Astor theatre interior. Photo Ed Halverson

The Astor Theatre is hoping to keep as cool as its programming with the installation of a new air conditioning system.

Executive Director Jean Robinson-Dexter says hotter summers in the past few years make it challenging to even be in the building without air conditioning.

Theatre management are hoping to take advantage of some federal funding to cover most of the cost but because they are tenants at the Town Hall Arts and Cultural Centre, they needed the Region of Queens permission to apply.

Councillors put the request on the agenda at Tuesday’s council meeting and passed the motion.

Robinson-Dexter is thankful for how quickly and decisively council moved to get behind the project.

“We were really gratified by the support of the council members and talking about the value of the Astor to the community,” said Robinson-Dexter. “One councillor said, you know the Astor has touched every one of us in some way, and I just thought that was very, very telling of how folks think about the Astor, and this building and what we’re able to offer here.”

The Astor board members don’t have a lot of time to put the grant application together as the window to apply closes February 28.

Mayor Darlene Norman was the only member of council to vote against giving permission for the Astor to apply for the federal grant.

She’s concerned by allowing their tenant to pursue a major renovation without oversight of the Region’s engineer something could be missed that could either harm the building or put the Region on the hook to provide more money if the funding runs out.

“My concern is the swiftness of the application. I spoke with Devour fest, Rhea from there. The Devour fest in Wolfville were very successful in those last round of applications and received millions of dollars,” said Norman. “[It] took them months and months to prepare their application. You have to be very careful that when you’re making this application that you’ve included all the costs.”

The federal Green and Inclusive Community Buildings grant program offers funding for small and medium sized projects to retrofit existing community buildings ranging in total eligible cost from $100,000 to $3 million.

Robinson-Dexter says they’re fortunate that people with expertise installing HVAC systems in performance halls have offered to help them gather the technical information they need to complete the grant application.

The Astor Theatre board will determine how much funding to request once they know the scope of the project.

Robinson-Dexter says the Astor Theatre board don’t want to add anymore on to the plates of public works department and plan to deal with all aspects of the renovation themselves.

They also won’t be asking the municipality for any money and will address any funding shortfalls through other grants or by fundraising it themselves.

The board is now working to meet the Feb 28 grant application deadline.

Robinson-Dexter hopes that if they’re successful in their bid patrons will enjoy performances in air-conditioned comfort at the Astor Theatre by summer of 2024.

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The proposed site for the new library at Queens Place lies at the end of the driveway beside the sledding hill. Photo Ed Halverson

Members of the Astor theatre want permission to pursue grants for a new air conditioning system and councillors are concerned about ballooning costs for the new library at Queens place.

The late additions made for an exciting agenda at Tuesday’s Region of Queens council meeting.

The meeting got underway with presentations from the property valuation services corporation or PVSC. The organization explained how they assess properties before providing that information to municipalities to use when collecting property tax.

The next presentation was an update from the recreation and healthy communities department.

During the public comment portion of the meeting, members of the Astor Theatre made their case for why they want permission to install air conditioning. They say climate change has led to uncomfortably high temperatures during the summer months making the space an unsafe work environment. Because the Astor Theatre is a tenant in the Town Hall Arts and Cultural Centre, they need permission from the municipality to make any changes.

During the recommendation portion of the agenda councillors approved the placement, design, and size of the new outdoor pool which is proposed to be built alongside Queens Place. Council also took the extraordinary step of allowing the pool committee to research and write grants on behalf of the municipality. Grants will still need to be reviewed, approved and submitted by municipal staff.

A study on the feasibility of servicing two new proposed subdivisions in Mount Pleasant will go ahead. Councillors approved spending up to $21,000 for CBCL engineering to undertake a six-week study to determine if there is the capacity to handle water and wastewater flow and demand to the proposed developments. The results of that study are expected to come back to council sometime in April.

Next, councillors debated and ultimately approved the Astor Theatre’s request to apply for grants to install air conditioning. We’ll have more on this story in the coming days.

Eight items were on the agenda for the discussion portion of the meeting.

Council received updates on their implementation report and a financial review for the third quarter.

The province of Nova Scotia is conducting an economic study on the ferry service from Maine to Nova Scotia and approached municipalities in southern Nova Scotia for feedback on the evaluation criteria.

Council was informed environmental documents pertaining to the Mersey River wind farm project can be viewed at the regional administration office and the Thomas Raddall library. The project includes plans to install 35 wind turbines on the site.

Council then discussed property tax exemptions and set a date of March 3rd to begin discussing their 2023-24 budget.

The South Queens Chamber of Commerce asked the Region to assume responsibility for the hanging flower baskets on display on posts in Liverpool. Council discussed taking on the project but determined in fairness, it should be expanded to include Caledonia as well. Staff will investigate the specifics of the request and bring a report back to council.

Finally, council discussed the construction of the new library at Queens Place.

Around the table councillors say they’ve been hearing concerns from residents that the Region has not looked for other sources of funding for the project. Some also feel the location at Queens Place was misrepresented as the best option.

Councillors who had opposed siting the new library at Queens Place dropped their opposition when they believed it would be the most cost-effective option. During the discussion it was revealed the construction of the road and other infrastructure leading to the library could add over $900,000 to the cost.

Council will be looking for staff to provide more information and a clearer accounting of all costs when the library is brought back for discussion at the next meeting.

That meeting will take place Tuesday February 28th at 6:00 PM in council chambers.

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NDP Caucus in Mahone Bay. Leader Claudia Chender is fourth from the right. Photo Nova Scotia NDP

NDP Leader Claudia Chender says Nova Scotians want proof that improvements are being made to the healthcare system.

Chender made the comments at the party’s caucus meeting being held in Mahone Bay Monday.

She says every week Nova Scotians hear government is making healthcare better while the number of people without access to primary care keeps growing.

“We just get sort of assurances that things are getting better but no evidence that things are getting better,” said Chender. “If you talk to the average Nova Scotian, I have yet to have a conversation in the last six months with anybody about health care who would argue that anything has improved people are seeing a steady decline and it’s, it’s very concerning.”

Chender sees a need for more long-term care facilities to open more beds in hospitals.

