Funding to Improve Existing Community Infrastructure in Richmond County

Community facilities and trails will be enhanced for the enjoyment of residents of Richmond County with provincial grants announced today, May 7.

“This is more than an investment in infrastructure, it is an investment in the people of this province,” said Trevor Boudreau, MLA for Richmond, on behalf of Allan MacMaster, Minister of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage. “Whether it be funding for community halls, outdoor trails or places of worship, these are all spaces of connection, belonging and kinship.”

St. Joseph’s Parish in Petit-de-Grat received funding to renovate its kitchen and replace the exhaust system, and to install a heat pump, rebuild window lintels, repair wall decorations and resurface the cement floor.

Other community facilities will also be upgraded through provincial grants:

• St. Peter’s Grand River-Loch Lomond Pastoral Charge will install heat pumps and make renovations to improve energy efficiency at St. Peter’s United Church Hall
• Rocky Bay Irish Club will replace its deck and propane stove
• Friends of St. John's Arichat Society will replace and repair the roof of the St. John’s Centre for the Arts building
• South Mountain Arm of Gold Community Association will replace its deck
• East Richmond ATV Riders Association will improve trails by ditching, widening and adding signage, as well as making bridge repairs.

More community grants will be announced across the province in the coming weeks.

Quotes:

“Our organization is dedicated to preserving the former St. John’s Anglican Church by giving it a new life as a cultural centre and performance space for the community. We are grateful to the Department for this funding as it has allowed us to make critical repairs to the roof to prevent water damage to this beautiful building. Having spaces such as this in a rural community, where people can gather, is important to preserving and celebrating our culture and heritage.”
— Margaret Herdman, Friends of St. John’s Arichat Society

Quick Facts:

• grant recipients and funding amounts:
  • St. Joseph's Parish – over $65,000
  • St. Peter’s Grand River-Loch Lomond Pastoral Charge – $50,000
  • Rocky Bay Irish Club – over $20,000
  • Friends of St. John's Arichat Society – just over $19,000
  • South Mountain Arm of Gold Community Association – $13,500
  • East Richmond ATV Riders Association – over $8,000

Additional Resources:

Department of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage grants and programs: https://cch.novascotia.ca/investing-in-our-future

Online grant finder tool: https://beta.novascotia.ca/find-grants-offered-through-department-communities-culture-tourism-and-heritage