Lieutenant Governor’s Community Spirit Award: East River Valley

Come celebrate East River Valley, Pictou County's community spirit at a Old-Fashioned Community Picnic!

When: Saturday, August 27 from 2-5 p.m.
Where: Iona Park, in Hopewell, 4144 Trafalgar Road (next to the church).

Her Honour is expected to make remarks shortly after 2 p.m.
All are welcome.

Like so many parts of Nova Scotia, the East River Valley in Pictou County was built on the strength of self-sacrifice and self-sufficiency. The First Nations people were joined by Scottish immigrants arriving on Ship Hector in 1773 and shortly after, by British soldiers who had fought in the American Revolution. Together they made a life along the East River that created 18 independent thriving communities. Places like Hopewell, Plymouth and Lorne. Bridgeville, Springville and Churchville.

And then, it started happening. An aging population. Out-migration. Over time, each community began facing challenges and problems they could not manage alone. This realization ignited the mission to preserve and re-think ‘community’ by creating an association and a strategic plan for the future. Fueled by the passion and purpose of community spirit, its results captured the third of four 2011 Lieutenant Governor Community Spirit Awards.

At the heart of the plan? Solving the stresses and problems of each community’s increasing isolation by breaking down community barriers and jealousies and replacing them with collaboration and action. In 2006, the greater community at large created the East River Valley Community Development Association to act as a volunteer umbrella organization to assess and resource community projects. In the past five years this has included everything from tourism kiosks, a regular newsletter, beautification projects of parks and buildings, to special welcoming suppers for immigrants, country markets, great big corn boils and the ever-loved community-long-and-wide yard sale.

Today the East River Valley still has those 18 beautiful communities built over 300 years and now, rather than self-sufficiency and independence, they celebrate their similarities and join resources – the community sum of which is much greater than its parts.

Learn more about the Lieutenant Governmor's Community Spirit Awards.