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Barkmere

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Barkmere
City
Coat of arms of Barkmere
Coat of arms
Location within Les Laurentides RCM
Location within Les Laurentides RCM
Barkmere is located in Central Quebec
Barkmere
Barkmere
Location in central Quebec
Coordinates: 46°00′N 74°35′W / 46.000°N 74.583°W / 46.000; -74.583[1]
Country Canada
Province Quebec
RegionLaurentides
RCMLes Laurentides
Settled1890s
ConstitutedMarch 24, 1926
Government
[2]
 • MayorLuc Trépanier
 • Fed. ridingLaurentides—Labelle
 • Prov. ridingArgenteuil
Area
[2][3]
 • Total
24.91 km2 (9.62 sq mi)
 • Land17.72 km2 (6.84 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)[3]
 • Total
81
 • Density4.6/km2 (12/sq mi)
 • Change 2016-21
Increase 39.7%
 • Dwellings
230
Time zoneUTC−5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Postal code(s)
J0T 1A0
Area code819
HighwaysNo major routes
Websitebarkmere.ca Edit this at Wikidata

Barkmere is a ville (city) in the Canadian province of Quebec, located in the Les Laurentides Regional County Municipality of the Laurentides administrative region. It surrounds and is named after Lac des Écorces, which was formerly known by its English equivalent Bark Lake.[1][4] The village of Barkmere lies at the western end of the lake, on Miller Bay, roughly 120 km (75 mi) northwest of Montreal and about 20 minutes' drive from Mont-Tremblant.[5][6]

With a population of just 81 in the 2021 Canadian census, Barkmere is one of the smallest incorporated municipalities in Quebec;[3] its mayor has described it as the smallest city in the province apart from L'Île-Dorval, which has no permanent residents.[7] The city is officially bilingual,[6] and most of its residents are seasonal cottagers; although 230 private dwellings were counted in 2021, only 50 were occupied by usual residents.[3]

History

[edit]

At the end of the 19th century, families from Montreal began spending their summers at Bark Lake, building cottages around its shores.[1] The journey from Montreal was something of an expedition: travellers came by train, wagon, or on foot, and the Miller family sent a wagon to Arundel to collect visitors, who had often spent the night at the village's only hotel, before driving them to the lake, where they paddled to their cottages. Once a week, local farmers offered fresh produce at the landing. There were no roads around the lake, and most summer residents still reach their cottages by boat.[6][8]

In 1896, a small earth-fill dam was built on the lake's outlet, Ruisseau Long, to retain the water of Lac des Écorces.[9] In 1911, a summer post office bearing the name Barkmere opened at the lake.[1]

In 1926, at the request of a number of cottagers, the place — which had previously been under the municipalities of Arundel and Weir and the townships of Montcalm and Arundel — was erected as a city in order to facilitate its administration.[1] The Ville de Barkmere was constituted on March 24, 1926, under the Cities and Towns Act (Loi des cités et villes).[2][10] The principal objective of its "founding fathers" was to protect Lac des Écorces and its environment from the threats of deforestation, harmful agricultural runoff, and overfishing. Over the years, the council adopted numerous regulations to protect the shorelines, to require the maintenance of septic systems, and to control residential development — an approach, unusual among Quebec municipalities, in which preservation has taken precedence over development.[10][8]

Environmental protection remains the city's central priority.[11] A lake-protection association monitors the water quality of Lac des Écorces,[7] and in 2024 the city concluded a $120,340 financial agreement with SNAP Québec (the Société pour la nature et les parcs) and the group Éco-corridors laurentiens, under Quebec's "Plein aire – Présent pour les municipalités" initiative, to develop a proposal for a protected area covering just over 23 km2 (8.9 sq mi) of public lands northeast of the municipal territory, in order to preserve part of the lake's watershed. The proposed zone is adjacent to the Jack Rabbit Ecological Reserve and the Baie Silver old-growth forest, and the neighbouring municipality of Montcalm, in which more than half of the study zone lies, has given the project its formal support.[11]

A new town hall and community centre was built in 2016.[12]

Toponymy

[edit]

The name Barkmere derives from the English variant Bark Lake, formerly applied to the lake on whose shore the municipality lies and which now officially bears the name Lac des Écorces. In English, bark means "écorce" (tree bark), while mere is a poetic word for "lake". The name was first used in 1911 for the summer post office, and it was retained when the city was incorporated in 1926. The residents of Barkmere are known, in English, as "Bark Lakers".[1]

