Rebecca Taylor

Courtesy

By Rebecca Taylor

Local Journalism Initiative

Guy Marchand took time out of a very busy schedule to talk about this year’s Mousquiri Tournament that will be taking place at the Paul-Émile Lefebvre Arena in Richmond (800 Rue Gouin) from Feb. 3 to 16.  Marchand, who is also this year’s honorary president, has been a dedicated tournament volunteer for over 50 years, serving as one of the directors of the Mousquiri for 40 of them. He was also, notably, a player in the 5^th Mousquiri tournament, held in 1968.

This year the tournament celebrates its 60^th anniversary, an achievement that would have been impossible were it not for the dedicated volunteers who put their skills to use each year. The tournament counts approximately 140 volunteers. Back when the tournament started – before there was a Zamboni at the arena- many volunteers were required to scrape the ice. This was where Guy Marchand started his decades long stint as a volunteer for the tournament.

When the Mousquiri started, it was one of the only hockey tournaments in the Eastern Townships. Until some 15 years ago, many residents of the region would take in players from the hockey teams and be their host families. Some of the friendships developed from this still exist today and with social media, it is much easier to keep people connected than when the tournament first started.

This year the tournament has teams coming from Drummondville, Sherbrooke, Longueil, Deux-Montagnes, Montreal, Le Gardeur, Beauce-Appalaches and Vermont. One year there the tournament welcomed  a team from San Diego, California because one of the fathers of a player was from this region, and they had played in the tournament and wanted their son’s team to be able to participate in it. They raised funds to make the trip.

Each year since 1995, the organizers for the Mousquiri tournament have been giving out the “Prix D’Excellence Réné Thibault” to highlight the achievements and contributions of a person in our region that stand out. This year the recipient is Clifford Lancaster, who will receive the award on Feb, 7 at 5:30 p.m. during the tournament’s opening ceremonies. Clifford Lancaster is a dedicated member of the community and currently a councillor for the Town of Richmond. Other organizations that he has been involved with include Richmond Fair, Celtics of Richmond Soccer Club and the 50-Plus Club.

While many things have changed over the years for the tournament, the dedication of the volunteers has always been there. The Mousquiri tournament brings together the community, both anglophones and francophones to celebrate the youth who play hockey. Should anyone want to learn more about the tournament, they can visit the Facebook page (Tournoi National atome – Mousquiri ) or website (www.mousquiri.com ). Volunteers are always welcome, and they are encouraged to reach out via the website or to call a director.

Admission is free for all spectators. So, if you get the opportunity to watch a game or two, be sure to stop by and cheer on the youth. Maybe one day you’ll have the opportunity to watch some of them play professionally. Several professional hockey players got their start playing in the Mousquiri tournament. A complete list can be found on the website and Facebook page but includes Sean McKenna, Sylvain Lefebvre, Martin St-Amour, Eric Dandonneault, Sylvain Daigle, Sébastien Charpentier, Patrice Brisebois, Patrick Roy, Marc-André Fleury, Alan Haworth, Vincent Damphousse, Luc Robitaille, and Martin Brodeur.

Courtesy
Jeannette Comeau

By Rebecca Taylor

Local Journalism Initiative

If you drive or walk down Rue Principale in Richmond, you’ve likely seen Magasin Comeau, (396 Rue Principale Nord), but you may not know the store’s amazing history in this town. This year will mark the store’s 55^th anniversary in operation, making it one of the older businesses still in existence in the region. Magasin Comeau is a fabric store that is held in high regard for its selection of material for clothing, décor, and upholstering.

“My knowledge of sewing and fabrics comes from my grandmother, Rosa Pellerin, who taught it to my mother, Liliane Comeau, who in turn passed it on to me. Today, I share this knowledge with my daughters, my employees and all my customers,” said Jeannette Comeau, owner of the store.

In 1970, when Liliane Comeau and her daughter Jeannette opened Magasin Comeau, there was a fabric store in every city. Over the years, many of them have closed, but Magasin Comeau has grown, expanding the products and services that it offers. Today, the store’s services include clothing repair, custom curtain making and cushion coverings for both interior and exterior fittings. They have also manufactured a good number of custom protective covers and other diverse projects for both residential and commercial needs.

Today, this business isn’t just essential for the people of Richmond. It has become known by clients from across the province with some coming from as far as the Gaspé.

The store is known for its personalized customer service. Jeanette Comeau said, “We take the time to understand our customers’ needs in order to advise them well, they sometimes even leave with a detailed plan and the steps to follow to create their projects. We got the nickname ‘The Miracle Department’ because we find solutions to all kinds of problems, and ‘Alibaba’s Cave’ because we really have everything, and many customers who come for the first time say that they feel like they are in a candy store.”

Throughout the shop’s fifty-five year history, it has seen a lot of evolution and expansion. It began as a very small space with a few boxes of patterns at the beginning when sewing was a way to save money, but the business quickly expanded its range of offerings. In the 1980s when mass production gradually replaced homemade products, more changes were required. The store started selling curtain fabrics, and increased its surface area, as well as adding upholstery fabrics, leatherettes, and foam. For several years now, it has also been offering custom-made tailoring services, thus meeting a wider range of needs for its clients.

