Valcourt, Québec - 1998-02-14
People in Valcourt are back in the history books today, as Bombardier Recreational Products opens its seventh annual Club Ski-Doo meeting here in its hometown in Québec's Eastern Townships. For the next week, the small town of 2,500 will nearly double its population with the arrival of some 2,000 Ski-Doo snowmobile distributors, dealers and other guests taking part in the annual international event.
"All over the world, people associate the town of Valcourt with Bombardier. This association is our pride and joy, so we're welcoming the Club Ski-Doo visitors with open arms," says Valcourt mayor Denis V. Allaire.
Valcourt residents certainly can claim a special relationship with Bombardier. Older folks in this little town halfway between Bromont and Sherbrooke, still remember the days when Joseph-Armand Bombardier was building snowmobiles in his garage. Many of the younger generation are part of the 3,000 employees at the Bombardier Recreational Products plant in Valcourt, one of the largest employers in the region.
The 1999 Ski-Doo Club has turned into something like a public holiday for Valcourt, complete with official prizes for outdoor decorations by local residents and businesses. "Holding the 1999 Club Ski-Doo here lends our town tremendous visibility," says Jacqueline Nadeau, president of the Valcourt Chamber of Commerce. "For us, it's a bit like Christmas in February. The town is lit up, and business is booming at stores, hotels and restaurants in our area."
This is the first time since the annual Club Ski-Doo meetings were established that the event is being held in Valcourt.
Bombardier Recreational Products designs, develops, builds, distributes and markets Ski-Doo® and Lynx® snowmobiles, Sea-Doo® personal watercraft and jet boats, NVTM neighbourhood vehicles and Bombardier all-terrain vehicle. Snowmobiles, marine products and ATV are powered by Rotax® motors that are designed and built by Bombardier-Rotax which also builds motors for motorcycles and scooters. Bombardier Recreational Products recorded revenues of $1.9 billion for the last financial year ended January 31, 1997.
Bombardier Inc. is a Canadian corporation engaged in design, development, manufacturing and marketing activities in the fields of transportation equipment, aerospace, and recreational products. It also provides financial services and services related to its products and core competencies. The Montréal-based Corporation operates plants in Canada, the United States, Mexico, Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany and the United Kingdom, employing 46,000 people. Bombardier's revenues for its last fiscal year ended January 31, 1997 totalled $8 billion Canadian dollars, and more than 85 percent of its revenues are generated in markets outside Canada.
® Trademarks of Bombardier Inc. and/or its subsidiaries.