39′W / 45.317°N 72.650°WCoordinates: 45°19′N 72°39′W / 45.317°N 72.650°W[1] | |
| Country | Canada |
| Province | Quebec |
| Region | Estrie |
| RCM | Brome-Missisquoi |
| Constituted | January 27, 1973 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Louis Villeneuve[2] |
| • Federal riding | Brome—Missisquoi |
| • Prov. riding | Brome-Missisquoi |
| Area | |
| • Total | 116.10 km2 (44.83 sq mi) |
| • Land | 114.05 km2 (44.03 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 139 m (456 ft) |
| Population (2021)[5] | |
| • Total | 11,357 |
| • Density | 99.6/km2 (258/sq mi) |
| • Pop 2016-2021 | 25.6% |
| • Dwellings | 6,249 |
| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (EDT) |
| Postal code(s) | |
| Area code(s) | 450 and 579 |
| Highways A-10 | Route 139 Route 241 |
| Website | www |
In the southern portion of the city lies Lac Bromont, the largest lake within the city limits, and the smaller Lac Gale, near which is built BALNEA Spa, the largest bathhouse resort in Quebec.
Geography
Located between Montreal and Sherbrooke close to Granby, Bromont's landscape is characterized by a mountain with several summits, called Mont Brome (or Bromont), Mount Gale, and a smaller top, almost a hill, Mount Soleil (literally mount Sun). In contrast, the terrain around this mountainous mass is flat and has hills and vales sparsely distributed. This is crossed by the Yamaska river, flowing in from Fulford from its source Lake Brome, separated from Bromont by Iron Hill and Fulford (both parts of Lac-Brome), and running into Saint-Alphonse-de-Granby. Two lakes, Bromont and Gale, pool between the mountaintops of Mont Brome; Gale Lake, on Mount Gale, is fed by waters of the mountain. The surface of the territory is naturally covered by mixed forest and grasslands, sometimes exploited as grazing grounds or farmland.
Another portion has been developed. Much of Bromont's surface is crisscrossed by roads and trails, including a section of Quebec Autoroute 10 which connects Montreal and Sherbrooke, with access to Bromont at two exits (74 and 78). This network has many touristic crossroads, a historic village, many neighbourhoods with housing and shops, as well as a technology industrial park. Many spaces that are not covered by woodland are cultivated, others are home to large herbivorous domestic animals like cows, horses, and alpacas.
A natural domain established on Mount Gale includes a protected area, uniting privately owned lands for conservation and hiking. In spite of these conservation efforts, a large part of Mount Brome is intensively developed. Bromont, mountain of experiences is a mega-tourist complex, including alpine skiing facilities, a water park, holiday housing, and residences.
Demographics
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 3,408 | — |
| 1996 | 4,290 | +25.9% |
| 2001 | 4,808 | +12.1% |
| 2006 | 6,049 | +25.8% |
| 2011 | 7,649 | +26.5% |
| 2016 | 9,041 | +18.2% |
| 2021 | 11,357 | +25.6% |
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Bromont had a population of 11,357 living in 5,062 of its 6,249 total private dwellings, a change of 25.6% from its 2016 population of 9,041. With a land area of 114.05 km2 (44.03 sq mi), it had a population density of 99.6/km2 (257.9/sq mi) in 2021.[8]
| 2021 | 2016 | 2011 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,357 (+25.6% from 2016) | 9,041 (+18.2% from 2011) | 7,649 (+26.5% from 2006) |
| Land area | 114.05 km2 (44.03 sq mi) | 114.13 km2 (44.07 sq mi) | 114.42 km2 (44.18 sq mi) |
| Population density | 99.6/km2 (258/sq mi) | 79.2/km2 (205/sq mi) | 66.9/km2 (173/sq mi) |
