The citizens of Québec City did not do a lot of winter sports or activities before the mid-19th century. In fact, winter was known as a quiet season, as activities mostly took place indoors and people spent their time getting ready for spring. Simply consider the fact that snowshoes and toboggans, while common in New France, were generally used for transport. These tools were well adapted for the region and useful for travelling over snow, so they were used to move and transport heavy objects.
The arrival of wealthier inhabitants and an increase in leisure time would eventually tip the balance. In the late 19th century, the hygiene movement proposed physical activity as a way of improving public health. It was in this context that winter sports started to develop.
Snowshoeing
Snowshoeing was one of the first organized winter sports to garner a following in Québec City. It was very popular from the 1840s to around 1950.
The first snowshoeing club in the city, the Quebec Snowshoe Club, was founded in 1845. In that era, its members organized outings and walks all around the city, but especially on the Plains of Abraham. Snowshoeing clubs cropped up throughout the 1870s and 1880s, numbering about a dozen in total. Each club had its own colours worn proudly by its members. During organized walks, they had lively conversations and played music—it was an opportunity to meet and socialize.
Today, you might see a guide proudly sporting the colours of one particular Québec club, the Club des amateurs de racquettes, founded by the Union commerciale de Québec in 1884.
Sledding
Although the Plains of Abraham does not have the steepest hills, it does have one huge advantage: In 1905, to curb the enthusiasm of the biggest sledders, the city of Québec decided to ban sledding on city streets with a penalty of a $5.00 fine or 15 days in jail! That left the Sugarloaf at Montmorency Falls and the Plains of Abraham as the favourite sledding spots, despite warnings from priests, who chastised young unmarried people hugging close together on narrow toboggans!
Skating and Ice Hockey
Nowadays, visitors can skate outdoors on the Plains of Abraham skating rink, but at the turn of the 20th century, people came to skate at the Quebec Skating Rink instead. This indoor skating rank was not the first in the city—that honour belongs to the skating rink at the Queens’ Wharf in the early 1850s. Built in 1892, the Quebec Skating Rink was destroyed by fire in 1918. This was the third skating rink to be built near the Parliament Building of Quebec, located where the Cross of Sacrifice stands today. At one time, skating nights and hockey matches shared ice time. In fact, the rink was famous for being the home arena for the Québec Hockey Club, known as the Bulldogs. It was here that Joe Malone, Joe Hall, and Paddy Moran played their local games during the two seasons in which the team won the Stanley Cup (1911-1912 and 1912-1913).
Skiing
Nowadays, cross-country skiing is definitely the sport that takes up the most space on the Plains. However, it was the last to be added to the roster. Since the winter of 1986-1987, the Plains have groomed wonderful trails for cross-country skiers. However, in the early 1900s, most skiers were more interested in downhill skiing and ski jumping. The Quebec Ski Club, founded in 1907, set up a ski jump near Martello Tower 1 and organized competitions in which the boldest skiers could make jumps of almost 10 metres! Beginner classes for downhill skiing were also held near Garneau Avenue. Skiers would not hesitate to throw themselves down Gilmour Hill in a time well before the city began plowing it for winter traffic.
Whether visitors are seeking a wonderful walk outdoors or intensive training, the Plains of Abraham are the perfect winter playground in the heart of Québec City. We can’t wait to see you on the hiking trails, ski trails, skating rink, and sledding hill!
