submitted by Jill Sturdy, Municipality of NG
This year marks the 25th anniversary of North Grenville as an amalgamated Municipality.
In 1998, the historic Oxford-on-Rideau Township, Town of Kemptville and Township of South Gower merged to create the Municipality of North Grenville.
“We like to boast that North Grenville is a brilliant blend of urban and rural charm,” emphasized Mayor Nancy Peckford. “Our unique hamlets as well as the town of Kemptville have a storied history, and we are so excited to highlight what we have to offer and celebrate with the community over the coming months.”
Celebrating North Grenville’s 25th Anniversary
To celebrate the quarter-century milestone, Council will be holding its monthly Council meetings in the historic hamlets:
- Tuesday, June 20, 2023, 7:00 pm – Maplewood Hall, 92 Maplewood Ave, Oxford Mills
- Tuesday, July 4, 2023, 7:00 pm – Bishop’s Mills Community Hall, 38 Main St., Bishops Mills
- Tuesday, July 25, 2023, 7:00 pm – Burritts Rapids Community Hall, 23 Grenville St., Burritt’s Rapids
- Tuesday, September 5, 2023, 7:00 pm – South Gower Pavilion (South Gower Park), 669 South Gower Drive, Kemptville
Local community associations will host an informal reception at 6:30 pm prior to each Council meeting.
In addition, a culminating event will be held in Kemptville on Tuesday, September 26, 2023, 7:00 pm at the North Grenville Municipal Centre.
The event will include a presentation of a new Mayoral Chain of Office to past and present Mayors of North Grenville. The Chain of Office will belong to the Municipality in perpetuity and be updated as new mayors are elected and serve.
Citizen advisors were invited to informally participate in the design of the Mayoral Chain of Office, including:
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- Cahl Pominville (former Councillor/Municipal Clerk)
- Roy Brown (former Executive Officer Royal Canadian Legion Branch 212)
- Heather Render (former Deputy Clerk)
- – David Delaney (former Councillor)
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“We look forward to celebrating our unique history and the shared stories that unite us as a community,” added Deputy Mayor John Barclay.
More details will be shared on the municipal website at www.northgrenville.ca and through our social media channels.
About North Grenville
North Grenville is a caring, vibrant, and cohesive community, with a commitment to sustainable growth and a high quality of urban and rural life for all.
Born out of the ice storm of 1998, the Municipality of North Grenville has seen a number of key milestones and initiatives over the last 25 years including but not limited to:
- a new and expanded regional hospital,
- a new centrally-located library,
- municipal-wide curbside waste, recycling and organics collection,
- a new and expanded Fire Hall and ladder truck, and new OPP Station,
- a central Municipal Centre, that hosts 2 ice pads, a community theatre, and rental space for community events,
- expanded commercial development, particularly along CR 43,
- expanded outdoor recreational amenities including the soccer fields at South Gower Park and more recently, the revitalization of Riverside Park,
- the transformation of the former Kemptville College to the municipally-owned Kemptville Campus,
- new schools for a growing population with four school boards (English public, English Catholic, French public and French Catholic),
- hosting of the 2022 International Plowing Match,
- being crowned Canada’s and Ontario’s Most Active Community as part of the ParticipACTION Community Challenge (2021 and 2022). Prize money was used to expand outdoor recreational amenities in the hamlets and Kemptville.
North Grenville is a perfect destination for a day trip or weekend getaway. Visit often exciting large events such as Kemptville LIVE Music Festival (July 20-24, 2023), Kemptville Buskerfest (May long weekend), and Poutine Fest with over 50 different kinds of Poutine to choose from, plus interesting shops, family attractions, and fantastic restaurants and patios.
The unique geography within the Municipality includes an abundance of forests, farms, and rivers – including the UNESCO designated World Heritage Rideau Canal and our own tributary, the South Branch River, also known as Kemptville Creek, where residents and visitors alike boat, fish, and swim, or skate on in the winter!
Our charming rural hamlets offer a small town feel – each with their own unique rural culture.
Today, farming, tourism, and local businesses form the backbone of the local economy.
Balancing a high rate of growth while maintaining the rural character of our community and protecting natural assets is, and will remain, a significant priority, as affirmed by the North Grenville 10-year Community Strategic Plan.
