The work by artists Denis Marceau and Joanne Migneault brighten up the Rapibus viaduct over rue Main. The composition tells our story. In addition to embellishing this area, they enhance the sense of safety of pedestrians and cyclists.

De forêts en rivières. Un pont qui raconte

This piece is part of the permanent collection of Ville de Gatineau, and represents the collective work of this engaged community.

Photo credit: Le Droit

A major public artwork on the rue Main viaduct (Gatineau sector), which is considered to be the entrance to the commercial hub, a symbolic bridge between the residential and business sectors.

The piece consists of 2 facets and 4 segments: a concept that relates a part of the story of the community’s creation. It addresses the sector’s economic and social development, shaped by the arrival in the 1920s of the Canadian International Paper Co. (le Moulin). Blending the past and modern styles, one facet of the piece consists largely of parts and materials from the plant (metal, pieces of machinery) offered by Produits forestiers Résolu. The other facet comprises 6 panels paying tribute to the forest, forestry operations, the river, the log drive and the arrival of the logs at the mill for processing.

Created by local artists Denis Marceau and Joanne Migneault, the lighting arrangement enhances the four segments and lights up the underside of the viaduct. White and blue strips of light symbolize the river, which carried the logs in the early part of the century, and which still plays a preponderant role in the operations of the current mill. The piece seeks to highlight the popular street and lend a sense of belonging to this working-class and industrial sector through the blue effect.

South face

When entering the commercial zone from boulevard Maloney, the blue lighting under the viaduct represents the river:

  • To the left: as a depiction of the arrival of the water, the current, the river. 
  • To the right: as the paper mill, the machines and the making of paper. 

The project

The project is part of Gatineau’s intent to recognize public art as a lever of socio-cultural, economic and tourism development designed to improve the quality of life of residents and generate a sense of belonging and pride. Public art is a significant element, helping to requalify spaces and create visual and symbolic circuits throughout the territory.

It fits within the 2016-2026 integrated urban revitalization action plan for Vieux-Gatineau. Ville de Gatineau allocated the budget to AGAP VG du Vieux-Gatineau, the project manager for the circuits (RUI-Circuits).