As towns across the Ottawa Valley get final preparations in place for Remembrance Day, the bond between military and community is unlike any other in Petawawa. That bond is on full display in a local businesses like Ottawa Valley Coffee, where owner Kelsey Goulet is a member of a military family herself. "Here, we're going to be doing free Americanos for all of the military, and we're going to close as a team and go down to the parade so that we can show our support as well," the new coffee shop owner tells CTV News.
"The military is what makes Petawawa go-round. We, especially here, like the support for the military and everything, it's really nice." Garrison Petawawa, a Canadian Army base, has operated in the region for over 100 years, helping grow the town's population and stimulate its economy.
Petawawa has a population of roughly 18,000 people. Between military and civilian positions, the base employs approximately 7,000 people. Notably, the town suffered great losses during the war in Afghanistan, when nearly a quarter of all Canadian lives lost in the combat being personnel deployed from CFB Petawawa.
Ahead of this November 11, the town of Petawawa installed a new Remembrance Day crosswalk, which will remain as a permanent fixture in the town even after the day has passed. "We always look for ways that we can say thanks and show our serving military members how grateful we are for everything they're doing now and everything they've done in the past," said Petawawa mayo.
