Communities in Bloom 2014 by Susan Ellis

This booklet is dedicated to the memory of Marilyn Alexander, a founding member of the City of Pembroke Communities in Bloom Committee and a relentlessly cheerful volunteer who was never too busy to help whenever and wherever help was needed. As the Manager of the Pembroke Comfort Inn, Marilyn offered the hotel’s sponsorship of the boulevards and accommodations for visiting judges. Sadly missed, but not forgotten. February 11, 1952 – August 6, 2013

Foreword The City of Pembroke has been participating in the Communities in Bloom program with the full support of Council since 1999. Throughout the years, Pembroke has won both the provincial (2001), national (2007) and international (2013) versions of the competition. It has received recognition for its floral displays, community involvement, heritage conservation, cultural preservation, tidiness, for the most outstanding land reclamation project in Canada ‐ the Pembroke Waterfront Park, and for Algonquin College campus. The volunteer committee has sustained a core group of dedicated people who care deeply and passionately about Pembroke. They believe that the Communities in Bloom program and its holistic approach is by far the most effective community development program that exists in North America and beyond. To commit time, energy and effort year after year to a community project is laudable. But for over 15 years? That’s astounding and gives true meaning to “cultivating our community”. Each year brings us different challenges, frustrations, and rewards. And each year, there is a recurring theme: the unshakeable belief that it’s the people that make a community great. Despite nature, or government or circumstance, it is the people in our midst who will rise up and meet the challenges being presented. And in this, Pembroke is rich beyond measure. Susan Ellis B.A., B. Ed., Ec.D. Manager, Economic Development, Recreation, Tourism City of Pembroke, July 2014

This is an interactive document, and whenever you come across text that is underlined

click on it. It will lead you to more detailed information. Go ahead and click on it and you can read all about Pembroke’s efforts in previous years!

And last, but not least…Welcome to Pembroke Judges Gerry Teahen & Claire Laberge!

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Basic Community Information

Pembroke Communities in Bloom Committee

Tidiness

Environmental Action

Heritage Conservation

Urban Forestry

Landscape

Floral Displays

News Clippings

Basic Background Information Population: 16,200 Municipal Budget: $27,280,364 Parks Budget: $441,665. Total Area: 1,137 ha (3485) Parks & Green Space Area: 170+ acres Situated at the confluence of three rivers, the Ottawa, the Muskrat and the Indian, Pembroke maintains 8 bridges within city limits.

2014 Operations Budget Allocation Brushing & Trimming: Tree Maintenance: Waterfront Park: Rotary Park: Kinsmen Park Pansy Patch Park: Hillcrest Park Riverside Park CiB Bloomers

$45,000 $13,000 $57,000 $25,230 $ 8,500 $14,200 $5,500 $144,725 $24,200

2014 Economic Development & Tourism Budget Allocation Communities in Bloom

$25,000

Pembroke Communities in Bloom Committee The City of Pembroke first passed an order in Council approving its entry into the Ontario Communities in Bloom competition in December, 1998. An initial budget of $10,000 was set aside for 1999. Since then, Council has supplemented this amount, and in 2014 a budget of $25, 000 from Economic Development and Tourism was approved. Council also agreed that any monies accrued by the Communities in Bloom Committee, but not spent during the fiscal year, are allowed to be carried over, rather than placed in the general reserve fund. Council believes that it is important that the Committee be representative of the community and members of the 2014 committee included: Mary Ethier - Chairperson

Dan Callaghan, Councillor

Susan Ellis, Manager, Economic Development, Tourism

Doug Sitland, Manager, Operations

Jay McLaren – Pembroke and Area Kiwanis Club

Gail Richardson - Chamber of Commerce

Shelley Burchart – Downtown Improvement Area

Heather Sutherland – Downtown Improvement Area

Jodi Higgins – Pembroke Comfort Inn

Diane Siegel - Volunteer

Marian Patterson – Volunteer

Ottawa Valley Waste Recovery Centre and the Pembroke Horticultural Society are also active partners in the program.

The Committee meets regularly throughout the year to ensure the continued commitment of Council and the community at large. As a Committee of Council, the annual budget is determined by Council, and managed by the Economic Development & Tourism Department. The Operations Department also maintains a budget line item for “Bloomers”, students hired every summer to help maintain the City parks and grounds.

Tidiness Municipal Initiatives The City of Pembroke and the Communities in Bloom Committee are continuously aware of the condition of the city’s roads, sidewalks, boulevards and public spaces and places. There is a designated budget for street sweeping, maintenance of city owned facilities, graffiti removal, and weed control and property standards. There is also an annual spring and fall curb side garbage pickup to allow residents to discard large items, bundled twigs and branches. Each spring, the Communities in Bloom Committee launches its annual program with a Community Clean-up. Volunteers are asked to meet at the Pembroke Farmers’ Market, and free gloves, T-shirts, and garbage bags are provided. Tim Horton’s and Home Hardware sponsor this event. As happens every year, local schools, churches, and service clubs attend as volunteers, and winter’s refuse is quickly gathered up. A primary mandate of the Pembroke Business Improvement Area (PBIA) is beautification of the downtown, and a designated staff person is employed to paint, clean, and clear litter from the downtown area. This includes garbage containers and all street furniture as well as maintaining the planters and weed control. Garbage receptacles, recycling containers, butt stops, and plastic waste bags for pets are provided throughout downtown and in public places. Parks and Facilities staff perform regular inspections to ensure that they are all clean and in proper working order. The City is also part of a Smoke Free initiative being managed by Health Canada, with signs posted around our playgrounds and play structures asking people not to smoke where children are playing.

The Heritage Murals receive regular maintenance and are rarely touched by graffiti. Enjoy a virtual tour of Canada’s largest outdoor art gallery.

Both the PBIA and the City will also sometimes supervise youth in the Ontario Department of Justice Community Services program, providing them with meaningful opportunities to make positive contributions to the community. Many enrolled in this program have gained job experience while painting, weeding, and clearing clutter. The City has a Graffiti By-Law which allows enforcement officers to charge property owners if any reported graffiti is not removed within two weeks of being noted. If the graffiti is not removed then the City will perform the service, and the cost is billed back to the property owner on his/her tax bill.

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Business and Institutions There are four separate school boards in Pembroke, as well as Algonquin College, and all of these educational institutions have special Earth Day programs, as well as special property clean-up days every spring and fall. The local Kinsmen Club sells Rain Barrels to encourage the community to conserve rain water. Local businesses also hop on board whenever they can! Tim Hortons and Home Hardware are regular community clean up sponsors, while many businesses will donate signage space to help advertise special clean up events. The business that is seen to be an outstanding corporate citizen, that takes great pride in their property as well as contributing to the community in general, is awarded the Golden Spade each year at the annual Pembroke Communities in Bloom Awards Ceremony. Not only is this an honour for the chosen business, it is an incentive for others to get more involved!

