SYDNEY, N.S. — Preparatory site work is beginning at the location in Sydney where the new Horizon Achievement Centre will be constructed.
Machinery is now on site in the Harbourside Commercial Park that will prepare the land to allow for construction of the planned $6.4-million centre.
“Over the winter months, our project team has been working closely with our architectural and engineering firm to try to continue to advance this project, even through the COVID pandemic,” centre executive director Carol Pendergast said in an interview. “We have been able to complete all the work that’s necessary to start to do the initial work on the site.”
How long the site preparatory work may take will be largely dependent on factors such as weather, Pendergast said, but the target remains for completion of the new building in July 2021.
The Horizon Achievement Centre is Cape Breton’s largest provider of vocational training and employment development services for adults with intellectual disabilities. It provides meaningful employment and vocational opportunities for its clients, in a number of social enterprises.
The centre already launched a capital campaign for the new facility. To date, the organization has raised more than $1.3 million through efforts including a successful Chase the Act campaign, in partnership with the Royal Canadian Legion Ashby branch 138. Members of the legion were also on hand for Wednesday’s announcement.
Pendergast said it is an exciting time for those who have worked for years on this project.
“The Beyond the Horizon capital campaign has been active for a while, we’ve been raising contributions through that campaign for a number of years and that’s still ongoing so people can continue to donate,” she said.
“To actually see work happening down there, I think it’s very important to the community because it’s been a project that’s been on the table for a long time.”
Clients, their families and business partners have all indicated how happy they are to see the work get underway.
In February, Premier Stephen McNeil announced that the provincial government will contribute $2 million toward the project.
At that time, Pendergast said the provincial commitment should put it in the position to be able to break ground this year.
Pendergast has said the centre is continuing to work with the federal government and the community in an effort to secure additional funding.
Much of the preparatory work — including various assessments — was already completed. While the centre serves about 135 clients, it has a waiting list of about 85, so its services are in demand. Pendergast said the community has been very supportive of all of its fundraising efforts.
Anyone wanting to follow along with the project and its fundraising campaign can visit beyondthehorizon.ca.
The 2.2 hectares of land on which the new centre is to be constructed in the Harbourside Commercial Park was turned over to Horizon Achievement Centre by the former Darrell Dexter NDP government.
