More weather woes
Mother Nature again foils community centre
Mother Nature has not been kind to the Southend Community Centre.
In October 2016, the centre was among dozens of properties across the Cape Breton Regional Municipality damaged after heavy rain caused wide spread flooding. The building, which had undergone extensive renovations prior to the flood, was declared uninhabitable and the centre relocated to the former Mira Road School on the top of George Sydney in Sydney.
Last week, the centre opened its annual Santa’s Village display, a key fundraiser for the facility. The event was to run for the weekend but again, heavy rain forced the display to be close down for two of the scheduled three- day opening.
The village display was again to be opened this weekend but centre staff advised Friday that the event was cancelled because high winds earlier in the week damaged several components.
“The display is one of our main fundraising events but Mother Nature has not been on our side,” said centre board member Paige Westbury.
She said the decision to cancel the event was hard to make given that many hours
of volunteer work and weeks of planning that had been spent on preparing the display.
She said despite the closure, the centre continues to receive public support which is much appreciated by centre officials.
Westbury said the board will be meeting in January and will be examining hosting other possible holiday themed events as a way to make up the shortfall from the cancellation of the village display.
“We would like to extend holiday wishes to one all and thank everyone for their continued support,” said Westbury.
Among the features of the village display were Santa’s elves at work in their toyshop, a post office for letters to Santa, cookies and hot chocolate with Mrs. Claus and the chance for pictures with jolly Santa.
The centre offers a host of programs from after-school services to recreational programs and used by more than 300 people a week.