“Today, fewer people are sewing out of necessity, but DIY and especially quilting are booming. Gone are the days when women made blankets from old clothes; quilts are now made from high-quality 100% cotton fabrics. Nowadays, people work with this noble material mainly for pleasure. Driven by passion, they make pieces, some of which rise to the rank of works of art. Magasin Comeau has recently adapted to new purchasing methods and has developed a transactional website that offers a wide range of products and reaches a clientele from all over the province, extending to remote regions,” stated Jeannette Comeau.

Although she plans to run her business for several more years, Jeannette Comeau knows that the time is approaching when she will have to pass the torch. “I would like to find someone who shares the same passion for fabric and to whom I could share my knowledge passed down for three generations and my values ​​in terms of customer service.

Magasin Comeau is a regional gem in a unique market that serves a clientele as vast as it is varied, ready for a dynamic succession that is committed to continuing to offer these services that are essential to the development of our community. Who will be the next owner? Maybe you?” said Jeannette Comeau with pride.

Courtesy

By Rebecca Taylor

Local Journalism Initiative

Meet Jade, Mathilde and Martin, the team at Carrefour Jeunesse-Emploi located at 139 Principale Nord in Richmond, that can be a game-changer for many youth.

The Carrefour Jeunesse-Emploi de Richmond was created in 1997 with the purpose of assisting 16-35 year olds. All services offered are provided at no charge. However, lately the Carrefour Jeunesse-Emploi has been considering a change to its name because it can help people of any age with their job searches, CVs, presentation letters, simulate job interviews and accompaniment in the job market. Many of the activities which take place at the Carrefour Jeunesse-Emploi are designed to help participants learn and enhance their skills, gain additional knowledge and to help them overcome obstacles.

One of Martin’s functions as part of the Carrefour Jeunesse-Emploi’s team is to host the woodworking classes. It is a weekly training session that lasts for four months. Of the numerous benefits to this program, participants get into a routine of having to attend the program on a certain schedule.

Projet Passerelle Découverte is a literacy workshop offered by the Carrefour Jeunesse-Emploi from October to June each year. This is a fun and interactive way for participants to practice their reading and mathematical skills as well as  break isolation by being in a group and to do creative activities such as cooking together.  It was initially started for mothers, but its mandate has expanded over the years and is now open to anyone wanting to improve their literacy. This program is led by Mathilde.

The CarrefourJeunesse-Emploi is committed to providing inclusive free services in a confidential manner. It is an important resource for the community and boasts a solid bank of contacts with local businesses and resources. In addition to helping individuals at the Carrefour Jeunesse-Emploi, they can also refer people to the necessary organizations so that they can get the type of assistance they need. There is no shame in needing to ask for help of any kind and the Carrefour Jeunesse-Emploi is a welcoming and listening ear. Their services are provided in English and French, and they can also use translation apps to give services to newcomers to the area who might not yet be comfortable in either of these languages. There is also a guidance counselor, Laurence, who can help people heading to the job market for the first time or looking for a career change more suited to their needs and interests. Another benefit to their services is the flexible hours and that you always reach a person, not an answering machine when you call.

Each year the Carrefour Jeunesse-Emploi is involved with the Knight of the Arts at Richmond Regional High School. This is a project that helps promote volunteering as well as allow students to work towards raising money for a local organization or project.

They are also part of  Trio Desjardins Etudiants program for students ages 13-14 to have a first experience in the job market working with non-profit organizations in the region.

The team stated that it is a privilege to be able to give people the tools to get a new start and to achieve their goals and dreams.

To learn more stop by and see them, call 819-826-1999 or visit the Facebook page or website at cjerichmond.qc.ca. 

Courtesy Laurent Frey

By Rebecca Taylor

Local Journalism Initiative

In a recent interview Richmond Mayor Bertrand Ménard outlined some of the priorities and challenges the council  will be dealing with in 2025

The 2025 budget has now been approved and can be found on the town of Richmond’s bilingual website at https://www.ville.richmond.qc.ca/ When citizens receive their tax account, it is important that they look at the description as there is one section for service costs, and another for the tax portion. Should anyone have questions, they can address them to the municipality.

An additional 200 lodgings are expected to be added to the town in the coming months and in order for this project to be a success, one of the town’s priorities will be to invest in the necessary infrastructure so that resources like water can reach the new developments. One planned project which the town was approached about is at the site of the old St. Famille Church (Rue Coiteux), where 48 residences for people aged 55 and older would be added. This plan includes the addition of an elevator and is central to numerous services in the area, even without a car.

Another major project that will be worked on over the next several years is in response to Quebec’s Climate Plan. Richmond’s plan will focus on the downtown and Rue Principale areas to create more green spaces in order to reduce the temperature during the summer and make walks on hot summer days more pleasant. Some areas will see trees and grass  planted instead of having asphalt. To consult the complete plan, visit the town’s website.

One of the major challenges for municipalities is working with the regulations passed down from the federal and provincial governments and finding ways to implement and finance them. There are sometimes subsidies towns can apply for, but that isn’t always the case. Another challenge is meeting requests for funds from the region’s many organizations. Grants aren’t always available for their projects the mayor explained, and the groups in turn request financial assistance from the municipality. It is a balancing act for the town to try and assist them when possible, and to be fair to everyone at the same time.

There will be some changes around the council table later this year as Mayor Ménard will retiring after serving eight years as mayor, and 10 years prior to that as a councillor for the Municipality of Cleveland. The mayor said he is looking forward to having more time to spend with his family, and to go fishing and golfing once he officially retiremes from public life. It remains to be seen which councilors will reoffer as several are currently in a period of reflection.