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Dans les années 1970, avant l’officialisation de l’Association francophone de Saint-Jean, les franco-terre-neuviens de la région se réunissaient officieusement, pour créer un contact communautaire. Il est malaisé de savoir depuis quand cet organisme officieux existait, mais celui-ci témoigne de l’enracinement de la communauté à Saint-Jean.

Pour assurer la juste représentation de toute la communauté, les francophones voulurent officialiser le regroupement. Cependant, des professeurs du département de français de l’Université Memorial de Terre-Neuve décidèrent d’encourager l’utilisation de la langue française. Ces deux objectifs concordant menèrent à la collaboration entre universitaires francophiles et membres de la communauté francophones, puis à la naissance de l’Association francophone de Saint-Jean (AFSJ). Celle-ci prendra le nom d’Association communautaire francophone de Saint-Jean, à la suite du projet de construction du Centre communautaire et scolaire, qu’elle gère depuis.

Aujourd’hui, l’ACFSJ compte environ 200 membres actifs et désert la communauté francophones au moyen de nombreux services, dont un centre d’accès communautaire, une bibliothèque et des projections de pellicules de langue française.

November 14, 1973

Fondation de l’Association francophone de Saint-Jean

Comptant alors environ 35 membres actifs, la fondation se donna la mission d’encourager l’utilisation du français, de promouvoir le bilinguisme et de pouvoir un milieu de contact culturel pour les francophones de la ville de Saint-Jean et des alentours.

Aussitôt mise en place, l’École du samedi fut un succès immédiat. Quarante ans plus tard, aujourd’hui, le service existe encore sous le nom de Club du samedi et offre un espace d’apprentissage ludique pour les enfants dont le français n’est point la langue maternelle.

1975

The first premises

The AFSJ moved to 2 rue Henry. Their premises house a daycare center and the reception area for the United Nations office.

In October 1984, the birth of Gaboteur was celebrated in the same premises, which would later serve as its postal address to lend a helping hand to the young newspaper.

1977

Formation of the Frecker choir

The French-speaking Frecker choir, precursor of the Rose des vents, directed until 198 by Tom Fagan, established itself and quickly gained popularity.

Learn more: History of the Compass Rose.

1982

Incorporation

On September 20, the AFSJ was officially incorporated as a non-profit organization.

1982

First play

The Association created and presented its first play entitled Cinderella, Newfoundland style, written by Peter Ayres. It features a Newfoundland princess who goes by canoe to Red Island (the French name for Newfoundland), a prince who is trying to find out who owns the said princess's rubber boot, and all sorts of nods to French-Newfoundland culture.

Photography: performance of the play in 2009 for the traditional dinner show, by Sylvain Luneau for Le Gaboteur.

1988

Moving

The AFSJ buys a house at 96 LeMarchant Road and moves to larger premises.

Photography : House at 96 chemin LeMarchant.

1989

Community radio

A French-language community radio station operated on the 3rd floor of the building on LeMarchant Street.

1992

Cessation of activities of the Frecker choir

1994

47^e Congrès de l’Association canadienne d'éducation de langue française

Par l'Association, le 47^e congrès de l’Association canadienne d'éducation de langue française (ACELF ) « Une nouvelle génération d'apprenants, une nouvelle génération d'intervenants » fut accueilli à Saint-Jean.

Image : 47e congrès de l’ACELF, photographie de nos archives.

1995

The AFSJ involved in the community life of the city

The AFSJ began organizing guided tours of Saint-Jean and participating in official city events.

1996

Birth of the choir La Rose des vents

Having the same mission as the Frecker choir, dissolved four years earlier in 1992, the Rose des vents choir was formed by Jacques Chollet to take over from his predecessor, following the request of Andrée Thoms, the president of the Association at the time.

Even today, the choir is still active and bears the same name.

Learn more: History of the Wind Rose.

1997

Formation of a committee

A committee, made up of representatives from different French-speaking organizations in Saint-Jean, is working on the development of a French-speaking school and community center in Saint-Jean.

1999

First French festival

The AFSJ organized its first Franco-festival.

This festival, now known as the Festival du vent, brings together the Francophone community of the Saint John region to celebrate and promote Francophone culture on the Avalon Peninsula and increase the community's visibility. The Festival du vent provides the ideal opportunity to share and showcase the music, theatre, visual arts, and traditional gastronomy of the Francophonie, and to contribute to the cultural and tourism richness of our province. It features Francophone and Francophile artists from here and abroad.

Image : Le franco-festival de 2004 en plein air au Murray Premises, photographie de nos archives décolorée.

2001

Formation of the Saint-Jean School and Community Center Society

In February, the Saint-Jean School and Community Centre Society was formed to manage the Grands-Vents School and Community Centre.

November 4, 2003

Merger and name change

The ASFS merged with the Société du centre scolaire et communautaire de Saint-Jean, because of their similar mission and the need to share limited resources.

Following the merger, the ASFS took its present name: the Association communautaire francophone de St-Jean Inc. (ACFSJ).

2004

Moving to the Grands-Vents Center

The Association moved to the Centre des Grands-Vents, which would bring together all the French-speaking organizations in the province as well as the École des Grands-Vents.

May 30, 2005

Official opening of the Grands-Vents Community and School Center

To provide infrastructure to serve the community and a French-language school in Saint-Jean, the Grands-Vents School and Community Centre, commonly referred to as the "Centre" by locals, was founded. Since then, most activities and events have taken place there.

October 2005

First Wind Festival

With the founding of the Grands-Vents Community and School Center, a new festival was born: the Wind Festival. Although it is annual, the latter

was renamed, for consistency, “Wind Festival”, a name it still bears today.

Photography: Poster for the 2nd edition of the Wind Festival.

Resources

“ Happy Gaboteur Day! 25 years of French-speaking provincial history » in Le Gaboteur, vol. 26, no. 01, published on October 5, 2005.

History of the Compass Rose, website of La Rose des Vents Chorale.

“The community celebrates the arrival of Christmas in Saint-Jean: stunning dinner show!” in The Gaboteur, vol. 26, no. 05, published on December 14, 2009.

“Did you know that… The Franco-Festival” in The Gaboteur, vol. 29, no. 21, published September 23.