Our Sponsor

As you have read in "Our History", the choir would not exist without the sponsorship of the Parrsboro Band Association. The Association initially offered, at no charge, a rehearsal space for the group when it was preparing for its initial performance at the gospel concert.

And then offered to sponsor the group, with rehearsal space and inclusion in the budget of the Association to permit the group to acquire music etc Since then the Association has provided the tee shirts for Band Day and for Canada Day, helping the group along the road to achieving its identity.

So it is only fitting that we include a brief outline of exactly what this organization is, and what it means to the community.

The Hall began its life in 1894 when it was built by the Presbyterian congregation of Parrsboro. Its design was simple and elegant, typical of the period and constructed by the artisans of the period who were steeped in the local tradition of ship building. Not long after its construction the annex was added to one side to provide room for a growing congregation.

After the union of the Presbyterian and Methodist churches into the United Church of Canada, the church was turned over to the school system and used for many years as a classroom and gymnasium of sorts. It also served the community as a dance hall and finally became the home of the Parrsboro Citizens’ Band in the late sixties and stayed as such until 10 years ago when a group of citizens, concerned that the hall had fallen into disrepair and could possibly fall to the wreckers ball, put their energy to work to revitalize the society holding the property and to develop a vision of how this historic building, long a focal point of the community, might continue to serve Parrsboro and the surrounding communities.

The vision for The Hall includes the following: a) restoration and preservation of the architectural elements of the building, ensuring that the craftsmanship of construction is preserved for future generations to admire; b) conversion of the hall on the main level to a civic cultural centre complete with state of the art technical components; and c) demonstrating to the larger community (Nova Scotia) the process by which an historic building such as ours might be preserved and continue to contribute to an elevated quality of life for the community it serves.

Over the past several years the Parrsboro Band Association has refined its vision and has made tremendous forward progress on the restoration and renovation of The Hall. Usage has increased by the Association and other community groups and individuals; the Film Society has now hosted nine highly successful Film Festivals which is gaining recognition both provincially and nationally; a concert series has been ongoing which has featured performers such as David Miles, Matt Minglewood and Whitney Rose; community involvement has been enhanced and there are now music lessons two evenings a week, and in many weeks The Hall is in use 5 or 6 nights as well as frequent day time functions. The Parrsboro Citizens' Choir was formed and with 25 – 30 members it has already made itself an integral part of numerous community events.

The building itself has had structural defects repaired. A fully accessible washroom and ramp have been added; the exterior has been repainted in the original 1894 heritage paint scheme; the roof has been replaced with a metal one; still keeping to the original colour scheme; eavestroughs which blend in have been added; and the interior has been repainted in a bright cheerful colour, encouraging more and more use of the facility. And last year alone the entire seating system was overhauled, resulting in even, regular, lighted steps; an increase in fixed seating capacity; the addition of under seat heating which prevents chilled feet in the winter months; and the installation of solid partitions on each side which adds considerably to the safety of the patrons.

As well as the new sound system, a large close-to-professional lighting system has been added which is controlled -- along with the sound and projection equipment -- from the control booth at the rear of the auditorium and the installation of a theatre size, powered, drop down projection screen, plus a black backdrop curtain (which can be withdrawn to the sides on runners, opening up the main auditorium for larger events), makes The Hall a presentation and entertainment location second to none in Cumberland County. In addition a hearing assistance system has been added which, provided at no cost to patrons, now makes The Hall truly, fully accessible for the hearing impaired. One of very few facilities in Northern Nova Scotia to offer this assistance

Now the Association has recently been selected to participate in the Solar Electricity for Community Buildings Pilot Program. This will involve installing solar panels on the south facing roof, which will ultimately produce up to 30 kilowatts of solar energy. A total of only 18 successful applications were chosen across the province. All applications were overseen by Clean Foundation, the independent procurement administrator

Here is a link http://bit.ly/2zpOtDT for all approved Solar Projects in Nova Scotia.

For current activities visit the Band Associations website. Prepare to be amazed by the remarkable progress being made. A quick look at the Strategic Plan on the website will reveal that this group is focussed and energetic and serious about preserving this historic property while turning it to contemporary uses.