New Waterford, Nova Scotia
Encyclopedia
New Waterford is a Canadian
urban community in Nova Scotia
's Cape Breton Regional Municipality
.
and northwest of Glace Bay
. It is named after the city of Waterford
, in Ireland
. It is located near the ocean and is bordered on one side by cliffs. New Waterford has a rather flat terrain and has several fresh water lakes located nearby.
Senior citizens make up a disproportionate number of town residents due to a long running unemployment problem and the economic development plans of the government which focused on propping up older declining industries. This had the effect of worsening employment prospects for younger workers resulting in a large migration of these younger workers from New Waterford to other areas of the country where opportunities were available.
.
New Waterford Girl is a dark comedy about Moonie Pottie, a gifted teenager, who dreams of life beyond her small town. She becomes inspired when a 15-year-old girl from New York moves in next door. Starring many local actors and mostly Canadian talent, it is set in the mid 1970s. Most of the scenes in the movie were actually filmed in the town of North Sydney
.
Ann-Marie MacDonald, Canadian author set her #1 Bestseller entitled "Fall on Your Knees" in New Waterford, set in the early 20th century.
is a commemoration of the death of a Cape Breton miner, and father of 10, William Davis
. He was shot to death by the coal company security force at Waterford Lake during a mining strike on June 11, 1925. Davis was not participating in the protest, which took the form of a march from the company power plant (by Waterford Lake) and ended by the railroad tracks between Daley Road and May Street. He was shot along with two other men, who survived. Davis Day is also known as Miners Memorial Day.
in early February. In 2009, the Breton Education Centre Bears won the tournament for the first time.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
urban community in Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
's Cape Breton Regional Municipality
Cape Breton Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia
Cape Breton Regional Municipality often shortened to simply CBRM, is a regional municipality in Nova Scotia's Cape Breton County.According to the 2006 Census of Canada, the population within the Cape Breton Regional Municipality is 102,250...
.
Geography
New Waterford is located north of SydneySydney, Nova Scotia
Sydney is a Canadian urban community in the province of Nova Scotia. It is situated on the east coast of Cape Breton Island and is administratively part of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality....
and northwest of Glace Bay
Glace Bay, Nova Scotia
Glace Bay is a community in the eastern part of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality in Nova Scotia, Canada. It forms part of the general area referred to as Industrial Cape Breton....
. It is named after the city of Waterford
Waterford
Waterford is a city in the South-East Region of Ireland. It is the oldest city in the country and fifth largest by population. Waterford City Council is the local government authority for the city and its immediate hinterland...
, in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. It is located near the ocean and is bordered on one side by cliffs. New Waterford has a rather flat terrain and has several fresh water lakes located nearby.
Economy
New Waterford is a fishing port and former coal-mining community that has been in economic decline in recent years. There are ongoing efforts to revitalize the area's economy including a slow but steady increase in jobs in the technology sector. Many residents had been reliant on the coal and steel industries, which are now closed. The last local mine closed in 2001. New Waterford's current main employer is Catalogue Teleservices Company a call center for Spiegel and Newport-News catalogs.Demographics
| Census | Population |
|---|---|
| Town | |
| 1921 | 5,615 |
| 1931 | 7,745 |
| 1941 | 9,237 |
| 1951 | 10,423 |
| 1961 | 10,592 |
| 1971 | 9,579 |
| 1981 | 8,808 |
| 1991 | 7,695 |
| Urban Area | |
| 2001 | 10,185 |
| 2006 | 9,661 |
Senior citizens make up a disproportionate number of town residents due to a long running unemployment problem and the economic development plans of the government which focused on propping up older declining industries. This had the effect of worsening employment prospects for younger workers resulting in a large migration of these younger workers from New Waterford to other areas of the country where opportunities were available.
Eight-thirty whistle
At 8:30pm every day the local fire department sets off its siren. This has a long history, and continues in tradition to this day. The original intent of the whistle was summon the fire men to a fire in the area and to let small children know that they were to be inside or on their parents property.New Waterford Girl
The town was the setting for the 1999 comedic coming-of-age film New Waterford GirlNew Waterford Girl
New Waterford Girl is a Canadian drama-comedy film, released in 1999. The film was directed by Allan Moyle, and written by Tricia Fish.New Waterford Girl stars Liane Balaban as Agnes-Marie "Moonie" Pottie, a teenager in New Waterford, Nova Scotia who dreams of life beyond her small-town home...
.
New Waterford Girl is a dark comedy about Moonie Pottie, a gifted teenager, who dreams of life beyond her small town. She becomes inspired when a 15-year-old girl from New York moves in next door. Starring many local actors and mostly Canadian talent, it is set in the mid 1970s. Most of the scenes in the movie were actually filmed in the town of North Sydney
North Sydney, Nova Scotia
North Sydney is a community in Nova Scotia's Cape Breton Regional Municipality.Located on the north side of Sydney Harbour, along the eastern coast of Cape Breton Island, North Sydney is an important port in Atlantic Canada as it is the western terminus of the Marine Atlantic ferry service...
.
Ann-Marie MacDonald, Canadian author set her #1 Bestseller entitled "Fall on Your Knees" in New Waterford, set in the early 20th century.
Coal Dust Days
Coal Dust Days is a week long celebration of the community taking place approximately the third week of July. The Coal Dust Days parade, Plummer Avenue Day, the tavern tour, and fireworks display are some of the many events that take place during the week.Davis Day
Davis DayDavis Day
Davis Day, also known as Miners Memorial Day , is an annual day of remembrance observed on June 11 in coal mining communities in Nova Scotia, Canada whereby citizens recognize all miners who were killed on the job in the province.Davis Day originated in memory of William Davis, a coal miner who was...
is a commemoration of the death of a Cape Breton miner, and father of 10, William Davis
William Davis (miner)
William Davis, , was a coal miner from Cape Breton Island. He was born in Gloucestershire, England and died in New Waterford, Nova Scotia....
. He was shot to death by the coal company security force at Waterford Lake during a mining strike on June 11, 1925. Davis was not participating in the protest, which took the form of a march from the company power plant (by Waterford Lake) and ended by the railroad tracks between Daley Road and May Street. He was shot along with two other men, who survived. Davis Day is also known as Miners Memorial Day.
Coal Bowl
New Waterford is the site of the annual Coal Bowl Classic basketball tournament, which brings in teams from all across Canada to compete in a week long event. The tournament, first held in 1982, takes place at Breton Education CentreBreton Education Centre
Breton Education Centre, or BEC, is a co-ed high school students in Grades 7-12 in New Waterford, Nova Scotia. It is part of the Cape Breton - Victoria Regional School Board.-Academics:English Department...
in early February. In 2009, the Breton Education Centre Bears won the tournament for the first time.