By Heather Fraser
As the Central Nova Scotia Civic Centre’s project team moves forward towards opening day in September, it continues to be an exciting time for the team and for the community.
But as the enthusiasm for the new building grows, so do some concerns.
Our community is going through a period of change, with the opening of both the new hospital and the new health and wellness centre approaching quickly. As we know, sometimes with change come questions. Especially from those who will use these facilities not only for recreational but also for health purposes.
It was recently announced that when the centre’s aquatic centre opens, the Nova Scotia Community College Centennial Pool in Truro will close its doors.
In the initial planning stages for the civic centre, much time and effort was directed to research in determining the community’s needs and, in particular, if a new pool was warranted. It was concluded that it was more feasible to incorporate an aquatic centre in the civic centre than to make the necessary improvements to the existing pool.
Concerns have been expressed from existing members of the NSCC Sport and Wellness Centre and Centennial Pool in regards to the cost of memberships and programming in the new centre.
The civic centre team is currently working with officials from the Nova Scotia Community College to ensure a smooth transition between the two facilities.
General manager Jim Lambert has met with the college and is confident that a transfer of memberships with a pro-rated value is a definite possibility.
“Officials are eager to ensure its patrons are a priority” says Lambert. “Logistics will be worked out over the coming months and will be shared with the community.”
With the new centre just around the corner, many existing organizations have communicated their interest in partnerships and have met with the civic centre’s team to discuss these possibilities.
Construction on Abenaki Road continues to create excitement in the community as each week great strides take place on the site. Structural steel is now complete and mechanical, electrical and plumbing are well underway. Work on the exterior glazing and siding carries on and is expected to be complete by mid-May. The cement structure for the competitive pool is complete and they are now working on the pool deck.
The arena will be ready by the end of May for the installation of the dasher boards and the refrigeration system. Painting of the steel in the arena has begun with workers working three eight-hour shifts to improve efficiencies.
Another very important part of the Central Nova Scotia Civic Centre project is the Ignite the Spirit campaign.
The campaign team continues to strive to meet its final goal of $5 million. As part of the effort to raise funds, a charity golf tournament will be held at the Truro Golf Club. Each year applications are received by the club from local not-for-profit organizations applying for the opportunity to host a ‘charity’ event. The tournament is expected to attract over 100 golfers, who will enjoy 18 holes of fun and competition.
“The Ignite the Spirit team is always looking for creative ways for the community to participate in our ongoing fundraising activities,” says Jon Stanfield, chair of the campaign. “A golf tournament is an enjoyable and active way to help support a great cause. We look forward to providing our guests with a fun-filled golf day, and we are thankful the Truro Golf Club provided our campaign with this opportunity.” Please continue to visit the campaign’s website at ignitethespirit.ca for further event details.
The Central Nova Scotia Civic Centre project team is committed to the community to make the best decisions possible for the operations of the facility and for all those who will benefit from programming and services offered.
I believe the day the centre opens for business all those coming in the doors will be pleased with what they see and experience.
Heather Fraser is the fund raising/public relations assistant for the Ignite the Spirit Campaign-Central Nova Scotia Civic Centre project.
