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Close to $1 million for Beinn Mhàbu – the Gaelic College’s satellite campus

MLA Allan MacMaster, MP Mike Kelloway, and President Rodney MacDonald


June 23, 2021

-by April MacDonald
    It will be North America’s first Gaelic immersion school.
    A federal investment of $958,257 was announced at the site of the former St. Joseph’s Convent on a picturesque Friday morning in Mabou.
    Mike Kelloway, member of Parliament for Cape Breton-Canso announced the non-repayable loan to the Gaelic College Foundation to renovate the former St. Joseph’s Convent and Renewal Centre into a satellite campus otherwise known as Beinn Mhàbu (Mabou Hill College).
    The announcement was made on behalf of the Honourable Mélanie Joly, minister of Economic Development and Official Languages and minister responsible for ACOA.
    The funding will also help to create 17 jobs for the campus and assist with green technology upgrades for the building such as solar panels and heat pumps.


    Opening the announcement was Kenneth MacKenzie, director of education at the Gaelic College at St. Ann’s and vice president of Beinn Mhàbu, he introduced MP Mike Kelloway.
    “I am going to attempt some Gaelic words,” said Kelloway.
    He went on to extend his congratulations to Rodney MacDonald and the team at Beinn Mhàbu for their leadership on this project.
    “I remember the discussion of the project being one of the first meetings I had when first elected in 2019 – it’s incredible to see the project come to fruition and I’m very excited to visit when students are on campus,” said Kelloway.
    He noted that in the 1900s there were approximately 100,000 Gaelic speakers in Nova Scotia.
    “Today there are between 1000-2000,” said Kelloway.
    “It is definitely an endangered language,” he added.
    This fact is what drives people like Rodney MacDonald, Kenneth MacKenzie, as well the entire team working behind the scenes for this endeavour at the Gaelic College at St. Ann’s.
    Promoting and preserving Gaelic culture, language, and music – as well as revitalizing Mabou – is what’s at the core of this incredible undertaking.
    The former Mabou convent will be renovated and transformed into the Gaelic College satellite campus and ready for students by September of 2022.
    Kelloway said that pre-pandemic, the college at St. Ann’s had roughly between 800-900 students annually.
    “As an educator I know we must do more…just as it is as important to grow the economy as well as the population,” said Kelloway.
    He added that by September 2022, there will be at least 35 post-secondary students taking college credit courses at Beinn Mhàbu.
    The site will also be able to house seasonal workers, attract investors, and give young people and families more incentive to move to Inverness County.
    Kelloway thanked Rodney and Kenneth MacKenzie (as well as the whole team) for their passion and focus.
    He said they took the assets they knew they had here in Inverness County and translated that into a new experience.
    “This was built on the hard work of each and every one of you,” Kelloway said to those who gathered outside for the announcement.
    “There’s no better place than Inverness County,” closed Kelloway.
    Nova Scotia’s Gaelic communities contribute to the province’s diversity, identity, and rich cultural experiences.
    Helping the Gaelic College (Colaisde na Gàidhlig) in St. Ann’s expand its programming to Mabou will foster educational and cultural opportunities in Cape Breton, attract more people to the community, and help grow the local economy.
    Federal investment like these strengthens Gaelic learning opportunities as well as local tourism.
    “Just picture the students walking downtown Mabou, and what that will do for the pubs and restaurants,” said Rodney MacDonald.
    Rodney spoke to the Sisters of Notre Dame by saying they always kept the faith and believed in this community. He also acknowledged Father Danny, who was in attendance for the announcement.
    Also present for the major funding announcement was warden of Inverness County, Laurie Cranton, and councillor for that district, Lynn Chisholm, as well as MLA Allan MacMaster.
    Rodney thanked each of them for their support and noted that MacMaster, “truly lives the life of a Gael.”
    “Cape Breton University (CBU) is vital to what we have done here,” said MacDonald.
    He added that if someone would have said that one day you would be able to take college level courses in a rural community such as this, he never would have believed them.
    And look where they are today.
    ACOA, The Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, was recognized for their work as well for the fact that they pushed for the state-of-the-art refit and especially for the solar panels roof work which will reduce our carbon footprint.
Blackstone Construction owner, Dwayne Beaton, was also in attendance as his company will be doing the majority of the work for the major reno project.
    The refreshed facility will offer post-secondary students Gaelic culture and event management courses in collaboration with Colaisde na Gàidhlig and Cape Breton University.
    It is expected to draw local, national, and international students, creating year-round employment and attracting investment. From May to August, the campus will also provide accommodations for seasonal staff in Mabou and Inverness County.
    There will also be a new internet-based Gaelic radio station which will only serve to strengthen the brand of Mabou and Gaelic culture, music, and heritage.
    Funding for strategic projects like this one demonstrates the Government of Canada’s commitment to help businesses in rural areas innovate, grow, and reach new markets – strengthening communities, and building a more resilient, inclusive economy.
     “Atlantic Canada is full of spectacular landscapes, rich cultural experiences, and epic adventures. We are committed to supporting the unique offerings and qualities that make Cape Breton so special for residents and visitors, alike. By building on our strengths, we are positioning the region for a strong economic recovery,” said the Honourable Mélanie Joly, minister of Economic Development and Official Languages and Minister responsible for ACOA.
    “Mabou is the centre for Gaelic culture in Cape Breton, and Beinn Mhàbu will provide a unique educational facility immersing students in this vibrant, rural community. This important addition to the island’s cultural infrastructure will also create much-needed accommodation for seasonal staff – so tourism operators can continue to deliver authentic, world-class visitor experiences,” said Kelloway, member of Parliament for Cape Breton-Canso.
    “The investment announced by ACOA is welcome news. Beinn Mhàbu, and all that it offers, will be a catalyst of change and opportunity for the region and Nova Scotia’s Gaelic community,” said Rodney MacDonald, president, Colaisde na Gàidhlig / Gaelic College.
    “‘S e ceum mòr a tha seo agus tha sinn a’ dèanamh fiughair ri na tha romhainn. This is such a vital step for the Gaelic community and we’re looking forward to the foundation it will provide for so many meaningful and positive initiatives, locally and further afield,” said Kenneth MacKenzie, vice-president, Beinn Mhàbu.
Quick facts:
– Colaisde na Gàidhlig, founded in 1938, is a not-for-profit institution and the only school of its kind in North America. It offers classes in Cape Breton fiddle, piano, guitar, step-dancing, and piping, highland dancing, weaving, and Gaelic language.
– Renovations to the 32,000 square foot former St. Joseph’s Convent and Renewal Centre in Mabou began in June 2021, and include green technology upgrades such as solar panels and heat pumps. The improvements are expected to be completed by the end of 2021.
– The college will offer a Foundation Year Program featuring broad course options including Gaelic culture and history, an executive certificate in cultural organizations/event management and an executive certificate in music and ethnomusicology.
– The campus will also house North America’s first Gaelic immersion primary school, an internet radio station with podcasts, traditional music and student showcases, an Artists-in-Residence program, continuing education offerings in music, dance, and Gaelic language for youth, a dining experience, rental space, and a craft shop.
– Funding for this project is provided through the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency’s (ACOA) Innovative Communities Fund.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

       


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