Dave White is the president of the Queens County ATV Association. (Rick Conrad)

ATV operators in Queens County will soon be able to ride their vehicles on some municipal roads in Liverpool.

Region of Queens councillors adopted a new road trails bylaw on Tuesday, paving the way for off-highway vehicles to use some roads to access trails and services.

• READ THE BYLAW HERE

The rules take effect Feb. 1. But Dave White, president of the Queens County ATV Association, says there’s still some work to do to get the trails ready for riders.

“It’s really important for people to note that, although it’s passed second reading today, it will not become officially open. … Things that have to be done is we have trail signage to go up as well as the region has some signage for where the trail crosses streets. So they’ve already done some preliminary work.”

White said the association, the ATV Association of Nova Scotia and the municipality will update users on when the trails are ready to use.

The bylaw designates five routes around Liverpool that riders can use to access services or other trails.

It’s been about two and a half years since the association and the Queens Rails to Trails Association approached the region to create a connected trail network similar to those that exist in neighbouring Lunenburg and Shelburne counties and in other parts of Atlantic Canada.

ATV groups say that the changes will bring more economic activity to Queens County. In 2022, ATV users said they spent $454 million in Nova Scotia.

The Nova Scotia government passed the Road Trails Act in 2023, which allows off-highway vehicles on provincial and municipal roads with certain conditions.

“It’s been a major development and a lot of work with the municipality, over the last six months, but really over almost two and a half years at this point,” White said .

“So we are exceptionally pleased with it.”

White says motorists won’t see much of a change once the rules go into effect, since the vehicles won’t be allowed everywhere.

“You will see off-highway vehicles on defined streets. That’s important, it is not all of town. It’s very specific.”

The routes are behind the municipal offices on White Point Road and at various points from the Trestle Trail that would allow access to the Visitor Information Centre, downtown shops and services like the gas stations and grocery stores around Queens Place Drive. 

The association also signed an agreement with a local landowner so riders can access the former rail bed to get to the Milton Road. 

“And then you’ll travel like any other vehicle down to the light, and have all of the options open to you, including the yield lane to the right to access Irving, Shell and Hank Snow Drive, which will allow us to have combined tourism events with the friends of the Hank Snow Society, which we’re very excited for, and we’re hoping to do an event with them in February.

“You will also be able to turn left at the light to access businesses like Sobeys, Superstore, McDonald’s, Dollarama, Queens Place, Best Western, which is a major win because people will be able to come in and do expanded tourism opportunities. So we’re very excited.”

White says once the trails are open, they should bring in business from off-highway vehicle users from around the province.

He says people can get more details about the routes by downloading the ATV Association of Nova Scotia’s mobile app. 

Here are the routes outlined in the bylaw:

• West Street from civic number 181 to the intersection with Harley Umphrey Drive, then to the intersection with White Point Road.
• King Street from civic number 56 to the intersection with Lawrence Street, then to the intersection with Wolfe Street to civic number 16.
• Main Street from the intersection with Central Boulevard to civic number 741.
• Brunswick Street from civic number 63 to the intersection with Main Street, then to the intersection with Henry Hensey Drive to the pump station at civic number 4 Henry Hensey Drive.
• Milton Road from civic number 31 to the intersection with Bristol Avenue, west to the intersection with Hank Snow Drive and east to the intersection with Queens Place Drive. Included is Hank Snow Drive to civic number 38 and the entirety of Queens Place Drive and Old Cobbs Barn Road.

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

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Eric Fry speaks during a public hearing Wednesday on proposed changes to the Region of Queens land use bylaw. (Region of Queens YouTube)

It will take a little longer to find out if the old Stedman’s building on Main Street in Liverpool will have a new life as an apartment complex.

The Region of Queens held a public hearing on Wednesday on proposed changes to the municipality’s land use bylaw that would allow for more residential space on the ground floor of buildings in the downtown commercial district.

At their meeting afterward, councillors voted to seek legal advice on whether they have the authority to make one of those changes.

Developer Eric Fry wants to turn 194 Main St. into 18 residential units, four of which would be “hotel suites”, and two main-level commercial units of 300 square feet each.

Fry bought the 30,000-square-foot building earlier this year and has been trying to get municipal approval for his apartment proposal since February. His original plan was for 16 residential units, indoor parking, storage and no commercial space. Councillors refused to change the bylaw to allow that to proceed.

After Fry listed his property for sale, the region’s planning advisory committee agreed to consider a revised a proposal and return it council.

• READ MORE ABOUT 194 MAIN ST. HERE

Municipal rules require that at least half of a building’s ground floor must be commercial space.

On Wednesday, Fry spoke briefly in support of the bylaw changes. Four Liverpool residents spoke against them.

Tara Druzina said she wasn’t sure whether councillors had the authority under the Municipal Government Act to dictate who uses space in a building. A proposed change would forbid the owner or property manager from using one of the commercial spaces as an office.

“Municipalities regulate land-use types and their characteristics, but discriminating against and between identical uses based on ownership arrangements may exceed municipal jurisdiction,” she told councillors.

Denaige McDonnell said she was concerned that councillors were missing the mark in trying to change the bylaw.

“A common argument for expanding residential use is that there isn’t enough demand for commercial space, but deeper issues are at play here,” she said.

“
Many of our commercial buildings simply do not meet current building code, accessibility, or safety standards that are required for occupancy or for commercial use. And really what that’s telling us is that it’s not a demand problem, but it’s a readiness problem.”

