Heather Wright/The Independent

A new exhibit celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Francophone Flag will highlight the history of the French in Sarnia-Lambton.

The Centre communautaire francophone de Sarnia-Lambton was one of 17 groups to receive a grant to bring Ontario Francophone history to life in “Jasons Sarnia – Portraits of a Vibrant Francophonie.” Centre representative Lo-Anne Chan says they decided to tell the history of the community in Sarnia-Lambton – now 5,400 strong – with banners and a video.

“You’ll be able to see the timeline starting from 1942 all the way to today,” she says noting special events including the establishment of French organizations, will be highlighted. A QR code will link viewers to videos with interviews with some of the earliest French immigrants to Sarnia who lived in Blue Water.

Chan says many French-speaking immigrants came to the area as the Chemical Valley sprang to life.

“They were building their rubber plant, and it was through that there were people coming from parts of Europe. There were Italians and Greeks and the French, but also Montreal and other parts of Quebec, and that’s where people were coming from to
get to work with Polymer,” she says.

The workers were housed in bunks in the area around Vidal and Tashmoo Ave. That eventually became a French enclave in the community.

“Basically from 1942 to 1966 I think, are the years that’s where they were living, but somewhere in the 50s the City of Sarnia started talking about moving them,” she says.

The Blue Water community needed water and sewer systems, but the city refused to build them. Officials wanted them to move out.

The residents were resilient, Chan says, even forming their own fire department when the city refused to serve the area.

“They had to establish a whole bunch of things for themselves.”

During the project, Chan talked with some of the oldest French residents in the area who admitted “it was hard. We had to make choices of how do I keep my French heritage while also making sure my children succeed in an Anglophone community,” she
says.

Young Francophones, Chan adds, feel like they’ve grown up with the best of both worlds.

“That means the people who founded the community did such great work; they made the sacrifices…but it was so good that the younger generations didn’t have to feel what they felt.”

The project was unveiled at a community banquet Saturday. It will be on permanent display at the centre near St. Pat’s.