Did You Know?
- The first Polish settlements in Nova Scotia were in Cape Breton – almost 130 years ago. Generations later, the Polish Cape Bretoners are proud of their heritage and proud of their hospitality.
- People of Polish heritage have put down roots in all parts of Nova Scotia.
- Many Poles first came to Nova Scotia to work in the steel and mining industries. Their influence has spread to all professions and walks of life.
- The St. Michael’s Polish Benefit Society (established in 1909, in Whitney Pier) is Nova Scotia’s oldest Polish cultural organization.
- St. Mary’s Polish Church in Whitney Pier is a designated provincial heritage landmark was established in 1913 and rebuilt in 2015-16 after a tragic fire. It is the only Polish church in Atlantic Canada.
St. Mary’s Polish Parish, Whitney Pier, Sydney, NS 50th Anniversary celebrations at St. Mary’s Polish Catholic Church in 1963. - The Polish Village Hall in Whitney Pier is a designated municipal heritage landmark. It was built in 1949, replacing an earlier hall (c. 1911).
- A monument in front of Pier 21 in Halifax honours Polish immigrants. It is looked after by the Polish Emigration Memorial Society.
- During the first Nova Scotia Polish Heritage Month, in September 2020, a monument was unveiled honouring the “Polish Pioneers of Glace Bay”. It sits at the foot of “Polish Hill”, near the site of the former Caledonia Mine.
- In 2017, Middle St. in Whitney Pier was renamed “Galicia St.” to honour the region that straddles modern-day Poland and Ukraine from where many immigrants came more than a century ago.
- The Polish communities of Nova Scotia take pride in being warm and welcoming – proud to be part of a multicultural society and inclusive of everyone.
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