The Municipality of Cumberland has sold property in Springhill to the Province of Nova Scotia to be used as the site for the previously announced NSCC Student Housing Facility.
The property being sold is the present site of the Springhill Fire Department at 6 Main St., Springhill. The site is immediately adjacent to the NSCC Cumberland Campus and has been determined to be an ideal location for the student housing project.
The Municipality of Cumberland has sold property in Springhill (the site of the existing Springhill Fire Department at 6 Main St., Springhill) to the province to be used as the site for the previously announced NSCC Student Housing Facility. Darrell Cole – Municipality of Cumberland photo
With a replacement fire station being constructed on Miner’s Memorial Drive, the Main Street property has been declared surplus to the needs of the municipality. It is expected that the new fire station will be ready for occupancy in the spring of 2025. The municipality will also enter into an occupancy agreement which will allow the Springhill Fire Department to continue to occupy the present location until the new station is ready.
The NSCC student housing project will provide very much needed student housing units to support the operations of the Cumberland campus.
Mayor Murray Scott is thrilled to see this site to be acquired by the province for the NSCC student housing project.
“The impact of this decision will be felt for many years to come as students from outside this region travel here to take advantage of opportunities at NSCC’s Cumberland Campus. While this facility will be located in Springhill it will benefit the entire Cumberland region,” the mayor said. “It has the potential to enhance the capacity of the Cumberland campus to provide course offerings that were previously unavailable due to the unavailability of student housing. I want to thank my colleagues on council for their unwavering support on this file This is a great example of the municipality working in partnership with the provincial government to secure opportunities in our area and how successful we can be when we work together.”
NSCC Cumberland Campus principal Don McCormack expressed his excitement at the news, “this will enhance not only our programming which ensures our stability but will also allow us to focus on growth opportunities in the region setting the stage for real partnerships between the municipality and Cumberland”.
Municipal council gave its approval to the agreement of purchase and sale for $25,000 and the related occupancy agreement at its September meeting held in Upper Nappan on Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024.
Cumberland South MLA and Minister of Natural Resources and Renewables Tory Rushton noted that “since being elected in 2018, student housing for the NSCC campus in Springhill has been a priority for me. It was an honour to announce this investment last fall on behalf of the provincial government. Along with housing for students, this project will bring many more opportunities to our area”
“As my time as Mayor winds down I would like to thank Premier Tim Houston and Minister Tory Rushton for their support in moving this and other important projects in Cumberland County forward. Minister Rushton has championed this project with his government colleagues and is very deserving of our gratitude” Mayor Scott concluded.