Geography

[edit]

Barkmere is bounded by the municipality of Arundel to the west and south and by Montcalm to the north and east.[1] Its territory, roughly 5 km (3.1 mi) north–south by 7.1 km (4.4 mi) east–west, is irregular in shape, with the territories of the neighbouring municipalities interlocking with its own. The area is mountainous and almost entirely forested.[5] Mount Bald (268 m [879 ft]), in the western part of the territory, overlooks Miller Bay (altitude 229 m [751 ft]), its marina, and the village of Barkmere.[5]

Lac des Écorces occupies nearly a quarter of the city's total area and is one of the most significant lakes in the Laurentians.[11] At its full supply level, the impounded lake covers 648.6 ha (2.504 sq mi).[9] Its principal bays are Miller and Elliot (to the west), Northwall (to the north), and Green, Wentworth, Cope, and Argentée (to the northeast). The lake contains several islands, including Île des Jésuites and Goulden Island, and more than 130 cottages line its shores, most of them accessible only by boat.[5] The lake's outlet, Ruisseau Long, lies within the watershed of the Rivière Rouge, a tributary of the Ottawa River. A dam on the outlet, first built in 1896 and owned by the city, holds back the lake and is used for recreational and cottage purposes.[9]

There are no numbered highways within the municipality. The village is reached by Chemin de Barkmere, which meets Quebec Route 327 near Arundel; Montreal is about 123 km (76 mi) away, roughly 1½ hours by car via Autoroute 15, Route 364, and Route 327.[5] Within the municipality there are very few roads — most of the shoreline is accessible only by boat, and much of the territory is without electricity — giving the lake its secluded, unspoiled character.[10]

Demographics

[edit]

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Barkmere had a population of 81 living in 50 of its 230 total private dwellings, a change of 39.7% from its 2016 population of 58. With a land area of 17.72 km2 (6.84 sq mi), it had a population density of 4.6/km2 (11.8/sq mi) in 2021.[3]

The 2021 count was the highest since 2006, when 87 residents were enumerated; the population was 58 in both 2011 and 2016.[3][13] Most of the town's dwellings are seasonal: only 50 of the 230 private dwellings counted in 2021 were occupied by usual residents, reflecting Barkmere's character as a summer cottage community.[3] In 2010, a newspaper profile put the town's resident count at 88.[7]

The median age in 2021 was 60.8 years, well above the national median of 41.6 years.[3][14] Although the city is officially bilingual, a notable German community also lives in the area.[6]

Canada census – Barkmere community profile
202120162011
Population81 (+39.7% from 2016)58 (0.0% from 2011)58 (-33.3% from 2006)
Land area17.72 km2 (6.84 sq mi)17.99 km2 (6.95 sq mi)18.93 km2 (7.31 sq mi)
Population density4.6/km2 (12/sq mi)3.2/km2 (8.3/sq mi)3.1/km2 (8.0/sq mi)
Median age60.8 (M: 60.8, F: 58.8)59.5 (M: 57.5, F: 63.1)60.0 (M: 55.8, F: 62.8)
Private dwellings230 (total)  50 (occupied)367 (total)  217 (total) 
Median household income$ n/a$52,608$.N/A
Notes: Income data for this area has been suppressed for data quality or confidentiality reasons.
References: 2021[15] 2016[16] 2011[17]

Mother tongue (2021):[3]

  • English as first language: 25.0%
  • French as first language: 68.8%
  • English and French as first languages: 6.3%
  • Other as first language: 0%

Government

[edit]

Barkmere is a city governed under Quebec's Cities and Towns Act.[10] Its town hall is located at 199 Chemin de Barkmere. The mayor is Luc Trépanier, and the director general is Martin-Paul Gélinas.[10] Federally, the city is in the riding of Laurentides—Labelle; provincially, it is in the riding of Argenteuil.[2] Since its incorporation in 1926, the protection of the city's natural environment has been the municipal council's foremost priority.[11][10]

Recreation and tourism

[edit]