McDonnell said the region is trying to change its bylaw to appease one property owner without having a comprehensive commercial plan.

“Structural changes like this need to be informed by clear, data-driven, county-wide strategy, not as reactions to individual development proposals.

“This proposed bylaw change may offer a short-term perception of flexibility and reward a single proponent, but it comes at a long-term strategic cost. Our commercial spaces are a very valuable part of our community. 
They are our most valuable assets for the future, and they deserve to be protected, planned and leveraged as part of a larger vision for economic sustainability.”

Susan McGibbon said she was worried the process is moving too quickly without a proper assessment of business in downtown Liverpool. 

“I’m not saying that is your fault, council. This goes way back. 
There’s been no development of an economic plan for the downtown for a very long time. So there’s no research, there’s no data, and there’s been little to no expertise in the understanding of commercial and retail in the downtown.”

Paul Deveau pointed out that during public consultations in the spring, residents and business owners said that there needed to be a downtown plan that protects commercial space while adding more housing.

“But here we are a few months later, and you’re again trying to amend a bylaw without a comprehensive plan.” 

Later in the meeting, councillors decided that they couldn’t make a decision on the proposed changes until they got legal advice.

Mayor Scott Christian asked whether staff sought advice on the wording around what landlords can do with the commercial space. 

Staff conceded they had not.

Council asked staff to have that information ready for their next meeting on Nov. 25.

Until then, the land use bylaw remains unchanged. Any substantive changes would likely restart the process and require council to have another public hearing.

Once councillors voted for a legal opinion, Christian called a break and met with Fry in his office for about 15 minutes.

Afterward, Fry told QCCR that he appreciated residents’ comments and their passion for the downtown. He said he understands that council has to make sure they have authority to make the changes.

“It’s unfortunate that this wasn’t flushed out as maybe as thoughtfully as it should have been. So, I understand there is a process to remedy, so we’ll have to wait until we hear what those next steps are.” 

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

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Region of Queens Deputy Mayor Maddie Charlton wants a ‘comprehensive review’ of the municipal planning strategy and land use bylaw. (Rick Conrad)

Region of Queens councillors are considering an overhaul of the rules that govern what people and businesses do with their properties.

Regional council voted unanimously on Tuesday evening in favour of Deputy Mayor Maddie Charlton’s motion for a “comprehensive review” of the municipal planning strategy and land use bylaw “with particular focus on commercial uses and allowances within residential zones, regulation and permitting of short-term rentals, the keeping of livestock within residential and rural zones, light pollution mitigation and related dark sky considerations, coastal protection measures and climate resilient land use provisions, and minimum property standards.”

She said she wants staff to prepare a report in time for the Dec. 9 council meeting “outlining proposed consultation timelines, engagement methods and anticipated resource requirements to support this review process.”

The municipality adopted a new planning strategy and bylaw in 2022 after three and a half years of review and community consultation. Charlton was a member of council for that process.

“We have had some things pop up that are proving to be challenging,” Charlton said, “other things that I think maybe we didn’t think of during that timeframe. … I think we do need to address the issues in our land use bylaw.”

Charlton didn’t offer specifics, but councillors have wrestled since the spring with a request to turn the old Stedman’s building at 194 Main St. into apartments. 

Developer Eric Fry originally wanted the building to be only residential, despite municipal rules that require at least half of a downtown building’s ground floor be for commercial use.

The region is in the process of changing the land use bylaw to allow Fry to include a much smaller commercial footprint.

Charlton, who chairs the municipality’s planning advisory committee, told councillors that some people want more flexibility to open businesses in their houses.

Currently, the land use bylaw essentially prohibits retail and other commercial operations in residential zones, though there are some exceptions for artists and other small home-based businesses.

“I think some of our measures are a bit too strict and they’re restricting economic development in Queens,” Charlton said. 

Mayor Scott Christian said it’s standard practice to review a new bylaw after two years. Plus, he said, residents have raised concerns with parts of the bylaw that he says are “clunky”.

“In this term of council we’re really focusing on making sure we’re striking that balance to foster a business friendly environment, to addressing affordability issues. And I think some provisions within the municipal planning strategy and land use bylaw don’t resonate entirely with the strategic vision and direction that this council wants to take the organization.”

He said council wants professional advice from staff on a “laundry list of items”.

“(The bylaw) doesn’t do enough to give us a strong sense and deliberate approach to managing short-term rentals. It doesn’t strike the right balance in its approach to homesteading. It’s too blunt in its restrictions of the type of commercial activity that can happen in general residential areas.”

In 2022, many residents cried foul over proposed changes to homesteading rules. People who kept chickens or small numbers of other animals on their properties were worried that the bylaw would interfere with their ability to produce food for themselves and others. 

Those concerns overshadowed many of the other significant changes in the comprehensive bylaw overhaul.

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

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Volunteers with the Queens County ATV Association explained proposed new road trails at a public information session at the Liverpool Fire Hall on Tuesday. (Rick Conrad)

More than 150 people turned out on Tuesday evening to learn about how proposed new routes for off-highway vehicles could affect Liverpool motorists, residents and businesses.

The public consultation was organized by the Queens County ATV Association at the Liverpool Fire Hall.

