A new highway interchange at a First Nations community in Antigonish Co. is officially open.
Officials with the Paq’tnkek First Nation and the municipal, provincial and federal governments took part in a ceremony at the Paq’tnkek Health Centre Tuesday morning.
Construction on the $15.3 million interchange started in Sept. 2017; provincial officials contributed $8.9 million toward the project, while federal officials provided $6.4 million.
The interchange provides access to band land that had been severed during the construction of Hwy. 104 in the 1960s.
After the opening, Llloyd Hines, the province’s transportation minister and the MLA for Guysborough-Eastern Shore-Tracadie, said it’s a good project on a number of levels.
“It works good from an investment point-of-view for the province (and) it’s growth in the province,” he said. “It also, I think, rights a wrong that happened in the 1960s when we had a different view of our Mi’kmaw neighbours.”
Drivers have been using the new interchange to access Hwy. 104 since December.
P.J. Prosper, the band’s chief, said the project will bring opportunity and growth to Paq’tnkek.
“It will allow us to sort of break the cycle of dependency, at times,” he said. “We will sort of seize opportunity- economic opportunities- for the betterment of our community.”
The first phase of the new Bayside Travel Centre, which includes two quick-service restaurants, a band-owned and operated convenience store, truckers’ lounge and electric charging station, is expected to open in the summer.
Band officials have said they’re already in the process of planning for the second phase of the centre.