The Marina de Barkmere, in Miller Bay at the foot of Mount Bald, serves boaters on the lake.[5] Swimming, boating, canoeing, and fishing are popular summer activities, and the lake is known for the clarity of its water.[10][6] The Bark Lake Protective Association (Association pour la protection du lac des Écorces) works to maintain the natural beauty of the lake and organizes community events, including an annual regatta, a sailing regatta, a corn roast, and outdoor movie nights.[18] In autumn, the surrounding hardwood forests draw visitors during the fall-colour season, and the lake is a stopover for migratory birds in spring and fall.[5]

The Camp des Débrouillards, a science-themed summer camp affiliated with the magazines Les Débrouillards and Les Explorateurs, operates at 76 Chemin de Barkmere in the village, offering stays for children aged 5 to 17.[19][5]

The chapel of the summer residence built by the Jesuits in Barkmere dates from 1928; the neoclassical building, which overlooks Lac des Écorces, is inventoried in the Répertoire du patrimoine culturel du Québec.[20]

For cyclists and hikers, the Corridor aérobique, a 58 km (36 mi) multi-purpose trail linking Morin-Heights to Amherst, passes through the surrounding municipalities; it follows the right-of-way of a Canadian National Railway line abandoned in 1962.[6] The resort town of Mont-Tremblant lies about 20 minutes away by car, and canoes can be rented for trips on the Rivière Rouge.[6]

[edit]

Education

[edit]

There are no schools within the municipality itself; students are bused to schools in neighbouring communities. The Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board operates English-language schools:

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Reference number 3517". Banque de noms de lieux du Québec [Bank of place names of Quebec] (in French). Commission de toponymie du Québec.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Répertoire des municipalités: Geographic code 78050". www.quebec.ca (in French). Gouvernement du Québec.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Data table, Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population - Barkmere, Ville (V) [Census subdivision], Quebec". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Government of Canada - Statistics Canada. February 9, 2022.
  4. ↑ "Lac Bark". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada. Retrieved May 4, 2026.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Barkmere". Wikivoyage (in French). Retrieved August 2, 2026.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "The Town". Ville de Barkmere. Retrieved August 2, 2026.
  7. 1 2 3 Lemay, Éric Yvan (August 2, 2010). "Un secret très bien gardé". Le Journal de Montréal. Retrieved August 2, 2026.
  8. 1 2 "Barkmere". Voyage à travers le Québec. Retrieved August 2, 2026.
  9. 1 2 3 "Répertoire des barrages – Fiche technique no X0005265". Ministère de l'Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs. Retrieved August 2, 2026.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Barkmere". MRC des Laurentides. Retrieved August 2, 2026.
  11. 1 2 3 4 "Protéger un des plus grands lacs des Laurentides" (Press release). SNAP Québec. April 17, 2024. Retrieved August 2, 2026.
  12. 1 2 "1971 Census of Canada - Population Census Subdivisions (Historical)". Catalogue 92-702 Vol I, part 1 (Bulletin 1.1-2). Statistics Canada. July 1973.
  13. ↑ "The Daily — In the midst of high job vacancies and historically low unemployment, Canada faces record retirements from an aging labour force". Statistics Canada. April 27, 2022. Retrieved August 2, 2026.
  14. ↑ "2021 Community Profiles". 2021 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. February 4, 2022. Retrieved October 19, 2023.
  15. ↑ "2016 Community Profiles". 2016 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. August 12, 2021. Retrieved August 25, 2022.
  16. ↑ "2011 Community Profiles". 2011 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. March 21, 2019. Retrieved August 25, 2022.
  17. ↑ "Bark Lake Protective Association". Association pour la Protection du Lac des Écorces. Retrieved August 2, 2026.
  18. ↑ "Camp des Débrouillards". Camps Québec. Retrieved August 2, 2026.
  19. ↑ "Chapelle de la maison de vacances des Jésuites". Répertoire du patrimoine culturel du Québec. Ministère de la Culture et des Communications. Retrieved August 2, 2026.
  20. ↑ "Arundel Elementary Zone Archived September 16, 2017, at the Wayback Machine." Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board. Retrieved September 16, 2017.
  21. ↑ "SAINTE AGATHE HIGH SCOOL ZONE Archived September 4, 2017, at the Wayback Machine" [sic]. Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board. Retrieved September 17, 2017 - See text description of boundaries in: About Us" as well as the Elementary zone map Archived September 4, 2017, at the Wayback Machine - Note that all areas covered in the elementary map are also covered in the secondary one.
[edit]
  • Wikimedia Commons logo Media related to Barkmere at Wikimedia Commons
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