“So what we’re looking to do is to provide connection for off-highway vehicle users to be able to get into our commercial districts to access our restaurants, our gas stations and our accommodations, as well as to provide trail-to-trail connections,” Dave White, president of the ATV association, told QCCR on Tuesday.

“So what we’re trying to do in the larger picture is have 100 per cent connection from Lunenburg through Queens County to Shelburne. And the even bigger picture is for an eventual development of a path that would see people be able to leave Tantallon, go all the way down to Yarmouth, around to Digby, over to Middleton, back across New Germany and back up to Tantallon, which would be a route that would be very similar, actually I think a little bit bigger than one that everybody travels to Newfoundland to do.

“So this provides a massive opportunity for recreational development and also for economic development because we know from the 2022 spending survey that $454 million got spent that year by off-highway vehicle users in Nova Scotia. So part of our hope is that we can start to see our county start to recognize some of that economic growth too.”

The ATV association and the Queens Rails to Trails Association have proposed five areas around Liverpool to connect existing off-road trails with municipal roadways so that riders can access services or other trails.

The Nova Scotia government passed the Road Trails Act in 2023, which allows OHVs on provincial and municipal roads with certain conditions.

Five information stations were set up at the fire hall on Tuesday with volunteers at each to explain the routes and the laws around off-highway vehicle use on public roads.

People were asked to fill out feedback forms to say whether they oppose or support each route.

Dave White is president of the Queens County ATV Association and secretary of the Queens Rails to Trails Association. (Rick Conrad)

“We’ve had only positive feedback tonight that I’m aware of,” White said.

“We have had some questions about what the rules are. So there are speed limits, you do have to have a drivers licence, you have to be insured, you have to have your headlights on even during daylight hours. The times are restricted to daylight hours. So there are lots of rules that cover it.”

Brianna Darton and Erich Gennette traveled from Mount Uniacke to find out what it’s all about. Darton’s parents live in Liverpool.

“We’re kind of in the process of introducing my parents to the world of ATVing and if we can make things a little more convenient for them I think that would be a good start,” Darton said.

“I think it would be a great thing for them to do as they head into retirement and any encouragement with ease of access (and) they’re afraid of breaking the rules. They don’t want to drive where they shouldn’t.”

“At the moment really all we can do,” Gennette said, “is go from the No. 3 (highway) to Bridgewater and it would be really nice to do more than that. We just did it today. We’ve seen it. We’d like to do something different. So if we could go through Liverpool and go down to Shelburne that would be cool and just see a new place because this is our first time going ATVing down here and we’d like to do it more often.”

Peter Lavender of Liverpool said he wanted to find out how the proposed routes would affect traffic going into downtown.

“I was concerned mainly about Bristol (Avenue), you know, the main part of town going through Main Street but apparently they avoided that. They’re going all the way around that so it’s looking pretty good.”

White says off-highway vehicle users love visiting other areas of the province and they want to be able to travel more easily through Queens County and invite others to visit too.

“Our interest isn’t just in having it, we want it done properly, safely and to encourage good use and good economic impact.”

White says the ATV groups will work with municipal staff to collect the results of the feedback from Tuesday’s session. Regional councillors have seemed supportive of the idea of a connected road trail network in Queens County.

They would have to create a new by-law to make it happen.

White says he hopes that process can be wrapped up by the end of the year.

In the meantime, residents can give their feedback in an online survey posted by the region on its Facebook page.

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

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MacPhersons in Liverpool has been sold. (MacPhersons via Facebook)

The Wasoqopa’q, or Acadia, First Nation have bought two Liverpool retail businesses.

The Mi’kmaw nation’s leadership announced Tuesday evening that it has bought the long-established MacPhersons in Liverpool.

And early Wednesday evening, it announced it has bought the building currently operating as the Milton Market in Milton. That building has been for sale since May.

Wasoqopa’q is based in Yarmouth but takes in communities throughout southwestern Nova Scotia to Halifax. It includes six reserves: Yarmouth, Ponhook, Medway, Wildcat, Gold River and Hammonds Plains.

Liverpool furniture and sporting goods store MacPhersons was established in 1982, but the MacPherson family said their family has been in business for five generations.

Wasoqopa’q First Nation said it has bought the store and the land behind the business.

Owner Horace MacPherson told QCCR on Wednesday he was too busy for an interview and would prefer to comment next week.

Chief Deborah Robinson could not be reached for comment.

In the post shared by Deputy Chief Avis Johnson about MacPhersons, the First Nation leadership says it will continue to operate MacPhersons as it is now.

“MacPhersons has a long history as a successful establishment in Queens and we plan to continue to deliver the same quality service customers have come to know. The operation will continue to be managed by longtime employee Tyler Frank, a Wasoqopa’q First Nation member.”

In the same post, the MacPherson family said they’re leaving the store in “the best of hands”.

“Our family is honoured to pass the store on to the First Nations community. It’s a meaningful transition for us, knowing the store will continue to serve the community with the same heart and eclectic spirit that’s made it special for so many years.

“We’ve always believed in offering a little bit of everything, and we’re thrilled to see that legacy carried forward.”

Post shared on Facebook about the MacPhersons sale

MacPhersons sells appliances, furniture, hunting and fishing supplies and a variety of other products, including clothing, household goods and some audio-visual and computer supplies.

It also leases space to the Needs gas bar and convenience store next door.