“In Dartmouth for instance, at any given time around half of the inpatient beds at the Dartmouth General Hospital are patients who have been approved for long term care. They don’t need to be there. It is clear that we need more long-term care,” said Chender. “The Liberal government built almost no long-term care beds in over eight years, and we pushed for it that whole time and I think we’re seeing some of the results of that now in the challenges were having in our hospitals.”

Chender says a model based on the collaborative care centres which her party began to implement when they were in power would provide people with access to healthcare professionals.

She says combining multiple ways to access care under one roof would allow a person to come in, be triaged and then directed to the appropriate caregiver.

“We believe that we every Nova Scotia needs to be attached to a single practice. That may not mean that you get to see a doctor all the time. You might see a nurse practitioner, you might see a physician assistant, you might see a pharmacist or social worker depending on what you need, but your file lives in a certain place and your care is coordinated,” said Chender.

The NDP leader says considering the number of baby boomers heading into retirement and needing medical care, it’s widely recognized people will have to adjust to the reality of not having a family doctor, not just in this province but across the country.

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Queens Place. Photo Ed Halverson

As the Queens Pool Committee gets down to the business of planning a replacement for the outdoor pool in Milton, some in the community are asking why those resources aren’t being poured into the development of an indoor pool for Queens.

At the recent Region of Queens council meeting some suggested the estimated $3 million anonymous donation should be lumped together with the $2.5 million the Region had set aside for a replacement to get close to $6 million in seed money.

They say the next step would be to use that money to entice the province and federal government to provide matching funding up to $18 million to build an indoor facility.

The group recognized an indoor pool would require a great deal more annual funding to run year-round.

The closest comparable facility to what’s being proposed for Queens Place is the Lunenburg County Lifestyle Centre.

The Lunenburg County Multi-Purpose Centre Corporation oversees operations at the LCLC.

Projected year-end numbers released at their January meeting show the Town of Bridgewater and the Municipality of the District of Lunenburg contributed a total of $1,054,915 in municipal operating grants to the LCLC, just over half the $1,980,192 the facility took in total revenue.

The corporation is expecting expenses will be $2,215,323 for an operating loss of $235,131 in 2022-23.

The LCLC offers a rink, pool, meeting and fitness rooms, and houses the public library.

General Manager Kent Walsh says that while it may sound similar to what Queens Place would look like if the proposed indoor pool was added, it really is not a fair comparison.

“I was thinking of analogies and it’s like saying, what’s the fuel economy in a car,” said Walsh. “Well, it depends on the car and if I tell you that the fuel economy is 14 litres to the 100kms and what does that actually mean when you’re looking at a different car. It’s just totally different.”

Walsh says there are any number of factors that will impact the operating costs of an indoor pool.

He says the hours of operation, the number of swim lessons and other programming that is offered will impact the amount it will cost for staffing.

The size of the pool, and the source of power, whether it is solar, direct from the NS Power grid or some other method will dictate some of the operating costs.

And those numbers are just the tip of the iceburg.

Walsh says without knowing the final design it is impossible to begin to guess what the operating cost of an indoor pool facility would be.

He says from his experience, whether Queens builds an indoor or outdoor pool they should put together their long-term wish list for the facility and build it all at once.

“I think the one learning from the LCLC, because there were so many cuts made when things were being constructed, is that you just shoot yourself in the foot long term. If they end up going into this thing God I hope they go whole hog,” said Walsh. “ Don’t try to make a four lane, you know getting under the wire on costs. Just go the whole nine-yards because otherwise in five years when you just completely outgrown the thing…”

Walsh is naturally a huge supporter of recreation and fitness facilities.

He says every community is trying to attract healthcare workers and other talented people to come work in their industries, and a well-developed recreation centre can be a huge factor when trying to recruit young families to the area.

Welsh firmly believes the health benefits to the community more than make up for the cost to run many of these programs.

“You know what it costs when someone has a heart attack? A million dollars right off the bat, heart attack, bypass surgery, recovery, a million dollars. And it stresses out a system that’s already stressed out, all the negative things that come from you know, poor health.”

Walsh says it’s always better and less costly to prevent those kind of health emergencies. “If you can put programs in place that improve health outcomes for people, well how many, how many people do you got to divert from having a heart attack to make it worthwhile right?”

With no estimates on the cost to build and operate an indoor pool and no firm commitment from other levels of government to come up with additional funding to pay for it the indoor pool discussion could very well amount to little more than a nice idea.

Council will be addressing several motions pertaining to the construction of an outdoor pool when they meet this Tuesday February 14.

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Queens General Hospital. Photo Ed Halverson

The provincial government is providing almost $35,000 to the South Shore Multicultural Association to help attract and retain healthcare workers in Queens and Lunenburg counties.

The association will use the funding for settlement materials and to support events to integrate and connect new healthcare professionals in the community.

A list of proposed events includes activities such as family and beach days, canoeing, biking, tai chi, nature walks, cooking, painting and more.

The South Shore Multicultural Association is one of 28 groups across Nova Scotia that will benefit from the new $2 million Office of Healthcare Professionals Recruitment Community Fund.

In a statement on behalf of Michelle Thompson, Minister responsible for the Office of Healthcare Professionals Recruitment, Queens MLA Kim Masland said, “Creating a connection between healthcare workers and their community is key.”

She goes on to say, “The warm and welcome environment that the South Shore Multicultural Association is providing in its communities will be invaluable in the recruitment and retention of healthcare workers.”

Executive Director, of the South Shore Multicultural Association Anne Fownes said, “Participation in recreational and leisure activities is a wonderful way for newcomers and their families to have fun, make meaningful connections, and settle into their new communities.”

The new fund is part of the recruitment and retention initiatives outlined in the government’s Action for Health, the Province’s plan to improve healthcare.

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Queens General Hospital. Photo Ed Halverson

Residents of Queens will have the chance to bring their healthcare concerns to those directly responsible when the department of Health and Wellness listening tour stops at the Best Western in Liverpool this month.

Health and Wellness Minister Michelle Thompson, Deputy Minister Jeannine Lagassé and Nova Scotia Health interim CEO Karen Oldfield are holding conversations in communities across Nova Scotia about the work underway to improve the healthcare system.

