Beaconsfield, Quebec

History

In 1678, the Sulpician Order, who owned the Island of Montreal at the time, granted the first concession in this area to Jean Guenet, one of the main merchants of Ville-Marie and tax collector for the island's Seigneurs. Guenet named his concession, located at Pointe Beaurepaire or Thompson Point but now known as Pointe à Quenet, "Beau Repaire". Following the Great Peace of Montreal Treaty in 1701, permanent settlement began that led to farming communities along Lake Saint-Louis.

In 1713, the Parish of St-Joachim de la Pointe Claire was created, which included the present territory of the cities of Beaconsfield, Kirkland and Pointe-Claire.

In 1855, the Grand Trunk Railway was built through the area, and the Canadian Pacific Railway in the 1880s. These brought summer residents from Montreal and the pioneer farming settlement began to transform to a summer cottage resort.

The name Beaconsfield is first attributed to John Henry Menzies who in 1870 bought a country estate then known as "Le Bocage" (originally built by Paul Urgèle Gabriel Valois in 1810). He renamed it in 1877 after Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield, who was his friend. In time, this name was also used for its train station (which opened in 1879), golf club (opened in 1902), and the Post Office (opened in 1904).

The City (Ville) of Beaconsfield was formed on June 30, 1910, when it split off from the Parish of Saint-Joachim de la Pointe-Claire. In the census of 1911, it had 375 persons, 60 families living in 60 houses. It grew slowly to 990 inhabitants by 1951. During the 1950s and 1960s, Beaconsfield rapidly developed as a residential suburb. By 1966, the last original farm concession began to be developed for residences.

On March 19, 1966, Beaconsfield changed statutes from Ville to Cité ("city"), but on September 18, 1982, this was reverted.

As part of the 2002–2006 municipal reorganization of Montreal Beaconsfield and neighbouring Baie-D'Urfé became the borough of Beaconsfield–Baie-D'Urfé and were merged into the city of Montreal. After a change of government, and the 2004 referendum, both Baie-D'Urfé and Beaconsfield voted to de-merge from Montreal. On January 1, 2006, they were reconstituted as independent municipalities. They still remain part of the urban agglomeration of Montreal.

Demographics

|1966|15702 |1971|19389 |1976|20417 |1981|19613 |1986|19301 |1991|19616 |1996|19414 |2001|19310 |2006|19194 |2011|19505 |2016|19,324 |2021|19,277

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Beaconsfield had a population of living in of its total private dwellings, a change of −0.2% from its 2016 population of . With a land area of 11.03 km2, it had a population density of in 2021.

Economy

Local businesses:

• Centre commercial Beaconsfield
• Plaza Beaconsfield
• Beaurepaire Village
• Plaza Elm

Local government

Beaconsfield's local government consists of a mayor and six city councillors, each elected to represent one of the city's wards. The current mayor of Beaconsfield is Georges Bourelle, who has held the office since 2013. Following the city's 2021 Municipal Election, the council consists of Bourelle and the following six councillors:

• District 1 - Dominique Godin
• District 2 - Martin St-Jean
• District 3 - Robert Mercuri
• District 4 - David Newell
• District 5 - Roger Moss
• District 6 - Peggy Alexopoulos

List of former mayors

List of former mayors:

• Joseph Léonide Perron (1910–1916)
• George W. Crowdy (1916–1918)
• James S. Brierley (1918–1928)
• James William Shaw (1928–1936)
• Hugh Charles Hillrich (1936–1940)
• Stanislauz Z.-J. Paquin (1940–1942)
• Louis Émile Côté (1942–1948)
• John E. H. Stethem (1948–1950, 1952–1956)
• Llewelyn Paerry (1950–1952)
• R. S. Turnham (1956–1959)
• R. M. Gibb (1959–1960)
• Edwin M. Briggs (1960–1982)
• Patricia M. Rustad (1982–1990)
• Roy Kemp (1990–2003)
• Anne-Marie Parent (2003)
• Ann Myles (2003–2005)
• Bob Benedetti (2005–2009)
• David Pollock (2009–2013)
• Georges Bourelle (2013–2025)

Sports and recreation

Beaconsfield has a number of parks and athletic facilities

• The Recreation Centre, an indoor recreation complex, with a full-sized ice rink, semi-Olympic pool, gymnasium and youth centre. It is home to the Beaconsfield Bluefins, a competitive swim club that has trained athletes from beginner to national competition levels. It is also home to the Lakeshore Panthers, a Quebec minor hockey league, and the Beaconsfield Oldtimers Hockey Association.
• Two private yacht clubs on municipal land: Beaconsfield Yacht Club and Lord Reading Yacht Club.
• A number of neighbourhood parks, playgrounds, and playing fields, including numerous soccer fields, outdoor ice rinks, and baseball fields. Beaconsfield is part of the Lakeshore league, which has sports teams that include hockey, baseball, soccer, football, and tennis.
• The Beaconsfield Rugby Football Club which is a member of the Fédération de Rugby du Québec (FRQ).
• Four community pools that offer swim lessons and public swimming.
• West Island Heritage Bicycle Trail
• Elm Ave Bike Path
• Skate park located at the Beaconsfield Recreation Centre
• A lawn bowling green behind Herb Linder Annex.