The Wasoqopa’q leadership said it also plans to develop the land behind the store which runs down to the Mersey River as an outdoor cultural gathering place guided by Mi’kmaw traditional teaching.

Region of Queens Mayor Scott Christian said he’s happy to see the business continue.

“I love MacPhersons because for me, it’s the store that has stuff that nobody else has in Queens. So I think it’s a really important member of the retail business community here. And I think it’s really interesting that (the new owner is) the First Nations community. I think it’s great.”

It’s unclear when the new owners of MacPhersons will officially take over. 

Facebook post about the Milton Market sale

As for the Milton Market property, the Indigenous community said they expected to make a formal announcement on July 31, “however in an effort to dispel speculation and false information we are sharing the news today.”

“We will use this property for a variety of programming, including an adult education and drop-in centre, workshops, small group gatherings, and other activities. More information to our membership will be shared once the purchase is complete.

“The ability to find appropriate space for our programming in the Queens area has gotten more difficult in the past few years. We are pleased to finally have a space of our own.”

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

Justin Freeman launched Letterswitch Publishing on Saturday in Liverpool. (Rick Conrad)

In a town without a bookstore, starting a publishing business might seem like a leap of faith.

But Justin Freeman of Liverpool says he’s realizing a childhood dream by launching Letterswitch Publishing. 

“I’m content to just put out beautiful books that entertain and educate and encourage new parents, and parents of young kids especially, but everybody in a family,” he told QCCR.

“I hope it goes off well. Publishing is not exactly the most robust industry to be jumping into feet first at the moment, but I’m hoping with kind of the niche aspect of it and keeping things small and focused that it’ll be a success.”

Freeman unveiled his micropublishing company on Saturday at the Astor Theatre in Liverpool. The stay-at-home Dad moved to the area a few years ago with his young family. 

“(We) moved to Liverpool in 2022 after my son was born. My wife got a job at the hospital … and this is home now. We’re putting down roots and are looking forward to a lot of years here.”

Freeman says he’ll be concentrating at first on publishing his own work through Letterswitch. 

His first book was on display on Saturday. Called A Little Grieving, he partnered with a pediatric crisis counsellor on the parent’s guide to helping your child through the grieving process. 

He also plans a kids’ picture book called One Veggie, a middle-grade chapter book called Molly Moss Runs for Office and a western novel called Crimson Shadow.

“It’ll be a slow rollout. I’m a stay-at-home dad and I’ll just try to get things rolling here in the next couple years. But once both kids are in school, I look to open up to other authors and just get a nice catalog of titles.”

Freeman grew up on a farm in Missouri. He had an eclectic career before moving to Nova Scotia with his wife, Dr. Alison Freeman, and their kids Molly and James.

“I was formerly a police officer in Missouri in the city of Springfield. I was also a minister for a few years, and sold shoes and grew up on a farm and just have a varied background that kind of informs and inflects different writing. Thus all the different type of books that are coming out.”

The name of the company comes from how he met his wife, when he was still on the farm in Missouri and she was at home in Nova Scotia.

“Essentially, back in 2000, I was on the family farm using ICQ, a messaging app, and this message pops up saying, ‘Do you want to catch up?’ It was obviously a misdirect, but I went to reject it and something told me to accept it, so I did. And it was somebody looking for somebody named Justin Freeman that they had met in Massachusetts. And instead of typing MA for Massachusetts, they typed MO.

“And we struck up more conversations, postcards from abroad, kept up over the years, and then 15 years later, wound up meeting finally, fell in love. I’m now married to Alison and we have two beautiful kids. And so the letter switch is an homage to that switched letter that started our entire story.”

For the launch event, Freeman teamed up with local artisans to feature some of their work, including local baker Gabby’s Bread Basket, who catered the event, and the Covey Candle Company, who created a couple of limited-edition scents. 

“And there’s also a piece that I commissioned by local artist Katie Kripp called Bound for Novel Passages. And it’s a sailing ship with books for the sails and it just represents a new journey for me and some other creatives I look to work with. I find myself surrounded by creative people here in Liverpool and I wanted to work with a few of them for the launch.”

People at the Letterswitch launch, like Jaqueline Duck of Liverpool, said it was exciting to have a publisher in the area.

“I think that’s amazing because there are writers here and they have to go and find a publisher. If we have one in Liverpool, it makes everybody’s life that much easier. And it’s good business.”

Freeman says that while he’ll be busy for the next few months on his own work, he’d still like to hear from people interested in his new venture.

You can find Letterswitch Publishing at letterswitchpublishing.com or email Freeman at hello@letterswitchpublishing.com.

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

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Lucy the Lobster will once again use her canny crustacean conjecturing on Sunday to predict whether we’ll see six more weeks of winter. (Nova Scotia Lobster Crawl photo)

Organizers call it a shellebration, while lobster lovers think of it as the most delicious time of year.

The eighth annual Nova Scotia Lobster Crawl is set to crack open on Saturday at businesses, galleries and community centres along Nova Scotia’s South Shore. 

Each February, the month-long festival highlights the South Shore’s most famous and lucrative export.

Stephanie Miller Vincent is the co-ordinator of the South Shore Tourism Co-operative, which organizes the event.

“It’s one of the reasons that the lobster crawl happens in February. It’s peak lobster season, yes. But we all know that we get into that spot where we need a little nudge, maybe a little nip with a claw to get us going.”

More than 70 events are scheduled, with more being added as Feb. 1 gets closer.

