Pembroke's 'Century of Service' Mural .....and more

A Century of Service 1896-1997

Pembroke's 30th mural by Karole Marois of Ottawa is now proudly in place.

click on the mural to enlarge



.... and the community is now working on # 31, for 2008 titled The Pioneers of Pembroke Township 1820-1850.

To view our Outdoor Art Gallery at large, click on this text.

If you then click on the new mural title and you can read some of the history of our early settlers. [And for those of who are looking for Pembroke's unique contribution to the Global Murals Arts note their use of Gary Howard's poetry to tell the stories of their murals. As well as this direct link there are two further poems on the side listing to browse as well - Ed.]

The Story behind: "A Century of Service 1896-1997"

This is a tribute to 100 years of health care excellence by the former Cottage and Civic Hospitals. Six founding ladies raised funds for two hospitals at the dawn of the 20th century. In the 1960s the hospital was renamed the Civic Hospital. The same group was also responsible for the formation of the auxilliary called the Alexandria Club, which is still active today.

Time moves along along the winding path. The 1900s nurse pushing a wheelchair is a wooden cutout figure that have been attached to the mural. The man on the right is reading a newspaper with the headline Cottage Hospital moves to a New Building on Cecelia Street, October 25th 1923. This is an actual headline from the past and a way for us to incorporate the first Cottage Hospital in the mural. He is seated on a stone wall that has the names of major contributors to this mural inscribed.

Moving along the path there are traditional handcrafts that were sold to raise money: the six founding ladies are in the foreground across the front of the mural wearing brooches. There is a 1930s gardener - for a period of time the hospital grew their own vegetables. Also a 1950s tea party with a member of the Masonic Lodge in attendance.

The Masonic Lodge of Pembroke contributed to the building of both hospitals as well as latter day expansions. Towards the end of the path there are 1980s nurses as well as an Alexandria Club Volunteer. And at the end of the path is the Civic Hosptial itself. It closed in 1997 due to Provincial Government cutbacks but is still in use today providing a number of health care services to the community.

Artist: Karole Marois of Ottawa