Ministry of Natural Resources

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Algonquin College

Residential All businesses, residences, and institutions in Pembroke are automatically entered into the local Communities in Bloom competition, and every property is judged by the volunteers of the Communities in Bloom committee in late July. This helps to ensure that properties are maintained, and efforts are made to keep them looking attractive. Nowhere is this more evident that in the residential neighbourhoods in Pembroke. Each year there are over 400 properties awarded either 3, 4 or 5 blooms in the local competition, and the list of property addresses appears in the local newspaper following the annual awards ceremony. The number of recipients continues to climb as property owners invest more time, energy and money into keeping their properties attractive. Part of the annual competition is the Prettiest Street in Pembroke award, which is presented to the street with 5 or more consecutive properties that are being exceptionally well cared for. A special street sign hangs on the winning street for a year, and the residents take pride in showing it off!

The local Communities in Bloom Committee initially encouraged people to nominate their neighbour’s yards for the local CiB judges’ to visit. City Hall was quickly inundated with nominations and it became such a huge administrative task to organize, that the decision was made in 2002 to automatically enter every home, business and institution into the local competition. However, the memory of “nominate a neighbour” still lingers, and every year, we receive nominations of places to visit…proof of how well the program is accepted in Pembroke!

Community Involvement Local service clubs volunteer each year to help with the annual Spring and Fall Community Clean Ups. The Kiwanis members can be found along the Kiwanis Trail picking up refuse, while the Rotarians and Kinsmen all make special efforts to keep Rotary Park and Kinsmen Park clean and tidy as well. Local church groups frequently volunteer to help with keeping the city clean and tidy. For the past three years, a Salvation Army youth outreach club, The Grind, has volunteered two days of weed control in downtown with the help of about 15 teenagers. The Royal Canadian Air Cadets, the Pembroke Boys and Girls Club, Scouts, Beavers, and various church youth groups have all dedicated countless hours to tree planting, clean ups and special projects to help their community. Pembroke is extremely community minded, and we see regular evidence of this throughout the year whenever a need is expressed.

Pembroke is blessed with many clubs and organizations that are community minded and offer service to others. Whether it is a commitment of time, skills, or a combination of both, the volunteers of Pembroke are an essential element to the success of almost every public event! Because Pembroke is a regional centre, many of the volunteers do not actually reside here but consider Pembroke as “their” town. The Communities in Bloom Committee is a great example of this, with half of the current members living outside of the city!

Environmental Action Municipal The City of Pembroke is dedicated to sustainable environmental policies, and towards that end has formally adopted the following practices and procedures: The Community Improvement Goal (Official Plan S-3.6.1) It is the goal of Council to upgrade, maintain and rehabilitate the physical environment in order to ensure the continued social and economic viability of its existing residential neighbourhoods, central business district and industrial parks. This goal has, in turn, helped to develop the Green Policy Statement “One of the primary goals of the City of Pembroke is to maintain and provide a lush, natural setting in which residents can live, work and play. The City of Pembroke is striving to ensure that a higher consideration is placed on the “natural” environment. A significant portion of landscaping requirements will now be placed on the preservation of existing site features such as landforms, water courses and vegetation. New developments shall not change the balance of the ecological system. The City of Pembroke will strive to ensure that as much of the natural environment as possible is preserved. The preservation of existing vegetation is valued by the City because of the role it plays in providing the high level of environmental quality. The City of Pembroke will require any Site Plan or Subdivision Agreement submissions to pay particular attention to the preservation of existing vegetation within the City.” The City also requires that 5% of any new subdivision has to be dedicated parkland and all new subdivision lots are required to have 2 trees planted on them. As well, 5% of residential severance fees are placed in the Parks Reserve Fund.

Pembroke Farmers’ Market Rainbow Heritage Gardens, Ottawa Valley Food Co-op, Algonquin Tea Company These are four of several agri-businesses serving Pembroke and the Ottawa Valley that encourage the use of local, organic food that is sustainably and ethically grown and produced.

The growth of Community Share Agriculture (CSA) in Pembroke and the Ottawa Valley in recent years reflects the growing demand by consumers for food that is organic, fresh, and local. The wish to know who’s growing your food and how it’s produced has meant that many small market gardeners are now seeing the benefits of the Buy Local campaigns that are yielding delicious results!

The Ottawa Valley Waste Recovery Centre “Walking Lightly On the Environment” The OVWRC was built in partnership with neighbouring communities and operates a wet-dry system of garbage collection, ensuring over 65% reduction in solid waste entering the landfill site. The collected plastic is sorted, bailed and sold rather than ending up in our waterways and ditches. As well, high grade compost is being produced and made available to the community. OVWRC was awarded the prestigious Federation of Canadian Municipalities Sustainable Community Award. The award recognizes that OVWRC and the partner municipalities who “by working together have dramatically increased solid waste diversion rates for organics and other materials”. The OVWRC has expanded its Waste Electronics Program and along with laptops, computers, monitors, televisions, and peripherals, also accepts telephones, MP3 players, copiers, PDA’s, record players, turntables, pagers, cameras, copiers, stereos and speakers. Residents are sent a flyer listing the days on which the Household Hazardous Waste Depot is open. The flyer lists the wastes accepted (and not accepted) as well as safety precautions that should be taken when handling hazardous wastes. This information is also available on their website. The City offers an annual fall curb-side pick-up of leaves which are then taken to the leaf composting site at OVWRC. Residents can also choose to take leaves to the site, which is open daily with no tipping fee. The resulting rich compost is used by the Operations Department to bolster the soils in our parks, public gardens and planters. As well, the Operations Department recycles its materials whenever feasible, including top soil from ditching operations, recycled materials and asphalt from road cuts. In 2014, OVWRC predicts a projected reserve of $5 + million – testimony to the success of the program that continues to pay community dividends.

Garden Smart Ontario produces a number of brochures and pamphlets that illustrate the threat of invasive species. The City shares this information publicly on our Pembroke Communities in Bloom FaceBook page, as well as placing posters at the Marina, Riverside Park, and other city owned facilities.

16 The Operations Department has an industrial wood chipper to dispose of fallen branches and trees. A partnership with Algonquin College Forestry Program was established, and students now help with clean-up of winter and wind fall in City parks, as well as with river bank clean-ups, soil and water testing, and special projects such as Community Tree Inventories. The Environmental Technician students are also actively involved in naturalization projects on the Waterfront campus and the identification and removal of invasive species. It is the Integrated Pest Management Policy of the City to use pesticides very sparingly - and only to control poison ivy in public parks. Weeds are controlled through cutting, rolling and fertilizing. Community Clean-ups are held each spring in conjunction with Pitch-In Canada. The students from participating schools and several local service clubs provide voluntary manpower, while the City provides free pick up of the materials. In 2014 the City picked up 1000+ kg. of landfill and 150 kg. of recyclables during spring clean-up. It was also noted that again this year, more garbage was collected, and that there were more volunteers. The city has been partnering with the Physical Activity Network, to create Designated Bicycle Paths and Share the Road routes throughout Pembroke, in support of active transportation and healthy living in Pembroke. In 2013, a Fitness Grove was built at Riverside Park to provide walkers with an exercise circuit for use before or after their walk. It has been one of the most successful fitness facilities we’ve seen in the park! This installation was donated to the City in memory of Krista Johnson, a young woman who lost her life while bicycling in 2012. It was launched in June during the Annual Keep Moving Memorial 5 km Race through Riverside Park for which there were a record number of runners registered. In 2013, Pembroke was selected as one of the first sites in Canada for a Book Tree. Constructed using local windfall, it is modelled after a similar child literacy program in Europe which places free children’s books in “trees” located in safe, easily accessible locations. Our Book Tree is installed in Rotary Park, a multi-use park that is very family friendly. There are now 5 installations around Renfrew County, and they are all great at passively encouraging children to read.