| Median age | 47.6 (M: 47.2, F: 48) | 44.2 (M: 44.1, F: 44.3) | 41.4 (M: 41.3, F: 41.4) |
| Total private dwellings | 5,060 | 5,198 | 4,293 |
| Median household income | $100,000 | $77,040 | $68,993 |
| Canada Census Mother Tongue - Bromont, Quebec[7] | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Total | French | English | French & English | Other | |||||||||||||
| Year | Responses | Count | Trend | Pop % | Count | Trend | Pop % | Count | Trend | Pop % | Count | Trend | Pop % | |||||
2021 | 11,270 | 10,160 | 24.1% | 90.2% | 600 | 26.3% | 5.3% | 165 | 65.0% | 1.5% | 285 | 39.0% | 2.5% | |||||
2016 | 8,880 | 8,185 | 17.6% | 91.0% | 475 | 9.2% | 5.3% | 100 | 0.0% | 1.1% | 205 | 46.4% | 2.3% | |||||
2011 | 7,635 | 6,960 | 30.1% | 91.2% | 435 | 3.6% | 5.7% | 100 | 185.7% | 1.3% | 140 | 41.7% | 1.8% | |||||
2006 | 6,045 | 5,350 | 25.4% | 88.5% | 420 | 16.7% | 7.0% | 35 | 12.5% | 0.6% | 240 | 84.6% | 4.0% | |||||
2001 | 4,795 | 4,265 | 14.5% | 89.0% | 360 | 6.5% | 7.5% | 40 | 57.9% | 0.8% | 130 | 550.0% | 2.7% | |||||
1996 | 4,225 | 3,725 | n/a | 88.2% | 385 | n/a | 9.1% | 95 | n/a | 2.3% | 20 | n/a | 0.5% | |||||
Government
List of Mayors
| Name | From | To |
|---|---|---|
| Germain Désourdy | 1964 | 1977 |
| Robert Leboeu | 1977 | 1978 |
| Pierre Jacob | 1978 | 1982 |
| Pierre Bellefleur | 1982 | 1996 |
| Robert Désourdy | 1996 | 1998 |
| Pauline Quinlan | 1998 | 2017 |
| Louis Villeneuve[2] | 2017 |
History
Bromont was envisioned by Roland Désourdy (1917–2011). In 1963 he became the first French Canadian Master of the Montreal Hunt.
Bromont was developed in 1964, as a model resort community, based in Brome County.[14][15]
In 1966, Bromont annexed the town of West Shefford, Quebec, which had been founded in 1792 and was a stop on the stagecoach route between Montreal and Sherbrooke, Quebec.[16]
On June 9, 2014, the International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI) chose Bromont as the site of the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games.[17] The main venue for the games was supposed to be the Bromont Olympic Equestrian Park.[18][19] On July 22, 2016, Bromont was forced to withdraw from hosting the event because of financial problems.[20]
In 2001, the Bromont Velodrome opened - using a wooden track bought from Atlanta following the 1996 Summer Olympics. This wooden outdoor cycling track was used for 20 years before closing in 2020. It was replaced by the Vélodrome Sylvan Adams - a purpose built indoor sports centre built at a cost of $22m, which opened in September 2022.[21]
Hyundai plant
In 1989, Hyundai Auto Canada Inc. opened a stamping and assembly plant in Bromont, employing 800. The 150,000 m2 (1,600,000 sq ft) plant was situated on an 850,000 m2 (9,100,000 sq ft) site, with body, paint and trim shops, as well as a pumping station for the plant, a paint residue treatment plant, and administrative offices. The plant cost $387.7 million, with Quebec and Canadian federal government subsidies of $131 million.[22]
The plant was designed to manufacture approximately 2,000 Hyundai Sonatas per week.[22] Subsequently, Chrysler and Hyundai considered a joint venture that would have Chrysler rebranding the Sonata manufactured at Bromont, but later said the deal had failed.[23] The Bromont plant was operational for four years before it closed in 1994, with Hyundai's sales unable to support the plant.[24] Hyundai subsequently sold the plant to Olymbec Inc.[24] It subdivided the plant, leasing the former paint and assembly plant to Goodyear from February 2007. The former metal stamping portion of the plant was leased to AAER Inc., a manufacturer of wind turbines based in Quebec.
