Do you remember reading that members of the Caya family kept their Vaillancourt windows when their family’s poultry facility was demolished? That article very naturally captured our attention, and Bernard Caya graciously accepted our invitation to be interviewed. Let’s look back at the story of the Caya family.
A family affair
The Caya family poultry house was built in 1960 by Bernard Caya, then 21 years old, and his father, Germain. The facility was designed to accommodate 24,000 poultry birds for consumption.
At the time, it was Germain who looked after purchasing the windows. He bought them in 1960 on Notre-Dame Street at the very first R. Vaillancourt location officially used for making doors and windows.
In those days, Raymond Vaillancourt worked at making his windows on evenings and weekends. During the week, he worked full-time in the maintenance department at Dominion Textile.
After deciding to go with windows from “R. Vaillancourt portes et châssis” because it was located nearby, Bernard offered a major contract to Raymond: his newly constructed four-storey poultry house required 48 windows. Vaillancourt products have gone on to figure prominently in the lives of three generations of the Caya family, as the windows in all of their homes have been manufactured by Vaillancourt.
Original Vaillancourt windows
The windows in the poultry facility were never replaced. What’s more, although no particular maintenance was performed, the original windows were still fully intact and functional when the building was demolished.
Most windows of that era were made from wood. Raymond had installed wooden bars called muntins (the early version of what we now call grilles) in the windows. Clearly, these windows represent a page from our own history as well.
Artworks with sentimental value
Demolition day for the building, which had been abandoned for some time and become a hazard, was an emotional one for the Caya family. As a result, they decided to remove some windows and incorporate them into family-themed artworks as mementos.
Bernard and his sister and brother each kept one window for this purpose. As the windows were of different sizes, each of them will use theirs to create a unique, nostalgic artwork to display with pride in their respective homes.
Through these windows, the entire family will be able to recall a lifetime of special memories, giving them great sentimental value.
And haven’t we always stated that our products are works of art?
Finding inspiration
After reading this story, you may be saying, “Wow, what a great idea! I want to do the same thing with my old windows.”
We’re here for you!
Check out these examples of art and decorations created using vintage windows. Read this article to find out how you can transform windows from your own family history into picture frames, a headboard or even a coffee table. Just like the Caya family, you can use windows as inspiration to create nostalgic pieces in honour of the good old days!
Repurposing your old windows is not only good for the environment, it’s also an excellent way to pay tribute to the past.
Visit our retailers or call one of our representatives to guide you through this process and recommend an installer to replace your windows and help you preserve the old ones. Not sure where to start? Simply request a quote, and we’ll be pleased to direct you to the right retailer.
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- Doors and windows: 5 reasons to choose Vaillancourt Doors and Windows
- Proud manufacturer of 100% Quebec-made products for 70 years
- Brand fidelity across generations!
- Vaillancourt Doors and Windows: Celebrating 70 years at your service
