What’s it like living in New Minas?

Are you interested in living in New Minas?

While it’s not a university town like nearby Wolfville, the Village of New Minas does have a bit of a younger population than some other rural Valley communities. It’s the commercial hub for the Valley, featuring many big box stores, grocery stores, clothing boutiques, specialty food stores, fast food and sit-down restaurants, thrift stores, and more.

The village is connected to the Harvest Moon Trailway. Built on the former train track, the 110-kilometre Harvest Moon Trailway traverses the Annapolis Valley, connecting the Grand Pré to Annapolis Royal.

There is a good variety of parks and recreational facilities in New Minas. Lockhart & Ryan Memorial Park is the best of the bunch, with a splash pad, disc golf course, three soccer fields, beach volleyball courts, ballfields, mini-soccer pitch, tennis courts, basketball court, playground and picnic areas, trail system, clubhouse, washroom facilities, and ample parking space.

Next to Lockhart & Ryan Memorial Park is the Louis Millet Community Complex, which offers a multi-use gymnasium, fitness centre, several multi-purpose rooms, youth drop-in centre, and a banquet hall with commercial kitchen. Across the street is the KenWo Golf Club.

Lonnie Milne Memorial Park has a large play field, basketball court, covered picnic area, and a hill for sledding in the winter, and there are several other smaller parks and playgrounds throughout the village.

Being a more populated area, there are plenty of events and activities to get involved in to make friends in New Minas, including many volunteer organizations. There are also multiple churches, which is important to some, and a popular location for community fundraising meals.

Let’s talk about some of the necessities–housing, health care, schools, employment, and public transit. New Minas has something for everyone. Housing encompasses a wide range of styles and price points, from new builds to condos to Victorians to run-down farmhouses in need of TLC. If you’re buying a fixer-upper or building new on vacant land, keep in mind that things move slower in rural areas than they do in big cities.

In the village, homes are connected to municipal water and sewer, and the property tax rate is significantly higher than in the surrounding rural area, where you’ll be responsible for maintaining or upgrading a well and septic system. Village of New Minas residents will pay the Kings County property tax rate, and the New Minas property tax rate on top of that.

Speaking of septic systems, New Minas has been having a difficult time with the smell of their wastewater processing systems over the past few years, and it has not yet been resolved. CBC has reported on the issue, and you can learn more here.

Roads will be plowed reliably in the village, but if you purchase land on a private road, you and the other road residents will be responsible for arranging and paying for your own road maintenance, and snow clearing.

There is no medical centre in New Minas, but Kentville’s Valley Regional Hospital is available for urgent issues, while Eastern Kings Memorial Health Centre in Wolfville will be your go-to spot for less urgent medical needs. Unfortunately, more than 10% of Nova Scotians are without a doctor. It’s important to keep this in mind if you’re considering moving to a rural area.

Elementary-aged students will attend New Minas Elementary School, while Evangeline Middle School serves students in grades 6 through 8.

High school students attend North Kings Education Centre in Canning. High school students also have the option to attend Highbury Education Centre. This is an experiential high school that provides a high school educational opportunity for students, who for a variety of reasons, are unable to achieve success in the traditional school environment.

Being a commercial hub, there are a lot of jobs in the New Minas area, and in nearby Kentville and Coldbrook. If you don’t drive, there is public transit in Annapolis and Kings County on major routes. The Kings Transit bus connects New Minas up and down the Valley.

That’s it for our tour of New Minas, Nova Scotia. Be sure to reach out if you have any questions.