House Gives Way to New Library

The sold sign is no doubt great relief to the previous owners, but treasure this photo because the house is coming down. A residential property for decades, it will soon give way to the new Pugwash Library.

The Cumberland Library purchased the property at 10182 Durham Street, across from Langille’s Service Centre. The library had been searching for some time with a narrow focus in mind. They wanted a water view and a location in the heart of the village. 

This property, the home of Shelly and Norval Benjamin, was one of a very few locations to fit that criteria. The back faces the harbour, overlooking the bridge on Highway 6, the estuary of the Pugwash River, and the salt mine.

While most will be pleased to see further renewal in the village, not everyone is happy. Some question why the library needs a water view, saying the purpose of the library is to encourage reading, not looking out the window. Others simply regret the destruction of an otherwise comfortable family home.

The transaction was finalized a while ago but kept quiet at the request of the library. An official announcement of the purchase is yet to come. It is not known when the house will be torn down or how quickly construction of the new library will follow.