One hundred birthday candles will be lit on April 25, 2014, when the City of Pitt Meadows celebrates its centurial year.

To celebrate a milestone of this magnitude, the City and is busy planning a year of celebratory events.

And there’s a lot to celebrate, according to Mayor Deb Walters.

“Over the past 99 years we have grown from a small, isolated farming community with only about 500 residents to a well-connected, vibrant community of 17,000 plus,” said Walters.

“We have experienced such tremendous growth and change but still maintain all the great attributes and friendliness of a small community,” she added.

To make the celebrations accessible to all residents, including those who are former residents, special festivities will be added to existing popular community events like Pitt Meadows Day, Canada Day and A Pitt Meadows Christmas.

Plans for art projects and other commemorative projects are also underway with the support and knowledge of the Pitt Meadows Musuem and Historical Society.

A Centennial Celebration Committee has been created to manage the festivities. The committee includes co-chairs Rick Higgs of the Pitt Meadows Day Society and Michael Hayes of the Pitt Meadows Community Foundation, as well as co-vice-chairs, Leslie Norman of the Pitt Meadows Museum and Stacy Beeks of the Pitt Meadows Canada Day Society.

The City will be represented on the committee by a coordinator, Erin Mark, and Kathryn Baird, parks and leisure services coordinator. The committee will also include representatives from more than 25 community groups.

“Anticipation is building about our centennial celebrations. It’s so exciting to see the amount of volunteers coming forward to help,” said centennial coordinator, Erin Mark. “It truly speaks to the pride our residents have in our community.”

Residents should look for upcoming advertisements seeking volunteers interested in taking a leadership role and offering their time and skills to centennial events and projects. Residents interested in volunteering for a specific project or event are encouraged to contact the committee at 100years@pittmeadows.bc.ca.