In a release announcing the events the department of health and wellness says participants will be able to ask questions and hear directly from those responsible for making change happen.

The health department issued a release Tuesday announcing the Emergency Department at Queens General Hospital will be closed for most of the week leading up to the event.

The ED will close Tuesday and Wednesday night, February 7 and 8. It will close again for the weekend beginning Friday at 1:30pm reopening Sunday morning at 8am then closing again at 1:30pm Sunday until 8am Monday morning.

The department will close again Tuesday afternoon until the morning of Wednesday the 15^th.

Anyone wishing to attend the community engagement session will need to register in advance.

Those who can’t be there in person can forward questions that will be discussed at the event by submitting them through the online registration link.

The listening tour will be held at the Best Western in Liverpool on Friday February 17 from 1:00 until 3:00pm.

To register for the Community Health Conversations event follow this link.

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Security camera photo of vandal. Photo courtesy RCMP

Queens District RCMP continues to investigate mischief at the Liverpool tourist bureau.

Between the evening of January 8 and early morning hours of January 9, someone had vandalized the building with various forms of graffiti.

A photo of a person believed to be involved in the incident was released to the public in the hopes of identifying them.

RCMP investigators have since learned that, later that morning, on January 9 a dark-coloured sedan with Ontario license plates parked at the tourist bureau. The driver exited the vehicle and met with another man who approached on foot. RCMP say the two people had a discussion, expressing the same hateful language that had been spray painted on the tourist bureau.

The driver of the vehicle is described as being in his early 20s with dark hair.

The man who was on foot had a beard.

Investigators say this act of mischief is consistent with being motivated by bias, prejudice or hate against an identifiable group.

Anyone with information, or dash camera footage of the area on January 10, is asked to contact the Queens District RCMP at 902-354-5721.

Should you wish to remain anonymous, call Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers toll-free at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submit a secure web tip at www.crimestoppers.ns.ca, or use the P3 Tips App.

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Photo Ed Halverson

The Liverpool curling club is once again undergoing major renovations.

The group is looking to cut costs with the installation of solar panels on the roof and improve accessibility with the construction of a modular ramp and power door.

The J and W Murphy Foundation recently provided Region of Queens with funding to be used for civic improvement projects.

Region of Queens council decided at their last meeting to award $236,000 of that funding for improvements to the Liverpool curling club.

Over the past couple of years, the club has spent around $750,000 improving the club through the installation of a new roof, improvements to the heating systems and insulation and transitioning to LED lighting.

Club president Gordon Sampson says while this is the first time they’ve received funding from the municipality the club has been successful in applying and making using of several provincial grants.

Sampson says they’ve seen awareness of the club drastically improve within the community since the renovations began.

“It’s exponentially higher than what we had expected even,” said Sampson. “The enthusiasm for the club has gone through the roof.”

In addition to hosting more bonspiels and club-based engagements such as trivia nights, Sampson says the community has made use of the building for a wide range of events from air cadet meetings to Privateer Days, public health COVID vaccination clinics to YMCA outreach programs.

He says opening their doors for use as a community hub aligns with the club’s core mission.

“We’re centrally located, we’re in the downtown core. What we can offer to the town and the region, that’s what we’re all about. That’s our mission statement,” said Sampson. “That’s what we want to do and that’s why we’ve been successful.”

Sampson says installing solar panels on the club will help them get away from oil and move to electric heating while cutting their costs.

He’s hopeful adding the electric heating to the already installed heat pumps will help make the club a Net-Zero building.

And members aren’t finished working to upgrade the club as they’re writing grants to replace the kitchen and furniture.

He says the club has earned a reputation for doing good work with the funding provided which makes it easier to apply for more funding.

“Once you get a track record you can show that you do what you say you’re going to do, well then, money becomes more readily available.”

Sampson expects work will begin on the new ramp and solar panels once the curling season wraps and the weather improves sometime around April.

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Emergency alert message sent to cell phones across NS when 9-1-1 went down

Emergency calls to 9-1-1 went answered Monday morning.

A failure occurred around 7:00am which prevented residents of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island from connecting with emergency services for roughly two hours.

The minister responsible for the Emergency Management Office John Lohr says to his knowledge this may be the first time a 9-1-1 system has ever gone down anywhere in Canada.

“Our goal is not to have a split second of disruption of the 9-1-1 services,” said Lohr. “That’s our goal and just to have two hours lost this morning is very, very shocking to us.”

Officials at the EMO centre sent a message out over the Nova Scotia emergency alert system at 8:08am.

Lohr says the time was needed to gather alternate telephone numbers and ensure those numbers were correct and working before providing them to the public.

At this point, the Minister says he is unaware of any situation where someone needed help and didn’t receive it during the two hours 9-1-1 was down.

At a press availability Monday afternoon, Minister Lohr explained the 9-1-1 system is operated separately from other cellular or landline systems and is built to a more robust and higher standard than those established by the CRTC for personal and business use.

There are multiple redundancies built into the system which are supposed to prevent any disruption to the service.

Several municipalities took it upon themselves, through their social media channels, to provide residents with a list of telephone numbers their residents could call to connect with local help.

Lohr says the provincial centre informed the municipal units about the breakdown and while the two levels of government work together during emergencies, the 9-1-1 system is a provincial responsibility, and the provincial team were focused on getting help out to all corners of Nova Scotia.

“The municipalities are incredibly important partners for us in their EMO plan and each municipality has their own EMO plan,” said Lohr. “This PCC is the provincial coordination centre, we would coordinate with the municipal emergency measures offices but as Paul Mason (Director of Nova Scotia’s Emergency Management Office) has said the 9-1-1 system is overarching so that would be our responsibility.”

The 9-1-1 system is operated by Bell across the three provinces and the company is still investigating the cause of the system failure.

Lohr says he expects they will provide an update once they determine the reason for the communications blackout.

**update Feb 1: CBC is reporting Bell provided them a statement indicating the outage was the result of a software upgrade

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The fitness room side of Queens Place is a potential site for a new outdoor pool. Photo Ed Halverson

Support for an indoor pool in Queens is growing.

