Region to do traffic study at Main and Market intersection in Liverpool

The Main and Market intersection in downtown Liverpool will be the subject of a traffic study by CBCL. (Rick Conrad file photo)

The Region of Queens will spend about $24,000 to do a traffic study of a downtown Liverpool intersection that has seen its share of collisions and close calls.

Last January, a 79-year-old woman was taken to hospital after being struck in the crosswalk at the intersection of Main and Market streets.

That reignited concern in the community about safety at the three-way stop.

Adam Grant, the region’s director of infrastructure, told council this week the intersection regularly has peak traffic volumes of 200 to 250 vehicles.

“Going back over the last year, we had lots of conversations regarding this intersection. Council’s concerns over the safety of it to pedestrian and motorists alike. We’ve been back and forth a few different times with reports, different analysis, different investigation.”

The previous council asked on Oct. 8 to issue a call for proposals for a traffic study of the area.

Grant said engineering firm CBCL could begin that work as early as Feb. 17. It will include looking at this intersection and others nearby, and installing cameras to monitor traffic and pedestrian movement. The firm will also interview pedestrians and motorists and use modelling software, and itt will look at projected traffic loads in the area.

He said it will be a broader study than one the region commissioned in 2015 from Insight Traffic Engineering.

Coun. Maddie Charlton said that many of the incidents seem to occur in one particular crosswalk, which runs from the post office to Five Girls Baking. 

“There have been numerous pedestrians struck on one crosswalk in particular in this area with the most recent being the worst. Luckily, the woman who was struck survive. But it is an ongoing issue, and … although there haven’t been an insane amount of pedestrians hit, I think one is too many. And so we need to address that.

“I’m uncertain about this study in one sense, because I don’t know if it’s going to solve the problem that we want it to solve. … I’m curious why we couldn’t just remove that crosswalk in that specific area, given that there are other substantial crosswalks in that area.”

Grant said he’s not a traffic expert and he’s unsure whether that would be the best solution. 

“I’m by far a traffic expert and I think that this study is a good investment to assure that we have a path forward to provide the paramount safety at that intersection. 

“Every leg of an intersection is considered a crosswalk. Where you have increased pedestrian movement, you delineate that by putting a sign up or painting it. I’m not aware of anywhere that would have a prohibited crosswalk from occurring. So I think to do something like that, we need to to go beyond who we have in this room to make that decision (and) provide some advice and do it cautiously to make sure that we’re getting the right solution, trying to solve the problem we understand.”

In his report, Grant detailed 36 reported incidents in the area from 2009 to 2024, according to information provided by the Nova Scotia government.

Five of those involved pedestrians being hit by cars in the crosswalk. Other pedestrians have reported or witnessed near-collisions at that intersection.

Grant said the main focus of the study will be how to improve pedestrian safety in that intersection.

Mayor Scott Christian said he understands Charlton’s desire to address the issue as quickly as possible.

“Certainly we want to be well informed with respect to making the decisions, certainly don’t want to drag our feet on it. I know that this was something that was batted about a bit in the past, and it is a priority concern to be addressed for public safety.”

The study will be funded from the region’s accumulated surplus of $6 million. Grant said the company could report back to council as early as May.

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

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Bristol Avenue residents upset after council reversal in vote on apartment building

Tony Flint, a resident of Bristol Avenue in Liverpool, speaks to Region of Queens councillors on Tuesday about a proposed 24-unit apartment building on his street. (Region of Queens YouTube channel)

Residents of Bristol Avenue in Liverpool say they’ve lost faith in Region of Queens councillors after a bungled vote on a controversial proposed development.

A 24-unit apartment building is planned for the area, which is the main thoroughfare into and out of downtown Liverpool.

Residents say the development is too big for the neighbourhood. They say the population could triple in an area with only a two-lane street, one sidewalk, and already hectic traffic.

When the development was approved by staff last July, residents submitted a petition and filed an appeal.

Councillors heard the appeal on Tuesday during their regular council meeting. As part of that process, the appellant and the developer can make their cases to council.

Developer Larry Cochrane was at the meeting, but left before the appeal was heard.

Resident Tony Flint told councillors that congestion and noise will only get worse if the apartments are built. He and other residents are also concerned about pedestrian safety and the ability for emergency vehicles to get to the new building.

