This past month, we had the opportunity to celebrate the class of 2026 as graduates walked across stages to receive their high school diplomas. Early in the month, the same celebration was observed for our NSCC graduates. It was an honour once again to bring greetings to some of these ceremonies on behalf of the province and recognize these achievements.
A couple more celebrations were recognized last month. The Anne Murray Centre celebrated the opening of the new exhibit of Anne’s Juno Lifetime Achievement Award, an honour that has only seen three recipients, the first being in 1989. Also, for the last 10 years, Parrsboro Creative has hosted artists from all over for the Plein Air Festival. This year’s 10th-anniversary awards show was celebrated with a packed house of artists, buyers, and the organization’s volunteers.
This past month, several road projects have started in Cumberland South, and conversations about many other roads continue with the Department of Public Works. A new bridge is being constructed on Highway 2 in Southampton. Additionally, something that has been a sore point for many motorists and myself is the Springhill connector bridge and the lights. For nearly a year, I have been contacting Public Works to share our frustration. My office has been informed that the tender has been awarded for repairs this construction season. My office and I will be staying on top of this.
I had the opportunity to host several ministers in the area last month. A couple of key visits were from the Premier and the Minister of Labour. The Premier and I hosted a meeting with a manufacturer to showcase the opportunities that Nova Scotia, and Cumberland in particular, has to offer. The Minister of Labour had an opportunity to tour the NSCC campus, as well as recognize two students who took part in a youth trades program. During this time, the Minister also had the opportunity to review the location for the new NSCC student residence, and we have now seen the demolition process start on the old Springhill Fire Station that will be the location of the new student housing.
We have heard from the Department of Agriculture on a drought relief program. I have had the opportunity to visit many blueberry growers’ fields this past month and see the longer-term impacts of the drought, and I continue to work directly with the minister on this issue. In other announcements, we have received over $246,000 in Cumberland South for community facility and recreation space upgrades. These are programs through which organizations and municipalities can apply for upgrades to a variety of facilities. The rinks in Parrsboro, Oxford, and Springhill were all beneficiaries of this program, as well as the Joggins Improvement Committee and the Parrsborough Shore Historical Society for the Ottawa House. The Parrsboro Band Days and some Acadian Day celebrations will also be receiving grants to assist with events and festivals this summer.
As the summer has started, there are many events and celebrations throughout Cumberland South, and I look forward to seeing you at many of these events. We have a lot of hidden treasures in our community, and there is no better time to get out and explore this area.