Friday marks 100 years since the incorporation of the city of Prince George and the official kickoff to the year's centennial celebration.
For the past three years, Coun. Murry Krause has headed the committee laying the groundwork for the 2015 festivities.
"One of the things we started out with was needing to let the community even know that it was going to happen - that's not really on people's radar," said Krause.
Members of the 100th anniversary committee fanned out across the city, speaking at public gatherings, to service clubs, community groups and gathering feedback.
A 2013 public input process gathered upwards of 350 suggestions, many of which have been incorporated in some way into the year's plans, said Krause.
Out of those recommendations, two main themes emerged: to celebrate the city's history and, more importantly, to simply celebrate.
"There are some wonderful things that came our way," said Krause. "Instilled in the work of the committee was the real desire to create more community pride. We have come a long ways. And one of things we've talked about a lot, in many circles as we've talked about the celebration, was encouraging people not to be so self denigrating - that we really are an incredible community. We're hoping, of course, that just coming off the Games, people will have that sense of pride."
The committee, which received a budget of $100,000 from the city and an additional $72,700 in federal funds, was able to provide $25,000 in micro grants to community groups to help fund 27 centennial initiatives and activities.
That celebration starts Friday morning at Exploration Place with an official cake-cutting and press conference.
Those with a sweet tooth can also find cake on Saturday across the city at these times and locations:
10:30 a.m. at St. Mary's Hall during FrancoFun
11:30 a.m. at the Railway and Forestry Museum
12:30 p.m. at Exploration Place
1:30 p.m. at the Coliseum
2:30 p.m. at the Prince George Aquatic Centre
6:15 p.m. at the Prince George Playhouse prior to the first showing of the 2015 Cinema CNC festival.
At 2 p.m. Friday, local historian Valerie Giles will launch her new book, Remembering..., at Books and Company. The book, published by CNC Press, is a collection of more than 560 columns on the city's history that Giles wrote between February 1998 and January 2009 in the Prince George Citizen.
The approximately 600-page book took about a year to compile, said CNC Press manager Kathy Plett. There are also about 270 historical photos dug up by Exploration Place staff.
"The city's success appears to be clearly based on the quality of its citizens and it's nice to have a chance to feature some of them in this publication," Plett said in the book's introduction.
The official anniversary date will be capped off with the Mayor's Volunteer Banquet at the Civic Centre Friday night. Typically held in April, during National Volunteer Week, the 100th anniversary committee suggested moving the dinner up to coincide with the incorporation date and making it a grander affair.
"Usually the banquet itself is to thank volunteers who've given us their time during that year and this one will be inviting people who are past award recipients and past volunteers as well, acknowledging Prince George's status as a volunteer community," said Krause.
Throughout the anniversary weekend, there will be free activities at select civic facilities.
"We have some of the best facilities of any city our size in Canada. They've been imagined, financed and built by the people of Prince George over the past 100 years, and one way to say thanks is to throw open the doors for the weekend," said Mayor Lyn Hall, in a press release. "It's especially important given the support people showed during the 2014 Canada Winter Games, when many facilities were not open to the public."
The facilities celebrating the centennial anniversary Saturday are:
Exploration Place: free admission and activities, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
St. Mary's Hall: FrancoFun, including sugar shack, activities and a concert (free except for paid admission to brunch), 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Two Rivers Art Gallery: free admission, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; free exhibition tour, 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Railway and Forestry Museum: free admission and activities, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Prince George Coliseum: free family skating, 12:30-2 p.m.
Aquatic Centre and Four Seasons Pool: 100 minutes of free admission, 1:30-3:10 p.m.
On Sunday:
Two Rivers Art Gallery: free admission, noon to 5 p.m.; free exhibition tour, 1 p.m.; create a thaumatrope (turn of the century optical illusion), 1-4 p.m.
Aquatic Centre and Four Seasons Pool: 100 minutes of free admission, 1:30-3:10 p.m.
Elksentre: free family skating, 2-3:30 p.m.
The birthday party will stretch through the entire year, but will especially pick up in the summer.
"Lots of communities, when they have their anniversary, is they try and create a homecoming," said Krause. "So rather than create a homecoming, we decided that we would try to put on a significant celebration between July 10-19, thinking that would be the time people might be coming home for a visit."
Those 10 days will include this year's edition of Summerfest (typically held in August), KidzArtDayz at Two Rivers Gallery, the unveiling of a mural, an old-fashioned soap box derby, daily music performance and more.
There will also be a focus on First Nations woven throughout the anniversary.
"One of things we had significant conversations about was to really acknowledge that the first people were here first and the Lheidli T'enneh were here first," said Krause, adding the committee is looking to assist with National Aboriginal Day celebrations June 21.
The summer will also provide another opportunity to look backwards when the 75th anniversary time capsule is unearthed.
City community co-ordinator Doug Hofstede said the committee has already been in touch with some of the 75 people who were school-aged children that contributed items to the capsule back in 1990.
"The idea was that they would come back and participate," Hofstede said of the 25-year turnaround.
The contents of the time capsule will be put on display before they are reburied along with new items marking the 100th anniversary.
"The threads are all still coming together and we're encouraging people to be creative," said Krause about the centennial. "We're willing to support and assist in any way other celebrations that evolve during the year."
To keep up with the latest, visit www.pg100.ca or follow Prince George's 100th Anniversary on Facebook.
