A Morinville bank will mark its centennial next week with a donation to help the town celebrate its own anniversary.
The Royal Bank of Canada will celebrate 100 years in the town on Monday with a $5,000 donation to the Morinville Historical Society that will be used for next year’s centennial celebrations.
According to branch manager Sara Townsend, the bank first opened its doors on Nov. 1, 1910 on what was Morinville’s main street at the time. That building burned to the ground, along with a good chunk of the street, in August 1920. The branch subsequently moved before settling into its current home in 1966.
It was only the fourth branch to be opened in Alberta at the time. In those days, the community was still classified as a village and did not become an incorporated town until April 1911.
Townsend said the bank plans a small celebration on Monday with refreshments and children’s activities, along with a visit from women’s hockey Olympic gold medallist and St. Albert product Meaghan Mikkelson, who will sign autographs.
She said it is important for the bank to give back to the community, especially after a century in service.
“It is an opportunity for us to be thanking our clients.”
She said with both the bank and the community celebrating 100 years in business, the donation to the society is a natural fit.
“They kind of tie together and it will help with a donation to the centennial celebration here in Morinville.”
Murray Knight, director of the Morinville Historical Society, said the group plans to turn the donation over to the centennial celebration committee.
“The $5,000 will be donated over to the 100th birthday committee and it will go from there,” he said. “It will go totally through to the centennial committee.”
Morinville is planning a host of community events for next year’s anniversary, including the opening of the town’s new cultural centre.
The bank’s celebration will run from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
