News Release

For Immediate Release
August 26, 2006

SYDNEY MINES COMMUNITY CENTRE CELEBRATES OPENING

Sydney Mines, N.S. –The Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), was on hand today to help the Sydney Mines Community Centre celebrate its official grand opening.

The Sydney Mines Renewal Association received $938,000 under the ACOA’s Strategic Community Investment Fund and $500,000 from Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation’s Business Development Program to construct the new centre. The facility will serve as a venue for community activities and events.

“Canada’s new Government is committed to providing communities with the tools needed to evolve socially, culturally and economically,” said Minister Peter MacKay. “These important improvements to the community’s infrastructure will help to attract public and private investment into the community of Sydney Mines.”

The centre will be named after Sydney Mines Fire Chief, John J. Nugent. In 1985, Mr. Nugent was the recipient of the Star of Courage, awarded by the Governor General of Canada for acts of conspicuous courage in circumstances of great peril. He has served the Sydney Mines Fire Department for forty-eight years and has acted as the community’s Fire Chief for the last twenty-eight.

“We are thrilled to be opening our new centre,” said Reverend Karen Ralph, Chair of the Sydney Mines Renewal Association. “The hall will be busy all year round, hosting many events and will bring a much-needed sense of pride to the town of Sydney Mines.”

The Sydney Mines Renewal Association is a community based not-for-profit group with a mandate to foster economic and social development in the Sydney Mines area.

Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation 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.

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For More Information Contact:

Reverend Karen Ralph
Chair, Sydney Mines Renewal Association
Tel: (902) 736-6217

Jennifer Crocker
ECBC Communications
Tel: (902) 564-3917