At the Jan 24 Region of Queens Council meeting held in Brooklyn several people stood to say they would like to tie the construction of an indoor pool to the build of a new library.

The Region has received an anonymous donation, alleged to be worth $3 million to be used for the construction of an outdoor pool.

One of the proponents of an indoor pool, Kristopher Snarby says pooling that with the $3 million council has set aside for the new library would give the municipality around $6 million which they could use to leverage matching contributions from provincial and federal levels of government for a total of up to $18 million.

“But maybe they would each cough up $6 million, which does happen for certain projects where they cost share a third, a third, a third. So, part of it was like, why haven’t we even asked those questions?” wonders Snarby. “Why aren’t we rallying to try to get other levels of government to help support these projects?”

Mayor Darlene Norman says she is a huge fan of indoor pools as she put herself through university working at one.

She understands the health benefits and the community’s desire to have such a facility but questions the long-term affordability of operating an indoor pool.

It’s a discussion she had recently with the mayor of the Municipality of the District of Lunenburg about their own pool, the Lunenburg County Lifestyle Centre (LCLC) which they operate in partnership with the Town of Bridgewater.

Mayor Norman says as Nova Scotia looks to double its population over the next 40 years the move will be to regionalize services and with the LCLC, Queens has access to a pool 35 minutes up the road.

“We should be helping support the LCLC,” said Norman. “And I believe that as a regional government what we could do is we could talk with Queens County Transit, we could talk with the LCLC, we could see if we could offer subsidized to say swimming lessons and transportation throughout the winter months.”

Snarby says he understands the Region has a couple of million dollars set aside to assist in the development of the outdoor pool and that money could be the start of an ongoing fund to mitigate long-term operational losses.

“And my point was like, if we can fund the building through the federal and provincial government, take that two and a half million dollars to start an operating nest egg and then start building this fund in the next four to five years, which is probably how long it would take to build the facility,” said Snarby.

He is aware assessed home values are going up over the next couple of years which will mean increased revenue for the municipality.

Snarby suggests shifting some of that excess to the operating fund then combing the community to try and raise another $4-5 million while construction takes place over the next few years.

But it’s talk like that that raises concerns for Norman around how long it could take to see a combined indoor pool/library built.

It’s widely acknowledged the existing Milton pool is on its last legs and the Rossignol Centre which houses the Thomas Raddall Library is up for sale, putting the library’s future in jeopardy as well.

Norman is concerned any delay in the construction of either a new library or outdoor pool could leave the area without either service.

“It is my viewpoint that the longer we drag on this the longer we will be without pool facilities and the people in this county, the 10,000 people in this county cannot afford to own and operate a large indoor year-round pool,” said Norman.

Snarby says while the area could be without a pool for a short time, it could be worth it if the community gets the indoor pool they’ve been talking about for the last 40 years.

“Do you rush and say afterwards, oh shoot, we should have done it differently or do you wait and do it right and I don’t know the answer to that,” said Snarby. “It’s a question the community has to decide.”

Norman says the Region will speak with the provincial and federal governments to find out if they’re interested in funding an indoor pool.

In the meantime, council will be voting on motions suggested by the outdoor pool committee at upcoming meeting.

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Region of Queens Council listens to public comment in Brooklyn during the Jan 24 meeting. Screen shot from Region of Queens YouTube video.

Region of Queens council took the show on the road, holding the last meeting in January at the Brooklyn Community Hall.

A large number of residents came out to voice their support during the public comment section for building an indoor pool instead of the outdoor pool currently in the planning stages.

The proposal was made to take the money donated by an anonymous benefactor and combine it with the money the municipality has earmarked for the construction of a new library.

The proponents expected that would account for almost $6 million.

The group would like to see the province and federal governments each contribute matching funding to bring the total amount to $18 million and build the new library and pool at Queens Place.

At this point there is no formal plan or budget to determine if $18 million is even enough to get the desired outcome.

They’ll be more on this story in the coming days.

Once the meeting commenced there were two recommendations for council to consider.

First, council approved a $236,000 grant to the Liverpool Curling Club for the installation of solar panels and the construction of an accessible entrance.

The cost of the grant will be covered by a recent donation made to the Region by the J & W Murphy Foundation for the purpose of directing it towards civic improvement projects.

Mayor Darlene Norman says the club has invested approximately $750,000 in upgrades over the past year without any ask from the Region.

Considering the community benefit the club brings for events extending far beyond curling council was glad to provide them with the help they’ve requested.

“The curling club has proven their ability to move forward on their projects,” said Norman. “They’re very successful, dedicated, hard group of workers. And of the many projects that are within Queens County this place has a definite positive impact on our Main Street Liverpool. You know it’s three-minute walk from there, this is the type of thing that we can support at no burden to the taxpayer and at the same time be helping that Main Street area as well as social, physical, forwardness from our people.”

Council also approved the second recommendation to install a new uninterruptible power supply (UPS) in the Liverpool Business Development Centre, home to the area’s largest call centre.

The new unit will replace one that has been in operation for 20 years but has reached its end of life.

Council awarded a tender to Universal Power Solutions to install the new UPS at a cost of $114,950 plus HST.

Council then heard an update from Public Works detailing the projects they are currently involved in across the municipality before turning their discussion once again to the subject of a pool.

Deputy Mayor Jack Fancy spoke as a member of the pool committee to ask that council review the recommendations previously brought forward by the committee.

The committee has proposed a site at Queens Place, the use of solar power, a pool design that features a gradual sloped entrance or “zero entry” accessible side and six lane and they’re asking to be able to apply for grants on the Region’s behalf to secure more outside funding.

The committee’s recommendations will come before council at a future meeting for discussion and a vote.

Council will return to chambers for the next meeting to be held on Valentines Day, February 14 beginning at 9:00am.

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Potential site of the new Queens outdoor pool. Photo Ed Halverson

With a goal of opening in Spring of 2025 the Queens Pool Committee have a lot of work ahead of them.

They hit the ground running in the last month.

