A bit of rain couldn’t dampen the spirits of attendees at the Grand Opening of the new playground in Portapique, Nova Scotia on October 17.

 

In the days following the April 2020 tragedy, The Rotary Club of Truro embarked on a project to assist the community of Portapique in their healing process. Over the past year, working with residents of the surrounding areas, the Community Build Up + Project was born.

 

The Project is both an upgrade and an addition to the existing 200-year old Portapique Community Hall. The existing building will be incorporated into a new, larger structure which will enable social activities as well as other community events. The Rotary Club, along with the Trustees of the Community Hall, have partnered with the MacPhee Centre for Creative Learning in Dartmouth, NS; the Centre held day camps for local children this past summer, and are already planning for winter, spring and summer 2022. Final building plans have been received, and the intention is to break ground on the addition before winter comes, with the building set to open next spring/summer.

 

But the October 17 event was to celebrate the completion of the natural playground, featuring a wooden “log run”, slides, swings, hammocks, and lots of room to play. A multipurpose area for sports, flea markets, and other outdoor activities will be included in the final project.

 

Although community support has been generous to date, the club is still in fundraising mode; the goal of the fundraising campaign is $300,000, with opportunities available for both cash and in-kind donations. Individuals wishing to contribute to the project may do so via the Community Foundation of Nova Scotia’s https://cfns-fcne.ca/portapiquecommunitybuildup/ (charitable tax receipts provided for amounts of $20 or more); Rotary Clubs may donate directly to the Rotary Club of Truro, P.O. Box 115, Truro, NS B2N 5B6.

Join us in our efforts to rebuild Portapique!