A local group is looking into what kind of community hub is needed in Antigonish to accommodate the growing population.
Stephanie Cooper with the People for an Antigonish Rec Centre tells our newsroom they want to find out how the current recreation facilities satisfy needs and what gaps can be filled.
“We don’t have a lot of space, particularly in town, that sort of drop in space for people to gather, to get information on what programs exist,” says Cooper.
“We really think it’s our time to have a space to gather community members to live a better quality of life. A space for youth to gather after school. A space for young families to take their kids on cold, wet, rainy days.”
How it started
The group was formed in April 2023.
Cooper says she reached out to the Town about having difficulty accessing programs she needed.
“It honestly all started with me trying to register my child for a March Break camp. As parents can probably relate, it can be really frustrating as spots and availability for things are snapped up very quickly.”
She was encouraged to reach out to others and a team was established.
After looking into a few things, Cooper says, they realized they should explore what kind of facility is actually needed.
“Let’s really get a good handle of where we’re at, what we currently have, how we’re currently using our facilities and ultimately determine if we do, in fact, need a standalone Recreation Centre,” says Cooper.
She adds, needs might actually already be met, they just might need to improve things by an operational standpoint.
What they are asking
The group has asked council from both the Town and County for $25,000 for a needs assessment.
This, Cooper says, includes details on how many recreation facilities Antigonish currently has, what they are used for, how many can they accommodate and are they easily accessible.
Then, identify any possible gaps.
To help boil this down, she tells us, they will hire a consultant.
“[It] would also include some community input. Find out what people in town and county want and need in terms of recreation facilities and access,” says Cooper.
She has a message to parents, extended families as well as young and old:
“If you feel that what we’re working towards here is important and relevant, then speak up and reach out to your counsellors, because we’ve heard so much about how difficult it is to get registered into things. We really need that advocacy from the community in order to see some success here.”
