Funding for New Community Facility in Victoria County

The Province is investing in a new multi-purpose recreation facility for the residents of Victoria County.

The new facility will replace the Victoria Highland Civic Centre in Baddeck, which was recently forced to close because of mechanical and structural issues.

“Nova Scotians want to see investments in their communities to create environments where people can thrive,” said Keith Bain, MLA for Victoria-The Lakes, on behalf of Timothy Halman, Minister of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage. “The Victoria Highland Civic Centre has been the centrepiece of our community for more than 50 years, and the closure has left a huge gap. I look forward to the new centre being a community hub for many more years to come.”

The Victoria Highland Civic Centre, operated by a non-profit community organization of the same name, has an ice plant in operation from October to March and is home to the Baddeck and Area Minor Hockey Association. In the off-season, the venue hosts the Cabot Trail Relay banquet, dances, fundraisers, summer youth programs, conventions and markets.

The new accessible facility will include an ice pad, indoor walking track, a community kitchen and a community meeting space.

The Province’s funding commitment is contingent upon securing federal support.

Quotes:

“We are grateful for the support and investment from our municipal and provincial governments in community infrastructure. We are dedicated to creating a safe, inclusive, and vibrant community hub that promotes health and well-being for all residents.” — John Trickett, Chair, Victoria Highland Civic Centre Steering Committee

Quick Facts:

• a provincial grant of $5 million has been approved for the centre
• the municipality will contribute $1 million and the community will contribute $500,000
• the Province’s accessibility strategy, Access by Design 2030, outlines how the government will achieve its goal of an accessible province by providing people with disabilities equitable access to programs, services, information, and infrastructure

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

Access by Design 2030: https://novascotia.ca/accessibility/access-by-design/