About

It wasn't until the mid-1940s that an organization better suited to the social life of the time was founded, the Eastview Recreation Centre, which also took care of some social services.

It was Father Edmond Ducharme from Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes parish who called upon several distinguished citizens of Eastview to establish this project. Among those gathered at this meeting were Donat Grandmaître, William D’Aoust, Noé Desjardins, Raoul Landriault, Roméo Bégin, Joffre Bélanger, Henri Tousignan, Eugène Léveillé, and Alfred Mainville. This extraordinary meeting resulted in the creation of the Eastview Recreation Centre on March 22, 1945. A provincial charter was also obtained the following month. This charter states that the goals of the Eastview Recreation Centre are to promote, organize, lead, and manage a club dedicated to the intellectual, scientific, sporting, and social development of its members while encouraging their well-being and social and friendly relationships. It also aims to provide meeting rooms and other facilities for members and guests.

The board of directors of the new corporation, formed by the members of the extraordinary assembly, had everything they needed to begin construction of the Eastview Recreation Centre. The committee acquired a piece of land from the City of Eastview on March 18, 1946, for $200. Located on Marier Avenue near the corner of Montreal Road, the Recreation Centre successfully more than doubled its initial property size over the years through numerous purchases and donations of adjacent lots.

The construction of the centre was largely financed by the Société Saint-Jean-Baptiste, which organized multiple fundraising campaigns and activities. Construction was completed in 1948, and the blessing of the new building took place on April 19 of the same year. However, eager citizens had to wait an additional month for the official opening of the Eastview Recreation Centre.

The direction of the Eastview Recreation Centre was led by a committee of citizens known as the Board of Directors. Louis-Philippe Poirier was appointed as the first president of the organization. Father Ducharme entrusted the management of the centre to Joffre Bélanger, who was already employed by the Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes parish. Joffre Bélanger served as the manager of the Eastview Recreation Centre for about thirty years.

Soon after its establishment, the Eastview Recreation Centre became a bustling hub of activity. It housed the parish library and even featured a basement bowling alley with about ten lanes. This bowling activity generated revenue for the centre, contributing to its sustainability. Additionally, the centre hosted various parish organizations such as the Association catholique de la jeunesse canadienne (ACJC) and the Société Saint-Jean-Baptiste. In the 1960s, Mr. Bélanger generously offered the centre's premises to Club 60 for their meetings and bingo sessions. The centre also accommodated the Caisse populaire of Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes parish for several years.

On June 10, 1968, ownership of the Eastview Recreation Centre changed hands. The Montfort Fathers (who also managed Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes parish) transferred their property rights to the Société Saint-Jean-Baptiste Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes d’Eastview for the nominal sum of one dollar. The SSJB became a natural administrator for the Recreation Centre, organizing numerous fundraising activities that regularly filled the Centre's coffers over the years. Additionally, many administrators of the Eastview Recreation Centre also held positions on the executive board of the Société Saint-Jean-Baptiste Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes d’Eastview.

The Eastview Recreation Centre buzzed with a variety of activities. For instance, the 1969 annual report summarized events from the previous 19 months, including:

• Installation of 2 electric radiators in the Club 60 premises
• Installation of a new Electro-Vox amplifier system
• Participation in the 25th-anniversary celebrations of the Caisse populaire Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes
• Purchase of an IBM electric typewriter
• Assistance in relocating the Recreation Centre's library to new premises at City Hall, freeing up space allocated to Club 60.

The Eastview Recreation Centre eventually changed its name to the Vanier Recreation Centre in 1970, following the renaming of the town to Vanier in honour of Governor General Georges Vanier. Later, in 1976, it became known as the Vanier Cultural and Social Institute. Major renovations commenced in 1977, including a complete roof replacement and installation of a new gas furnace combined with an air conditioning system, totalling nearly $330,000 in renovations. Finally, in 1992, the institute changed its name to the Centre francophone de Vanier. During the Annual General Meeting on September 26, 2018, members voted for the dissolution of the Centre Francophone de Vanier. Consequently, the Centre ceased operations on June 30, 2019, with all its assets transferred to the Vanier Community Service Centre (CSCV).