Pugwash Award Shared by Many Groups
The Greater Pugwash Community has been awarded the 2023 Lieutenant-Governor’s Community Spirit Award.
The award recognises the willingness and ability of volunteers from many walks of life cooperating to improve their communities.
No single group can merit the award. In fact. a number of community groups cooperated in applying for the 2023 edition.
Norene Smiley of Pugwash Communities in Bloom has been instrumental in the effort. The following is her description of only four of the groups that took part.
The Northumberland Community Curling Club welcomes members from many North Shore communities. The club facility has been volunteer-driven from fundraising and construction to operation. The curling club also contributes to the community.
Members from the Sunset Community curl weekly through the curling season.
The Little Rocks Program for youth teaches curling to elementary school kids after school through the winter.
The elementary gym classes come to the club as well.
High school students also have the opportunity to curl and compete in the provincial school athletic program.
Curlers from Pugwash have won the provincial pennant at least twice.
These programs are only possible because club members volunteer to make them happen.
Friends of the Pugwash Estuary (FOPE) was formed in 2004 to steward or sustain the environment of the Pugwash Estuary.
They have partnered with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans' Community Aquatic Monitoring Program (CAMP) to collect data on water quality, fish species and abundance at several sites around the Estuary; with the Salmon Federation to explore the health of fish habitat in streams and culverts feeding into the Estuary, and have carried out a plant survey and tidal monitoring of the salt marshes bordering Docherty Creek.
They have also worked with Communities in Bloom to identify and plant native trees in Pugwash Village.
FOPE strives to minimize harm to the environment while providing public access to their trails that is safe and enjoyable.
Begun in 2006, Pugwash Harbourfest is a free annual two-day celebration of our glorious harbour, organised by a volunteer board, with the support of many other local volunteer organizations.
It is a family-oriented event that stands out for its ability to involve many non-profit organizations in the structure and programming through positive encouragement and financial incentives. This ensures that there is wide community involvement, the commitment of time and energy beyond the small organising committee, and a varied and dynamic event that attracts many visitors to the village.
Over time, Harbourfest has evolved into a true community event, with local musicians, local artists and artisans, and many interactive activities organised by local community and volunteer groups.
Cumberland Trails Association is a volunteer umbrella organization that develops and maintains a vast network of trails, collaborates with ATV and snowmobile groups, organizations like the Trans Canada Trail and Friends of the Pugwash Estuary.
In the last two years they have secured provincial and municipal grants, fundraised within the community to repair bridges. support trail infrastructure and organised volunteers of all ages to get the work done.
Local trail groups raised over $240,000 to revitalise the old Pugwash Branch abandoned rail bed to link Pugwash to the TransCanada Trail — $60,000 came directly from local friends and businesses.
The work included many tons of gravel, fine granite, several culverts, beaver levellers. two new bridges. a trailhead and cabana plus signage.
An all-season washroom will soon be added.
After Hurricane Fiona in 2022, over 300 hours were logged by countless local volunteers to clear our local trails.
Editor’s Note: details of other groups in the winning consortium will follow over the next few days.
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