“So all of a sudden you have a massive influx of people in an already very busy street,” he said. “I think that looking at the drawing, the developer probably tries to do as much as he can with the available space, but it’s really, really cramped.”

Mike MacLeod, the region’s director of land use, said no traffic studies were completed or required as part of the process. He said Cochrane met the requirements of the Land Use Bylaw.

Councillors debated a motion to deny the appeal and allow the development to go ahead.

At first, a majority of councillors voted 4-3 not to reject the residents’ appeal. But then, council took a break. After discussion among the mayor, councillors and the interim CAO, they returned.

Mayor Scott Christian said that a councillor was confused by the motion.

“At least one member of the council didn’t understand the way that they were voting with respect to that motion,” Christian told the meeting as Bristol Avenue residents watched.

“I’ll ask for your forgiveness. I’ll just try to be transparent here. We have four of the seven of us are new. I myself am a new chair here. I want to circle back on that motion to make sure that it’s 100 per cent clear for the council with respect to what they’re voting for or against.”

So they voted again. Three councillors — Jack Fancy, Wanda Carver and Stewart Jenkins — changed their vote to deny the appeal after all.

Coun. Courtney Wentzell was the only vote against rejecting the appeal.

After the meeting, Bristol Avenue resident Janet Perry was visibly upset.

“I’m disappointed and I don’t understand the two separate (votes). We had the motion, it was defeated. They go out and change their minds. I think it’s totally unfair.

“I’ve lost faith in council and the process that we went through.”

Resident Roger Wilcox said the process to approve new developments is flawed.

“The town has a problem because of this development procedure that’s inadequate. (They’re) scared of being sued. … That’s why they changed their vote.”

Flint said he’s worried about someone being injured or killed because of the increased traffic. And he worries that council doesn’t care.

“It means that regardless of the possible dangers to the public, they’re just pushing it ahead anyway. Certain people are friends with certain people and that’s the way it works.”

Developer Cochrane is the treasurer of the South Queens Chamber of Commerce. His wife is the vice-president. The chamber’s president is Ashley Christian, who is married to Mayor Scott Christian.

The mayor told QCCR after the meeting that he wasn’t in a conflict.

“From my perspective, I don’t feel there’s a conflict of interest. Certainly if residents feel that there is, I’d be happy to speak to that or think about it. To be honest, … my wife’s involvement with the chamber of commerce or Larry’s involvement with the chamber of commerce would have no bearing on my decision-making process or procedural approach to handling that situation.”

During the appeal, some councillors appeared to sympathize with residents’ concerns, especially about traffic and safety. But Christian said they were handcuffed by provisions in the municipality’s land use bylaw.

“The challenge is that legally we really are bound to the municipal planning strategy and land use bylaws.”

Barring another council reversal, the way is now clear for the four-story apartment building to go ahead.

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

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Queens County couple featured on A&E house hunt show

Ryan and Elizabeth Brown, who live near Liverpool, will be featured on an episode of the new A&E TV show Oceanfront Property Hunt on Saturday afternoon. (Rick Conrad)

Elizabeth and Ryan Brown knew they wanted to get out of Ontario.

And they knew they wanted to buy a house on the water in Nova Scotia.

But what they didn’t expect when they began their search was to be featured in an internationally broadcast television show.

The Queens County couple’s quest will be on the new A&E show, Oceanfront Property Hunt, this coming Saturday afternoon. Produced by Halifax-based Ocean Entertainment, the show follows a different couple each episode as they look for an oceanfront home. Two episodes are broadcast back-to-back beginning at 1 p.m.

The couple has organized a community watch party on Saturday afternoon at Route 3 Cellar Taproom and Grill in Liverpool.

“Ideally, we’ll have the show on all their TVs so that everyone can watch it with us, and I will be hiding under a table if it goes sideways,” Elizabeth says, laughing. “We’ll be seeing it fresh with everybody else. So yeah, I’m a little nervous. A little nervous.”

Elizabeth is an insurance underwriter and Ryan is the sales manager at Liverpool Home Hardware. They were living in Kitchener when they decided they wanted to move to a smaller, less hectic community.

