Several months ago, the Advocate and District Development Association made the painful decision to demolish its community centre due to its deteriorating condition.
It also meant the community was left without a permanent home for its branch of the Cumberland Public Library. It was in the building’s basement.
The community came together on Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025, to celebrate the opening on a new library on Mills Road – adjacent to the location of the former community centre.
“Several months ago, we made the painful decision to demolish our community centre. As you know, the log building hosted our local library. With the uncertainty of whether library services would return to our community, the ADDA organization worked very hard to ensure that it did,” association president Courtney Morris said during the ribbon-cutting ceremony. “After endless meetings, letter writing campaigns and grant requests we did it.”
Advocate Harbour opened its new library on Saturday, Nov. 25, 2025, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and several other events. Darrell Cole – Municipality of Cumberland photo
The library was operating temporarily in the fire hall.
The project had funding support of $26,000 from the Municipality of Cumberland while financial support also came from the Christie-Smith Community Fund as well as interest-free loans and community donations.
“The support, hard work, time, devotion, determination and donations are what got us to where are today as we celebrate the grand opening of our new library,” Morris said.
Morris thanked Steve McLellan, Mike MacDougall and Kevin Garrett from Spencer’s Island Carpentry for supporting the project as well as community and association members for their support and in-kind donations.
Municipality of Cumberland Mayor Rod Gilroy said the library is an example of what happens when a community comes together to support an important project.
“The community rallied behind this project and I want to thank everyone who supported this library project in any way,” the mayor said. “I also want to thank the municipality and the county councillors who were wholeheartedly behind this. It has worked out very well.”
He thanked the Smith-Christie foundation for its support saying that organization has worked with the municipality to help things get done in a way that doesn’t financially burden either organization.
Charlotte Gallivan, community engagement librarian for the Cumberland Regional Library, thanked the community for its support for the library.
“You’ve gone above and beyond,” she said. “Without the community and our municipal partners this wouldn’t have gone ahead so quickly. Rural access to services is vital and you really showed that it’s important and is required.”
She also thanked library staff for gathering materials from the former facility and offering library services in a temporary location.
The next step for the development association is building a new community centre to replace the former log building.
Advocate Harbour opened its new library on Saturday, Nov. 25, 2025, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and a number of other events. Darrell Cole – Municipality of Cumberland photo