The ceremony can be viewed on our youtube channel.

The 25^th Anniversary event was celebrated in Kemptville on Tuesday, September 26, 2023 and brought together the past, present, and future of our beloved municipality, marking the significant moment when North Grenville was officially formed through the amalgamation of the three townships.

The evening comprised of a stroll down memory lane, accompanied by special guests, speakers, and music. There was also a ceremonial presentation of a Mayoral Chain of Office to past and present Mayors of North Grenville.

Special thanks to former Clerk Cahl Pominville (our MC and the glue that held it all together), former Mayor Bruce Harrison, Tom Graham (who presented a historical piece prepared by Dr. David Shanahan), former Reeve and Warden Joan Williams-Birch, former Councillors David Delaney and Patrick Esmonde-White who all came and shared their experiences during amalgamation.

We would also like to thank the musical performances by the Kemptville Male Choir and NGDHS Big BaNG drumming group. 

Members of the Guides, Scouts, and Cadets were also present and helped close the formal event as well – we thank them for their gracious efforts.

The Mayoral Chain of Office has eleven significant medallions, including (front to back):

• The large North Grenville (logo) medallion suspended at the forefront,
• The former crests of the Town Kemptville and the Townships of Oxford-on-Rideau and South Gower, which were Provincially amalgamated as the Municipality of North Grenville in 1998,
• A set of evergreen tree symbols representing the white pine forests surrounding our community, with a stylized version that has a predominant place in the official North Grenville logo,
• A set of trillium symbols - the official flower of the Province of Ontario,
• A set of maple leaves representing Canada’s National tree and the central emblem used on our Canadian flag,
• The central Shield from the Arms of Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada. (Note - The Governor General’s Website has not been updated to reference the King).
• The Mayoral Chain of Office also has twenty-four bars to be engraved with the names (and years of service if applicable) of the former, present and future Mayors of the Municipality of North Grenville.

The bars currently feature the names of the following Municipality of North Grenville Mayors between 1998 and present day:
Mayor Don (Donald) Cameron
Mayor Bruce Harrison
Mayor William Gooch
Mayor David Gordon
Mayor Nancy Peckford

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;
• New and expanded Fire Hall and ladder truck ad new OPP Station;
• A central Municipal Centre, that hosts 2 ice pads, a 350-seat community theatre, and rental space for community events;
• Lease of Municipally-owned former Provincial Ferguson Forest nursery lands to the new not-for-profit community-oriented Ferguson Forest Centre Corporation;
• 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;
• Expanded education and attraction of four school boards (English public, English Catholic, French public and French Catholic), and new schools for a growing population;
• Host of the 2022 International Plowing Match;
• Being crowned Canada’s and Ontario’s Most Active Community as part of the ParticipACTION Community Challenge (2021, 2022 and 2023). 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, Kemptville Buskerfest, 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 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.