Comprised of two council members, two members of Queens Community Aquatic Society and two members of the community who are pool users, the committee recently received a mandate to provide Region of Queens council with information and recommendations on the construction of a new outdoor pool.

They presented the first of those recommendations along with a proposed plan of action to council at the Jan 10 meeting.

Chief among those is where to build.

Committee Chair Deborah Herman-Spartinelli says Queens Place is the obvious choice for the new outdoor pool for many reasons.

“You’re talking about a facility that already has a huge lobby with a desk already there right by where you’d walk out to the pool. So, they can do the same thing you do with a card when you belong to the fitness centre. They can swipe it and go through and go right through to the pool and then the change rooms will be out there,” said Herman-Spartinelli.

“Plus you’re talking about costs too because you can share part of the wall of the [Queens Place] Emera Centre that’s already there, you can share the roof for solar panels and any air handling systems or anything that has to be done can be put on the roof.”

The group is proposing to build the pool alongside the fitness centre side of Queens Place.

They recommend a 6-lane, Olympic length as well as a side beach entrance with a gradual slope into the water which would be more accessible for children and anyone with mobility issues.

Herman-Spartinelli says new change rooms, separate from the ones used for the gym will be required to provide a wet-change area.

She says the location of the pool allows all the necessary mechanical equipment and potential solar power to be placed close to where it is needed.

Herman-Spartinelli says the committee is keen to use solar power so the pool can be built to a net-zero standard.

“To me it’s a no-brainer. If you’re going to build a pool for a region you should be putting solar in. It’s the best way to heat water,” said Herman-Spartinelli.

All of the recommendations and designs from the committee need to be approved by Region of Queens council before municipal staff issue tenders.

An anonymous donor is putting up the money to build the new outdoor pool in Queens.

The pool will be built with private funds then owned, maintained, and operated by the Region of Queens once construction is complete.

Herman-Spartinelli says the donor would like to see the pool in operation by the spring of 2025 and if all goes to plan, they should be able to meet that timeline.

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Queens General Hospital. Photo Ed Halverson

The Government of Nova Scotia announced several initiatives to reduce wait times and improve emergency care at hospitals across the province.

At a press conference Monday, Health and Wellness Minister Michelle Thompson said the initiative focuses on two areas: improving emergency room care and safety and moving lower acuity patients away from the emergency room to appropriate health providers.

Several actions announced to get patients in most urgent need faster care include:
— having teams led by doctors focus on getting patients out of ambulances and into the emergency department faster
— assigning physician assistants and nurse practitioners to provide care in emergency departments
— adding care providers and patient advocates to support patients in waiting rooms
— making virtual care available to more patients with less urgent needs
— providing healthcare teams with real-time data on where beds are available across the system and what tests or other actions are needed to get patients well and home more quickly; this will free up beds for others.

Health officials are aiming to redirect patients with less severe or immediate health concerns away from emergency departments.

The actions being taken to give people more places to receive care, reducing pressure on emergency care, include:
–support for new and existing collaborative family medicine practices so they can see more patients
— expanding services in more pharmacies
— adding hours for virtual care appointments and enabling out-of-province doctors who are licensed here to offer virtual care
— providing more mobile primary care, mobile respiratory care clinics and urgent treatment centres
— making available a new phone app, known as a digital front door, that will help people find the right services for their needs and where they’re offered.

Some of those actions such as adding care providers and patient advocates to patient waiting rooms will be implemented almost immediately while others will be phased in as resources and capacity become available.

While the new actions include many new supports for patients and caregivers there was little talk about how to keep healthcare workers from leaving those jobs.

Minister Thompson says the newly announced initiatives will make for a better work environment and her department is still listening to front-line workers.

“Nova Scotia Health has also started stay interviews about what are the things that support people in staying and we do hear suggestions directly from frontline workers about different initiatives that would help them stay,” said Thompson. “So those are the things that are undertaken, again, we know there’s more to do and we are committed to working with health care providers to support their environment.”

The Nova Scotia Government and General Employees Union (NSGEU) represents many of the people working in healthcare in the province.

In a statement issued after the announcement the union’ 1^st Vice President Hugh Gillis says one of the key issues members have outlined is the inability to retain skilled, experienced nursing staff in the ED.

“Today’s announcement does not address that concern,” said Gillis, “The employer must provide incentives that will allow them to effectively keep experienced health care professionals in areas of high turnover and specialized need, such as the emergency department.”

Gillis says his members are glad to see some of the 59 suggestions they provided to government were included in the announcement but there is still more to do.

Government officials say they are open to any good ideas that will improve healthcare for Nova Scotians and will continue to listen.

Despite the struggles facing emergency departments across the province, Minister Thompson says if people are in immediate need of medical attention they should go and get the treatment they need.

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Queens General Hospital. Photo Ed Halverson

The Nova Scotia government is takjng steps to address the shortage of housing for new healthcare workers.

The province will spend $8 million to provide affordable and temporary housing for workers who need it the most in communities that have very limited housing options.

Government will partner with the Housing Trust of Nova Scotia, who will work with health partners, municipalities, and other key stakeholders to set up temporary mobile modular homes in areas where there is an acute demand.

In an e-mail, a spokesperson for the Department of Municipal Affairs says, “This is meant to be a short-term solution for people as communities build more housing stock over the next several years.”

Opposition party leaders questioned where new recruits would live after government recently announced 65 Continuing Care Assistants from Kenya had received offers to come to Nova Scotia.

The housing initiative will require cooperation from several departments and agencies.

The Housing Trust will work with Nova Scotia Health and the Department of Health and Wellness to establish qualification criteria for who can access the modulars.

Then they will coordinate with Municipal Affairs and Housing and municipalities to identify available land and placement options within communities.

When asked how it will be determined which communities will receive these new housing units the Municipal Affairs Spokesperson went on to say, “This initiative is based on need, so the principal criteria will be a demonstrated demand for units, within a given community.”

The spokesperson indicated a supplier will be selected based on how quickly the housing can be delivered and until the supplier is selected the department can’t say how many units will be purchased.

She stressed both government and the housing trust are aware of the urgency, and will work quickly to move the process along so modulars can make it to the areas where they are most needed as quickly as possible.