Ottawa River Power Corporation: ORPC is the city-owned hydro utility, and it promotes energy conservation and reduced usage of electrical appliances during high energy demand cycles through their monthly billing system, and provides conservation tips on their website. Working with Algonquin College over the construction phase of the campus, ORPC was able to help Algonquin realize over $74,000 in energy savings! The Water Purification Plant built in 1984 is located on Riverside Drive on the shores of the Ottawa River. Since the time of development the Plant has met all Ministry required upgrades. An added backwash facility provides additional water treatment and cleansing before any water re-enters the Ottawa River. While summer of 2012 brought us a drought, the springs of 2013 and 2014 brought record high water levels on the Ottawa River, 9and as a direct result, the City of Pembroke passed a Water Restriction By Law to ensure that the City’s water supply is regulated and that home yard watering is restricted in order to keep safe water levels within the entire system The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMR) is the governing regulatory body for Ontario’s natural resources, and provides policy direction to Municipal Governments on:      

water quantity and associated quality issues; natural heritage; public health and safety from natural hazards; water conservation; ecosystem restoration; and watershed planning.

This information is vital for planning and preparation before, during and after emergencies.

The Pembroke Pollution Control Centre originally built in 1969 is located on the shores of the Ottawa River. Over $28 million in upgrades and expansion of the facility functions have been completed, and the following upgrades are in place: • • • •

ultraviolet treatment replaces chlorine all treatments are done within enclosures, with an odour-eating vacuum ventilation system a computerized data and control system automatically and continually monitors all equipment and provides on and off site operators instant access and control. Methane gases produced by the digester are used to heat the Pollution Centre

The Operations Department continues to spearhead several green initiatives, including:          

Installation of Solar Panels on city owned facilities Storm Water Management Plan Continued conversion of traffic signals to LED lights Continued conversion of mercury vapour streetlights to HPS lighting systems Building electrical retrofits to reduce energy consumption Regularly scheduled fleet inspections and upgrades Development and expansion of bike lanes and pathways Promotion of 3-R (reduce, reuse, recycle) programs Public education programs Feasibility studies to determine the availability and effectiveness of alternative energy solutions

The public is kept informed about the municipal water, pollution control and sewage treatment on the City’s website.

Let’s take a wee break,eh? The Ottawa Valley was first settled by log prospectors who were searching for tall knot free pine trees to serve as masts for HRM’s naval fleet. Thus the logging industry on the Ottawa River began, and along with it the development of unique song, dance and dialect found only in the Ottawa Valley. One of the earliest on record in the National Archives of Canada is The Log Drivers’ Waltz …take a minute to enjoy it “and imagine yourself burling down the white water”

Business and Institutions All businesses and institutions participate in the wet-dry recycling program that is managed by the Ottawa Valley Waste Recovery Centre. The program consists of a composting green bin, a yellow plastics and metal container bin, and a blue paper and cardboard container. Their motto, “Walking Lightly on the Environment”, has helped them educate the public about the program and why it is important. This Centre of Excellence has been visited by municipal councillors from all over North America seeking to replicate its successes in their communities.

The brand new Algonquin College of the Upper Ottawa Valley campus offers certification courses for Environmental Technician, Outdoor Adventure, Adventure Naturalist, and Forestry Management. Their students have become an important part of the environmental stewardship of the city, helping to spearhead several initiatives as part of their course work, including: maintenance of the urban forest, annual Spring Clean-up of the Muskrat River, and development of a geo-caching walk that highlights the flora and fauna of Pembroke’s Waterfront Park. They are also helping college staff with wetland restoration, identification of invasive species along the waterfront, and the development of a tree inventory.

Residential As with the businesses and institutions, all residences in Pembroke participate in the recycling program. Through informative sessions held by the Pembroke Horticultural Society and Pembroke Communities in Bloom’s FaceBook page which highlights alternative landscaping ideas, there is a growing acceptance of xeriscaping as well as the wide spread use of indigenous plants over exotic species. The local Kinsmen Club has sold rain barrels to the public for the past several years, and they are a common garden feature in Pembroke.

A local author and humourist, the late Bernie Bedore first created the infamous logger Big Joe Mufferaw for Ottawa Valley children of all ages to enjoy. Loosely based on Joseph Montferrand, a renowned logger and strongman, Big Joe was the Valley’s answer to Paul Bunyon, only bigger and braver and far handsomer! Small wonder then that Canadian country music legend, Stompin’ Tom Connors wrote a song about him too! Not quite a Canadian anthem, but close! Yee Haw Yee Haw Ho! Turn up the volume!

Community Involvement

Many local clubs and organizations have formed in the past decade to provide a focal point for discussions which concern the environment, monitoring it, protecting it, and developing sustainable practises to nurture it into the future. The Ottawa River Keeper and the Pembroke and Area Field Naturalists Club share a common goal to educate the public about our natural world and ways in which to preserve it for future generations. Algonquin College also regularly hosts Speakers’ Forums and invites renowned guests to speak to the public about such timely topics as Extreme Weather, The Night Sky, and other current environmental concerns.

The Shaw Woods A recent collaborative partnership initiative that has been established just outside of Pembroke is The Shaw Woods Outdoor Education Centre, whose mission is to: “Foster an ethic of responsible environmental stewardship by providing unique experiential environmental education and outdoor learning opportunities to local school groups, community organizations and the public at large.” This is a partnership between the four Boards of Education, Algonquin College, Pikwàkanagàn First Nation, the Shaw Family and local interested citizens. In the past 2 years alone, over 2000+ volunteer hours have been spent creating pathways through this beautiful old growth forest which is about 20 km south of Pembroke. The stewards actively engage youth through their use of social media, and frequent posting of beautiful photos taken in the woods.

Habitat or Hazard? Common dilemmas at the Pembroke Marina…

Staff are taught to respect all wildlife, and if necessary to call for assistance from the Animal Control Officer to relocate any species that may be at risk from boat traffic.

The Marguerite Centre Community Garden was established seven years ago on land owned by the Gray Sisters. At present approximately 20 plots are provided for area residents, while some of the food grown is also served to the residents and guests of the Marguerite Centre. The Marguerite Centre is an inter-faith retreat and meeting centre that offers a variety of classes and courses to help individuals seeking spiritual growth. On the grounds is a labyrinth meditation wheel which is free for anyone to enjoy.

The Pembroke Farmers’ Market, working in partnership with the City of Pembroke, have a permanent outdoor market mall in downtown Pembroke that is open every Wednesday and Saturday from May to October. Fresh local products from the surrounding area farms are available, and a lunch deli and meat market both serve local food while the market is open. The Farmers’ Market is now using social media to tell its Facebook fans about weekly specials and latest offerings at the Market. Their Annual Fall Harvest dinner is a complete sell-out the moment the date is set.

