Sussex Hotel Gives Reprieve For PotashCorp Civic Centre…For Now

A Sussex Hotel operator has come forward with a donation to keep the beleagured PotashCorp Civic Centre operating until the end of October. Mayor Mark Thorne says the DeWinter family, who owns Amsterdam Inn told him the news on Friday. The Centre’s board was looking to shut it down on September 4th because of a funding shortfall. Thorne says ideally they want a 1.5 cents per $100 assessed property value increase for the regional communities and LSD’s that utilize the facility. Thorne says it will increase the amount from $12 dollars per year, per resident to $25 dollars, and it’s really a small amount to keep the well-utilized civic centre operating. Both Norton and Sussex Corner are also being asked to raise their taxes the same amount, Sussex has already agreed to do so. The facilities namesake, Potash Corp closed its Penobsquis mine and cut out funding to the civic centre.