Parks and open spaces

• Beaconsfield Dog Park, near Angell Woods.
• Angell Woods, a large old growth forest.

• Christmas Park: baseball, tennis, and basketball during the summer and a hockey rink in the winter.
• Windermere Park: Soccer, baseball, tennis, and basketball during the summer and a skating rink in the winter.
• Centennial Beach: dog friendly
• Centennial Park
• Mouse Park
• Saint James Park
• Drummond
• Beacon Hill Park: baseball, tennis, and swimming during the summer and a hockey rink and sledding hill in the winter.
• City Lane Park
• Heights Park

Local landmarks

• Village Beaurepaire, a commercial development in the heart of Beaconsfield which began in 1925 with the opening of a general store by Sidney Cunningham, the first president of the Beaconsfield Citizen's Association. Home to local bakeries, pubs, Marche Beaurepaire (a weekly farmers market), and shops.
• The historic cultural centre, Centennial Hall, where exhibitions and concerts take place.
• La Palette Art Gallery & Art School
• Beaconsfield United Church, the heart of Beaconsfield’s 2SLGBTQIA+ community.
• The Beaconsfield Library, with an extensive digital and print collection and excellent reference services. Established in 1951, the library was housed in a broom closet and bookmobile. Only in 1968 did it move to its present location thanks to the financial aid of City Council.
• Herb Linder Annex, a community centre and rental space attached to the library and City Hall.
• Heroes Park, honouring those who served.

Houses of Worship

• Faith Community Bible Church
• Briarwood Presbyterian Church, founded 1963
• Beaconsfield United Church
• St. Edmund of Canterbury Church, founded 1956
• Christ Church Beaurepaire
• Holy Trinity Ghanaian Methodist Church
• Iglesia Ni Christo

Transportation

Beaconsfield is served by the Réseau de transport métropolitain (RTM) train system, with two stations, Beaconsfield and Beaurepaire, on the Vaudreuil-Hudson line which ends in downtown Montreal. The city is also served by Société de transport de Montréal (STM) bus lines 200, 201, 211, 217, 221, 354, 361, 382, 401, 405, 411, and 425.

Beaconsfield is also served directly by one major highway, Highway 20 (Autoroute 20) with two exits in Beaconsfield, exit 45 at Avenue Woodland, and exit 48 at Boulevard St-Charles. Access to Beaconsfield is also possible from the Highway 40 (Autoroute 40), exit Boulevard St-Charles - south (Sud).

Education

Education in Beaconsfield, as common in the Montreal area, is operated by school boards divided linguistically. There is separate boards for instruction in English (Anglophone) and French (Francophone).

Francophone

The Centre de services scolaire Marguerite-Bourgeoys operates Francophone public schools, but were previously operated by the Commission scolaire Marguerite-Bourgeoys until June 15, 2020. The change was a result of a law passed by the Quebec government that changed the school board system from denominational to linguistic.

Francophone primary schools:

• École primaire Beaconsfield
• École primaire Saint-Rémi Francophone special purpose school:
• École primaire et secondaire John F. Kennedy

Anglophone

The Lester B. Pearson School Board (LBPSB) operates Anglophone public schools in Beaconsfield.

Anglophone vocational Education:

• Gordon Robertson Centre

Anglophone adult Education:

• Place Cartier Adult Centre

Anglophone secondary schools:

• Beaconsfield High School

Anglophone primary schools:

• Beacon Hill Elementary School
• Christmas Park Elementary School
• St. Edmund Elementary School
• Sherbrooke Academy Junior & Senior Schools
• Clearpoint Elementary School in Pointe-Claire serves some portions

Homicides

Spanning the decade between 1995 and 2006 multiple homicides and murder-suicides took place inside homes that were all within 0.5 km of each other.

• April 1995, Frank Toope, a retired Anglican minister, and his wife Jocelyn were bludgeoned to death during a botched robbery by three youths — aged 13, 14 and 15. All three youths have since reoffended as adults.
• May 2001, Margareth and Ed Fertuck were killed by their son, who died by suicide after the event.
• September 2001, John Bauer shot and killed his wife Helen, their three sons, Jonathan, Wesley and Justin, father-in-law Elmer Carroll and business partner Lucio Beccherini, over a three-day span before taking his own life after setting his house on fire. Their home was located on a street bordering Beaconsfield and Kirkland.
• October 2006, psychologist Dragolub Tzokovitch shot and killed his wife Mila Voynova, and two daughters, Iva and Alice, before taking his own life.

Notable residents

• Madeline-Ann Aksich, philanthropist and Order of Canada recipient
• Alex Killorn, NHL player for the Tampa Bay Lightning and 2020 and 2021 Stanley Cup Champion, born in Halifax, Nova Scotia but raised in Beaconsfield.
• Marc-Édouard Vlasic (born 1987), NHL Player for the San Jose Sharks. Born in Pointe-Claire. Raised in Beaconsfield.