“We were wanting to get something on the water, either lakefront or ocean,” Elizabeth says. “And Ryan’s preference would have been oceanfront. And we’re pretty outdoorsy. We like canoeing, kayaking, camping. And to have something that’s literally on our doorstep, that was our motivation for moving to Nova Scotia because everything is right here.”

“We were eventually going to retire out here,” Ryan says, “but we just moved that forward a bit.”

The Browns applied to be on the show after their Halifax-based realtor told them about it.

Their realtor had been cast on the show, but the producers also wanted some of her clients to apply.

Elizabeth says she told Ryan they were going to apply.

“And I was like, ‘Oh, OK, I guess we’re doing this,'” Ryan says.

They had to submit a video about themselves, their house hunt and why they wanted to be on the water.

“Ocean Entertainment was great. The crew was great,” Elizabeth said in a recent interview. “They were a lot of fun to work with. I feel like it wasn’t reality. I feel like it was our pretend life. We’re on TV, and this is bananas. But we were actually doing it.”

Elizabeth admits that applying for the show was a little outside her usual comfort zone. But she and Ryan fell in love with their new home and community and wanted to share it.

When we saw Liverpool, we really liked it. But really it was the house that settled it. As soon as we walked into it, we knew that was the house we really wanted.”

The 45-year-olds booked time off work for the four-day shoot last summer. The production crew followed the couple around Queens County on their search for waterfront houses.

The episode features some local landmarks like the Quarterdeck Resort on Summerville Beach.

Until the show airs, they’re sworn to secrecy about which house they chose or even where. But they’re more than happy to talk about how they feel about the move to Queens County from Kitchener.

“I wish we’d done it years ago,” Elizabeth says.

“Yeah, I would agree with that. I love it,” Ryan says. “I wouldn’t change a thing. I love our life here. I love our house.”

“The people we’ve met have been great,” Elizabeth continues. “Our neighbourhood is great. Our friends are great. Our neighbours have been awesome with helping us get settled in.”

“We’re on the beach probably two to three times a week,” Ryan says.

“All of the things that we were looking for in an oceanfront property, in what we wanted to get out of being in Nova Scotia, we’re getting,” Elizabeth says. “And it’s fricking awesome.”

The couple has high praise for Ocean Entertainment and the overall experience, especially the short-term star treatment that came along with it.

Ryan: “It was a lot of fun and a lot of work.”

Elizabeth: “It was like having a little army follow you around. One of the assistants was like the snack girl. And so literally all I had to say is, ‘I’m kind of hungry.’ And she would appear. And I had some dairy allergies. So she would appear with a selection of things that I can eat. And it was wonderful. I’m like, ‘Can I keep you?'”

Two episodes of Oceanfront Property Hunt featuring Queens and Lunenburg counties air on A&E on Saturday beginning at 1 p.m. Atlantic. The episode featuring the Browns airs at 1:30. Episodes are also available on Apple TV.

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

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Liverpool shoppers vow to support Canadian goods while Trump tariff threat looms

Sharon Potter from Annapolis Royal buys some bread on Friday from Leanne Arnott, owner of Five Girls Baking in Liverpool. (Rick Conrad)

The tariff threat from U.S. President Donald Trump may be on hold, but that hasn’t stopped Canadians from looking for ways to support homegrown products.

Trump agreed to pause a proposed 25 per cent tariff on Canadian goods for 30 days after he struck a deal with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau earlier this week.

We asked some shoppers in Liverpool if they’re trying to buy more local or Canadian products in response to the American action.

Use the play button below to listen to what they had to say.

 

Liverpool library almost ready to reopen

A few final touches and the Thomas H. Raddall Library in Liverpool will be ready to open at its new interim location. (Rick Conrad)

UPDATED THURSDAY, 9:55 A.M.

The library in Liverpool is close to reopening, but a few things have to be ironed out first.

Ashley Nunn-Smith, CEO and chief librarian of South Shore Public Libraries, told QCCR on Wednesday that a final fire inspection has to be done, and internet issues have to be addressed. 

“The construction work itself is finished. Books are on the shelves. We are waiting on a few very key things. … Once those are resolved, any day now I hope to be able to open.”

The Thomas H. Raddall branch has been closed since Dec. 15, when staff packed up the library’s collection to prepare for the move from downtown Liverpool to a building about 1.5 kilometres away. 