Pembroke is the eastern gateway to Ontario’s largest provincial park. Algonquin Park is one of our richest conservation areas, and attracts over a million visitors annually. People come from afar to see animals that dwell in our big backyard, like the Eastern Wolf, White Tailed Deer, Beaver, Moose, Racoon, Red tailed Fox, Skunk and over 250 species of birds.

Take a moment to enjoy some quiet time with a Beaver in Algonquin …you’ll be glad you did, we promise.

Heritage Conservation Municipal Pembroke’s Green Policy Statement provides the direction to preserving the city’s natural setting and the integration of landscape and site plans into it. Supplementing the policy are several initiatives that not only recognize the importance of preserving our natural and cultural heritage, but that also receive Council’s financial support in order to achieve their goals and objectives.

Downtown Facade Improvement Program Recognizing that historic downtown storefronts are a tourist attraction in and of themselves, Council provides business owners in good standing with matching grants of up to $5000 to restore their facades in keeping with the original construction of the building. Since the program’s inception, several applications have been approved, and are part of an on-going downtown revitalization effort that has included participation in the First Impressions Program sponsored by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs. Information about the Façade Improvement Program is on the City’s website as well as provided by the PBIA to property owners. Algonquin College at the Waterfront has been a catalyst for new investment in downtown, and the beginning of a renaissance for the area. Like many small downtowns across North America, Pembroke’s has struggled to survive in the midst of the Big Box retailers on the outskirts of town. A Downtown Revitalization Committee was formed to harness the energy of the community and establish long term strategies for future growth in the downtown core. Part of that growth includes student shops and housing. The students at Algonquin have also come on board to help promote the area to other students! As they do in this version of the Harlem Shake.

28 In order to assist downtown merchants, the City actively promotes and supports Buy Local and works closely with key stakeholders to take advantage of funding opportunities to assist with revitalization efforts. Since 2012, the Economic Development and Tourism Department has leveraged $126,000 of municipal funding for projects of particular benefit to downtown and the local economy. As a result, provincial grants worth $259,000 were received, and the total project values now exceed $385,000. This has helped us to foster the creative entrepreneur; re-brand the city and the downtown; professionally facilitate the downtown revitalization committee; and plan and organize “random acts of fun” in the downtown area to help nurture a vibrant shopping and entertainment destination. It has also helped with the creation of four videos that feature the success stories in downtown, as part of a social media campaign that received a 2013 Award of Marketing Excellence from the Economic Development Council of Ontario. The key videos feature local musician and highlights several locally owned restaurants and businesses. The first one is all about food! You may find yourself getting hungry while you watch! Pembroke has completed a Cultural Mapping and Asset Inventory project, supported by the Ontario government and in partnership with the Ottawa Valley Tourist Association and the County of Renfrew. The creation of a cultural map of the tangible and intangible assets that exist in Pembroke and the Ottawa Valley was the beginning of developing a comprehensive arts, culture and heritage plan to help residents and elected officials alike better understand how the existing cultural landscape helps to shape the communities in the Ottawa Valley, and how it can be nurtured and enhanced to further develop place-based cultural tourism strategies. As a regional hub, Pembroke has a rich history that is woven into many regional tourism activities and attractions that are distinctive and unique in Canada. To help residents, visitors, researchers and tourists discover this area, Ottawa Valley Culture website was developed as an interactive portal to Pembroke and area. Many arts and culture groups including the Valley Arts Council, the Renfrew County Museum Network, Pembroke Public Library, Algonquin College, Chamber of Commerce and Algonquin of Pikwakanagan can now benefit from this destination website portal. This project received unanimous support from Council, and is considered pivotal in the recognition of our unique cultural heritage. The Municipal Cultural Policy Framework serves to protect and enhance our natural, tangible and intangible assets in Pembroke and the Ottawa Valley as we rediscover the wealth of place.

29 The inventory includes many cultural assets here in Pembroke including the Champlain Trail Museum and Pioneer Village which houses the Ottawa Valley’s largest collection of historical archives and memorabilia and celebrates its 59th anniversary in 2014. A clapboard church circa 1830 complements the log home and school house, barn and train station on site. The interpretive program is supported by the City as well as the Ottawa Valley Historical Society and Genealogical Group. The museum has a curator, and offers guided tours to schools and interested groups, as well as running a children’s summer activity program.

Pembroke Heritage Murals Pembroke has 33 full scale murals in the downtown core, providing visitors a window into Pembroke’s rich history, illustrated on the downtown walls of buildings. It is one of Canada’s largest outdoor art galleries! 1999 marked a milestone for the City as 6 new murals were painted. In 2000, Marching Towards the Millennium was painted, and is the longest mural in Canada, featuring accurate renderings of Pembroke citizens through the last one hundred years. Local residents sponsored spaces on the mural for $200 each, and submitted photographs for the artist to refer to. Another unique mural was also painted on the old CN water tower, while a three dimensional mural called the Timber Raft was created as an entrance to the Waterfront and recalls the days when logging rafts were in daily use on the Ottawa River. Two more murals have been added since 2008, and a mural walking tour is freely available in our Tourist Guide, as well as a free audio tour. The murals are maintained by the Murals Committee and each summer several are chosen for freshening and repairs if required. They are seldom touched by graffiti, but they do succumb to weather over time and need some TLC from time to time.

Step Back In Time – Walking Tour of Pembroke Realizing that the number of tourists interested in learning about history while on vacation is increasing, the City of Pembroke provides Step Back in Time – both printed and on-line versions of a walking tour of historic Pembroke. Visitors can enjoy a lovely stroll through the older, historic part of town, using the self-guided tour that explains the heritage significance of the buildings they see. The Renfrew County Museum Network is a collaborative partnership of 19 local museums working together to package programs and events and attract more visitors to all of the museums. As Pembroke is home to 5 national franchise hotels plus several motels, we are the hub in a “Hub and Spoke” tourist destination strategy of benefit to all.

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Valley Heritage Radio The people of Pembroke and the Ottawa Valley can tune into old fashioned radio and listen to folk, fiddle, and traditional music whenever they get a hankering for it. Click on the link above, and enjoy some Valley Heritage music!

Municipal Festivals and Events

The City of Pembroke Recreation Department hosts a full Calendar of Events throughout the year including: Canada Day A family oriented day full of activities and games celebrating Canada’s birthday on July 1st at the Waterfront and then culminating in a giant fireworks display over the Ottawa River at Riverside Park. Waterfront Live! From mid-June until Labour Day, the city shows its on-going support for local musicians and entertainers, helping to nurture their development in the arts while providing free entertainment for the community every night throughout the summer! This is a very popular venue for residents and visitors, who enjoy coming down to the Waterfront to watch the sunsets and listen to the music. Each Tuesday evening is Outdoor Movie Night, which is enormously popular with audiences! Santa Claus Parade of Lights Pembroke hosts the largest Christmas Parade in the Ottawa Valley, with over 90 floats/entries in the 2013 parade. Lights are mandatory, and the crowds just keep getting bigger and bigger as the magic of Christmas comes to life during the evening celebration held the last weekend in November. Snospree, is Pembroke’s celebration of winter with lots of family oriented activities including games of hockey, ringette, and broomball, outdoor sledding parties, ski nights and a Polar Bear Dip at the Marina which raises money for local charities.

