Welcome Center
From river to framework: a tribute to Quebec's craftsmanship
From the Very First Steps...A remarkable building welcomes you. Built from old wooden log booms once used to float timber down the Petite-Décharge River, it embodies the ingenuity and memory of a bygone era. These massive Douglas fir beams, brought in by train in the 1920s, spent decades drifting in water before being transformed here by Brian Scullion’s hands. The structure, staircase, furniture—every detail has been carefully crafted using reclaimed wood and local tree species. A welcoming space, yes, but above all, a living tribute to Québec’s forest heritage.
A building like no other
Majestic and warm, this building is much more than just the entrance to Jardin Scullion—it reflects the very soul of the site, telling a story deeply rooted in Québec’s history.
Its unique structure is built from towering wooden booms once used to hold back logs floating on the Petite-Décharge River in Alma. These impressive constructions date back to the heyday of Québec’s pulp and paper industry. Owned by the Price Brothers Co., the booms were part of the massive infrastructure used to transport timber via the region’s waterways.
The monumental beams are made of Douglas fir (also known as BC Fir), a towering tree native to British Columbia that can grow up to 115 metres tall and live nearly 800 years. Transported by train between 1925 and 1939, the wood then spent over 60 years floating in the water before being recovered and transformed at the garden by Brian Scullion.
A visionary and hands-on creator, Brian designed the building’s plans himself, working alongside an architect and an engineer. He personally milled each piece of wood to meet the standards of the National Building Code of Canada, earning a builder’s license from the Régie du bâtiment du Québec. Once the frame was assembled, every beam was sandblasted to reveal the richness and character of the aged wood.
Inside, you’ll discover how this reclaimed wood has been brought back to life: the staircase, reception desk, furniture, even handmade dreamcatchers—all crafted with meticulous care. The floors and furnishings were built using local species from the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean region: larch, pine, and spruce. The exterior cladding is made of trembling aspen, a tree emblematic of Québec’s landscape.
Far more than a simple welcome centre, this building is a living homage to the creativity, craftsmanship, and forestry heritage of Québec. It embodies the garden’s core values: respect for nature, transmission of knowledge, and artistic vision.
