News Release

For immediate release
January 12, 2005

Smooth Sailing for Mira Boat Club

Mira, N.S. - The Mira Boat Club is receiving Government of Canada assistance to upgrade a key piece of tourism and community infrastructure along the Mira River. The funding announcement was made today by
Rodger Cuzner, MP for Cape Breton-Canso, on behalf of the
Honourable Joseph McGuire, Minister for Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation (ECBC) and the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA).

“The Mira Boat Club has been providing services to boaters along Nova Scotia’s longest river for over 50 years,” said Rodger Cuzner.
“Community-minded people have recognized the Club’s potential to be a catalyst for greater economic activity in the area. The funding announced today is a solid investment in community economic development. It will result in major improvements to the Club, making it better suited to host tourist-related events and attract visiting boaters.”

Improvements include upgrades to the facilities and to the shoreline. The clubhouse will be extended to allow for improved kitchen facilities. To better serve its clientele, the Club will install showers, a sewage dumping station and gasoline pumps for boaters. There will also be upgrades to the Marion Bridge and Victoria Bridge wharves.

“We are an important part of the Mira community serving the needs of
year-round and summer residents alike,” said Wayne Peckham, Commodore of the Mira Boat Club. “This major upgrade to our facility enables us to provide a wider range of services to visiting and local boaters, attracting more people to the community. This provides an economic stimulus to the entire area.”

The total cost of this project is $393,500. ECBC is providing the Mira Boat Club with a non-repayable contribution of $295,125 through ACOA’s Strategic Community Investment Fund (SCIF).

The Mira Boat Club is the only facility of its kind along the Mira River and has operated since 1949. It is open year-round and has a current membership of approximately 85. It has operated a successful Red Cross Swimming program for many years and is home to the “Cape Breastoners Dragon Boat Club”, a well-known local team comprised of breast cancer survivors who have been active in promoting breast cancer awareness and fundraising.

The Strategic Community Investment Fund provides $135 million over five years to help communities in Atlantic Canada create an environment that encourages and enhances economic development.

ECBC offers programs in support of economic development initiatives and is responsible for delivering ACOA's programs on Cape Breton Island and in the Mulgrave area.


FOR BROADCAST USE ONLY:

THE MIRA BOAT CLUB IS RECEIVING GOVERNMENT OF CANADA ASSISTANCE TO UPGRADE ITS FACILITY ON THE MIRA RIVER. THE FUNDING WAS ANNOUNCED TODAY BY RODGER CUZNER, MP FOR CAPE BRETON-CANSO ON BEHALF OF JOSEPH MCGUIRE, MINISTER OF THE ENTERPRISE CAPE BRETON CORPORATION AND THE ATLANTIC CANADA OPPORTUNITIES AGENCY.

THE TOTAL COST OF THIS PROJECT IS $393,500 AND INCLUDES UPGRADES TO THE FACILITIES AND SHORELINE. THE CLUBHOUSE WILL BE EXTENDED TO IMPROVE THE KITCHEN FACILITIES AND A SEWAGE DUMPING STATION AND GASOLINE PUMPS WILL BE INSTALLED FOR BOATERS. THERE WILL ALSO BE UPGRADES TO THE MARION BRIDGE AND VICTORIA BRIDGE WHARVES.

ENTERPRISE CAPE BRETON CORPORATION IS PROVIDING A
NON-REPAYABLE CONTRIBUTION OF $295,125.

MP RODGER CUZNER SAYS THAT THE FUNDING ANNOUNCED TODAY IS A SOLID INVESTMENT IN COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. THE CLUB WILL NOW BE BETTER ABLE TO HOST TOURIST-RELATED EVENTS AND ATTRACT VISITING BOATERS.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONTACT:

Valérie Poulin
Director of Communications
Office of the Honourable Joseph McGuire
Minister of Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
(613) 941-7241

Office of Rodger Cuzner, MP
Bras d’Or-Cape Breton
Tel: (902) 842-9763

Wayne Peckham
Commodore, Mira Boat Club
Tel: (902) 564-8660

D.A. Landry
ECBC Communications
Tel: (902) 564-3617