Residents on Waterloo Street in Liverpool appealed to Region of Queens councillors this week to speed up work on the street. (Rick Conrad)
Residents living on and around Waterloo Street in downtown Liverpool are frustrated with water and sewer upgrades that have been going on for three years.
Christopher Clarke, a former Region of Queens mayor who lives on Bootlegger Road at the end of Waterloo, told councillors this week that the project has disrupted residents’ lives for long enough.
“It’s a disgrace. … For three years, our street has been dug up, and it now, based on a letter that we were sent, looks as though it will go into the fourth year. The construction is being done there with very little consideration to the residents. The place is a mess.”
The work begins at the corner of School and Waterloo streets and extends down the narrow residential street to the water.
Clarke said heavy equipment has been left on the street, signs toppled on people’s lawns, pipes left lying everywhere. Also, a temporary traffic light is set up and the noise from the generator disturbs residents at night.
“Now, I don’t for one minute, criticize the employees who are working there. … This is a very, very badly managed project. And so maybe that’s where the blame should lie.”
And he said he was insulted when the region recently sent residents a letter with an update on the project and told them not to talk about the problems with anybody else but senior staff.
“I didn’t elect the manager. I helped to elect the mayor and the councillor. So if I want to come and talk to anybody, I’m going to come and do it. I’m not going to be told by staff that I’m not allowed to come and talk. But you’ve got to do something to help us. It’s a mess, it’s muddy, it’s going into next year.
“Shut the project down, you know you’re not going to get it done this year. … Fix up the street for us, get at it properly next year, do the job, and plan it. It is an absolute disgrace. I would be ashamed to sit in front of the public and tell them that I am responsible for a job like that.”
Waterloo Street resident Paula Doucet echoed Clarke’s concerns. She told councillors that the work is progressing too slowly and that crews don’t appear to be onsite full time.
She added that elderly residents and those with mobility issues also find it difficult to navigate around the work and the equipment.
“We have two big diggers on our street. One appears to be working. One isn’t working,” she said.
“We’re paying a lot of taxes and I’m getting really tired of this project. You know, I know it needs to be done, I know it will be great when it’s finished. Get it done! If you’ve got to hire more contractors to come in, get it done.”
Mayor Scott Christian said he understood the residents’ concerns.
“I appreciate your frustrations and thank you for your patience, and, yes, we do need to ensure that you have a better experience with respect to that project, so I apologize on behalf of the organization.”
Christian could not be reached for a followup interview.
A look at some Christmas trees from a previous Trees in the Park event. (Liverpool Adventure Outfitters on Facebook)
Freeman Lumber will be taking over Trees in the Park, the annual fundraiser that features Christmas trees decorated by local businesses.
The South Queens Chamber of Commerce had announced in early November that it would stop organizing the event. Freeman Lumber stepped in to ensure it continues.
Businesses, organizations or individuals buy a tree for $75 and decorate it however they like. The trees are displayed outside at the Queens County Museum and on the Liverpool waterfront.
All proceeds go to a local charity. That will be announced shortly, according to a notice from the chamber.
The chamber is still hosting the annual tree lighting ceremony at the Astor Theatre along with the Region of Queens and the South Shore Multicultural Association.
The Region of Queens is asking for a lower immediate rise in water rates. (Daan Mooij via Unsplash)
The Region of Queens is no longer asking for an immediate 106 per cent increase in water rates.
But customers will still have to pay about 115 per cent more over three years if the municipality’s application to the Nova Scotia Regulatory and Appeals Board is successful.
In documents filed with the board on Nov. 7, the region is now asking for a 43 per cent increase in the first year for the 1,200 water utility customers in Liverpool and Brooklyn. The region has diverted about $1.6 million in budget reserves to blunt the first-year increase and spread it over a longer period.
“The utility did not get in its present state overnight and it cannot be restored to its proper efficient and effective state overnight, but the process has started, and it needs a sustainable rate structure to accomplish this,” Willa Thorpe, the region’s chief administrative officer, wrote in the revised rate hike request.
“If the current underfunding is not addressed now it just pushes the problem forward and adds unnecessary debt payments for future customers.”
Before the region filed its revised rate hike request, the Queens Community Health Board filed a comprehensive objection to the planned increases, calling them “unreasonable, unjust and unprecedented”.
The board is the only registered intervenor in the hearing, though it has letters of support from the Queens County Food Bank, Liverpool Curling Club, Queens Transit and the Queens Care Society.
Board chair Tara Druzina told QCCR this week that many people can’t afford to pay up to an extra $461 a year for water services.
“I think the perspective of the community health board is the shock of the increase that is coming forward,” she said.
