News
Stephanie Keilhack recognized with provincial ACE Award as Rising Star in Accessibility
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The Municipality of Cumberland has a rising star.
The municipality’s community engagement coordinator Stephanie Keilhack was recently named a recipient of the Rising Star in Accessibility Award at this year’s ACE Awards: Celebrating Inclusive Employers.
“She is leading Accessibility, equity, and poverty reduction initiatives in her community, with a strong passion for improving the health and longevity of rural residents,” the award’s citation said. “She's known for her keen foresight, creative thinking, and ability to build positive, collaborative relationships that move accessibility forward.”
Through the Accessibility Confident Employers (ACE) Project, Sea Change CoLab works with employers to build skills for recruiting, hiring, retaining, and advancing people with disabilities. Along the way, it has seen inspiring examples of people putting learning into practice, managers driving culture change and organizations embedding accessibility into their systems.
Stephanie Keilhack, the Municipality of Cumberland, community engagement coordinator, was recently recognized as a Rising Star in Accessibility by the Accessibility Confident Employers (ACE) Project.
Within the municipality, some of the highlights and achievements in accessibility include (with support from Cumberland Recreation and Public Works in Springhill and Parrsboro):
Lunch n’ learn sessions for Cumberland businesses around accommodations at work, plain language and digital accessibility training for several key staff and volunteers, sidewalk assessments in Parrsboro and Springhill, sidewalk improvements in Parrsboro and lights at crosswalks in Springhill.
There has also been an employment equity statement that welcomes people with disabilities to apply for jobs and sharing that accommodations are available.
Other departments are also making excellent improvements in accessibility including the Recreation Department’s Equipment Loan Program that features adaptive bikes, hiking poles and more.
In development are initiatives such as learning how to better support autistic children in municipal summer camps, improved entrances to the Springhill administration building, accessibility assessments at the Dr. Carson & Marion Murray Community Centre and Springhill Miner’s Memorial Library as well as the use of plain language more often in public communications.
Conversations are also ongoing with Sunset Communities and Cumberland County Transportation Services (CCTS) about improving accessible transportation in the region.
Cliffs of Fundy Global Geopark officials update Advocate Harbour about their work
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Representatives of the Cliffs of Fundy Global Geopark came to Advocate Harbour recently to talk to residents about their work as well as their plans for the former centre in Eatonville that’s located within the Cape Chignecto Provincial Park’s day-use area.
“We lease the building from the province and recently completed some repairs, that included straightening an exterior wall that was the cause of a chronic leak that originally led to the building’s closure many years ago,” interim executive director Devin Trefry said. “We have a small group of volunteers striving to make the building usable again.”
Trefry said part of the night’s session was dedicated to gaining community input on how the building might be used and developing a plan for its sustainable operation.
When it opened in 2012, the interpretive centre and day-use park at Eatonville was supposed to complement the provincial park and celebrate the nearby Three Sisters geological formation as well as the rugged Fundy coastline.
It is located on a rise of land with amazing views of the Bay of Fundy, including the Three Sisters, Squally Point and Anderson Cove, and is immediately adjacent to the Eatonville Trail loop and the tidal viewing platforms.
Mandatory water restrictions lifted for residents, businesses supplied by Springhill water system
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Effective immediately, mandatory water restrictions are lifted for all residents and businesses supplied by the Springhill Water System. Normal water usage may resume.
The Cumberland Water Utility has been closely monitoring water levels in Leamington Brook, which supplies the Springhill Water System. With recent rainfall the source water level has stabilized sufficiently to lift the mandatory water conservation measures that were implemented on Aug. 30, 2025.
Although mandatory restrictions are no longer in place, the Cumberland Water Utility encourages all water users to continue practicing responsible water use. Water conservation should be an ongoing habit in every household and business. Being mindful of how much water you use, repairing leaks promptly, and using water-efficient fixtures all help ensure the long-term sustainability of our community’s water supply.
Simple steps to continue conserving water include:
• Repair leaking plumbing fixtures as soon as they are noticed
• Turn off taps while brushing teeth or washing dishes
• Wash only full loads of laundry and dishes
• Install low-flow shower heads and appliances
The Cumberland Water Utility would like to sincerely thank residents, businesses, and institutions in Springhill for their cooperation throughout this period. Your efforts to conserve water helped maintain reliable service and protect the Leamington Brook watershed during an exceptionally dry season.
Municipality of Cumberland Mayor helps MADD Canada chapter begin Red Ribbon Campaign
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Sober driving during the holiday season was top of mind on Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025, as Municipality of Cumberland Mayor Rod Gilroy helped launch MADD Canada’s Red Ribbon Campaign with members of the Springhill detachment of the RCMP, the Springhill Fire Department, Cumberland North MLA Elizabeth Smith-McCrossin and EHS.
“This important initiative serves as a powerful reminder of our shared responsibility to keep our roads safe and to make the commitment never to drive impaired,” Mayor Gilroy said. “As we enter the holiday season, I encourage all residents to display a red ribbon on their vehicles, keys, or clothing as a visible pledge to drive sober and support the victims and families affected by impaired driving. Together, we can honour those we have lost and help prevent future tragedies.”
This is the 38th year for the campaign.
Community celebrates opening of refurbished Henry Ketchum Suspension Bridge in Tidnish Bridge
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For several years members of the Tidnish Crossroads and Area Community Association have been working to replace the suspension bridge over the Tidnish River that’s on the route of what would’ve been one of the world’s greatest engineering marvels had it been completed.
Members of the association joined with other supporters on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025, to officially open the recently completed Ketchum Suspension Bridge that’s part of the trail signifying the historic Chignecto Marine Ship Railway.
“The new bridge replaces the old dilapidated and unsafe bridge that was originally constructed in 1996 that was truly past its best before date. It has been closed since 2015,” association vice-president Jack Brown said. “The options we had were to remove it, leaving a void in the trail, or replace it. Given its history in relation to the ship railway as a tourist attraction we chose to replace it.”