MINI-TRAIL COMMUNITY CENTRE ASSOCIATION

The Mini-Trail Community Centre Association maintains a facility that provides space for community events. We have a banquet hall that can accommodate 150 people two meeting rooms a library and a certified kitchen. These spaces are used for community events including funeral receptions weddings meetings and courses. We have been designated as a Wellness Centre for the area served by HWY 337 in northern Antigonish and have our own generators in case of a community-wide emergency. Our library has more than 2500 books as well as computer and WIFI service. The Cape George AA group meets weekly in our facility. We also host programs for seniors including crafts bridge and card games. We maintain a field for children's sports and have invested in basketball nets for use in the paved area near the building. Youth softball is held weekly and is an important magnet for players of all ages along with their families. Pickleball has become very popular and is played in our facility on a daily basis. This year we hosted multiple information sessions put on by the municipal government. Our Canada Day celebrations was attended by more than 500 people. We hold a community spaghetti supper each year to collect donations for our local food bank.

This year two banks of solar panels were built and hooked up on our premises. We have installed three heat pumps on the west side of the building to reduce oil usage for heating. We purchased two treadmills to encourage physical fitness during the winter months. We also host three sessions per week of yoga and exercises under the municipal Mingle and Move program. This is targeted to seniors but all are welcome. We had several crafts sessions including Clay Art making evergreen centrepieces and we hosted a section of the Highway 337 Art Crawl this year to showcase the creations of six local artisans. We held a Christmas Tea for residents in the over-80 age group. Our library hosted a third book launch for a children's book Rory Returns. The local children took part in Art sessions and completed a large mural celebrating life along Highway 337. This is proudly displayed at the Mini-Trail Centre. Santa visited in December of 2024 and the children took part in painting canvas poinsettias and enjoyed hot chocolate and sweets. We have begun to convert a corner of the library into a Maker Space for children's activities in 2025.