“The municipality does need to run a balanced utility and we’re aware of that. It’s just that the 115ish per cent over three years, while there’s such a large percentage of water loss, is this concerning part we have, particularly for our vulnerable residents.”
The board will hold a public hearing on the region’s water rate request on Wed., Nov. 19 at 10:30 a.m. in council chambers at the region’s offices on White Point Road.
Druzina said it’s important for residents to have their say at the hearing.
“The board members, like at a council meeting, need to know the perspective of the community impacted.”
Anybody can speak at the hearing, but you must notify the board by Fri., Nov. 14, by email at board@novascotia.ca, by phone at 902-424-1333 or 1-844-809-0010. You can also send written comments to the board by email or by sending a letter to the Clerk of the Board at P.O. Box 1692, Unit “M”, Halifax, NS B3J 3S3 by Nov. 14.
The region says it needs to raise rates by more than 100 per cent to deal with an $800,000 deficit.
The utility has operated at a loss for five consecutive years, since 2020. It’s also been struggling to keep a lid on significant leaks in the system, losing up to 69 per cent of its water each year through faulty water mains and other unrepaired damage. In a 2024 study commissioned by the region, consultants said that leakage rate placed it in the “worst” category compared to other utilities.
“The people of Queens County face a choice made by others: pay dramatically more for a service that wastes two-thirds of its water or fight for regulatory protection,” the health board wrote in its submission.
“The (regulatory) board has both the authority and the obligation to protect ratepayers from this injustice while ensuring utility viability. We recognize the challenges faced by small rural utilities. However, four years of declining performance despite board direction and significant spending demonstrates problems beyond normal operational difficulties. We are not asking the board to let the utility fail. We are asking the board to protect the people of Queens County from bearing the full cost of that failure.”
The community health board points to the utility buying used water meters from Halifax that were already past their prime, staffing shortages, improper oversight and the ongoing system leaks.
The health board wants the provincial regulator to approve a 15 to 20 per cent increase and impose mandatory targets to reduce system leaks: 10 per cent reductions a year by 2028, with a long-term reduction goal to the industry standard of 30 per cent.
In a letter to the regulatory board after the region’s revised rate request, Druzina says the lower proposed hike in the first year is better, but “without binding performance accountability measures, however, it does not address the operational failures that created this crisis or prevent recurrence.”
And she says the region’s recently approved $200 utility assistance rebate for those on low incomes is “insufficient and unsustainable”.
In a county with a 31.5 per cent child poverty rate and where more than 30 per cent of residents are over 65, Druzina says even with the rebate, people will struggle to cope with a 43 per cent immediate increase.
Recent decisions by the regulatory board have approved water rate increases of up to 17.8 per cent in Sherbrooke on Nova Scotia’s Eastern Shore and 7.2 per cent over two years for Halifax.
The Queens proposal “represents the largest rate increase request in documented Nova Scotia regulatory history”, Druzina writes.
In addition to an interim hike of no more than 15 to 20 per cent, the health board wants future increases tied to reducing the water wasted through leaks in the system. It also wants the provincial regulator to order an independent system audit and quarterly public reporting, and to require a performance-based rate plan with accountability measures.
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.
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.”
The Region of Queens is asking for hefty water rate hikes. (Rick Conrad)
Some municipal water customers in Liverpool and Brooklyn will get a break on their bills.
Region of Queens councillors recently approved the utility assistance rebate for those on low incomes.
Council created the rebate program because the 1,200 customers of the municipal water supply are expected to see a huge increase.
The Region of Queens Water Utility is asking provincial regulators for a 106 per cent increase to water bills. That’s to address an $800,000 deficit.
Under the rebate program, the region will give up to a $200 credit on the applicant’s utility account.
That is expected to cover just over half (58 per cent) of the expected $342 annual increase in people’s water bills. If someone gets the full rebate, they would still be paying about 50 per cent more than they do now, or about $472 annually.
Mayor Scott Christian said he was impressed with council, given that they’re asking customers for such a hefty increase.
“And so I’m proud, I’m proud of this piece of work, and I thank the staff for your efforts in helping us with our vision to get to a place where we can feel good about the fact that these water rates are going to impact a lot of our residents.”
If the Nova Scotia Regulatory and Appeals Board grants the region’s request, most people’s annual bills will rise to $672.
The provincial regulator will hold a public hearing at council chambers on Wed., Nov. 19 at 10:30 a.m. Residents can speak at the hearing, but they must notify the board by Nov. 14. Written comments can be sent by email to board@novascotia.ca or by sending a letter to the Clerk of the Board at P.O. Box 1692, Unit “M”, Halifax, NS B3J 3S3 by Nov. 14.
