Bancroft’s mayor looks back on 2025 and forward to the year ahead

January 13, 2026

By Nate Smelle

With the new year now underway, the Town of Bancroft is reflecting on a busy and transformative 2025, marked by major investments, community celebrations, cultural revitalization, and groundwork laid for future growth. Last week, Bancroft’s municipal strategic communications and civic engagement specialist Sarah Phoenix shared a year-in-review document with Bancroft This Week highlighting the milestones, projects, and partnerships that helped shape what she described as a year that “sparkled.”

One of the most significant achievements of 2025 was the success the town had in securing external funding. According to Phoenix’s report, Bancroft received a total of $9,659,990.08 in grants for a wide range of community projects, events, and initiatives. These funds supported infrastructure upgrades, environmental and safety initiatives, tourism development, and community programming. Among the funded projects were the Connecting Link 9 Valleyview Drive project, Riverside Park improvements through the Ontario Trillium Foundation, a Fire Protection Grant, and a Green and Inclusive Communities Grant that will support the retrofit of the North Hastings Community Centre arena. Additional funding supported Canada Day celebrations, summer student employment through Canada Summer Jobs, Experience Ontario for Gemboree 2025, wildfire prevention through the FireSmart Communities Grant, and a major contribution from the Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund.

Perhaps the most impactful single grant was the $3.65 million secured for the replacement of Bancroft’s aging water tower. The project, funded through the provincial Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund, will significantly increase the town’s water capacity, enabling growth equivalent to nearly 1,100 additional homes. Phoenix noted that this investment is critical to supporting both current residents and future housing development.

Community pride and tourism were also front and centre in 2025, particularly with the 60th anniversary of the Rockhound Gemboree. Long considered one of the region’s premier tourism draws, the Gemboree has evolved considerably since the town assumed full management of the event. After pandemic-related cancellations delayed the transition, 2025 marked Bancroft’s fourth year operating the show. Attendance has increased steadily each year, rising from 7,353 visitors in 2023 to 8,073 in 2024, and reaching 8,424 in 2025. Town staff attribute the growth to renewed public interest and successful efforts to expand and modernize the event, with notable increases in both youth and adult participation.

Cultural expression and reconciliation also played an important role in the year’s highlights. A mural by local artist Arne Roosman, depicting the history of Bancroft since the arrival of settlers, was carefully restored and reimagined on the west side of the Whitfield building at 23 Bridge Street. Facilitated by A Place for the Arts Social, the updated design incorporates giant dragonflies and a firefly, created by Algonquin First Nations artists and inspired by the Cultural Discovery Project along the river. The central firefly has been reserved as a space for Indigenous teachings and First Nations history.

Another notable initiative was the CN Caboose Restoration and Tourism Launchpad, part of the Wàwàtesì Project led by Kijicho Manito Madaouskarini. The project is transforming the Hastings Heritage Trail into a safer, more vibrant, and culturally rich corridor through the use of Algonquin art, solar lighting, benches, and language-based signage, promoting accessibility, safety, and cultural revitalization.

Additional highlights included the Collaborative Partnership Revitalization Project, continued improvements in Millennium Park led by the Bancroft Horticultural Society, the Downtown Collaborative Community Mural Project, Millennium Park bridge and trail upgrades, and well-attended Canada Day celebrations.

Mayor Paul Jenkins praised the collective effort behind the town’s progress. “In 2025 the town had many accomplishments for which I am grateful to our staff for their continuous hard work and dedication to the well-being and prosperity of the town,” he said. Jenkins highlighted downtown revitalization work, progress on the new library and affordable housing project, the installation of a new playground in Riverside Park, and collaboration with community organizations and the Algonquin community. He also acknowledged private-sector contributions.

“During the past year we completed the street-scaping component of our downtown revitalization, work progressed on the new library and affordable housing project, and we completed installation of a new playground in Riverside Park,” stated Jenkins. “In addition to ongoing and completed projects, a great deal of effort was spent laying the groundwork for future improvements/projects necessary for our long-term prosperity including securing funding for a new water tower and substantial upgrades to our arena. Equally as important was the ongoing collaboration with community organizations and the Algonquin Community to provide services and amenities for our residents. We also like to thank the private sector for their ongoing contributions to the growth of the community including the new Starbucks and Bancroft Brewery.”

Looking ahead to 2026, the town is preparing for the arena retrofit, water tower replacement, the municipal election in October, and the pursuit of additional grants currently exceeding $7 million. As Jenkins noted, the foundations laid in 2025 position Bancroft for continued progress in the year ahead and into the future.

“Housing has been and remains a priority, and we are pleased to see the confidence of developers for the various projects that are underway and others that will hopefully come to fruition in 2026,” Jenkins continued. “I look forward to continued progress in 2026 and beyond.”