Harnessing the Power of the Sun to Empower Youth

The power of the sun will help more young people in Cape Breton participate in affordable sports programming.

Tomorrow’s Legends, a non-profit organization in Sydney devoted to empowering youth through sport and culture, received $347,200 from the Province for a state-of-the-art solar energy system and central control system that will automate heating, cooling and lighting in Legends Arena, a net-zero youth sports facility.

Brian Comer, Minister of Addictions and Mental Health and MLA for Cape Breton East, announced the funding at the facility today, July 20, on behalf of Timothy Halman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change.

“When young people have access to sport, they build confidence, strengthen relationships and improve their physical and mental health,” said Minister Comer. “By investing in this clean energy project, we’re investing in our youth by helping Tomorrow's Legends so that they can keep programs affordable and accessible so more youth can participate, grow, and succeed – both on and off the court.”

The organization is converting the former Centennial Area into a sports and community gathering facility. Using the latest solar, water conservation, smart lighting and other clean technology will keep operating costs low so more money can be invested into making programming affordable for youth.

Expected to be fully open in 2027, Legends Arena will have an indoor training area, a recording studio, a multi-purpose room, a cultural display that showcases Cape Breton’s diversity, and courts for basketball, volleyball, pickleball and other sports. There will be recreational and competitive sports opportunities for about 2,000 youth.

The provincial funding is through the Sustainable Communities Challenge Fund, a grant program that helps Nova Scotians adapt to climate change and/or mitigate its impacts.

Quotes:

“The Province's contribution represents a key component of this retrofit project, enabling our organization to achieve its goal of reaching net-zero operations. While it is important to equip the arena with modern equipment and professional-grade sports flooring, it is equally important to create an affordable space that youth and the community can enjoy for many years to come. The Province's support makes this possible by helping to reduce operating costs while creating a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable environment.”
— Bill Kachafanas, President and CEO, Tomorrow’s Legends

“Legends Arena plays a vital role in providing opportunities for young people to participate in sport, recreation and community life. By installing rooftop solar panels and upgrading its energy management system, the arena will reduce operating costs and improve energy efficiency. This investment will help ensure the facility remains a vibrant and sustainable space for youth for years to come.”
— Juanita Spencer, CEO, Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities

Quick Facts:

• Tomorrow’s Legends received $60,000 from the Province’s Low Carbon Communities program in 2024 for designing the solar panel system
• the Sustainable Communities Challenge Fund was created in 2021 as part of the Environmental Goals and Climate Change Reduction Act, a legislated commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, respond to climate change, transform how Nova Scotians produce and use energy, make homes and buildings energy efficient, and more
• eligible funding recipients are municipalities, non-profit and community organizations, post-secondary institutions and Mi’kmaw communities
• since launching, the fund has announced about $15 million for projects that help Nova Scotians respond to climate change

Additional Resources:

More information on the Sustainable Communities Challenge Fund is available at: https://nschallengefund.ca/

News releases about the fund and related projects: https://news.novascotia.ca/search/all?field_topics=228

Environmental Goals and Climate Change Reduction Act: https://nslegislature.ca/sites/default/files/legc/statutes/environmental%20goals%20and%20climate%20change%20reduction.pdf

Our Climate, Our Future: Nova Scotia’s Climate Change Plan for Clean Growth: https://climatechange.novascotia.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/ns-climate-change-plan.pdf

Powering the Transition: Nova Scotia 2025 Climate Change Risk Assessment: https://climatechange.novascotia.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/climate-change-risk--assessment-2025.pdf