The Old Post Park, by Mélanie Savard-Bernier

Originally from the Parc du Vieux poste, many stories merge from everywhere. But did you know that this place represents the beginnings of the Mingan sector of Baie-Comeau, formerly known as Hauterive? Originally, the Parc du Vieux poste, located at the intersection of the Amédée and Manicouagan rivers, was called the village of St-Eugène de Manicouagan. It was founded in 1898 by Mr. Henri Jalbert. At the time, the village had only one church, a school, a sawmill and about sixty families. In 1907 the sawmill declared bankruptcy, some families crossed the Manicouagan River to settle in the village of Pointe-Lebel while others settled in Hauterive which was developing. Some ruins of the village are still present, including a house, for those curious about history.  According to historical writings, everything leads us to believe that even the Vikings and Christopher Columbus would have moored their boats very close to this mythical place and not to mention the natives who hunted and fished there.

This morning when I arrived on the scene, my ears were lulled by the song of the birds and the sound of the falls sinking into the river. It bathes in a relaxing atmosphere that promotes harmonious contact with nature. I take the opportunity to discover beautiful people visiting the site. Each one hides a childhood memory to tell me or an enriching life path to exchange. A pioneer of Indigenous descent, a Toronto couple, Europeans, a homeless man, a fisherman, a group of colleagues, lovers, cyclists, a retired priest. They all have a common bond, they come to relive moments spent here and recharge their batteries.

In addition to relaxing in front of the majestic waterfalls located in two places in the park, this place allows you to fish on water or ice, picnic, bird watching, eat small fruits from the North Shore (cranberries, wild strawberries, blueberries), swim in the clay, hike or snowshoe on the spray trail,  Paddle, canoe or kayak on the water. A new boat ramp has been built, but don't forget to check the tides as you might end up with your butt in a sandbar!