The lease at the former location was due to expire at the end of December. So the Region of Queens decided to put the library, on an interim basis, in the municipally owned Liverpool Business Development Centre off White Point Road.

The region budgeted up to $1.26 million for renovations to the space. 

Many residents were concerned that it’s not easy to walk to, with no sidewalks and limited lighting.

Queens County Transit and the South Shore Public Libraries have teamed up to offer free transportation from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Thursday from downtown Liverpool to the new location.

“If it’s really successful, I’m sure we can talk about expanding it,” Nunn-Smith said. “We could potentially look at adding other times or other days of the week.”

Nunn-Smith says she empathizes with library patrons who can’t wait for the branch to reopen.

“I know everyone’s really excited to get inside and to have a library in their own community again. We had hoped to be open by now. … We’re really excited to welcome the patrons back in too.”

Nunn-Smith said the new location will keep the Thomas H. Raddall name, after Raddall’s family were assured that regional council is committed to finding a more central, permanent location. 

The municipality’s library steering committee had recommended that a new library be built near Queens Place Emera Centre, close to downtown Liverpool. Raddall’s grandson Tom was the honorary chairman of that committee, but resigned after councillors twice rejected the committee’s recommendations.

Councillors decided last February to move the library to the new interim location instead. 

“With the new council, I feel the attitude has changed,” Nunn-Smith says.

“I’ve met with the mayor and Coun. (Courtney) Wentzell who is on the library board. And they too agree that a true community hub should be at the centre of the community where the people are. And so with that in mind and all of us being aligned, the library board, the Raddall family and the council on the direction of the library, it seems like a positive turn.

“So because of that, Tom Raddall … has agreed to retain the Thomas H. Raddall Library name for another five years.”

Nunn-Smith said she believes “the best case scenario” would be five to seven years before a brand new library could be built.

Despite the delays in reopening in the interim location, she says she believes patrons will enjoy the new space.

It’s bigger and brighter, with a large expandable program room as well as a community kitchen. It’s also fully accessible. 

And it will feature raised garden beds outside, thanks to funding from the Nova Scotia government.

“I love the inside of the space. It’s wonderful. And even the green space directly outside of the library is going to be great too.

“The programming spaces are outstanding. I would love to have such programming spaces in our other locations. … It’s going to be our first branch with a community kitchen, so we can run cooking programs and other types of baking and cooking demonstrations. It’s just going to be wonderful.”

Nunn-Smith said she hopes the Thomas H. Raddall Library is back in business in a few days. 

But regardless, a grand reopening is planned for Sat., April 5.

“So a ribbon cutting and story times and music and some cake, that type of big celebration day, so that everyone who hasn’t checked it out yet can come and celebrate the new space with us.”

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

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Domtar’s decision about possible mill in Liverpool due in March

An undated aerial photo of the former Bowater Mersey plant in Brooklyn. (Queens County Historical Society Photo Collection, courtesy of the Queens County Museum)

It will likely be March before Queens County residents find out whether Liverpool will once again be a mill town.

Last May, Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston said the region could be the home for a new kraft pulp mill. It all depends on whether forestry giant Domtar, which operates Paper Excellence, believes there’s a business case for it.

Nobody from Domtar or the provincial government would do an on-air interview this week. But in emailed statements, both the company and Natural Resources Minister Tory Rushton said more will be known in March.

Domtar said in its statement that it’s in the final stages of a feasibility study into a new mill.

“Our team continues to work with the Province of Nova Scotia and is in the final stages of establishing a business case for building a new bioproducts mill in Liverpool.”

Rushton said in his statement that the province is open to more natural resource development, adding the province believes a new mill would be a good fit for Liverpool. 

“Our interest is in the economic potential for our forestry sector and the province — creating good paying jobs, construction investment and strengthening the overall supply chain. Success in our resource sectors means success for our whole province.”

Last May, the premier announced a deal with Paper Excellence to settle the company’s $450-million lawsuit against the province after its subsidiary Northern Pulp was forced to shut down its mill in Pictou County in 2020.

As part of that deal, Paper Excellence launched a nine-month feasibility study into whether a Liverpool mill is viable. 

“The province has agreed to support Paper Excellence in the idea of building a new kraft pulp mill in Queens County, in the areas around the former Bowater mill,” Houston told reporters last May. “With the support of the region’s forestry sector, the company believes that Liverpool could again support a new mill, and I agree.

