News
Cumberland Community Fund Society Organizing Charity Fair on Sept. 17
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What began as a conversation with a client nearly 25 years ago sparked an idea that has resulted in the establishment of a new fund that gives people an avenue to practice philanthropy while supporting community projects across Cumberland County.
“The Cumberland Community Fund Society has as its mission to offer generous and caring individuals and businesses a basket to make philanthropic gifts either lifetime or through planned giving,” society president Morris Haugg said. “The fund will support local activities and services to the community, creating positive change in the county today and for future generations.”
Last year saw the first donations totalling $5,000 to the Cumberland YMCA, the Tidnish Crossroads Community Association, the After the Bell School Food Program Maggie’s Place, A Hand Up Society and the Cumberland Regional Library.
To raise awareness about the society’s work and that of other similar organizations, a Cumberland Charity Fair is being held on Wednesday, Sept. 17, at the Community Credit Union Business Innovation Centre in Amherst beginning at 1 p.m.
Municipality of Cumberland welcomes Pugwash housing project
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Municipality of Cumberland Mayor Rod Gilroy is welcoming significant investments in a Pugwash housing project.
To provide Canadians with increased access to affordable and sustainable housing, the federal government announced on Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025, an investment of more than $7 million for the construction of 40 housing units in Pugwash through the Affordable Housing Fund (AHF).
Along with the federal funding through the National Housing Strategy’s Affordable Housing Fund; $3 million in non-repayable loans is being provided from the provincial Department of Growth & Development; $300,000 from the Municipality of Cumberland; $50,000 from the Community Housing Transformation Centre; $500,000 from the River Philip Foundation and $129,163 from the Sunset Community.
“This is a welcome and transformative step for the community,” Mayor Gilroy said. “This initiative not only provides safe and secure homes for individuals and families but also strengthens the social and economic fabric of the village. The design intentionally embraces inclusivity, ensuring accessibility alongside affordability to bolster rural resilience and social cohesion.
“Affordable housing ensures that seniors, young families, and those with modest incomes can continue to live and thrive in Pugwash, close to their roots and community connections. It helps attract and retain workers, supports local businesses, and fosters inclusivity. By investing in housing, Pugwash is building a brighter, more resilient future where everyone has a place to belong.”
Voluntary water conservation measures advisory
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Due to the prolonged period of minimal precipitation, the Cumberland County Water Utility is requesting that customers follow voluntary water conservation measures until further notice.
The Utility operates three municipal water systems in Springhill, Parrsboro and Pugwash. The Springhill system is surface water fed while both Parrsboro and Pugwash are ground water fed. Utility staff are monitoring all three systems. The Springhill system is supplied by Leamington Brook in Rodney. While the brook is not at extremely low levels, staff have observed a reduction in flow. Staff are also monitoring pumping volumes in all three systems.
We are putting these voluntary measures in place out of an abundance of caution, in the hope that we can voluntarily reduce volume consumed thereby reducing the draw on all three systems and preserving the resource.” CAO Greg Herrett said.
Cliffs of Fundy Geopark hosts UNESCO evaluation team in Cumberland and Colchester
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Dr. Artur Sa is a first-time visitor to Cliffs of Fundy Global Geopark in Cumberland and Colchester counties, but he plans to come back to experience the international park again.
Sa, a native of Portugal, and Iceland’s Dr. Sigurdur Sigursveinsson spent several days in both counties recently doing an evaluation of the Cliffs of Fundy Global Geopark’s status as a UNESCO attraction.
“We’ve already experienced many other geoparks around the world and this is really beautiful. It’s my first time here and the Cliffs of Fundy Global Geopark has been a wonderful experience,” said Dr. Sa during a stopover at First Beach on Parrsboro Harbour on Wednesday, July 23, 2025. “I put myself in the shoes of a tourist who came from Canada or abroad and I know they would really enjoy this natural beauty.”
The Cliffs of Fundy Global Geopark stretches from Lower Truro in Colchester County and extends along the Fundy shoreline to Apple River in Cumberland County. The area was awarded its official status as a UNESCO global geopark in 2020.
Part of the process includes periodic validations or evaluations that either approves of the park’s progress or suggests ways to improve and maintain its status as part of a growing network of global geoparks.
Parrsboro millennium time capsule offers a glimpse back to July 2000
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In mid-July 2000, then U.S. President Bill Clinton welcomed the president of Israel and the head of the Palestinian Authority to Camp David for a peace summit in an effort to end strife in the Middle East.
At the same time, a group of people in the former town of Parrsboro were coming together to place a time capsule in town hall in celebration of the new millennium. A quarter century later, a few of those people came together once again to reopen the capsule at its new home in the Parrsboro Service Centre.
“It’s a real walk down memory lane,” Gleneida Canning said while watching the box containing numerous items from July 2000 be opened by Municipality of Cumberland Mayor Rod Gilroy. “The millennium committee wanted to do something special to mark the occasion and the idea of a time capsule was something that was quite popular. A lot of people participated. It was a great community project and a way to help mark the new millennium.”
Canning was a member of town council at the time and served on the millennium committee with the late mayor Doug Robinson, teachers Norma Collison and David Skidmore, Alice Patterson and April Strong.
A centrepiece of the time capsule was a small chest of letters students from Parrsboro’s schools wrote to themselves in 2000. The goal of the millennium committee was for those letters to be returned to students in July 2025 after the capsule was opened.
Collison, a teaching vice-principal at Parrsboro Elementary at the time, remembers the project as if it were yesterday.
“We were all excited about it. We got all the students to write letters to have them involved in it,” she said. “I didn’t know if we’d see it again with everything that’s gone on. I am so happy to see it again. I haven’t seen it since it was sealed.”
Collison is hoping those who wrote the letters are able to get their copies so they can learn what they wrote to themselves at the turn of the millennium.
“I remember everyone of those names. Quite a few of them are still here in the area, but sadly, some have passed away,” she said.