Cue the Music! They say you can’t walk down a street in Pembroke without running into a musician! And “they” are absolutely right! Many of them have been inducted into the Ottawa Valley Country Music Hall of Fame Some of our famous, talented Ottawa Valley musicians include: April Verch, Louis Schreyer, Peter “Sab” Saborin, Peter Dawson, Gail Gavan, Jason Blaine, Wayne Rostad, Tim Hermitte ... the list grows yearly. Enjoy a little sampling: April Verch: http://www.youtube.com/user/AprilVerch Jason Blaine: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cD1FbQgj6Vg

Sab and the Family Band: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAQy81qkYYI Terry McLeish: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzeSLJ3wkHs

Business and Institutions The Marguerite Centre There has been a profound growth in the numbers of people seeking information about health, wellness and spirituality and the Marguerite Centre, operated by the Gray Sisters, is responding to that need. It has also established a small museum celebrating the work of the Sisters throughout the past 150 years and they host many courses, seminars, classes and retreats aimed at assisting those seeking spiritual enlightenment and personal wellness.

Pembroke History Tours History buffs can enjoy a stroll through Pembroke guided by lantern light and hear all about the people who lived here years ago, and the lives they lead when no one was looking! You can also take a Graveyard Tour and learn about the stories that are etched in stone in several of Pembroke’s lovely old cemeteries.

The Murray L. Moore Hydro Museum The City of Pembroke was the first city in Canada to have electric street lights – and they were turned on for the very first time on October 8, 1884 to the amazement of the crowds. This charming museum located in downtown Pembroke is an electrician’s dream and for anyone with an interest in the early days of electricity.

The City of Pembroke is a key contributing partner with the Ottawa Valley Tourist Association (OVTA) and is also a member of the Marketing committee for the OVTA. Together, many unique tourist destination attractions and events that celebrate the cultural heritage of the Ottawa Valley have been developed. The partnership is mutually beneficial as Pembroke is the largest regional service centre in Renfrew County, and the OVTA has staff and resources committed to attracting more overnight tourists to our area. Partnerships like this are critical to the success of both of our organizations!

34 The Superior Court House The Superior Court House is a stunning example of late 19th century institutional architecture. It serves the people of the City of Pembroke and Renfrew County and was built when Pembroke was declared the county seat of government. The lovely building was recently renovated and updated, to wide public acclaim, and has won several awards of distinction for its marriage of past, present and future.

Stone Fence Theatre Stone Fence is a successful theatre company that has built a fantastic repertoire of music and dance from the journals, stories and newspapers of the Ottawa Valley and created memorable dinner theatre experiences that harken back to kinder, gentler times.

Festival Hall Centre for the Performing Arts A tri-party municipal consortium between Pembroke, Laurentian Valley and Petawawa operates and maintains a 700 seat theatre in Pembroke, which in turn, offers music, dance and theatre to patrons from throughout the Ottawa Valley. The theatre is actually owned by the French Public School Board which is jointly responsible for operating costs with the consortium, each member of which pays $1.00 per resident towards annual upkeep. The City of Pembroke works with many local clubs, organizations and businesses to ensure that they are kept abreast of any government funding programs that may assist them with renovations, restorations, and upgrades to their properties, as well as programs that may assist them with training and strategic planning to foster success in the arts, culture and creative sector.

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Welcome to HockeyTown Canada!

Hockey is HUGE in Canada, and even BIGGER in Pembroke! Not only is Pembroke home to the Pembroke Lumber Kings, for 6 weekends every fall, hotel rooms are booked solid, with minor sports teams and their families all here to be a part of the annual Silver Stick Hockey Tournament, the largest minor hockey tournament held in North America each year. Our Hockey Heritage is celebrated in several books, songs, and celebrations and it is a major source of sports tourism revenue for Pembroke. Silver Stick economic spin-off is estimated at +$3 million annually, while other tournaments and hockey games held in the city continue to fill hotels and restaurants with hockey fans.

Residential Pembroke is blessed with an inventory of historic architecture dating back to the early 1800’s when the area was first being settled by the “Lumber Barons”. Many of these stately homes are in mint condition, lovingly maintained by their owners throughout the past century.

The local Communities in Bloom Committee hosts an annual competition and it is through this program that home owners of both old and new properties are encouraged to maintain their yards, to add interesting focal points in their gardens and to include the use of heritage plants and trees. The Pembroke Horticultural Society has an annual plant sale that offers many heritage plants from local gardens. The Local Food Movement has also grown, and now hosts a Seedy Sunday event each spring, at which heirloom plants and seeds are available for sale.

The Cockburn Pointer Boat This unique boat was built in Pembroke for the loggers to use out on the river. A wide bottomed vessel, it was said it could “float on dew” Read more about this exceptional part of Canada’s boat making history here: http://cockburnpointerboats.blogspot.ca/2010/05/pointer-boat-unique-design-for-old-time.html

Community Involvement While the City hosts a number of special events that celebrate our unique Ottawa Valley heritage, it also lends its support through grants and staff time to numerous community hosted events, recognizing the essential nature of small rural communities – that the sum of our parts is greater than the whole. The primary events include: Fiddle Week and the Old Time Step Dancing and Fiddling Competition Fiddle and Step dancing techniques are uniquely different in the Ottawa Valley, and there are hundreds of fiddlers and dancers who have learned their art from their parents, their grandparents and their great grandparents. Every Labour Day weekend, the Competition is held in the Pembroke Memorial Centre, attracting up to 10,000 visitors to the city over the course of Fiddle Week. The event is run by the Pembroke Fiddling Association volunteers and the City hands Riverside Park over to them the week leading up to Labour Day. It then fills with about 1600 RV’s and fiddlers, and the Caelidh begins! This is the largest traditional fiddling event in Canada and one which is widely anticipated each year, as it contributes over $7.3 million into the local economy.

And fiddlers love to have fun – have a look!

Oktoberfest Pembroke is home to a very active community with German roots, and here you can find several German deli’s, food caterers, and one of the most active Germania Clubs in Ontario. Each year they celebrate their heritage by holding Oktoberfest – great food, fun, music, dance and of course, beer! Cultural Heritage = Community Sustainability!

Christmas in the Valley No sooner is Oktoberfest over, and it’s time for Christkindlmarkt an artisan crafts and foods market hosted by the Germania Club that heralds the beginning of the Christmas season in the Ottawa Valley. It’s a wonderful time, rich with special pageants, choral evenings, musical theatre, craft shows, bake sales, community gatherings, and parades every weekend from the middle of November ‘til the week before Christmas. And at almost every event it’s pretty much guaranteed that you will hear Wayne Rostad singing his Ottawa Valley ode to Christmas.