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Region of Queens administration building. Photo Ed Halverson

At the most recent Region of Queens Council meeting council landed on a site for the construction of a new library, approved a new multi-unit residential development and discussed creating a policy for selling municipal property.

The meeting started with a pair of presentations.

The first by North Queens Active Living detailed the programs they offer and benefit they bring to the community.

The group is currently working towards gaining status as a society.

They’re asking council to continue supporting their work in the upcoming budget to the tune of $16,500.

Next, the Region of Queens Pool Committee outlined their desire to build the new outdoor pool at Queens Place as well as some rough timelines and next steps.

If all goes to plan, their aim is to begin construction in 2024 with the goal of opening the pool to the public in spring of 2025.

Council then followed up on the public meeting held before session and granted the request to convert a multi-unit building in Hunts Point from short-term to long-term rentals.

They also agreed to the name “Ocean Side Drive” for the road going into a proposed development near the hospital in Liverpool called “The Point”.

After much back and forth over the past year council accepted the library committee recommendation to build the replacement for the Thomas H Raddall library at Queens Place.

When the recommendation first came to council in June of 2022 some councillors didn’t want to see the library moved from downtown Liverpool.

Since then, the committee has looked into several different site options but determined any of those would increase the cost of construction by half a million dollars.

Council also considered the Rossignol Centre in which the library currently sits has been put on the market and a quick sale could leave the county without a library.

During the discussion portion of the meeting council asked staff to come back at a future date with options on a policy for the disposal of municipal properties.

Some members of council cited the recent proposed regional airport sale and the upset it caused all parties involved as the reason to have a process in place that was fair, transparent and easily understood when selling municipally owned land.

And finally, council heard from staff that the recent tax sale saw 16 properties sold for a total of $327,450.

Of that, $34,500.58 will pay off outstanding accounts and $292,949.42 will be held in the tax sale surplus reserve in trust for 20 years to give owners the opportunity to recoup the proceeds of the sale.

Council will take their next meeting on the road to Brooklyn on January 24.

The session will begin at 6:00pm at the Brooklyn Community Hall.

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Dream business group in a virtual meeting. Contributed by Mashup Labs

Aspiring entrepreneurs in Queens can get their businesses off the ground with some free help.

The Dream Business program operated by Mashup Labs out of Bridgewater connects people dreaming of running their own business with other dreamers and mentors who have already gone down the path of taking an idea from concept to market.

Founder Andrew Button says the virtual program is run online and by phone allowing potential entrepreneurs the flexibility to participate according to their schedule.

“There’s lots of opportunity for folks maybe working a full-time job somewhere or maybe they’re engaged in other activities during the day and need to do something in the evening or maybe their evenings are busy, they need to do something over lunch hour,” said Button. “You have lots of options for folks to plug into this and again, get off the sidelines into the game of entrepreneurship.”

The program is funded from government and other sponsors allowing it to be offered free of charge.

Button says big or small, the program encourages anyone with an idea and the passion to see it through.

“Sometimes the big business ideas aren’t always that obvious on the surface. We’ve seen that time and time again as we’ve invited people into this process, they come in with a hobby business and it turns into a very viable full-time opportunity that ships their products to dozens of countries around the world,” said Button. “So sometimes entrepreneurs even surprise themselves going through the process.”

Enrolment is ongoing but Button says there’s special incentive for the February 6 intake.

As a reward for taking action, anyone in that cohort is eligible to win $1,000 to help them launch their business.

Button is proud to say in 48 months over 400 people have gone through the program starting 250 companies in 200 different communities.

“There’s dozens of examples we could point to of people that said, I just do this thing off the side of my desk, maybe I sell something at a local farmers market,” said Button. “And before you know it, the confidence and courage to actually turn that side hustle into their full-time gig goes through the roof when they get around other entrepreneurial people doing entrepreneurial things and get the kind support that we can offer them through the program.”

Anyone interested can apply online at www.Dreambusiness.ca.

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Thomas H Raddall Library. Photo Ed Halverson

It’s taken the better part of a year, but the Thomas H Raddall Library has found a new home at Queens Place.

Last year, Region of Queens council formed a committee comprised of library officials, users, and councillors to evaluate several possible sites and recommend a location.

The committee determined a lot adjacent to Queens Place was best for several reasons including proximity of other recreational opportunities, the ease of access for all residents of Queens and the fact the land is already owned by the municipality.

When the recommendation was made to site the new library at Queens Place in June of 2022 council was divided as some councillors felt the library should stay close to its current location in downtown Liverpool while others wanted to relocate the institution alongside the recreation complex.

At the June meeting, the majority of councillors rejected the recommendation and instructed the committee to return with another that wasn’t Queens Place.

After six months spent evaluating three other locations the committee brought the same recommendation back to council this week.

Through the course of their research the committee determined building the library at any of the other possible locations would add a half million dollars to the construction.

Adding to the pressure to find a new home for Thomas H Raddall Library is the fact the Rossignol Cultural Centre in which the library is located is up for sale.

Mayor Darlene Norman says council did what it need to do to ensure a library remains in Queens.

“Councillors who had previously voted against understood with these new facts in front of them, they were very unwilling to place these additional costs [on the taxpayer]. They were very concerned about the fact that we need, we must have a library and they seem to understand that this was the best place for it,”

The new location passed by majority with four councillors and the mayor in favour, Deputy Mayor Jack Fancy voting against and Councillors Muise and Gidney abstaining from the vote.

The library will be built adjacent to the sliding hill at the end of Queens Place Drive.

Norman says now that a site has been selected, the project planning team can get to work on designs and a timeline for construction.

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Liverpool Visitor Information Centre. Photo courtesy Region of Queens Municipality

The 2SLGBTQ+ community has been targeted by vandals in Liverpool.

Sometime Sunday evening someone spray painted hateful graffiti over the rainbow painted steps at the visitor information centre along Henry Hensey Drive.

Mayor Darlene Norman is disappointed anyone would deface a symbol of inclusion and welcome with hate.

Norman said it’s, “horrible that member or members of our community or people within our province or country would publicly display their hatred toward the 2SLGBTQ+ community is simply a sign of hatred and that is definitely what we are not in our community.”