Councillors approved $15,000 in this year’s budget to pay for the rebate. If more money is needed for the program, staff will return to council to approve the extra spending.
The rebate took effect last Tuesday, after council’s vote. The region will publicize the rebate and tell people how to apply for it.
It is open to all water utility customers with an annual household income of $35,000 or less.
More information on the region’s water rate application can be found here by searching for Matter Number M12363.
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.”
“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.”
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.
Velta Vikmanis is the new executive director of Liverpool’s Astor Theatre. (Rick Conrad)
Liverpool’s Astor Theatre has a new executive director.
Velta Vikmanis took over the job on Oct. 1, part of a new management team at the historic theatre.
“As a practising artist myself, I know the significance and the importance of the Astor,” she said in an interview Thursday.
“It carries a tremendous history in the community. And having had a show here myself, and then having the pleasure of stepping onto the board earlier this year, it just seemed like my skill sets from health-care administration and operations experience really lends itself to what the Astor needs in this moment. And so I was happy to step up and just say, ‘Yeah, I’m willing to give it a go.’”
Lori Smyth, who had been the Astor’s box office manager, will take on a new role as theatre manager.
Joe Lyndon will look after the theatre’s technical needs, including light and sound for shows.
Vikmanis moved to Liverpool with her husband in 2021 and has been actively involved in the community since. She is a volunteer and former board member at QCCR, and a volunteer at Queens Manor. Before she took the job as the Astor’s executive director, she was a member of the Astor Theatre Society board.
“Right now, we have a great synergy between the board and the staff here at the Astor, and we’re really hoping to capitalize on that momentum as we move forward, so that we can just continue building and moving the Astor forward into the next decades.”
Katy Hopkins had been the theatre’s manager of operations for many years until she resigned in September.
In a news release announcing Vikmanis’s appointment, chairman Eric Goulden thanked Hopkins for her “dedication and support for the Astor”.
“My first main priority,” Vikmanis says, “is to continue with all of the variety of programming that Katie Hopkins, the previous general manager, had put into place and making sure that all of those artists are honoured, their contracts are honoured and that patrons can continue to come into the theatre uninterrupted.”
Vikmanis said she wants to continue the entertainment mix that the Astor has been offering, from popular tribute band shows to movies to live theatre. And she wants to continue to welcome community groups to use the Astor space, and expand on some of the things happening there now.
She said she wants to explore showing a livestream on the theatre’s big screen of some performances from New York’s Metropolitan Opera.
And she’d like to give new artists more opportunities to exhibit at the Astor.
“I really do feel like I have put my best foot forward in the community. Ever since I arrived here, I’m really committed to being a resource and a support within our community. So the relationships that I’ve already established throughout the community, I hope will help and support all that’s going on within the theatre and just further enhance that momentum that we seem to have going right now.”
Goulden also announced on the news release that Easton Goodwin, who has appeared in various Astor productions, has been hired as a theatre staff member.
The Astor is close to launching its new website. And it’s been working with the Region of Queens, which owns the building, to improve the building’s accessibility.
Dave White, president of the Queens County ATV Association, at a July public information session on road trails. (Rick Conrad / File)
ATV users will soon be able to travel more easily through Queens County.
Regional councillors voted unanimously on Tuesday evening to create a bylaw that would allow the vehicles on some municipal roads.
The bylaw will designate five routes around Liverpool that riders can use to access services or other trails.
Dave White, president of the Queens County ATV Association, and about 30 supporters were at the council meeting for the vote.
“We’re really excited with the decision of council tonight to move forward to the bylaw phase with all five road trails in the Region of Queens Municipality, specifically in the former township, to create trail-to-trail and trail-to-amenities connections,” White said in an interview afterward.
“And I think this is going to be a really positive thing for our community so we’re very excited.”
It’s been about two 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.
The region formed an ad hoc committee with local ATV organizations. The groups consulted with property owners, held public engagement sessions and asked for feedback in an online survey.
The response was overwhelmingly positive. About 180 people attended an information session at the Liverpool Fire Hall in July. Nobody voted against any of the five proposed routes. (Note: The routes are explained in detail at the end of this story.)
The online survey garnered between 74 and 84 per cent support for each route.
Those 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 Queens Place Drive.
In a staff report to council, project officer Richard Lane said comments from residents were mostly positive, but some were confused about the rules, while others worried about how those rules would be enforced.
The region’s traffic authority, Director of Infrastructure Adam Grant, said increased traffic from ATVs may contribute to driver confusion in some areas, like the intersection of Bristol Avenue and Milton Road.
