PORTAPIQUE, N.S. — Christmas came a couple of days early for the Portapique Community Build Up + Project.
The fund, established to help “build-up” the Portapique Community Hall, received $150,000 on Dec. 21, towards its goal of $500,000, from the Nova Scotia government.
The fund and project it supports are being done in response to the tragic events of April 18 and 19, which started in, and devasted, the small community. A community which, prior to the violence was known, mostly, for its picturesque setting.
“We hadn’t asked for this much money; we had asked for $50,000,” Andrew MacDonald, a Portapique resident helping to spearhead the project, said.
“(Colchester North MLA) Karen Casey invited Minister Suzanne Lohnes-Croft, minister of communities, culture and heritage, on a personal level, to visit the hall and we, discreetly, showed them around and explained the project. It’s a tasteful project in that it’s not a big, glamorous thing; it’s just something we’re trying to do to help the community heal and move forward.”
MacDonald said he believes the politicians were “impressed.”
“Specifically, by how much work the community was doing and how engaged the community is. Their big takeaway is there is a lot of in-kind (donations) coming from the community in terms of labour, and a lot of in-kind in terms of businesses around, and anyone who hears about the project, wanting to help.”
MacDonald noted the financial support moved the fund to, roughly, two-thirds towards the goal.
“So we’re still going to need some money,” he said. “But it’s one of those projects where we can build something either way. If we don’t get 100 per cent of our goal, we can still build, say, two-thirds of what we want to do. It’s one of those projects where we do what we have the means to do, and everyone still gets to come out and enjoy it, meet each other, meet the neighbours, that’s the whole purpose. It’s not about building a big, glamorous community hall.”
Four components
MacDonald talked about the plans being broken down into four components.
“First, upgrading the hall as it is, a lot of that is done,” he said. “The next component is to build a playground outside and clear some land for a sports field which could double as parking. We’re hoping to have that done by late spring.
“Next, we’re actually going to physically move the hall to a new location, expand it and build upon it. That, we’re hoping to have closed in by winter next year. The fourth component is programming, and that piece has been coming along well,” MacDonald added, listing a few groups already interested in using an upgraded hall and concluding that it’s “way more interest” than anticipated.
But it’s that type of exuberant response he and others organizing the fund have noticed from day one.
“People understand the purpose, get it implicitly,” he said. “It’s such a feel-good project; every step along the way I get a warm and fuzzy feeling on how it’s all going. The money from the government is in that vein; we didn’t ask for $150,000 but were given it. That tells me we’re doing the right thing. Every time we talk to talk to somebody, you just get the feeling we’re doing the right thing.”
For more on the project as well as the opportunity to donate, visit Community Foundation of Nova Scotia website (cfns-fcne.ca) and look for ‘Our Funds’ on the cover-page toolbar. The We Rise Again Fund will appear in a drop-down option.