The vandals also etched hateful graffiti in the panes of glass at the VIC.

Norman says RCMP have been informed of the vandalism and are investigating.

Members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community are calling for more action for instances such as this.

Commenting to QCCR, Chair of Lunenburg Pride Steve Ellis said, “These acts of vandalism are disgusting and need to be investigated by the RCMP as a hate crime; full stop. The stairs are beautiful and a shining example of visibility for our community. We at Lunenburg Co. Pride condemn these acts. We will continue to speak out against any hateful actions or words against our community and this only motivates us to be even louder in our vision of an inclusive space for everyone on the South Shore and beyond.”

Mayor Norman says the offending graffiti has already been painted over and staff are looking into whether the glass can be repaired or will need to be replaced.

She is more concerned about the impact this act will have on the community.

“We can expend money to put in new windows, replace glass, fix glass, scrub paint but what we cannot fix is the damage that has been done by people in our community who have seen this or know of it or have been exposed to this,” said Norman.

She says the Region of Queens has prioritized diversity, inclusion, and accessibility and will continue to do so.

Anyone with information about the vandalism is asked to contact Queens RCMP.

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Liverpool Regional High School. Photo credit Ed Halverson

Students and teachers returning to school at Liverpool Regional High School will be leaving their phones at the door.

To reduce classroom disruption and improve learning outcomes students and staff are no longer permitted to use cell phones during class time.

Beth Woodford-Collins, coordinator of programs for grades 7-12 at South Shore Regional Centre for Education says putting phones away allows students to be more engaged with their education and each other.

“Problem solving is one of our competencies that we are working on to ensure that students have when they graduate,” said Woodford-Collins. “Communication, problem solving, critical thinking, technological fluency, all of these competencies are competencies that actually do involve direct communication and interaction and engagement in a more dynamic, in-person way.”

She says taking the cell phone off the table for an hour allows the students to get to know each other in a different way.

That’s not to say technology won’t be used as every student has access to their own Chromebook.

Woodford-Collins says providing students with same access to technology while in class produces another desired outcome, equity.

“It really does remove that A) distraction and B) that disparity between student A and student B when everybody’s got the same device, Chromebook,” said Woodford-Collins.

SSRCE Director of Programs and Student Service Denise Dodge-Baker says the strategy will be monitored and evaluated at regular intervals.

“The school is going to continue to kind of look at it and get feedback and response in a survey, kind of a check in as time progresses to kinda say, how’s it working? Is there an aspect of the strategy that we need to tighten or is there a part of this that’s working well for people?” said Dodge-Baker.

According to a statement released by LRHS on its social media, 80 percent of office referrals come from conflict from using cell phones and misuse of social media.

Dodge-Baker says the strategy was developed after discussions with other school districts around how they deal with mobile devices in class.

If things pan out, she hopes the model being used at LRHS can be used in schools across the province.

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Photo Ed Halverson

The committee tasked with setting the minimum wage has proposed to raise the rate to $15/hour six months sooner than planned.

In its annual review the Nova Scotia Minimum Wage Review Committee recommends reaching the $15/hour mark by November of 2023.

It also proposes tying future increases to the national consumer price index plus one percent.

By using CPI plus one percent the committee is attempting to ensure minimum wages keep pace with inflation.

When the rate of inflation goes up quicker than CPI it means those on minimum wage make less money even though they’re paid the same wage.

During a press availability following Thursdays cabinet meeting, Premier Tim Houston thanked the committee for their work and said government will take that recommendation into the communities to see if it meets the needs of minimum wage workers and allows employers to prepared for the increase.

The committee is recommending the current minimum wage of $13.60 be increased by 90 cents to $14.50 on April 1 and will hit $15 with a 50-cent increase October 1.

According to the report, most minimum wage employees work in the retail and hospitality sectors accounting for seven percent of Nova Scotia’s workforce or 28,500 people.

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Rick and Liz Carten. Contributed by Rick Carten

Beginning this June, graduates living in the North Queens Community School District can get help paying for their post-secondary education.

A new trust has been established by the John Cormac Carten Foundation which will award up to $1,000 USD to any student who meets the eligibility criteria.

Foundation trustees Rick and Liz Carten named the fund in honour of Rick’s great-great-grandfather John Cormac Carten who emigrated from Ireland to Liverpool in the 1830s.

Rick Carten, who lives in Virginia, says he feels a connection to North Queens and wanted to do something for the people living there.

“My wife and I do not have any children,” said Carten, “so this was my way of passing on some of my good fortune to my ancestral homeland.”

Carten has been looking into his roots and learned his grandfather prospered in the shipping trade before moving to Halifax in the 1850s.

The elder Cormac had a dozen children and many of his eight daughters married local men with family names that are familiar in North Queens such as Baxter, Devenney, Ennis, McBride, and Nixon.

The last Carten descendent, Thomas Carten ran a general store in South Brookfield from around 1933 until his death in 1960.

Rick Carten says the John Cormac Carten Foundation is modelled after the highly successful J.D. Shatford Memorial Trust which has benefitted over 1,000 students around Hubbards for the past 60 years.

The scholarships are open to any students living in the North Queens Community School catchment area, regardless of if they attend that school so long as they graduate and can show they’ve been accepted at a university or college.

The same student can receive an award from the foundation up to four times during their post-secondary studies.

Students can apply through their guidance councillors and through the John Cormac Carten Foundation website.

Rick Carten is hopeful he will have the opportunity to attend the graduation ceremony at NQCS this June to meet some of the prospective recipients.

“I want to make sure that no one gets left behind who really deserves and qualifies for a scholarship,” said Carten. “I think it’s really important for them to at least have that opportunity to follow their dreams and their passions.”

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photo Ed Halverson

Region of Queens Council packed a lot into their final meeting of the year.

Following a public meeting that took most of the morning, council voted against selling the South Shore Regional Airport. Instead, they will continue to operate the facility and will look to sign the Nova Scotia Drag Racers Association and the South Shore Flying Club to new leases.

Rumclo Developments Ltd and Van Der Pas design made a presentation proposing to build 124 units on 23 acres of waterfrontage at 133 Shore Road if the Region agrees to pick up the $1.5 million tab to extend water service to the development.

