'The place to be': Port Hawkesbury receives federal funding to improve waterfront

It's a pretty part of Port Hawkesbury, N.S., even if it's underused.

On Wednesday, Cape Breton-Canso Member of Parliament Mike Kelloway announced nearly $200,000 through ACOA's Innovative Communities Fund to help fund Stage 1 of the town's Strategic Waterfront Plan.

"We're going to invest in things to bolster the waterfront to become the place to be,” Kelloway said.

The money will go towards things like development of a waterfront park, better signage, a public art installation and kiosks for businesses.

“(To) really connect, actually, the waterfront to an existing trail system that will be used by those that live here,” Kelloway said. “But also bring people from across the world, in fact."

It's also about tapping into a post-pandemic eagerness to get out, and get together.

The area's MLA says, as someone who grew up nearby, he knows it can be easy to overlook opportunities in your own backyard.

"Sometimes you take things for granted," said Progressive Conservative MLA Allan MacMaster. “You don't see them for what they can be, and I think this project is going to make people stop and start to appreciate the waterfront here."

Port Hawkesbury’s mayor says, this time of year, so many people pass through the town right after crossing the Canso Causeway on their way to places like the Cabot Trail.

The idea now is to get more of those people stopping and staying in the area.

"We have about 12,000 vehicles moving along Reeves Street every single day, and we want to draw some of those vehicles down to the waterfront,” said Brenda Chisholm-Beaton.

The mayor says the waterfront will be made fully accessible.

It’s hoped the improvements will translate into more money in the town's coffers.

"We'd love to see some places to eat. Maybe some places to sit down and have a drink,” Chisholm-Beaton said.

Kelloway says some projects should be shovel-ready soon.

"If someone spends an extra day in Port Hawkesbury, they're spending an extra day in terms of putting money into the economy, which builds an economy, and creates more jobs,” he said.