A Living Memorial – Honour and Learn
Evergreen Avenue is both a living memorial and a community beautification environmental project in Victoria Park, Smiths Falls. It honours veterans, peacekeepers, and community builders of the Smiths Falls area. The park features a shaded walkway with benches and granite dedication stones, with native trees and shrubs all described on an interpretive panel at the west end of the walkway near the Tourist Information Centre. The environmental focus is to encourage residents to use native plants in their yards to increase biodiversity and combat climate change.
See a slide show of some views of Evergreen Avenue and the stones placed there, taken in the fall of 2025.
Each year a commemorative event is organized, usually in June, to dedicate the inscribed granite stones that were placed that year. Some details of past events, photos and some descriptions of the people honoured are on the Evergreen Event page.
Watch an interview by Kathy Botham recorded with Ken Manwell and Peter Au in advance of the June 7, 2026 event.
Read a story in the Smiths Falls Record Journal, May 20, 2026, page 19.
Paver Stones
Donors may choose to honour a loved one with by having an engraved granite stone installed along the pathway.
These granite stones measure 8″x 12″x 3″ and are produced locally. Donors can have up to 20 characters per line for 3 lines of engraving. Effective June 2025, the price is $300 per stone. Donors will receive a $100 charitable receipt for income tax purposes.
For more information, please contact Jay Brennan at at (613) 283-1840 or [email protected].
See an updated list of Granite Stone Inscriptions.
History of Evergreen Avenue
Evergreen Avenue began as a Multi-partnership Millenium Project initiated by Trinity United Church. It is now a project of the Rideau Environmental Action League.
Purpose:
- To beautify our environment and provide a means to reduce CO2 pollution.
- To commemorate veterans and others from Smiths Falls.
- To teach others about native plant material attracting wildlife, and controlling CO2 emissions.
- To provide boaters and campers with an attractive route between downtown and the park.
A new Lion’s Club wading pool was constructed between the walkway and the canal, and Evergreen Avenue volunteers have assisted the 2000 Old Home Week Committee in the construction of a new picnic shelter in 2002. These additions complement the existing play structures and the World War II Harvard Trainer displayed there by the 443 Rideau Wing of the Air Force Association of Canada.
In the summer of 2012, the paver lights originally of 2012 the paver lights were all replaced with granite marker stones .
In 2015 a new interpretive panel replaced the original wooden interpretive kiosk at the west end of the pathway.
Committee Members
The Evergreen Avenue project is overseen by a voluntary Co-ordinating Committee. As of March 2026, the committee members are: Peter Au and Ken Graham, co-chairs; Keith Anderson, Treasurer, Jay Brennan, Town Councillor; Stephen Robinson, Town Councillor; Ken Manwell, Past President, Legion; Gary Garland, Past President, Legion; and Stephanie Clark, Director of Community Services, Town of Smiths Falls.
We are also actively looking out for new members.
Interested parties should contact [email protected].
Volunteers
The development of Victoria Park has been accomplished by volunteers who installed benches and paver lights in the summer of 2000, and planted the first 
shrubs and trees in the fall of 2000. In 2001 more trees and shrubs were planted and the official dedication ceremony was held. In 2002 volunteers built the picnic shelter, the interpretive kiosk, and added a dedication stone. Committed volunteers take care of mulching and watering on hot summer days. We welcome new members to join our mission, and the help of residents in the fight against vandalism.
Donations
The Evergreen Avenue Coordinating Committee continues to accept donations to fund this community project. All donors are recognized in a permanent Donor Book which is on display at the Tourist Information Kiosk in Victoria Park during the tourist season, and at the Chamber of Commerce during the winter months.
