Community Stories
Kitchen Conversations – 250 attendees
Because of the organizations history in the community, the ROC was well aware that open invitations to general meetings are not always well received, and often attendees don’t voice their opinions or concerns. The intention for the ROC’s Kitchen conversation series was to make the gatherings fun and welcoming, in an attempt to break the traditional mold of community meetings and to let everyone have their voice heard.
The ROC Staff and Board availed themselves of many opportunities to learn emerging techniques from pioneer leaders. The Nova Scotia Department of Economic Development provided tremendous support that has allowed the ROC to tap into a wealth of knowledge and new methods of self organization, such as Open Space, World Café, Circle Practice, Appreciative Inquiry and much more. As participants of the Shambhala Institutes Authentic Leadership summer program, ROC personnel have created invaluable relationships that have resulted in richer networks and more learning opportunities that built skills to enable staff to successfully host the Kitchen Conversations.
As a result, the Kitchen Conversations – funded by the Rural Secretariat Agriculture and Agri-food Canada - were a great success and produced rich and rewarding information that can be found in the summary report, available on prospectcommunities.com
Through the conversations the ROC built new relationships and increased the value and use of the web portal and gained more community support.
We also sense a positive shift within the community. The Kitchen conversation project was for a limited time; however we now recognize a strong desire to keep holding these events in the Prospect communities.
The ROC knows that our web portal and methods of reaching out to form strong community networks could be a model for other communities. We want to share our successes and learning’s with other communities within Nova Scotia.
The ROC – 2000+ visitors this year - 50 classes’/workshops 400+ participants
361 registered users of prospectcommunities.com 530000+ hits
The Resource Opportunities Centre – ROC- is a grassroots community development association that began life 10 years ago, as a rural CAP site in Terence Bay.
The Board of Directors worked diligently to address challenges and achieve successes through board development, community consultation, visioning, strategic & succession planning.
The ROC’s work in the community since 1998 has shown repeatedly a need for better communication within and between communities and the need for a community centre. The ROC is viewed as a neutral or non threatening connector organization, which has and will continue to nurture the development of meaningful partnerships that support community projects.
The role of the ROC is to act as a hub of local information exchange.
The ROC has a long history of successful community projects, from digital histories collection, to delivery of employment services, which have created more than 70 employment and work experience positions.
The ROC has designed and delivered hundreds of workshops and classes, provided access to technology to school and community at large, liaised with Community Health and business sector for public consultation, created and disseminated regular newsletters, established and supported the Seniors Network and numerous other community groups and initiatives.
The ROC has also been a strong advocate and active in the process of working collaboratively with HRM to build the new Community centre for the area.
Presently the ROC is engaged in the on-going development of prospectcommunities.com
This interactive web portal is the flagship of a 3 year project to build a Community Learning Network – funded by HRSDC -. The basis for the web portal was community asset mapping, however through the use of open source technologies this dynamic site allows residents to continually add content and value by keeping information current.
This highly interactive web portal has grown in popularity as registered users can submit news and events, take part in community discussions, share photos, post and search for local jobs, advertise their business or organization, and post classifieds… all for free!
Since the early 1990’s Prospect Rd & Area has worked collaboratively with our HRM Councillor’s to provide grants and advice to community groups wanting to improve recreational opportunities on HRM lands in the area. Through the work of Prospect Rd & Area Recreation Association most communities now have parks, playing fields and tot lots for use by residents and visitors alike.
For years community has consistently identified a need for a community centre to serve the area. In 2004 residents showed up en-masse at an HRM Indoor Recreation Facilities Master Plan meeting. We are now in the process of making this dream a reality.
A dedicated group of 14 residents, representing a number of community groups, has worked with HRM staff since August 2005 to design and build the new community centre. Through the groups’ hard work, public consultation and diligence, they recently presented plans for the proposed community centre to residents from Goodwood to West Dover. The plans were greeted with enthusiasm, and community voted to increase their Recreational Area Tax Rate in order to make the facility a reality. We are very excited by the possibilities the new community centre presents, and we greatly look forward to making this building a focal point for the area.
The most exciting aspect of the new community centre will be the building’s ability to provide a gathering space for residents. At present most of the extra curricular activities take place in schools. This sometimes causes scheduling difficulties and conflict with school activities. While our school facilities will continue to serve as locations for recreational activities and community meetings, the new community centre will feature an indoor “community street” area that will ensure that the building is welcoming and inviting to everybody, whether they are active participants in a specific activity or just hanging out. Our new community centre is scheduled to open in 2009 – we can’t wait!!!
Voluntary sector 50 plus groups & activities
There are many community initiatives undertaken by volunteers that compliment and make our community special. Volunteers work in our schools, daycares, with our seniors, with law enforcement and emergency services, in healthcare and as members of grassroots organizations such as the ROC and the SS Atlantic Heritage Park Society.
The SS Atlantic Heritage Park Society is a fine example of the community rallying to honour our community’s history.
In 1998 local citizens of Terence Bay and Lower Prospect organized the SS Atlantic Heritage Park Society. The Society's intentions: to preserve the resting place of 277 victims of the sinking of the SS Atlantic in 1873. However, over the years, the Society's successes far surpassed their initial intentions. Near the mass burial site in Terence Bay, there is now a boardwalk that wraps around the coastline, overlooking the serene ocean from Sandy Cove. The area around the memorial to the victims has been landscaped and interpretive panels have been installed. An Interpretation Centre, completed in 2002, containing a small museum of SS Atlantic artifacts, interpretive panels and a craft shop. The Centre also houses a gift shop featuring items created by Nova Scotia artisans.
Each year on the last Sunday in July, Society members are joined by residents, visiting dignitaries and guests for an inter-denominational service “Blessing of the Boats.’ This annual event provides a unique glimpse into the community and showcases community hospitality at its best.
Other annual events put on by volunteers include “Village Days” in East Dover, Prospect Lobster Supper, “community clean ups”, ‘Canada Day celebrations” “Fun in the Fog” in Lower Prospect, the Seniors Christmas dinner hosted by the Legion & the Lions and numerous sporting events, to name but a few. Community members are able to freely advertise their events on prospectcommunities.com
