SCRAPBOOK

This is our online scrapbook - it's a work in progress as we gather and archive as much information as we can about our building,  the people who went to school here and the volunteers who transformed an old
tired school into a vibrant "Building at the Heart of our Community". 
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News

Lighthouse NOW, February 13, 2019, story by Gayle Wilson

Author Bob Sayer

Mahone Bay Old School:
A Life and Times

Published by Mahone Bay Centre Society ©
All rights reserved
Researched and Written by Bob Sayer ©
Design and Layout by Hot off the Press: Design (Matthew Ernst, Susan Maroun)
Front Cover: Alex Bardon, Grade 8 student, age 14, 1996 Used by permission
First Printing April 2008
Printed by Printer’s Corner, Blockhouse, NS ​

2014
​100th Anniversary of Mahone Bay School

Speech Deborah Hickman, first chair of MBC,  gave during the opening celebrations of the 100th Anniversary of the Mahone Bay School building event in 2014.

     I cannot begin to express how pleased and proud I am to be celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Mahone Bay School building.  A valued heritage building, the former Mahone Bay School was one of the first consolidated schools in the Maritimes.  It is also the last of its style and architectural design and for that reason is a huge asset to the town of Mahone Bay.
     I am prouder still to acknowledge that this valued building is standing  today due to the efforts of a small town of under 1000 people who pulled together to save their old school building and turn it into a valued, much used and much loved community center.
     When the Mahone Bay school was decommissioned in 2000 and ownership fell back to the Town it was not in good shape. It seemed more of a financial albatross than an asset. But by pulling together, the residents and town council worked through all of the challenges and obstacles to turn an albatross into a gift, a legacy for generations to come.
It wasn’t easy. It took a year to wade through all of the challenges, both physical and financial to come up with a plan which would put ownership of the facility into the

hands of the community under the auspiciousness of the MB Centre Society. The goal was to prevent it from becoming a financial burden to the town and instead a facility for community use.
     As the first Chairperson for the Society, I cannot remember a more challenging and rewarding year.
     The dedication of the volunteer members of the Society and the patient willingness of town council to give them a chance was a remarkable democratic process of which to be a part. The following four years brought further challenges along with the satisfaction of goals met: rooms rented, valued tenants on board, programs advantageous to the community, a facility welcoming of not just our own small community but of the greater one around us, good times, community spirit and finally - a meeting space for all.  
It is beyond all doubt “building at the Heart of our Community”. Aren’t we lucky!!
     I was invited to speak tonight as I was the first Chairperson of the Mahone Bay Centre Society. However, I would like to acknowledge those who served on the Board [and those who contributed] during the early years, working hard to turn a dream into a reality. It is and has always been a struggle for volunteers to keep a project of this magnitude going.  
​     To all of you - Thank you.
David Puxley (Chair), Keith Towse (Chair), Andrew Trevitt, Margot Kleiker, Ellen Agger, Bob Douglas, Penny Carver, Denise Rostrad, Helen Opie, Derrick Wickstrom, Lynn Rotin, Matt Ringling, Jessica Robar, Kate Abriel, Sheila Abriel, Annette St. Onge, Gary Langille, Dan Baxter, Russell Barton, Bob Sayer, Joanne Scobey-Sutherland, Bill Snyder, and Kevin Rudderham.

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