IN THE RUNNING
Atlantic Memorial Park enters online crowd funding and awareness campaign
Atlantic Memorial Park part of online funding competition.
The Sydney Mines Tourism Development Society is ramping up its efforts to raise money for the restoration of the Chapel Point Battery and the creation of the Atlantic Memorial Park.
The group has entered the Chapel Point Battery location in the National Trust for Canada competition This Place Matters, an online crowd funding and awareness campaign.
The Sydney Mines project, titled Guardian of the Gulf, will be among 25 communities across the country participating in the national competition, which is broken down into two groups — one for small projects and one for big projects.
The Chapel Point Battery restoration, which will be a central part of the Atlantic Memorial Park, is one of 16 groups in the big project category, participating for the chance to win $60,000.
The Cape Breton group is one of only three participants from the eastern region, which includes projects in Port Union, N.L. and Truro. The group with the most votes regionally will receive $30,000 as well.
Brian Ferguson, vice-chair and planning director for the Sydney Mines Tourism Development Society, said the group entered the contest for a couple of reasons.
“We wanted to get into the crowd funding for the society’s funding requirements and because this is a tremendous opportunity to get national exposure for the project,” he said. “It will also highlight the very important position of the command post at the Chapel Point Battery.”
Cyril Aker proposed a memorial park in the community about a year ago.
The memorial park proposal includes a restored military fortification at Chapel Point Battery, a commemorative monument in an oceanside setting dedicated to the battle of Vimy Ridge, a First Nations replica encampment in a woodland setting as well as a family park and ocean beach.
The site for the proposed park consists of about 120 acres of publicly owned land in the Sydney Mines area along the Chapel Point Battery, which includes Lochmans Beach, Edwards Pond, Neils Woods and Swivel Point (the former Princess mine site).
The park would have historical, educational and recreational components. From an economic perspective the project could provide significant direct operational revenues as well as spinoff benefits for local business.
Supporters of the Atlantic Memorial Park effort will have the opportunity to vote for the project by visiting the website www.thisplacematters.ca.
Voting opened on Thursday afternoon and will run until July 17 with the grand prize winner announced shortly after the contest concludes.
Voters are eligible to vote once a day, every day, throughout the course of the contest. Any donations made to the group through the contest will also be tallied as an additional vote.
The Sydney Mines Tourism Development Society isn’t the first group to enter a contest through the National Trust for Canada.
In 2015, local lighthouse groups participated in the This Lighthouse Matters competition. The Low Point Lighthouse in New Victoria captured the grand prize in its category winning $75,000 while Gabarus Lighthouse took home second prize in the same category winning $50,000.
Henry Island Lighthouse in Port Hood ($20,000) and Neils Harbour Lighthouse ($10,000) also participated in the competition, each finishing second in their respective categories.
Ferguson said the success of the Low Point Lighthouse inspired the committee to join the crowd-funding contest.
“We are making contact with them and intend to pick their brain in terms of how best to continue with the process as we go through the month ahead,” he said. “We think this is a community effort and we should all pull together to try to get this done for the region.”
In an interview with the Cape Breton Post in May, Ferguson said the initial phase of the project would cost about $2 million. The society believes the park will likely cost between $15 million and $20 million over a five-year period.
Ferguson encourages residents to vote every day for the project.
“The contest is extremely important and it will show, I think, the level of support the community here has for the pursuit of the overall project,” said Ferguson. “Community residents will be proud of the historic elements of the park and will look forward to many events being held at the park (once it’s built) including Canada Day and Remembrance Day.”
“We wanted to get into the crowd funding for the society’s funding requirements and because this is a tremendous opportunity to get national exposure for the project. It will also highlight the very important position of the command post at the Chapel Point Battery.”
Brian Ferguson, vice-chair, planning director for the Sydney Mines Tourism Development Society