Renfrew County celebrates rich history in style
Posted Jun 16, 2011 By Kathryn Glynn
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EMC Events - Renfrew County has seen many ups and some downs over the past 150 years.
Kathryn Glynn, Arnprior EMC
Renfrew County's 150th anniversary celebration opened in style last Thursday as county warden Bob Sweet was accompanied in a carriage by Renfrewshire Scotland councillor William Perrie, his wife Sonya Sweet, and Renfrewshire Provost Celia Lawson. The carriage was pulled by a Clydesdale horse team driven by Ray McLaughlin. The celebrations took place all weekend at the Pembroke Airport.
But the celebration of the county's history - Expo 150 - was an overwhelming success as an estimated 40,000 visitors took in the event held last weekend. This is double what organizers had expected.
Festivities for the four-day event kicked off Thursday with opening ceremonies on the main stage.
Pembroke town crier Dave Henderson led the procession with the Pipes and Drums of Renfrew County, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police on horseback and a Clydesdale-drawn carriage with the county`s delegation aboard.
Henderson's voice boomed as he read a special proclamation to the gathered audience. He called Expo 150 "an extraordinary moment that will be etched in our memories and that will be passed down to future generations.
"We stand at such a moment in time as we celebrate 150 years as a people on this great land. We stand here united by a common destiny. We can hear the voices of those who have gone before us," he continued.
A pleased Renfrew County Warden Bob Sweet took the stage addressing the crowd, "This is a milestone celebration of this great County of Renfrew. The vitality, enthusiasm, initiative and imagination brought to form the past, the present and the future of Renfrew County, indeed a journey through time, showcases a dedicated group of hundreds who worked tirelessly over the past two years to bring us Expo 150," he said. "It would not be possible without the generosity of sponsors and a small army of volunteers."
Special guests Provost Celia Lawson, of Renfrewshire, Scotland and Renfrewshire councillor William Perrie also addressed the crowd.
The opening ceremonies were concluded with an aerial display by Canada`s elite SkyHawks Parachute Team.
Some 200 exhibits and entertainment on three main stages covered the 21-acre exhibition grounds, including Waba Cottage and the Arnprior Museum. Displays from the Town of Arnprior and the Township of McNab/Braeside were set up in the municipal tent.
Arnprior councillor Lynn Grinstead and the town's director of recreation services, Glenn Arthur, were on hand Sunday and had an opportunity to tour the event. Both are on the ad hoc committee for the Town of Arnprior`s 150th anniversary to be celebrated next year.
Grinstead said she was very impressed with what the county organized.
"I tip my hat to the County of Renfrew, they did an amazing job," she said.
Plans are in the works for Arnprior's 150th birthday in 2012 and Grinstead hinted at what residents can expect.
"Ours will be a year-long celebration with a New Year's dance and fireworks to kick off the year," she said. "The anniversary date is June 9 which happens to be a Saturday and we will have a weekend-long event to commemorate the date."
The theme of the weekend will be a good old fashioned country fair with a barn dance, horseshoe tournament, lumberjack contest and outdoor movie, to name a few events. A hockey tournament and World Championship Broomball Tournament will be held during the year as well.
"I found Expo 150 to be very inspiring. It is the kind of thing we want, with a peek to the past and a look to the future," Grinstead concluded.
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