“If there is a business case and the company brings forward a project, it could mean an investment of more than $1.4 billion in our economy and that’s just to build a new mill. Let me assure Nova Scotians that any project that comes forward will need to meet today’s standards and will undergo environmental assessment, significant public consulation and Indigenous engagement.”

Under the court-approved settlement agreement, Domtar’s rate of return over 20 years must be 14 per cent. 

“We assess the estimated cost of construction, delivered wood, start-up and operation, labour, and funding and financing structures, among many other items,” Domtar said in its statement to QCCR.

“We are also assessing the price and market for the pulp and any other bioproducts the mill could produce.”

Houston has recently said the province needs to open up to more natural resource development, especially in light of the tariff threat from the U.S.

Bowater operated a pulp and paper mill in Brooklyn from 1929 to 2012, employing hundreds of people in Queens County. 

When it closed, it threw 320 people out of work. It also affected people in other industries.

Many of the employees retired or left for jobs in western Canada or elsewhere. The region fell into an economic funk. And it took years for the local economy to recover.

When the premier announced the prospect of a new mill last spring, though, local reaction was mixed.

Some local politicians and forestry workers said it would be a welcome boon to the local economy and the industry. Some others, including local business leaders, said they were concerned about the environmental impact a pulp mill would have.

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

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First-time author helps Lucy the Lobster step out of her shadow

Pam Wamback holds copies of Lucy the Lob’Star, the kids’ book she officially launched this past weekend as part of Nova Scotia Lobster Crawl. (Rick Conrad)

On the same weekend that Lucy the Lobster saw her shadow, her star was set to rise a little higher thanks to a new book about Nova Scotia’s second most famous weather forecaster.

First-time author Pam Wamback officially released the kid’s book Lucy the Lob’Star on Saturday, the day before Groundhog Day. 

It’s about the clairvoyant crustacean who crawled into the international spotlight in 2018, challenging Shubenacadie Sam for supremacy among wildlife weather watchers.

In real life, Lucy is the official mascot of the Nova Scotia Lobster Crawl, a month-long festival every February celebrating Nova Scotia’s biggest seafood export.

“It’s a book for kids of all ages,” Wamback told QCCR. “A really tough one to learn to read on, but you know, for kids from 2 to 92. We’re all kids at heart, right?

Featuring fun illustrations by Chad Thompson, Lucy the Lob’Star follows Lucy as she pops her head out of the ocean one day in her home waters of Barrington, and meets Gilbert the Groundhog. 

Gilbert is looking to retire as the local once-a-year weather forecaster, but he can’t find a replacement. So Lucy volunteers.

“It’s my take on how Lucy became famous,” Wamback says. “She’s not like any other lobster. She’s different. There’s always different lobsters. There’s blue lobsters, there’s calico lobsters. Lucy was different, but she just wanted to be famous. She just wasn’t sure how it was going to happen, and a chance opportunity came along, and the moral of the story is that change is scary, but so is staying the same.”

The book has been out for just a month, and Wamback says she’s amazed by the response.

“It’s been fantastic, because like I said, this is a passion project for me, a personal passion project for me. I’m not an author, it’s not my full-time job, but I also wanted it to showcase the destination of Southwest Nova (Scotia) and in particular Shelburne County.

“It’s my home, right? In the back of the book there’s also a little bit of fun facts about lobsters to educate people, and also creating awareness about Shelburne County, and Barrington as the lobster capital of Canada, the Lobster Crawl Festival, and the Shelburne County Lobster Festival as well.

Wamback, whose full-time job is in communications with Tourism Nova Scotia, has been involved with the lobster crawl since it began in 2018. Her passion for lobster is reflected in her website, Lady Loves Lobster.

“Growing up near Shelburne, I’ve been surrounded by lobster my entire life. Growing up in a lobster community, lobster family.

“Publishing a book was never on my radar, I’m not a writer, I’m the organizer, the planner. I was just kind of playing with an idea, and it kind of grew from there. … So finally last year, I was like let’s see what happens, cast the net and fast track about a year and a half later and here’s Lucy the Lob’Star.”

Wamback has promotional events lined up in Mahone Bay, Shelburne and Bridgewater over the next few weeks. 