40 Pembroke is the largest regional centre between Ottawa and North Bay, on the Trans-Canada Highway, and as such it is branded as the “Heart of the Ottawa Valley”. As a “separated city”, we are not part of the County of Renfrew, but rather a single tier municipality. However, we share, and contribute financially to, many regional initiatives with Renfrew County, including health services such as long term care facilities, the Pembroke Regional Hospital, Enterprise Renfrew County Business Self Help Office, the Ottawa Valley Tourist Association, Ottawa Valley Waste Recovery Centre and Algonquin College. The list of partnership initiatives that celebrate our natural and built cultural heritage through special events and programs is comprehensive, and includes a consortium to maintain the largest performance theatre in the Ottawa Valley, Festival Hall in Pembroke. Through partnerships, we support several cultural events such as Taste of the Valley, Pontiac Artists’ Studio Tour, Rural Ramble, The Valley Arts Council, the Upper Ottawa Valley Chamber of Commerce, the Renfrew County Museum Network, Valleylicious, the Algonquin Nation Gathering, the Active Transportation Network and the Community Care Access Centre. It is the community embodiment of “Many hands make light the load”.

The Waterfront No conversation about Heritage Conservation is complete without mentioning the outdoor legacy museum that is developing at the Waterfront. An acclaimed Butchart Garden’s Best Land Reclamation Project (2010), this stunning park is Pembroke’s jewel. And where sawmills once operated, there are now picnic gazebos, trees, lawns, gardens, a chapel, a 600 seat amphitheatre and stage, a boardwalk and many tributes to our logging heritage and the people who have helped to make Pembroke a special place to live. The fact that the park was created almost entirely by volunteer efforts led by Fred and Barbara Blackstein over 13 years makes it an even more extraordinary people place!

Urban Forestry Municipal It is important to note that for small cities like Pembroke public-private partnerships are essential to maintaining our public areas. In the City of Pembroke, we work closely with local service clubs and community organizations in our beautification and maintenance efforts. The following initiatives have been approved by Council to ensure that our public properties are kept up to standard: Tree By-law (89-71) was passed to preserve and protect our trees, and a Tree Inventory has been maintained since 1984. This includes a Heritage Tree Inventory of the trees at Champlain Trail Museum and expanded to include municipal trees by students in the Algonquin College Forestry Program. In 2013, the Communities in Bloom committee commissioned a professional forester, Robin Cunningham to write The Trees of Pembroke which is an identification guide to historic, special and unusual trees that can be found in Pembroke. Pembroke is a past recipient of a Green Streets Canada Recognition Award for our contribution to the promotion and protection of our urban forests. We also have 2 arboretums and a Certified Forest Technicians on staff. There is a Tree Replacement Program, whereby the city will replace heritage trees on private property for a minimal cost. Pembroke also has a Planting Program whereby we will work with local service clubs and organizations to plant trees in our parks. Since 2000, over 7000 trees have been planted including Ash, Linden, Honey Locust, Norway Maple, Flowering Crab and Shubert Cherry on City boulevards and in the parks. In 2014, Council again approved a tree planting program to help address some of the losses suffered by high winds in recent years. As well a Tree Planting Program has been initiated, whereby residents are urged to plant trees in their front years, and the City will reimburse up to 50% of the cost of the tree on a first come, first serve basis up to a total budget of $5000.

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The West Wind is a well-known painting by Canadian artist Tom Thomson. A member of the famous Group of Seven painters, Thomson spent many hours in Algonquin Park near Pembroke, capturing the landscape of the Canadian Shield. An iconic image, the pine at its centre has been described as growing " in the national ethos as our one and only tree in a country of trees". It was the artist's final painting, and according to some art historians was unfinished at the time of his sudden, and mysterious, death by drowning in 1917.

The Commemorative Grove at Riverside Park is maintained by the Pembroke Horticultural Society, and allows families to plant trees in honour of loved ones. Harvey Fraser Nature Reserve on Cecilia Street in the older part of Pembroke is maintained by Parks and Facilities and serves many schools as an outdoor classroom. It was donated to the City by Mr. Fraser in 1978. In 2006, 2010 and 2011 Pembroke was hit by devastating storms that brought high winds, hail, slashing rain, and extreme temperatures. In 2012, the region has been plagued by drought, and a micro-burst in July, 2013 damaged many old trees in the city’s west end, including Pansy Patch Park. With so many heritage trees, it is a huge effort to keep up with damage assessment, cleaning up wind fall, and replacing those trees that were uprooted.

Climate change is changing everything we do, and how we do everything.

Why, yes, we are a bunch of tree huggers!

Pembroke is surrounded by forest, and secondary wood products are one of our competitive advantages. Many companies are connected to the forestry sector here and throughout the Ottawa Valley and there is an on-going stewardship effort to ensure that the forests are healthy, and cared for in a sustainable fashion. The County of Renfrew, and the Ottawa Valley Economic Development Partners’ Group, has developed a strong industry marketing support program to promote the forests and the livelihoods they support throughout Renfrew County. Ottawa Valley Wood is recognized as an initiative to help people make local purchasing decisions.

“I think that I shall never see A poem as lovely as a tree.” - Joyce Kilmer

Business & Institutions Using local expertise through Algonquin College Forestry Management program, builders, developers, and property owners are encouraged to plant hardy, indigenous species that have been proven to thrive in the temperate climate of the Ottawa Valley. The forestry students are in high demand throughout the area. A variety of species can be found around Pembroke, including Red and White Pine, Norway Maple, Linden, Ash, Flowering Crab, Shubert Cherry, Butternut, Birch, Red Oak, and Honey Locust to name just a few. The local tree service companies have professional arborists who are kept busy trimming and pruning on private property, and are also called in to assist with public trimming after severe storms. There are three local nurseries in Pembroke that all offer professional advice, landscaping services, and in some cases, gardening classes to the public. Secondary wood products present a competitive economic advantage in Pembroke and there are still several original “lumber baron” families operating saw mills, pole yards, and planing mills in and around Pembroke. Booth, MacKay, Munro, White, and Dunlop are but some of the old family names connected to the early lumber industry.

As a partner with the Ottawa Valley Economic Development Partners’ Group, the City supports such initiatives as http://ottawavalleywood.com/ which advocates for a healthy forest and a healthy forestry sector. That history was celebrated when Pembroke turned 180 years old (1828 -2008) and both a timber crib and a pointer boat were built as part of the celebrations. Materials for both were donated by the Shaw Lumber Company and the Shaw family, who live in Pembroke and have been in the logging business for over 100 years. They have also recently opened a Forest Outdoor Education Centre at the Shaw Woods south of Pembroke in partnership with the local Boards of Education

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Enjoy a little patriotic Canadian history! So tightly entwined is our history to the forest in Canada, that The Maple Leaf Forever was once considered the national anthem of Canada. And of course, the maple leaf adorns our flag.

Residential New homes in Pembroke are required to have 2 trees planted on the property to be maintained by the property owner. In cases of severe damage, the City will replace heritage trees for a minimal cost. As well, Pembroke has often given away free white pine seedlings to residents, through the Communities in Bloom spring launch as well as special commemorative events. Through Pembroke Communities in Bloom’s FaceBook page, information is provided about care and maintenance of trees and shrubs, as well as suggestions for planting native species which are more hardy and will do well in our zone. The Communities in Bloom program encourages residents to take pride in their properties, to garden to the front street, to provide areas of interest and focal points, to use a variety of shrubs and trees, and to consider the yard an outdoor “room” to enjoy throughout the seasons.

