As towns across the Ottawa Valley make final preparations for Remembrance Day, the bond between the military and the community is unlike any other in Petawawa.

This connection is on full display in local businesses like Ottawa Valley Coffee, whose owner Kelsey Goulet is herself a member of a military family.

“Here we’re going to do free Americanos for all the military, and we’re going to close as a team and go down to the parade so we can show our support as well,” the cafe’s new owner said. tells CTV News.

“It’s the military that runs Petawawa. We, especially here, love the support for the military and everything, it’s really nice.”

Garrison Petawawa, a Canadian Army base, has operated in the area for over 100 years, helping to grow the town’s population and boost its economy. Petawawa has a population of approximately 18,000. Between military and civilian positions, the base employs approximately 7,000 people.

The city notably suffered heavy losses during the war in Afghanistan, when almost a quarter of all Canadian lives lost in combat were personnel deployed from CFB Petawawa.

Ahead of November 11, the City of Petawawa installed a new crosswalk for Remembrance Day, which will remain a permanent feature in the city even after the day ends.

“We are always looking for ways to thank and show our active military members how grateful we are for all they do now and all they have done in the past,” said Petawawa Mayor Gary Service.

Serviss says Petawawa is now one of a handful of municipalities across Canada displaying such crosswalks. It is located at the intersection of Petawawa Boulevard and Canadian Forces Parkway.

“Seeing it every time you go to the grocery store or even every time we drive down Main Street, I think it’s just a reminder that the city appreciates us, that they care about us,” said Lieutenant-Colonel Nicolas Forsyth, deputy base commander of Garrison Petawawa.

This year, the Petawawa Legion is bringing back its Remembrance Day parade for the first time since the pandemic.

Beginning at 10:30 a.m., the parade will proceed down Petawawa Boulevard to the Petawawa Legion Cenotaph, where the day’s service will take place.

On Saturday evening, the Legion is also hosting its Armistice Dinner, honoring hundreds of local veterans.

“This is our way of thanking them for what they have done in the past and what some are still doing,” said Legion President Lynn Mathieson.

Mathieson says it’s the Petawawa Legion’s busiest time of year and its biggest in terms of fundraising.

“We have orders for wreaths, boxes of poppies going out and volunteers taking them out and delivering them to businesses.”

Throughout the community, symbols of thanks and appreciation for veterans can be seen, from flags and banners to signs on windows and lawns.

“We also have a fantastic banner program, the Veterans Banner Program,” says Serviss. “Current and former units are honored with a banner in town for approximately one month in October and November.”

These efforts, not only in early November but throughout the year, do not go unnoticed by military personnel and their families, Forsyth says.

“As a large portion of the residents work on the base – whether they’re military or civilian, as part of the defense team – to see that reflected, I think it’s super special.”