Val-David

Val-David is a village of more than 5,200 inhabitants in the Laurentian Mountains about 80 kilometres (50 mi) north of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Attracting about 100,000 tourists a year, Val-David is predominantly francophone although it has a small anglophone minority.

Val-David
Village municipality
Motto(s): 
Un monde à part, et à partager (A world apart, and to be shared)
Location within Les Laurentides RCM
Val-David
Location in central Quebec
Coordinates: 46°02′N 74°13′W[1]
Country Canada
Province Quebec
RegionLaurentides
RCMLes Laurentides
ConstitutedMay 10, 1921
Government
[2]
 • MayorKathy Poulin
 • Federal ridingLaurentides—Labelle
 • Prov. ridingBertrand
Area
[2][3]
 • Total43.90 km2 (16.95 sq mi)
 • Land42.66 km2 (16.47 sq mi)
 • Water3 km2 (1 sq mi)
Elevation
[1]
322 m (1,056 ft)
Population
 (2021)[3]
 • Total5,558
 • Density130.3/km2 (337/sq mi)
 • Pop 2016-2021
 13%
 • Dwellings
3,227
Time zoneUTC−5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Postal code(s)
J0T 2N0
Area code(s)819
Highways
A-15 (TCH)
Route 117
Websitewww.valdavid.com

The village is famous for its delicious and diverse food scene as well for its artistic character. Many renowned and amateur artists, writers and dancers live and have lived in Val-David, notably Québécois poet Gaston Miron, jazz bassist Charlie Biddle, and singer-songwriter Alan Gerber.

Val-David is also a centre for much outdoor recreational activity as its 2,000-acre (8.1 km2) Parc Dufresne is the most popular rock-climbing destination in eastern Canada. Also, the Parc Linéaire Le P'tit Train du Nord, a 200 kilometres (120 mi) bike trail, and groomed cross-country ski and snowshoe trails in Winter, run throughout the town's splendid nature.

History
Val-David

The place was first known as Belisle's Mills, after the owner of one of the area's first sawmills. In 1873, its post office opened under the name of Mont-Morin, which was renamed Belisle's Mills in 1901. In 1917, the parish of Saint-Jean-Baptiste-de-Belisle or Bélisle was formed, detached from Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts. In 1921, the village municipality was officially established and named after the parish.[1]

In 1923, the post office was renamed Val-David, which also became the official designation of the municipality in 1944. It pays tribute to Louis Athanase David (1882-1953), member of parliament for Terrebonne from 1916 to 1919 and secretary of Quebec from 1919 to 1936, and his father Laurent-Olivier David (1840-1926), member of the House of Commons and author of several books.[1]

It now has its first local community monthly newspaper, ski-se-dit.

Demographics

Population trend:[4]

  • Population in 2021: 5558 (2016 to 2021 population change: 13%)
  • Population in 2016: 4917
  • Population in 2011: 4450
  • Population in 2006: 4216
  • Population in 2001: 3819
  • Population in 1996: 3473
  • Population in 1991: 2976

Private dwellings occupied by usual residents: 2668 (total dwellings: 3227)

Mother tongue:

  • English as first language: 4.3%
  • French as first language: 92.0%
  • English and French as first language: 1.0%
  • Other as first language: 2.4%

Education

Sainte Agathe Academy (of the Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board) in Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts serves English-speaking students in this community for both elementary and secondary levels.[5]

References
  1. Reference number 64775 of the Commission de toponymie du Québec (in French)
  2. Geographic code 78010 in the official Répertoire des municipalités (in French)
  3. "Data table, Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population - Val-David, Village (VL) [Census subdivision], Quebec". 9 February 2022.
  4. Statistics Canada: 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016, 2021 census
  5. "About Us." Saint Agathe Academy. Retrieved on September 4, 2017. See Elementary zone map and Secondary zone map - Note that all areas covered in the elementary map are also covered in the secondary one.
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