Biodiversity
The environment within Bromont's city limits has allowed special ecosystems to develop; indeed, mountainous terrain, the presence of water in the form of lakes, creeks, and the river, the blend of trees, and the expanse of prairie permit various flora and fauna to flourish there. On Mount Gale, it is possible to observe species of amphibians that only thrive at higher elevations; the lakes harbour many species of fish, amphibians, water birds, turtles, and aquatic mammals such as muskrat.
Humans in the area have kept many species of domestic animals that populate the fields and roam wild just the same; house cats, dogs, and horses are among the most common in the municipality. Fields and forests serve as breeding grounds for many species of birds, some of which remain all year, though a large portion migrates south during the colder months. These include Canada geese, European starling, American crows, and black-capped chickadees. Many animals coveted by hunters and trappers also inhabit the land, like red fox, white-tailed deer, and wild turkey; raccoon and deer are often victims of roadkill.
Covering most of the territory, vegetation of many kinds thrives. A majority of Bromont is covered by forests, though different kinds of vegetation can be found in grasslands and urban developments. Biodiversity is a matter of pride in the region and Bromont aims to respect it.[25]
See also
References
- ^ "Reference number 8605 in Banque de noms de lieux du Québec". toponymie.gouv.qc.ca (in French). Commission de toponymie du Québec.
- ^ a b Conseil municipal
- ^ a b "Geographic code 46078 in the official Répertoire des municipalités". www.mamh.gouv.qc.ca (in French). Ministère des Affaires municipales et de l'Habitation.
- ^ . Archived from the original on 2009-06-09. Retrieved 2009-04-20.
- ^ a b "Tableau des données, Profil du recensement, Recensement de la population de 2021". 9 February 2022.
- ^ Marotte, Bertrand (October 20, 2014). "IBM plant in Quebec not part of semiconductor divestiture". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2018-10-06.
- ^ a b Statistics Canada: 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016, 2021 census
- ^ "Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), Quebec". Statistics Canada. February 9, 2022. Retrieved August 29, 2022.
- ^ "2021 Community Profiles". 2021 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. February 4, 2022. Retrieved 2022-04-27.
- ^ "2016 Community Profiles". 2016 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. August 12, 2021. Retrieved 2022-04-28.
- ^ "2011 Community Profiles". 2011 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. March 21, 2019. Retrieved 2014-03-12.
- ^ "2006 Community Profiles". 2006 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. August 20, 2019.
- ^ "2001 Community Profiles". 2001 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. July 18, 2021.
- ^ The Yamaska, "New City Of Bromont Is Created", 27 May 1964 (accessed 27 March 2010)
- ^ Granby Leader-Mail, "Model-town, Bromont Seeks Funds For Reservoir", 16 September 1964 (accessed 27 March 2010)
- ^ The Gazette (Montreal), "Sleepy Bromont to be awakened by a giant", James Farrabee', 9 June 1970 (accessed 27 March 2010)
- ^ Canada to host 2018 World Equestrian Games 2014-07-05 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Bromont Olympic Equestrian Park Home Website
- ^ Bromont 2018 mark 1,000 days until World Equestrian Games
- ^ Bromont axed as 2018 World Equestrian Games host due to financial problems
- ^ Racine, Jean-François. "Bromont: une longue attente de 33 ans pour le seul vélodrome couvert au Québec". Le Journal de Québec (in French). Retrieved 2022-12-31.
- ^ a b "Hyundai to Add Quebec Plant". The New York Times, AP report, July 5, 1989. 5 July 1989. Retrieved 27 April 2010.
- ^ "Chrysler And Hyundai Venture Off". The New York Times, Doron P. Levin, July 24, 1990. 24 July 1990. Retrieved 27 April 2010.
- ^ a b . The Toronto Star, Tony Van Alphen, Sep 14 2009. 14 September 2009. Archived from the original on 2009-10-08. Retrieved 27 April 2010.
- ^ "Développement durable". www.bromont.net/. Bromont. Retrieved 2016-04-02.
External links
Media related to Bromont, Quebec at Wikimedia Commons