Colaisde na Gàidhlig | Gaelic College to Benefit from Infrastructure Investments
News Release
Federal and provincial governments partner in support of Cape Breton’s Colaisde na Gàidhlig | Gaelic College
St. Ann’s, N.S. – Today, the Honourable Mark Eyking announced that Colaisde na Gàidhlig | The Gaelic College will undergo major renovations and upgrades to its existing buildings as part of its multi-year infrastructure renewal plan. The Government of Canada is investing $366,928 in the project through the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA)’s Innovative Communities Fund. Additional funding is being provided by the Province of Nova Scotia, through Communities, Culture and Heritage and the Department of Labour and Advanced Education.
In 2013, the Gaelic College Foundation developed a Strategic plan to identify opportunities to enhance its products and services to meet the changing needs of students and tourists. Infrastructure renewal was identified as a key requirement.
The Government of Canada’s investment will enable Colaisde na Gàidhlig | The Gaelic College to transform the Old Craft Shop, one of its oldest buildings onsite, into an Education and Research Centre. The Centre will consist of classrooms, dance studios, modern day washroom facilities and a research area that will house College archives currently inaccessible to the public.
The Hall of the Clans, one of the busiest buildings onsite, will receive a new steel roof to safeguard museum artifacts, performance spaces, washroom areas and ensure long-term stability of the building. A new maintenance facility will be constructed and will house a work area, office, washroom and storage area. The sidewalks will be repaved and new pavement will be placed in key areas of the College for parking. In addition, a concrete pad will be built to provide a base for a high-end outdoor exercise area for the College and the community. The Municipality of the County of Victoria has invested an additional $17,000 to furnish the space with specialized exercise equipment.
The infrastructure upgrades will help Colaisde na Gàidhlig | The Gaelic College provide a safe, high-quality experience to continue attracting top-calibre instructors and students from around the world to Nova Scotia. The improvements will allow the College to expand its offerings and host major groups, meetings and conventions, bringing visitors to the region and increasing traffic for local businesses.
Quotes:
“The Colaisde na Gàidhlig | Gaelic College offers a truly one-of-a-kind cultural learning experience right here in Nova Scotia. Investing in infrastructure like this strengthens our community, enhancing job creation, productivity and economic growth. Our government is proud to support the efforts of the Gaelic College as it works to conserve a culture that is vital to the history of Cape Breton Island and beyond.”
- The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
“This project is about partnering with a strong community and the provincial government to nurture and preserve culturally significant traditions, histories and practices. It’s about offering communities throughout Cape Breton and beyond a space to gather for community events and celebrations. And it's about having local recreational and cultural facilities where people can gather to learn, play and be entertained.”
- The Honourable Mark Eyking, Member of Parliament for Sydney-Victoria
“This funding supports the fostering and sharing of the Celtic and Gaelic cultures with the rest of the world. We hope that the investment will draw more tourists to Cape Breton so they can enjoy our region’s outstanding cultural experiences.”
- Pam Eyking, Member of the Legislative Assembly for Victoria–The Lakes
“The capital investments being announced today will enable Colaisde na Gàidhlig | The Gaelic College to continue its pursuit of excellence in the promotion of Gaelic language, music, dance and craft."
- The Honourable Rodney MacDonald, E.C.N.S., Chief Executive Officer - Colaisde na Gàidhlig | Gaelic College
“The Colaisde na Gàidhlig | Gaelic College has long brought people together to celebrate the rich and unique heritage of the area and our Scottish roots. Now, with this recent work, community residents and students at the College will be given the opportunity to add to their physical well-being alongside their cultural explorations.”
- Merrill MacInnis, Councillor for District 4, Municipality of Victoria County
Associated Links:
Colaisde na Gàidhlig | The Gaelic College - Part of the Celtic Heart of North America – YouTube Video
Re-birth of Gaelic—Canadian Press article
Gaelic College Links:
Gaelic College Website
Gaelic College Facebook
Gaelic College Twitter
Contacts:
Alex Smith
Director of Communications and Outreach
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
Phone: 902-426-9417 / 902-830-3839 (cell)
E-mail: alex.smith@canada.ca
Margie Beaton
Director of Marketing & Creative Design
Colaisde na Gàidhlig | The Gaelic College
Phone: 902-295-3411 (ext. 222)
E-mail: margie@gaeliccollege.edu
Merrill MacInnis
Councillor, District 4
Municipality of Victoria County
Phone: (902) 295-7541(cell)
E-mail: merrill.macinnis@countyvictoria.ns.ca
Background:
Nestled in the community of St. Ann’s, in the heart of Cape Breton Island, Colaisde na Gàidhlig | the Gaelic College is the only institution of its kind in North America. Founded in 1938, it has gained an international reputation for the study and preservation of traditional Gaelic culture, offering instruction in over ten disciplines, and year-round learning and fun. Each year, at the Cape Breton campus and online, students of all ages and abilities from around the world enroll in a variety of courses and immerse themselves in Gaelic traditions.
As a cultural destination, the college provides visitors with a unique opportunity to experience first-hand the living culture of the Nova Scotia Gaelic people.
In the 1930s, the Scottish Gaelic language was under significant threat of dying out. Once spoken by over 100,000 Nova Scotians, the advent of modern transport and communications in the early 20th century began to result in the Gaelic language’s assimilation in Cape Breton Island and across Nova Scotia.
Today, the Gaelic College has a broad mandate to preserve the culture of the Scottich Highlanders who settled in the area.Students from all over North America and around the world attend summer sessions and courses held throughout the year—courses such as a 4-week Gaelic Immersion Course to be held this May and June. The college is also serves as a base of activities for organizations such the Cape Breton Fiddlers' Association and the annual Celtic Colours International Festival.
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