Community Involvement Community groups such as Beavers, Scouts, Air Cadets, The Boys and Girls Club and the schools are instrumental in helping with tree plantings that take place annually, and their participation is critical. The Commemorative Grove at Riverside Park, Pansy Patch Park, Memory Gardens and The Waterfront have all benefitted from families who wish to honour loved ones by planting trees.

49 Â City of Pembroke staff often attends trade shows, conferences and symposia in order to keep abreast of current trends and issues that have an impact on the municipality. In partnership with the Ottawa Valley Tourist Association, we have attended Canada Blooms and The Cottage Show and both of these shows allow us to showcase our community as well as learn about new, creative gardening and landscaping ideas!

Landscape Municipal The City maintains close to 200 acres of parks and green space and has a routine maintenance schedule implemented by the Operations Department (Parks and Facilities). This includes caring for 5 soccer fields, 6 ball diamonds and approximately 90% grass and open space. Turf management practices include overseeding, fertilizing, aeration and irrigation to ensure player safety. The sports fields are maintained with a biweekly mowing, provided the grass is about 2.5” or more in height. The soccer fields at Riverside Park are in continual use all spring, summer and fall and have been praised as the “best in Eastern Ontario” by visiting ball and soccer teams. A partnership with Ottawa Valley Waste Recovery Centre has resulted in top dressing of the soccer fields with compost that comes from OVWRC. The result is lush, green turf that the teams loved. In 2012 some of the soccer fields were infested with June Beetle grubs. This prompted remediation in the fall, and the positive results are clearly seen this year. Open spaces are left “rough” along ditches, borders and some banks. There is no use of pesticides except in the case of poison ivy, as more and more site naturalization practices are being used. Crews work annually to rehabilitate some land at Riverside Park, and using fill from street construction to bring the land up above the floodplain. A lot of work has already been accomplished along the Kiwanis Walkway, ensuring that wildlife habitat is maintained and encouraged, while allowing the public to enjoy nature in the middle of the city. This includes rise nesting platforms for Osprey and several blue bird houses installed by the Pembroke and Area Field Naturalists Club.

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Social Media is fundamentally changing the way municipalities communicate with their residents and businesses. Low cost, immediate messaging and an audience that subscribes to your messages is making it easier to reach a growing public. The fact that no trees are used spreading news via FaceBook or Twitter is a bonus!

Pansy Patch Park is a public park that was bequeathed to the city during the 60’s. Local Horticultural Society members maintain most of the beds there, ensuring the park is kept looking beautiful. It’s a very popular spot for wedding photographs too! All city parks are heavily used, The Waterfront particularly so because of its location adjacent to downtown. It is used year round, and is the site of many celebrations, including Canada Day, Waterfront Live!, numerous special community events and Snospree which is organized by the City. The Amphitheatre is increasingly used for weddings, as is the Woodland Chapel. In designing any new gardens or structures, the guiding principles are to be mindful of the past, respectful of the present, and hopeful for the future. Signature signage is consistent with all three of these credos: made of wood, pillared with logs, and painted with gold.

The City actively encourages development that places a priority on green, lean construction and enables residents and businesses to maintain a healthy, lush, natural environment in which to live. In 2014, a Walking Trail and Park Guide based on Google Maps was developed so that visitors can explore our parks at their leisure, using their smart phones or by downloading a printable version.

This beautiful corner of eastern Ontario, the Ottawa Valley, is renowned as the white water capital of eastern North America and 6 rafting companies on the Ottawa River attract over ½ million tourists annually to experience the thrill of racing through the rapids!

Why not take a few minutes and get a little wet and wild? http://www.wildernesstours.com/ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbYcC0xXFdE&feature=related

Business and Institutions The Gray Sisters of the Immaculate Conception maintain several gardens, including a Meditation Labyrinth and a public vegetable garden with plots available to community residents. The back yard of their property is locally known as the Mother Hill, and is a popular tobogganing site in winter. The Sisters also manage a retreat at the Marguerite Centre, and a hospice for families whose loved ones are in the Pembroke Regional Hospital. Lovely gardens offer quiet places for introspection. Six long term care facilities and seniors’ residences in Pembroke have created quiet retreats and shaded corners for the residents to enjoy around the properties. In all cases, the landscapes are designed to instill calm, peace and pleasure. Algonquin College opened a new campus at Pembroke’s Waterfront. The design of the campus gardens incorporates the natural landscape elements and green building technologies lessen the building’s carbon footprint. Algonquin has committed to preserving and enhancing the beautiful setting along the Ottawa River. Three cemeteries are exceptionally well maintained by the church organizations that own and manage them. The cemeteries in Pembroke are owned and operated by the churches who also take great care and pride in maintaining them.

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Through Communities in Bloom, most local churches have created beautiful entrance gardens, and make exceptional efforts to keep their properties and grounds well maintained. Several schools have been involved in the provincial Schools in Bloom program, and as a result the school yards have benefited from the extra attention. Fellowes High School is a Provincial Schools In Bloom winner, and operates a greenhouse program for students with special needs. Each spring, they sell the plants that they raise in the greenhouse at the Communities in Bloom spring launch. All Ontario high schools have a mandated community volunteer service hours requirement for their students prior to graduation, and the City welcomes many of them to help with park maintenance and community clean ups. The Pembroke Regional Hospital recently expanded again, adding a day surgery wing and Wellness Centre to the large facility. Serving a population base of approximately 73,000 it is a very busy health care centre. As with all new developments, landscaping plans were submitted to the City along with the architectural plans for comment and approval.

The Pembroke Marina is operated by the City of Pembroke and is a busy boating destination throughout the summer months. As well as selling gas, pump outs, marine maps, pop and ice, the Marina also has accessible washrooms, and laundry and shower facilities for registered boating guests. In 2014 additional public washrooms at the western end of the park were constructed to accommodate the large numbers of visitors it receives on a daily basis.

Residential The Pembroke Communities in Bloom program has always encouraged the residents to consider their yards as a whole, and to plant in accordance with the environment around them, highlighting natural elements, and designing focal points that accent their homes. Several clubs and organizations have developed garden tours for fundraising, and their popularity speaks to the success of the residents of the community in making their properties more beautiful! The local competition discourages the use of exotic species, plastic flowers or elements that clearly don’t reflect our natural landscape. The result is an ever improving appearance of our neighbourhoods, as well as increasing real estate values. Each fall, the Communities in Bloom committee hosts an Annual Awards Ceremony to honour and thank the residents, businesses, institutions, and volunteers who do so much to make Pembroke a better place to live. Every property in Pembroke is viewed by volunteer judges, and after judging, a door knocker is left notifying that “Your property has been judged, and your exceptional efforts were noticed. Please join us at the Awards Ceremony” Attendance to the event has risen steadily every year, and in 2013, over 300 attended to see if they had earned 3, 4, or 5 blooms!

Four seasons of spectacular beauty keep us spellbound 12 months of the year.