Two of the biggest events are coming up on Sunday, or Groundhog Day. In Barrington, people will wait to see if Lucy the Lobster sees her shadow, predicting six more weeks of winter. 

And at the Quarterdeck Resort at Summerville Beach, near Liverpool, a dozen restaurants from around the South Shore will compete for the title of best lobster roll. 

Local author Pam Wamback has written a children’s book called Lucy the Lob-Star, about Lucy’s rise from the depths to become a famous weather forecaster.

Lots of food events are scheduled, like a chowder showdown. And many restaurants and bars will be featuring additional lobster dishes on their menus. But the month also features arts events around the South Shore, including local artisan markets.

• Go here for a complete list of Nova Scotia Lobster Crawl events

Liverpool’s Queens Coast Trading Company has even created a special tea blend dedicated to Lucy the Lobster. 

Miller Vincent says the lobster crawl is especially important for local fishermen and businesses in light of the tariff threat from the United States.

“And certainly the events that are happening in the U.S. and the conversations that are being spoken about makes us remember that … we should be looking at home first and shopping. And listen, the South Shore’s got some amazing products and amazing shops, restaurants, marketers, whatever it might be. There’s no better time to go see them than it is in February.”

As for Lucy’s prediction on Sunday?

“Lucy has been right every single year, and I don’t want to jinx her. Last year she was the opposite of Punxsutawney Phil and Shubenacadie Sam. And in the long run, she was absolutely right.

“You know, we did end up with the weather that she predicted. So she’s going to be right, no matter what that is. And the best thing is, no matter what she predicts, we still have at least six more weeks of lobster season.”

For more information on the Nova Scotia Lobster Crawl, visit their website at lobstercrawl.ca or follow them on Facebook.

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

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Kim Thorbourne-Whalen is the vice-chair of the Liverpool Championship Host Society. (Rick Conrad)

As fans rallied behind their favourite curlers in Liverpool last week, local businesses were also cheering for the post-holiday bump in sales.

Restaurants, bars and other food-based businesses in downtown Liverpool stayed open to try to capitalize on the influx of fans and curlers in town for the Canadian mixed doubles curling trials at Queens Place Emera Centre.

Some businesses traditionally close during the week between Christmas and New Year’s to give owners and staff a break after a busy holiday season.

FULL COVERAGE: More from the 2025 Canadian Mixed Doubles Curling Trials

At Main and Mersey Dining Room and Coffee Bar, co-owner Shani Beadle said the event helped perk up a slower time of year.

“I think when Christmas is winding down, it really helped bring more people into town and and lengthen the Christmas season, which is always helpful,” she said. “We had a lot of people from the curling here to lunch, for coffee, staying in our accommodation. So, everything’s helpful.”

Melanie Perron, co-owner of Hell Bay Brewing Company, said they saw more customers as soon as the curling event began on Monday.

“The week’s been great,” she said.

“We’ve definitely seen some new faces that we haven’t seen before come through the brewery and it’s just nice to see us in the bar as well at the Emera Centre, because it’s been a while since we’ve had our product for sale there directly through us. So the region has been definitely pushing local this time, which is great.

“It’s wonderful, especially this time of year because so many people are going into ‘Dry January’, so any beer sales that I can get any way is definitely a bonus for us.”

At Five Girls Baking, co-owner Leanne Arnott said they had planned to close from Dec. 25 until Jan. 2, but decided to reopen on Dec. 30. 

“We were going to be closed and and get a few more days of rest and when we found out about the curling event, we thought, oh no, we better open. And we’re really glad we did.”

They baked special cookies decorated like the red and blue curling rings to celebrate. And Canadian curling legend Colleen Jones even dropped in to sample them. She had also visited the bakery in 2019 when Liverpool hosted the World Junior Curling Championships.

“I was hoping she would show up. She showed up (Friday) and I was tickled pink.” 

Other businesses also stayed open or extended their hours, like Memories Cafe and Eatery and Route 3 Cellar Taproom and Grill.

Kim Thorbourne-Whalen of the local organizing committee said she believes the curling event helped inject $1.5 to $2 million in spinoff business for hotels, restaurants and bars in the Liverpool area. It’s also been a boon for the local Kiwanis Club, which provided canteen services at Queens Place for the whole week.

“The restaurants have been full, like the Cellar, Memories, they’ve had curling teams in there and curling families in there all week,” Thorbourne-Whalen said. “So it’s been felt throughout the community, not just with the hotels, it’s been all over.” 

Region of Queens Mayor Scott Christian said he’d like to see more big events like the curling trials come to Liverpool.

“I think everybody’s blown away by how many people have been out for it. Main Street’s been busy. … I think that it should generate some good momentum to try to attract events like this in the future. 

“I know this council has got big plans for Queens Place, doing some revitalization work and to make sure that we make best use of these facilities here. We’re looking at how can we make sure that we make use of this beautiful facility because you can see we can host top-notch events here.”

Main and Mersey’s Shani Beadle and other business owners say that bringing more events to town in the slower winter months would be a boost for businesses.

“I think that would be brilliant, because the summer is already quite busy, so having events like the Lobster Crawl, like curling, hockey, et cetera, is always really helpful.”

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Star Donovan, manager of special events for Mersey Seafoods, stands in front of the company’s Scallop Shack, which opened Monday at their location on Bristol Avenue. (Rick Conrad)

Residents and visitors to Liverpool can now buy Mersey Seafoods’ world-famous scallops right from the factory on Bristol Avenue.

