KAWARTHA LAKES-This history of downtown Lindsay will be on full display beginning next week with the installation of Lindsay Downtown Historical Street Banners.
The Lindsay Downtown BIA announced the installation of the Lindsay Downtown Historical Street Banners, beginning the week of July 27th. The initiative brings 75 new banners to lampposts throughout Downtown Lindsay, including 60 unique historic photos of the downtown, and 15 banners featuring reflective phrases: “Where Generations Have Gathered,” “A Community Shaped By History,” and “Where Every Street Has a Story.” Together, they invite residents and visitors to connect with Downtown Lindsay’s rich heritage as they walk its streets. The project follows the major downtown reconstruction, which saw 75 new lampposts installed to enhance streetscape’s character.
This project reflects a partnership between the LDBIA and the City of Kawartha Lakes. The banners will feature the CKL ‘Jump In’ logo to highlight this shared municipal collaboration.
The new banner initiative was made possible through funding from the City of Kawartha Lakes’ Legacy C.H.E.S.T. Fund, which supports non-profit, community-based organizations in delivering projects that enhance quality of life in the areas of health, arts, culture, leisure, heritage, education, and the environment.
“This project started with our Beautification Committee’s vision for a downtown that wears its history proudly, and it’s been a joy to be a part of that vision taking shape,” said Melissa McFarland, Executive Director of the Lindsay Downtown BIA. “What amazed us most was the sheer expansiveness and quality of the resources we were given access to. The Beall Collection at the Lindsay Library Branch is a real gem, and the volume of historical photographs and documents held by the Kawartha Lakes Museum & Archives and the City of Kawartha Lakes’ Municipal Archives was incredible to see.”
Digging through decades of photographs also gave the team a new appreciation for how much Downtown Lindsay has changed, and how much has stayed the same.
“What struck us most was the contrast,” McFarland added. “So much has changed along these streets over the years, yet so much of the character has stayed exactly the same. Over the coming months, we’re looking forward to sharing some of the stories behind these photos, and inviting the community to see downtown through that same lens.”
The banners will be displayed seasonally each spring and summer. They will be removed each autumn in time for the Royal Canadian Legion‘s annual display of veterans’ banners ahead of Remembrance Day.
