Corrosion mapping in Sherbrooke

From the Magog River mills to today’s plants, Sherbrooke’s building stock

Sherbrooke industrialized along the Magog River, which runs through its downtown. The Répertoire du patrimoine culturel du Québec recalls that Andrew Paton opened a woollen mill there in 1866. The complex has five buildings of two to four storeys, erected between 1866 and 1938, in red brick on a stone foundation; the original mill followed the model of New England mills, with high ceilings and massive wooden beams. After the 1977 closure, some buildings were converted from 1983 onward into condominiums, low-rent housing, offices and restaurants. Nearby, the Frontenac power station, built in 1888, harnesses the river in its gorge.

The Musée d’histoire de Sherbrooke links the city’s architectural reputation to the houses of the Vieux-Nord, its institutional buildings and the commercial facades of Wellington Street. Between 2017 and 2020, the City assessed 7,000 buildings in its urban area, and nearly 200 were classified as having high heritage value.

Today’s industrial fabric is of a different kind. According to Sherbrooke Innovante, the city has 360 manufacturing companies employing more than 10,500 people, with key sectors in metal products, plastic and rubber products, equipment manufacturers, furniture and wood products, and transportation equipment. Training is provided by institutions including the Université de Sherbrooke, Bishop’s University and the Cégep de Sherbrooke.

Among its snow removal priorities, the City of Sherbrooke ranks bridges, overpasses and steep slopes first. On an access ramp or a parking area built on a slope, meltwater carrying de-icers runs downhill and collects at low points, drains and along curbs.

Before a mapping survey, indicate the direction of flow, the location of drains and the areas where the concrete is stained or spalled. The grid can then be tightened where water stands, and results compared between the top and the bottom of the slope.