The company opened the Scallop Shack in a tiny guardhouse in its parking lot on Monday morning. 

Star Donovan is Mersey Seafoods’ manager of special events. She said Monday that response so far is good.

“It’s been busy since we put the sign out considering no one even knew we were going to do this. We just put the sign out by the road this morning, and it’s been flat out busy.”

Since the company opened its new building in 2019, many residents were hoping they would also open a retail facility.

Donovan said that until now, they couldn’t do that.

“Since Covid, we have had our doors locked. Prior to that, we used to sell five pounds of scallops to the community when they wanted them. The president of our company has chatted about being able to offer scallops again to the community so we decided we’d go with the Scallop Shack.”

The Scallop Shack will be open year-round, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. It will be selling two different sizes of scallops – 10 to 20 scallops per pound or 20 to 30 scallops per pound.

You can buy them in a one-kilogram or a five-pound bag. Prices range from $37.40 for a kilogram of smaller scallops to $90 for five pounds of larger scallops.

Donovan said that with tourist season underway, it’s a good time for the new venture, especially since it’s difficult to find local seafood in Liverpool.

“I think it’s great, but I kind of figured it would be. We have calls every week from people, ‘Can we buy them, can we buy them?’ I know the community are happy about this and excited, and so am I.”

Mersey Seafoods is also celebrating its 60th year in business this year. And to help celebrate, the company will be putting a float in the Privateer Days parade for the first time, Donovan said.

“The girls in production decided they were going to put a float in the parade this year and so we’re all excited about that, having the Scallop Shack open. You never know what’s to come. We’ll see.”

Scallops sold by Mersey Seafoods are sustainably harvested from the Atlantic Ocean and freshly frozen at sea. 

The company also sells coldwater shrimp and redfish or ocean perch. But Donovan says they will be selling only scallops at the Scallop Shack.

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Melanie Perron is the co-owner with Mark Baillie of Hell Bay Brewing Company in Liverpool. The craft brewery recently celebrated 13 years in business. (Rick Conrad)

They started out small in a barn in Cherry Hill, and have survived an early cease-and-desist order, floods, a pandemic and just recently celebrated their 13th year in business.

Hell Bay Brewing Company in Liverpool marked that milestone on April 1. 

When Melanie Perron and Mark Baillie began their craft brewery in 2011, they were one of only five or six in Nova Scotia. Now, there are more than 50 craft brewers, from nanobreweries to brew pubs to microbreweries.

“That was a nanobrewery then,” Perron said in an interview at the brewery on Thursday.

“We didn’t know where to start or how to start, so we just started very small in our home and quickly grew out of that space and moved here.

“We were just doing it as a hobby, so it was just for fun. And I was on maternity leave at that time. And Mark was always brewing beer and sharing it with friends. And he was to the point where he was brewing so much that we couldn’t consume it all, we couldn’t share it all. So, I just thought, ‘What would it take to do this as a business?'”

Back in 2011, they were known as Rusty Anchor Brewing Company and started out with an English Ale. But three months after they started labelling their beers, they got a cease-and-desist letter from Anchor Brewing Company in San Francisco, telling them they couldn’t use the word “anchor” in their name.

So, the former husband and wife team had to come up with a new name and Hell Bay was born. 

A couple of years later, they moved into the old Hoggie’s Buy and Sell space in downtown Liverpool. At that time, Perron says, they were focused mainly on selling kegs and bottles to bars in Halifax.

“When we first started out, it was just so busy because we had full reign of everything. It was easy to send 80 kegs to Halifax in a week and then the NSLC, we would send them three or four pallets of beer in a week. So at that time, we were employing probably six or seven staff.” 

As more craft breweries opened, however, the market changed drastically. And Hell Bay had to change with it. 

“When you think of all these breweries fighting for the same tap space and then the NSLC there’s only so much shelf space there. That’s why we had to put more concentration into our store and our pub and doing music and trying to attract more local people.” 

While Nova Scotia craft beer sales increased overall by 6.1 per cent over the past three months, many breweries say the past few years have been a struggle. 

In early March, FirkenStein Brewing in Bridgewater posted on its Facebook page that it was having trouble paying its rent. The brewery said if business didn’t pick up, it may have to close.

Other Nova Scotia craft breweries have closed or announced they will restructure. Uncle Leo’s near Pictou, Serpent Brewing, Off Track Brewing have closed or announced they’re closing. Brightwood Brewery in Dartmouth is closing its tap room, while Harbour Brewing in Musquodoboit Harbour is selling.

Perron says she hates to see other breweries in trouble.

“It hurts my heart because I know we’re in that boat every day. We’re just like, ‘Do we keep going or do we just sell out and close’, just because it’s not as profitable as people think. I always think it’s a good thing that I’m not a person who needs a lot in life. I don’t need a paycheque. I survive off very little. I have two staff who work here. So, my goal is to get my staff paid first. And my paycheque comes after that.

“It’s a hurting industry and I knew there was going to be a bubble. Everybody thought it was a multimillion-dollar business, adn I’m sure it would be if there were only 20 of us. But the market right now is just so saturated.”

Perron says that like with other businesses, Covid changed the landscape for microbreweries in Nova Scotia.

