Malagash Mine café unites neighbours

A Cumberland County community hall has come alive with laughter, coffee and connection thanks to a grassroots program called “Come as Neighbours, Leave as Friends.”  

Funded by the North Shore Community Health Board and the Wallace Wentworth Pugwash and Area Community Health Board, this pop-up café-style gathering spot dubbed the Rock Salt Café is in Malagash Mine and welcomes newcomers, older adults and young people who want to weather colder months with conversations, tea and treats. 

Up to two dozen regulars showed up on Wednesdays, some undeterred when temperatures dipped to a bone-chilling -14 C. It just proves community spirit withstands the harshest of conditions with the right kind of welcome. 

The café’s objective involved highlighting mental health and wellness and promoting social and physical activities, said Debbie Morrow, president of the Malagash Mine Community Club. 

Combined, the community health boards gave about $3,000 last year toward the café concept. 

Community health board wellness funds support non-profit groups working to improve health in their communities. Among other things, grants go toward programs that promote food security, housing, transportation and social participation. The goal is to reduce risks of poor health outcomes in Nova Scotia communities. 

Malagash Mine has a rich history of neighbours supporting each other in times of need and Morrow said the goal of the program was to revive a keen sense of community, which seemed to need a refresh. 

“After the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, social isolation had really taken its toll, especially in small communities like ours where pockets of residents didn’t mingle much and newcomers found it hard to integrate,” Morrow said. 

The café, named for the historic salt mine in the community, launched and people new to the area were invited to learn about the region’s history of fishing, farming and salt mining from long-standing residents. “We also displayed historical photos at the hall,” Morrow explained. 

It was at this point the slogan “come as neighbours, leave as friends” was born. 

Being “from away” herself, Morrow found the experience invaluable. “There’s something beautiful about watching these little conversations bloom between residents who might never have met otherwise,” she said. 

Financial backing from the community health boards proved transformative. The money helped keep the heat on, run consistent programming and even grow membership, Morrow explained. 

In 2024, the hall became a registered Canadian charity. 

Why does the program matter? People, especially in rural areas, need places to connect and socialize, Morrow explained. 

“Before this, maybe people didn’t really know their neighbours,” she said. “That’s all changed. We have about 70 members, officially, but we probably have 200 active people participating. They come to crib nights, everything.” 

Morrow credited the volunteers for helping create a place of belonging. 

“They are the ones who made this happen. What’s grown from all of this isn’t just a program, it’s a strong volunteer network,” she pointed out. 

“It used to be just six of us doing everything, but now it’s so much bigger. People step up all the time and they’ve brought so much energy and heart. It’s turned into something beautiful." 

Photo of participants of “Come as Neighbours, Leave as Friends” in Cumberland County.