Animal protection

Beaconsfield Animal Services is enforced by the city's Municipal Patrol. A temporary holding pen is located at 303 A Beaconsfield Boulevard, a storage building behind Herb Linder Annex. Stray dogs are temporary held at 303 A Beaconsfield Boulevard and, if their owner cannot be found, are then brought to SPCA West, a no kill shelter.

Beaconsfield was listed as a PETA Certified Compassionate City in 2016 for its animal protection bylaws, and is listed on The FurBearers website as one of the Canadian municipalities that has a trapping-related bylaw.

References and notes

References

1. "Répertoire des municipalités: Beaconsfield". Ministère des Affaires municipales et de l'Habitation.
2. [https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20121025055716/http://www.parl.gc.ca/About/Parliament/FederalRidingsHistory/hfer.asp?Include=Y&Language=E&rid=1022&Search=Det Parliament of Canada Federal Riding History: LAC-SAINT-LOUIS (Quebec)]
3. (9 February 2022). "Beaconsfield, Ville (V) Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population". Government of Canada - Statistics Canada.
4. Martin, Megan. (May 2015). "Beaconsfield: A prestigious community located in a country-like setting on Lac-St-Louis". The Montreal Gazette.
5. While the population is predominantly [[anglophone]], 77% of residents speak both [[Official bilingualism in Canada. (2016)
6. {{CRHP. 10227. Maison de Beaurepaire
7. "History of Beaconsfield". Société historique Beaurepaire-Beaconsfield-J3.
8. {{toponymie. 51743
9. "Portrait and History". City of Beacons?eld.
10. "Important Dates". Société historique Beaurepaire-Beaconsfield-J3.
11. "Le Directeur général des élections du Québec".
12. (15 June 2021). "Draft Bill 96 - Beaconsfield reaffirms its bilingual status".
13. (2022-12-19). "Organismes reconnus offrant des services dans une langue autre que le français".
14. (February 9, 2022). "Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), Quebec". [[Statistics Canada]].
15. "Home".
16. "Plaza Beaconsfield – First Capital".
17. "Village de Beaurepaire".
18. "Directions - Elm Plaza - Beaconsfield - Beaconsfield, QC - QC".
19. "City Council and Electoral Districts".
20. "Répertoire des entités géopolitiques: Beaconsfield (ville) 30.6.1910 - 1.1.2002 · 1.1.2006 - ...". Institut généalogique Drouin.
21. "Beaconsfield city - Information and advices".
22. Ethan. "Beaconsfield Yacht Club".
23. "Beaconsfield Bicycle Trail".
24. "Beaconsfield, Elm Ave. Bicycle Trail".
25. Corriveau, Jeanne. (2017). "Un propriétaire réclame 17,6 millions pour son terrain". Le Devoir.
26. Robert L. Baird, Gisèle Hall. (1998). "Beaconsfield and Beaurepaire, A chronicle of the development of the City of Beaconsfield and the district of Beaurepaire".
27. "Library".
28. "Heroes Park Beaconsfield".
29. "Contact". Faith Community Bible Church..
30. "Context and history {{!}} City of Beaconsfield".
31. "Beaconsfield United Church".
32. "St. Edmund of Canterbury Roman Catholic Church".
33. "Christ Church Beaurepaire".
34. "Home - Holy Trinity Methodist, Montreal". Methodist Church Ghana.
35. "[http://www.csmb.qc.ca/fr-CA/recherche-etablissement.aspx ÉCOLES ET CENTRES]." ''[[Commission Scolaire Marguerite-Bourgeoys]]''. Retrieved on December 7, 2014.
36. "LBPSB - Lester B. Pearson School Board".
37. "[http://www.lbpsb.qc.ca/content/CSLBP_Carte_2016_v06.pdf School Board Map] {{Webarchive. link. (2017-09-21 ." [[Lester B. Pearson School Board]]. Retrieved on September 28, 2017.)
38. (2009-04-07). "Three dead after Montreal domestic dispute". The Globe and Mail.
39. "Since 1994, at least 20 people have died in murder-suicides on the West Island".
40. "beaconsfield is jinxed".
41. (April 17, 1995). "Murder in a suburb: three teenagers are charged with the brutal killing of two seniors". Maclean's.
42. Cherry, Paul. "Youths convicted of Toope murders reoffended as adults". www.montrealgazette.com.
43. Montgomery, Sue. (May 24, 2001). "Son's schizophrenia fatal for family : Mourner at a funeral service in Beaconsfield pinpoints mental illness as the cause of a family tragedy that took three lives last week". Montreal Gazette.
44. (2009-03-21). "Man carefully planned slayings of 6, police say". The Globe and Mail.
45. Doyle Driedger, Sharon. (Apr 15, 2002). "Death of a family". Maclean's.
46. "Woman, 2 children dead after Montreal domestic dispute". CBC News.
47. "Therapist suspected of slaying family clings to life". CBC News.
48. "Order of Canada - Madeline-Ann Aksich, C.M., M.B.A". [[Governor General of Canada]] website.
49. (2016-03-23). "Beaconsfield Nets PETA Award for New Animal-Protection Laws".
50. "Trapping Bylaws".
51. {{toponymie. 388457