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Community Community partnerships are vital, and several service clubs and organizations voluntarily maintain parkettes and green spaces. The Bereaved Families of Pembroke has created a wonderful Memory Garden on Mary Street, at a former snow dump site. The service clubs in Pembroke all make outstanding contributions to the City. The Rotarians provide assistance for a Summer Day Camp and Splash Pad as well as a winter hockey rink at Rotary Park. The Kinsmen provide for a hockey rink at Kinsmen Park and helped to build Kinsmen Pool. The Kiwanis built the Kiwanis Walkway and a splash pad at Riverside Park. The Civitan Club has donated to the mini-putt at Riverside Park. These (and many other) contributions to the quality of life in Pembroke are invaluable and would likely not be here for the residents to enjoy if not for these organizations and the people who give back!

The Pembroke Business Improvement Area looks after Coronation Park and the baskets and planters in the downtown. Many area businesses willingly offer to help sponsor programs, contribute to silent auctions, and generally lend their support to many, many worthy causes. In a relatively small community with a limited tax base, these relationships are not just necessary, they are critical; and so there is also a line item in the Economic Development budget labelled Volunteer Appreciation. This money is used to pay for luncheon meetings, tshirts, ball caps, and small tokens of appreciation, and to show how deep and heartfelt our appreciation is or all of our volunteers.

Please fasten your seatbelt! It’s time to relax a little and take a flight over Pembroke!

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Floral Displays Municipal Through Communities in Bloom, the City has initiated several programs to encourage participation in the program, and over the past 15 years, the amount of effort from the municipality, the businesses and institutions, the residents and the community as whole has increased many times over.

The Beautiful Bridges, Baskets, and Banners program is paid for by the Communities in Bloom budget, and each year the colour schemes are chosen by the committee and shared with the community at large so that there is a cohesive look to the many plantings. The colourful Banners in the downtown are made of a recycled plastic fabric called Ecotex, and reflect designs seen at the National Art Gallery. The Half Barrels throughout the city have been purchased by the businesses from Sunset Nursery for an initial payment of $70.00. Each year after, Sunset Nursery plants them to match the other municipal plantings, delivers them to the businesses, and then picks them up and stores them over the winter for $40.00 per year. This is an excellent program that has helped to soften the concrete landscape of several garages and businesses throughout Pembroke. All of the bridges and baskets are maintained by the Communities in Bloom committee, who hire a local business to water them every other day throughout the season.

There are several local nurseries and garden centres to help businesses and residents beautify their surroundings, including the Pembroke Farmers’ Market. In 2014, Sunset Nursery was the successful bidder of the municipal RFQ process, and has supplied the beautiful plant material, design services and planting assistance and advice whenever need arises.

Both the City Operations and Economic Development & Tourism departments maintain budgets for Communities in Bloom. Summer students, also known as “Bloomers” are hired to help with park maintenance, while the Communities in Bloom overall initiative, including purchasing and watering of all the plantings mentioned above, comes from the Economic Development budget, which for 2014 was approved for $25,000. This money is then leveraged, through sponsorships of boulevards and banners and wherever else possible, to help keep Pembroke blooming! The City has attended Canada Blooms and The Cottage Show in partnership with the Ottawa Valley Tourist Association several times, promoting our participation in CiB to attract tourists to Pembroke – just one of the many benefits of the program. In 2013, we have participated in CN Garden Routes and in the Scott’s Miracle Grow Gardens program to the absolute delight of the sign recipients! In June of 2014, we were delighted to learn that we had been named the 2014 Community of the Year by the Canadian Garden Council and the Canadian Garden Tourism Awards! A banner has been hung over Pembroke Street proudly proclaiming this honour!

Businesses and Institutions For the fourth year running, the Committee has spearheaded the Beautiful Boulevards of Pembroke Street, with the planting of five boulevards at the eastern side of downtown. The 2014 boulevards were sponsored by the Pembroke Comfort Inn, Huckabone Bradley Instance & Lyle law firm, Sunset Nursery, the Pembroke Horticultural Society, Johnston and Mackie Insurance Ltd, and HGS. Most businesses have caught on that beautifying their entrances creates higher pedestrian traffic through their doors. When a community looks healthy it sends a positive message to people to come and enjoy what we have to offer! This has evolved over the years into a dynamic, positive cycle that we continue to nurture in Pembroke.

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All businesses are encouraged to keep their properties clean, well maintained and inviting to attract more customers!

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Residential When we first started the Communities in Bloom program in 1999, we held a local competition and asked people to nominate outstanding businesses and residences that had beautiful front garden landscapes. That number quickly grew in the ensuing years to become so unwieldy – over 700 nominations to contend with - that we decided instead that every property would automatically be entered into the local competition. And every year, the competition gets better and better as residents continue to take pride in their homes. The notion of gardening to the front, of taking ownership of boulevards, decorating front porches throughout the year has become firmly rooted in the city – from Canada Day to summer gardens to fall Thanksgiving displays, Hallowe’en, Christmas, Easter, St. Patrick’s – there’s no shortage of reasons to brighten up the streets of Pembroke!

We use Social Media, and in particular, Facebook, to share decorating ideas from Canada’s gardening guru, Mark Cullen to HGTV and Canadian Gardening Magazine. We also post gorgeous photos of gardens from coast to coast to coast, and beyond, while urging residents and businesses to embrace sustainable, responsible gardening techniques.

The next big event coming up in Pembroke is 2014 Fiddle Week when 1000’s will again gather at Fiddle Park (aka Riverside Park) to enjoy traditional stepdancing and fiddling with friends old and new from all over North America. People stroll through the park day and night, hoping to catch some great music like this performance with two instruments played by three people The ol’ Two Three Shuffle Enjoy!

Community Involvement The City of Pembroke is a wonderful community, respectful of its past, engaged in its present and excited about its future. It started as a rough and ready frontier town on the edge of the vast forest. It has gone through cycles of boom and bust, and risen from the ashes, literally, more than once. And it has become more. More creative. More mindful. More diverse.

It has grown into a unique place in Canada, “the Heart of the Ottawa Valley”, in which the sum of its parts is greater than the whole. Communities in Bloom is a program that has been embraced and has helped Pembroke achieve moments of greatness - the 2013 Samuel de Champlain Flotilla, the 2010 Olympic Torch Relay Celebration; the 180th Anniversary Celebration; Freedom of the City Ceremonies; winning the 2013 International Communities in Bloom competition, the 2007 National Communities in Bloom competition and the 2001 Provincial Communities in Bloom competition. These are when moments when Pembroke shone, and a collective sigh of “I’m glad I live here” was felt on every corner. We do this to have more of those moments, and to ensure that our children do too. To achieve this takes work, commitment, passion, careful thought and consideration. This little city has done all of that, and then some. And it certainly didn’t do it without a lot of help from the entire community! To all who have been, who are, and who will be part of the Communities in Bloom program – as a sponsor, a volunteer, a member of staff - we salute you. We thank you.

Your 2014 Pembroke Communities in Bloom Committee

News Clippings & Articles

Economic Development Council of Ontario Marketing Award, February 2014

Presented by the Canadian Garden Council, June 2014

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The Corporation of the City of Pembroke International Communities in Bloom Competition Submission to the Judges July, 2014