A celebration of Almonte kicks off Mississippi Mills bicentennial year
A celebration 200 years in the making kicked off in Almonte, Ont. on Saturday with the first big event of the bicentennial year in Mississippi Mills.
Community activities, performances, displays, and contests were held across Almonte to celebrate the town's past and present.
"Our goal is to celebrate every corner of the municipality," Mississippi Mills Mayor Christa Lowry said.
"Certainly, there's a real appreciation of the heritage and history of the area that seems a lot of the residents hold dearly."
Comparative photos showcasing historic and present locations in Almonte were on display at the local library. Many residents also came out to design "My Mississippi Mills" banners that will hang in the library for the next year.
"Having people come together, celebrating the community, and being with their neighbours which many people have missed for quite a while," the library's CEO Christine Row said.
Puppet performances of Almonte's two most famous residents could be found at the library and Heritage Court - Dr. James Naismith, the inventor of basketball, and R. Tait Mckenzie, a physician, educator, artist, athlete, and soldier.
"We have a lot of stories to tell," Lowry said. "And whether it's stories like Dr. James Naismith with the invention of basketball; whether it's R. Tait Mackenzie who was one of his good friends."
Live musical performances were also on throughout the day at the legion and local businesses like Levi's Home Hardware.
"It is a business, but it's also more than that to us. It's part of our soul to be able to be part of the community," said Stephane Bourre, store manager at Levi's.
The hardware store has been a staple in Almonte for the last 40 years and was once owned by former mayor and community builder John Levi. It regularly hosts Remembrance Day displays inside the store as well.
Along with its famous former residents and affinity for puppets, Almonte was born out of the mill in industry. Many former mills can still be seen in town, now converted into modern day amenities.
"When you start understanding what [Almonte] is from and how it's based around hard-working Canadians that came out here because the land was affordable; to see that's where it grew from is nice," said Bourre.
The Celebrate Almonte event is one of dozens of events celebrating Mississippi Mills bicentennial year. A list of the year's upcoming events can be found here.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Ottawa public school board, 3 Toronto-area school boards launch lawsuit against social media giants
The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and three school boards in the Toronto-area have launched legal action against social media giants, accusing them of "disrupting students' fundamental right to education."
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
Tipping is off the table at this Toronto restaurant
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 mm among weather alerts in effect for 7 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres, air quality advisories and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.
King Charles calls for acts of friendship in first public remarks since Kate's cancer diagnosis
King Charles III gave public remarks for Maundy Thursday, addressing the importance of acts of friendship, following his and Catherine, Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnoses.
A Nigerian woman reviewed some tomato puree online. Now she faces jail
A Nigerian woman who wrote an online review of a can of tomato puree is facing imprisonment after its manufacturer accused her of making a “malicious allegation” that damaged its business.
Donald Trump assails judge and his daughter after gag order in N.Y. hush-money criminal case
Donald Trump lashed out Wednesday at the New York judge who put him under a gag order that bars him from commenting publicly about witnesses, prosecutors, court staff and jurors in his upcoming hush-money criminal trial.
A fight to protect the dignity of Michelangelo's David raises questions about freedom of expression
Michelangelo's David has been a towering figure in Italian culture since its completion in 1504. But in the current era of the quick buck, curators worry the marble statue's religious and political significance is being diminished.
Doctors visiting a Gaza hospital are stunned by the war's toll on Palestinian children
An international team of doctors visiting a hospital in central Gaza was prepared for the worst. But the gruesome impact Israel’s war against Hamas is having on Palestinian children still left them stunned.