Lucy, I’m probably one of her biggest fans. The real Lucy the Lobster, she’s an international superstar. She’s been on CNN, she’s been on blog posts across Europe, she’s been in the Miami Herald. So we need to celebrate her and showcase her, and that’s kind of what I want to do. I’ve got some people that keep saying, ‘What’s your next book?’ I’m like, ‘Next?’

“I never anticipated one, but who knows? Like I said, I never expected one, so you never know. ”

Lucy the Lob’Star is available at bookstores around Nova Scotia or online.

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

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Lucy the Lobster sees her shadow, predicts six more weeks of winter

Lucy the Lobster predicted six more weeks of winter on Sunday. (Visit Barrington Facebook page)

Lucy the Lobster saw her shadow on Sunday morning in Barrington, predicting a longer winter.

The canny crustacean lined up with Nova Scotia’s slightly more famous wildlife weather forecaster. Shubenacadie Sam also predicted six more weeks of winter.

The six-pound lobster has been making winter predictions since 2018 as part of the Nova Scotia Lobster Crawl. Her handlers say she’s never wrong.

“It was -14 at 7:30 this morning,” Stephanie Miller Vincent, co-ordinator of the South Shore Tourism Co-operative, which organizes Nova Scotia Lobster Crawl.

“Lucy crawled slowly and quickly all at the same time. So six more weeks of winter, but six more weeks of lobster fishing, that’s the most important thing.”

Capt. Kat’s grabs lobster roll title for third time

Wendell McKay and Victoria Hopkins of Capt. Kat’s Lobster Shack in Barrington Passage display their winning lobster roll on Sunday. (Rick Conrad)

Simplicity and consistency were the secret ingredients for Capt. Kat’s Lobster Shack on Sunday as it grabbed the title of best lobster roll on the South Shore.

It’s the third time the Barrington Passage restaurant has topped the competition in the annual Lobster Roll-Off as part of the Nova Scotia Lobster Crawl. They won the first roll-off in 2018. And it’s always the same recipe, said Wendell McKay, the kitchen manager at Capt. Kat’s. 

“This is the same cold lobster roll that we’ve been making since before I was at Capt. Kat’s,” he said.

“It feels good to be back in the winner’s seat for sure. We don’t want to stray from what works. And we like to focus on the lobster and not adding too many bells and whistles. Sometimes the lobster gets left in the back of the palate that way.” 

The winning entry featured lobster meat, green onions, celery, mayonnaise, a bit of spinach on a buttered toasted bun.

Victoria Hopkins made the winning lobster roll.

“I am the cold roll mama,” she said. “And I am the one that makes the cold roll with lots of love.”

Eleven restaurants from around the South Shore competed Sunday afternoon in a blind tasting for the title of best lobster roll. They ranged from the traditional, like Capt. Kat’s, to the elaborate. 

Some rolls included Nova Scotia smoked salmon and pepperoni, or deep fried lobster macaroni and cheese in addition to lobster meat.

Four travel writers from outside Nova Scotia served as judges.

Stephanie Miller Vincent, the co-ordinator of the South Shore Tourism Cooperative which organizes the lobster crawl, said they bring in a new group of judges every year. And none of them eats a lobster roll at any of the competing restaurants before the big day.

“The judges come in through Tourism Nova Scotia. They’re completely different every single year. So it’s pretty unique that one restaurant’s won three times honestly.”

Second place went to the Quarterdeck Resort, which hosted the event this year. And Osprey’s Nest Public House in Petite Riviere finished in third.

Lobster lovers can vote for their favourite lobster roll for the whole month of February. Details, including the 11 participating restaurants, are on the Nova Scotia Lobster Crawl website

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

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Halifax man killed in Queens County crash

A man from the Halifax area is dead after a crash in Pleasant River, Queens Co., on Friday. (RCMP)

A 44-year-old man from the Halifax region died on Friday after his vehicle left the road on Hwy. 208 in Pleasant River, Queens Co.

Queens District RCMP, fire and other emergency crews found a Mercedes Sprinter van in the ditch around the 4200 block of Hwy. 208.

The man was the lone occupant in the van. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The road was closed for several hours, but has reopened. RCMP continue to investigate, with a help of a collision reconstructionist.