Council will weigh the proposal and make the decision as part of the upcoming annual budget process.

Representatives of Hillsview Acres Long Term Care home provided a yearly update. While all regular positions are filled, the facility is searching for part-time staff.

Queens Manor has been providing some assistance to Hillsview Acres.

Both facilities will be merged and replaced when the new Long Term Care Home is built and ready in four years.

A couple of items that have been bouncing around the latest agendas have been resolved.

Council accepted terms of reference for the new pool committee, voted down spending up to $10,000 towards the cost of creating a Bioeconomic Development Zone and will prioritize clearing shrubs that obstructs traffic at Market and Henry Hensey Drive.

Councillors Maddie Charlton and David Brown will sit on a committee to update the Region’s communications strategy.

Council also considered a Development Agreement that would allow a 7-unit short term rental building in Hunts Point to be converted to multi-unit residential housing.

A public hearing on the matter will be held in council chambers January 10.

Council agreed to replace a 2010 work truck that is past its useable life with a new ¾ ton for $75,000 plus tax.

The Region will write off almost $10,000 in uncollectable debt owed to the municipality to get it off the books.

Council received a staff report detailing when council could request a traffic study.

They were informed they could make the request when making an amendment to the Land Use Bylaw or when adopting a Development Agreement but generally the decision to trigger a traffic study is left to the engineer or planner of the traffic authority.

And finally, Region Staff will now be calling for the tow truck if a vehicle is impeding snow clearing operations.

RCMP informed the municipality they don’t have the available personnel to police those parking violations, but it is within the regions authority to do so.

The next council meeting will be held in council chambers starting at 9:00 am on January 10.

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Queens General Hospital. Photo Ed Halverson

Nova Scotia Health is reminding people that COVID-19, influenza, and RSV are still active and must be considered when visiting loved ones this holiday season.

In a release, they say masks must be worn at all times in all provincial health facilities and the number of visitors patients can have will depend on where they are being treated and what they are being treated for.

Only people identified by a patient as an essential care partner (support person, caregiver) can visit a patient in hospital.

Only one Essential Care Partner/ Support Person at a time for:

• children and youth under 19 in outpatient settings
• hospital inpatients
• patients in emergency departments
• prenatal visits, including ultrasounds
• ambulatory care clinics, appointments, or procedures
• patients with COVID-19 infection (additional measures may be required)

Two Essential Care Partners/ Support Persons at a time for:

• children and youth under 19 admitted to hospital, or having day surgery
• patients in intensive care units and critically ill patients in emergency departments
• patients in labour and giving birth

Three Essential Care Partners/Support Persons at a time for: 

• palliative care and other patients nearing end of life
• patients receiving medical assistance in dying (MAiD)

In a release, Nova Scotia Health says people with compromised immune systems are relying on the facilities to ensure a safe and healthy place in which to receive treatment, rest and recover.

And that health care workers take precautions every day to prevent getting sick or passing illness onto patients.

Nova Scotia Health asks when visiting loved ones under provincial care this holiday season to bear in mind that general masking requirements create a healthier environment, reducing the strain on care teams, and the health care system as a whole.

More information can be found at https://www.nshealth.ca/VisitorsDuringCOVID.

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The Point on the Mersey promotional photo from Region of Queens Council agenda

Region of Queens Council is again being asked to extend municipal services to a new housing development in Liverpool.

Rumclo Developments Ltd and Van Der Pas design are proposing to build 124 units on 23 acres of water-frontage at 133 Shore Road.

The Development called, “the Point” envisions the construction of 40 semi-detached, 72 multi-level and 12 single family homes in three phases at prices starting at $350,000.

After testing, the planners have determined there is not enough water on the site to support that many homes and are looking to the municipality to extend the former town’s water supply to their development.

This is the second time in a month a developer has come to council to ask for municipal services.

At the November 8 council meeting developer Larry Cochrane asked the Region to spend over $700,000 to extend municipal services to allow the construction of 87 housing units on the former Dauphinee Farm land.

Rumclo Developments Ltd and Van Der Pas Design hired Strum Consulting to look into the cost of extending services for their proposed site.

Their estimates peg the amount at $1.49 million.

Based on assumed water tax of $71,756 and Property tax of $462,240 on 124 units the designers suggest the Region of Queens will recoup the cost of the service extension in three years.

Mayor Darlene Norman says council will need to think about these request in the broader context of the Region’s budget plan.

‘They will receive the same response that the earlier developer presented and that is this all matter for council to consider as part of the 23/24 budget,” said Norman.

If council decides to extend water service, the developers estimate the first phase could be complete and ready to move in sometime in 2024.

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Community Food Cruise volunteers. Photo courtesy Kim Masland’s office

Once again, Queens County came out in a big way last weekend to support the community food cruise.

The annual event organized by Queens MLA Kim Masland and a small group of volunteers parks an RCMP cruiser at the Liverpool Superstore to accept donations for the Queens County Food bank.

This year residents opened their hearts and wallets to cram 1,512 food items into the cruiser along with $1,361.13 in cash, cheques, and gift cards.

The event pulls many groups in the community together to support the Food Bank.

RCMP Community Policing Officer Cst. Winsor, brought the cruiser, Superstore hosts the event in their parking lot and their employees pre-package donation bags for purchase, Queens County Transit provided a van and driver to collect the donations that wouldn’t fit in the cruiser, and a small but mighty team of volunteers including Annette Burke, Al Steele and Masland’s Constituency Assistant Sam Scobey helped collect donations.

Masland expressed her gratitude for everyone involved in a post on social media saying, “The dedicated volunteers of Queens County Foodbank were full of smiles and tears as we rolled up to their doors with a full van. They very quickly went to work on a Saturday afternoon to fill their shelves.”

Masland summed up the event by saying, “It was a cold day, but our hearts were full of warmth, friendship and giving. This is Christmas to me. “

Donations can made to the Queens County Food Bank anytime by dropping items in bins located at the Liverpool Superstore and Sobeys locations or by contacting them by phone or  through their Facebook page.

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