Churches • Calvary Pentecostal Church • Christian Reformed Church • Our Lady of Fatima Parish • Parkview Free Methodist Church • Renfrew Baptist Church • Renfrew & District Ministerial Association • Renfrew Presbyterian Church • Salvation Army • St. Francis Xavier Roman Catholic Church • St. James Lutheran Church • St. Paul's Anglican Church • Trinity St. Andrew's United Church
Health Care Facilities • Bonnechere Manor • Chartwell Quail Creek Retirement Residence • Hospice Renfrew Inc. • Miramichi Lodge • Renfrew Victoria Hospital opened in 1897, having 12 beds for contagious disease. By 1912, bed capacity rose to 30 and the Renfrew Victoria Hospital became a Public General Hospital. In January 1926, a tragic fire destroyed the original building, which was replaced by a new 50 bed hospital later that year. The Hospital was under Municipal ownership until 1961 when a special act of parliament transferred it from civic authority to an independent corporation known as the Board of Governors, composed of representatives from the Town of Renfrew and surrounding Townships. In October 1963, the hospital grew to 101 treatment beds after a major building and renovation program. In November 1978 another renovation project took place which was completed in April 1980. A new Dialysis Unit serving Renfrew County was completed in 1994, able to accommodate the needs of 48 patients. This Unit was again expanded in 1999 with an addition to the Hospital. In November 2001, a new Emergency/Ambulatory Care wing was opened, adding 13,000 square feet to the existing hospital, then in March 2015 a 23,000 square foot Nephrology Centre was completed. This consolidated every aspect of patient's care for kidneys - education, clinics and treatment - in the same area of the hospital. The Victoria Hospital School of Nursing opened in 1902 with a capacity of 30 students, graduating 10 students per year. Nursing education moved under the jurisdiction of community colleges and the school was subsequently closed in 1965.
Policing The Town of Renfrew is policed by the
Ontario Provincial Police force. Chief Bernard "Barney" McDermott had the job as Chief of Police in Renfrew from 1890 until his retirement in 1909 - he was a one man police force and was known to always "get his man". His living quarters were situated above the fire hall in Renfrew. The Renfrew Police station (later the OPP detachment) was built on the back of Low Square in 1972. The OPP operated out of their Stewart Street location from 1967 until moving into the Low Square detachment when the Town of Renfrew police service
amalgamated with the OPP in 2000. The Renfrew and
Arnprior detachments, who both faced the same fate of losing their own town operated forces, had their OPP detachments amalgamated in January 2013, and in February 2017, a new regional detachment was opened at 450 O'Brien Road in Renfrew. This new Renfrew detachment serves the towns of Arnprior, Renfrew, and the townships of
Greater Madawaska,
McNab-Braeside,
Admaston-Bromley,
Horton and about half of
Whitewater Region Township.
Post Office The Renfrew
Post Office, built in 1908, is located at 249 Raglan Street South. Built in the
Romanesque Revival style with exterior walls of irregularly coursed split-faced stone and
mansard roof clad in seamed
copper, this beautiful edifice is a major landmark on Renfrew's main throughfare. The tapered silhouette of the metal-clad
clock tower, hipped
gable roof and
weather vane tops the stone structure that has twinned principal entrances with metal coats of arms located above. Located below the top centre window is the engraving
E.R. 1908, representing the
monarch at the time of construction. The interior consists of hardwood finishes, terrazzo tile floors, plaster ceilings and walls with wood dados. Over the years, the building has shared use of the post office, customs and revenue offices, and the
NHA/NHL Birthplace Museum. In 2018, the building was sold by the town to Rob Thompson Hotels Ltd. for the price tag of $100,000 with the proposal of a boutique hotel in the upper levels of the building, while retaining the post office on the main level and numerous conditions to keep the historical features intact.
Public Library The Renfrew Public Library had rather simple beginnings; a group of residents discussing the latest philosophies and varied topics in William Dickson's cobbler shop which opened up in 1845 near the current location of the post office. After gathering up a few books in 1852, Mr. Dickson, Mr. Archie Thompson, and local lawyer, Mr. Elkanah Billings formed the
Renfrew Mechanics Institute and Library Association, which lasted for about fifteen years before being revitalized in 1870 by a new group of people. By the end of the century, the Institute emerged as a newly formed Public Library Board and the books were moved to the Barnet Block at 282 Raglan Street, above what was James Clark's drugstore. The current building located at 13 Railway Avenue, was opened in 1920 with financial support from the
Carnegie Institute, and in 1959, the Children's Library was established in the completely renovated basement. In the 1980s, the library became wheelchair accessible by an addition at the east and south side of the building, which also expanded the research and reading area into the second floor of the adjacent building at 161 Raglan Street. ==Sports==