“Everything went to hyper-local. We lost all our accounts in Halifax, so all the bars dropped us. … So as of now, all of the bars we do have are on the South Shore.”

Perron says they’ve worked hard over the years to keep on top of what customers want. She says that’s why they started making more ready-to-drink beverages, like their popular hard lemonades, which often outsell their beer in the summertime. 

And they recently made rum for the first time. It was a small batch but sold 72 bottles in two weeks.

She says that even though the past few years have been “up and down”, they’ve had great support from the local community.

“We wouldn’t be here without them, 100 per cent, especially since Covid. … So I am relying a lot on local business.”

Perron says she’s looking forward to the summer, when tourists return. The brewery plans to bring back its hot dog cart and offer some specialty hot dogs, and maybe even some food nights.

“I’m excited for the summer because I think it’s going to be super busy. I just have this feeling especially with all the new people moving here. The South Shore, it’s so beautiful and people are finally discovering it.”

In the past three months, sales at the brewery are more than double what they were this time last year. 

Perron says the secret to their staying power is pretty simple.

“My perseverance. I’m not a quitter. I live a lot on hope. You know, next year can only be better. Since Covid, things are getting better.

“Just staying true to what you believe, I guess, and what your passion is and lots of hope.”

And that San Francisco brewery that sent Perron and Baillie that cease-and-desist letter 13 years ago?

It closed last year, but Hell Bay is still going.

“We try to keep our beer natural and true to what beer is. Just keeping the hops and barley and water. We don’t use preservatives. It’s all unpasteurized. It’s just the way beer should be.”

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Rae Bonneville is the chairwoman of the newly formed Lunenburg Queens Business Collective. (Rae Bonneville)

Business groups on the South Shore have teamed up to form one large umbrella organization, potentially representing hundreds of businesses.

The Lunenburg Queens Business Collective includes the chambers of commerce and boards of trade from Liverpool, Lunenburg, Mahone Bay, Bridgewater and Riverport. It also includes the South Shore Tourism Co-operative. 

Rae Bonneville is the new group’s chairwoman. She says the group won’t replace the business groups in each community. It will enhance what they’re already doing and give them more voice and visibility.

“It’s just so much more of a pool that everyone can access,” she said in an interview. “If you’re a member of the Lunenburg Board of Trade, for instance, you’re also a member of the collective. And your connections are really extended. … The connections for business are much higher. And also it gives us a much stronger voice for going to council and representing the businesses with a much stronger voice. It’s not just Liverpool on their own, dealing with a challenge. It’s all of us supporting that group. … It just gives us a lot more strength.”

Bonneville, who is also the president of the Bridgewater Chamber of Commerce, said the idea was first hatched by the Bridgewater chamber about two years ago. 

“It seemed like a great idea to unite and form a united voice and have a stronger presence and support each other in the whole region.”

She said that although the group is brand new, it already has its sights set on some big issues. 

“One of the biggest things we’re trying to tap into is a really good transit system between all of these towns to help with students and seniors and all kinds of shift workers and that sort of thing.”

And it has taken over responsibility for the Lunenburg Queens Business Awards, which are planned for November at the Best Western in Bridgewater.

Bonneville said they hope to hold region-wide job fairs and to create an activity calendar, so that an event in one community doesn’t compete with an event in another.

“It’s pretty exciting, we’re getting a lot of really positive feedback. I think this is going to have a lot of legs as we go along.”

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

Myrna Gillis, CEO of Aqualitas. The cannabis producer, based in Brooklyn, has been sold to a British firm. (Aqualitas photo)

Queens County cannabis producer Aqualitas has been sold to a British company.

The Brooklyn-based firm has been bought by the London-based Cannaray Limited. Aqualitas will become part of Cannaray’s medical cannabis division, Therismos, which operates in Germany and the UK.

Co-founder and CEO Myrna Gillis said Thursday the deal started being hashed out three years ago. She said jobs are safe at the plant in Brooklyn.

“It’s a great thing for the plant here in Brooklyn,” she said in an interview.

“We have expansion plans that had been on the books for a while, because we effectively had more demand than we had supply or capacity to meet. And we have funds that are earmarked now under this agreement for expansion, so we’re going to have expansion in the Liverpool facility. It enhances our position in relation to jobs and we don’t have any expectation of any layoffs. We expect to be in a position of expansion and growth because of it.”

Gillis would not disclose the value of the deal. But she said the two companies combined for sales last year of $75 million.

Gillis was a lawyer in Bedford when she co-founded Aqualitas in 2014. The company set up its grow-op shop in the Port Mersey Commercial Park, at the site of the former Bowater Mersey pulp and paper mill in Brooklyn in 2017. It employs between 75 and 85 people.

It quickly became recognized around the world for its environmentally friendly aquaponic growing system that uses the nutrient-dense waste of more than 3,000 koi carp fish as fertilizer.

Its products can be found around the world, in the U.S., Australia, Israel, Germany, Portugal and Poland.

The privately held company is certified organic and has won numerous awards and certifications since it was founded. It has also been on the forefront of research into PTSD, insomnia and pain.

“When I look back at that and I think of everything that we’ve accomplished, it’s an incredible story,” Gillis says. “So I’m really proud of what we’ve done, I’m really proud of what I was able to contribute to the team.”

Gillis said the time was right for the marijuana merger. Prices domestically have been going down, while export markets are still paying top dollar for their product. And Germany is set to legalize marijuana on April 1, opening up the international market even more.

“When we got into this industry we were licence No. 87. Now there are more than 950 licences with Health Canada. We had too many companies, too much supply in the domestic market, too many people doing the exact same thing.

“I always had the vision that I wanted to do an exit with a global company because you need to be globally competitive to guarantee your growth and access to markets.”

Gillis will continue as chairwoman of Aqualitas and she will be a member of Cannaray’s board.

Chief operating officer Josh Adler will take over the daily operation of Aqualitas and the current management team will stay in place, Gillis says.

“I think this is good for the community, it’s good for Aqualitas and it’s good for the industry.”

As for Gillis herself, she says she will still be busy with the company she founded with friends almost 10 years ago.

“I have a third act, I’m sure. But right now, there’s a lot happening here during my tenure. But there’s a third act for sure.”

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Joel Westin, president of Bridgewater Ready Mix, says he’s teaming up with South Shore Ready Mix to reopen Liverpool Ready Mix. (Rick Conrad photo)

A new concrete supplier could be open in Brooklyn by August.

Joel Westin, owner and president of Bridgewater Ready Mix, said his company and South Shore Ready Mix are teaming up to reopen Liverpool Ready Mix.

“South Shore Ready Mix operated a plant in Brooklyn for many years and was forced to close that due to dwindling market,” he said Tuesday.

“We’re hoping the two of us will have enough business in this area to support us reopening this plant. It’s a significant investment and it will create better service for businesses in Queens County and also some employment.”

He said the time is right with a large wind farm development being planned for Milton.

Westin said Tuesday the business could eventually employ up to three people. But it will begin with one.

They hope to have trial batches going through the plant in July, Westin said. The plan is to open by August.

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston and Queens MLA Kim Masland will be speaking at a luncheon in Liverpool on Feb. 7. (Tim Houston Facebook page)

By Rick Conrad

Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston and Queens MLA Kim Masland will be speaking at a luncheon organized by the South Queens Chamber of Commerce on Feb. 7.

The two-hour event is being held at the Best Western Plus in Liverpool. The chamber says it’s a “prime opportunity” for Queens County’s business leaders and others to talk with the two politicians about the area’s future.

Houston and Masland, who is also Nova Scotia’s minister of public works, will speak about rural economic development. In addition to the speeches, the event will feature success stories from local businesses.

Attendees will get to ask Houston and Masland questions in a Q&A session. The chamber wants questions submitted no later than Feb. 1 to secretary@southqueenschamber.com.

Tickets for the event are $30 plus tax and are available through Eventbrite or by following links through the South Queens Chamber of Commerce Facebook page.

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

Liverpool Visitor Information Centre. Photo courtesy Region of Queens Municipality

By Rick Conrad

The Region of Queens is planning a nighttime outdoor party in February and everyone is invited.

Mayor Darlene Norman says the Light Up Queens Winter Night Festival is a free event and open to everyone. It will be held in Centennial Park on the Liverpool waterfront, next to the Visitor Information Centre.

“It is to bring fun, happiness, community, good times all together at a time in the year that is dismal and dark,” Norman said Tuesday. “So it would focus on diversity and culture. It’s planned to be a fun, free night involving all ages.”

Light Up Queens is scheduled for Sat., Feb. 24 from 5:30 to 9:30 pm.

Co-ordinating with the Nova Scotia Lobster Crawl, the event will feature more than 30 stations around the park, offering various artistic, cultural and winter-related activities. The Visitor Information Centre will be open, where there will be a pop-up restaurant, which will also be the site for the event’s “chowder house”, where they’ll be selling fresh seafood chowder.

TideKite, which has hosted a few kite-flying demonstrations in the park, will be on site flying special kites that light up in the dark. And they’ll offer a kite-making workshop.

Bridgewater’s DJ Danimal will be providing the music.

The Royal Canadian Legion across from the park will host a makers’ market featuring local artisans and vendors. 

There will be other snacks available at the park, as well as hot drinks.

“So if you don’t want to do something physical, then maybe you want to go sit in one of the community tents and talk about night spirits,” Norman says. “There are all sorts of aspects. And everything is accessible for all of our people.

“It’s an event that’s for young, old, and in between.” 

Warming tents or huts will be set up in the park. Free hats and coats will be available for those who need them. And the region will have their Mobi-Mats in the park to help those with mobility issues navigate the winter conditions.

“The idea was we wanted to make this as inclusive as we could,” Norman said. “And as we all know, inclusion also often hinges on a  person’s financial ability to take part in things.”

The region is footing the $17,000 bill for the event. And Norman says they hope it will become an annual thing.

The region wanted to time the event for the opening weekend of the musical Follies at the Astor Theatre. And Norman says she hopes it will be a boon for local businesses, who are being encouraged to stay open that evening.

Stephanie Sereda, the region’s community development coordinator, came up with the idea. She says it’s been great to see how everybody has come together in such a short time to help get it off the ground. 

“It’s just been a beautiful collaborative effort and everyone’s excited and given the short time frame we’re really happy to leverage the big hearts and passion of Queens.”

Sereda and Norman said the region will be releasing more details in the next few weeks. People should follow the Queens Coast Life Facebook page for more information. They hope the weather co-operates, but if it doesn’t, the event will be rescheduled.

“We just have to hope for that beautiful February night,” Norman said.

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com