He said he wanted to ensure that public safety remains the priority as the region moves ahead with a bylaw.
The region also consulted five other municipalities with road trail networks – the towns of Oxford, Pictou, Shelburne and Yarmouth and the city of Corner Brook, NL.
The municipality asked Queens District RCMP for their feedback but didn’t get a response.
Mayor Scott Christian said Queens will likely use municipal bylaws in other jurisdictions as their guide.
“We’re going to take all those lessons and try to … do it right the first time and just make it really clear and easy for the users about how they can navigate the road trails through the town of Liverpool, where they can go, where they can’t go, how they can safely operate their vehicles in town. I’m really excited about it.”
As with any new bylaw, the region must notify the public and give them an opportunity to comment at a public hearing. Christian said it shouldn’t take long to draft it.
White says road trail bylaws in other places are usually brief, since a lot of the regulations are already in provincial legislation.
He says that after lobbying two separate councils for the past two years, he’s happy that ATV users will soon get a greenlight to ride on certain roads.
“There are lots of things going on in a muncipality at any given time and while this took a little longer than we had hoped, we’re very happy with the outcome.”
FIVE PROPOSED ROAD TRAIL ROUTES IN LIVERPOOL (Source: Region of Queens staff report from Richard Lane, presented at Oct. 28 council meeting)
Route #1
From the rail trail as it enters Liverpool from the Shelburne direction and emerges from the walking trail behind the municipal office at 249 White Point Road, the road trail would allow a right turn onto West Street and left onto Harley Umphrey Drive. The road trail would then cross Hwy 3 and join the Trestle Trail, the road trail would also continue along George Street and end at the intersection with Old Port Mouton Road.
Route #2
Diverging from the Trestle Trail, the road trail would turn right onto King Street, left onto Lawrence Street, and right onto Wolfe Street until rejoining the Trestle Trail at Central Boulevard. The purpose of this road trail would be to avoid travel through a residential backyard and a section with poor sight lines and steep gradient.
Route #3
From the Trestle Trail as it crosses Main Street, the road trail would allow a left turn as far as the end of municipal street jurisdiction at Mersey Place Court. This would allow access to the Cowie Well and prepare for connection to the Trestle Trail from outside town limits via Milton, should an application be submitted to the Province of Nova Scotia for access in the future.
Route #4
From the Trestle Trail, the road trail would allow a right turn onto Brunswick Street, slight left on Main Street and right onto Henry Hensey Drive as far as the Visitor Information Centre. No access to Market Street, Bristol Avenue, or Main Street would be available. This road trail would enable access to parking, shops, and services including the Visitor Information Centre.
Route #5
Following the Trestle Trail until a left turn onto an access road at 31 Milton Road, the proposed road trail joins Milton Road with a right turn to the traffic light. From the traffic lights, the route allows a right turn onto Bristol Avenue, and a left turn onto Hank Snow Drive – no further travel on Bristol Avenue would be permitted. The route also enables riders to go straight through the traffic light, or to turn left and then left again onto Queens Place Drive. The inclusion of Old Cobbs Barn Road enables future road trail designation of a section of Hwy 3 toward Brooklyn, should an application be submitted to the Province of Nova Scotia in the future. This route would enable access to multiple shops, gas stations, accommodation, and amenities such as the Hank Snow Hometown Museum and Queens Place Emera Centre.
Region of Queens councillors have voted to move ahead with changes at the three-way stop at Main and Market streets in Liverpool. (Rick Conrad)
The Region of Queens is going ahead with changes to the three-way stop in downtown Liverpool to address safety concerns from pedestrians and motorists.
Those are: removing the separate westbound or right-turning lane on Main Street in front of the post office and adding a curb extension to shorten the crosswalk distance; adding tactile walking surface indicators to warn visually impaired pedestrians they’re entering or leaving a crosswalk; and removing or changing some of the parking near the intersection.
Mayor Scott Christian said after the meeting that council wants Director of Infrastructure Adam Grant to come back with a plan.
Christian said he’s eager to see what could happen with the parking spaces. The region’s traffic study found that some collisions and near-collisions were caused by people entering or leaving the angled spots outside the post office.
“I’ll be interested to see what staff come up with in consultation with some experts to figure out what some other options for reconfiguration could look like there.”
CBCL representatives told councillors in July that the intersection can handle current and future traffic volumes without installing traffic lights.
The busy intersection has caused safety concerns for years. Council has returned to the issue repeatedly in the past without settling on a solution.
CBCL had asked staff whether the region wanted the study done during warmer weather in the spring when traffic activity would be higher. The region’s response was that the consultants should use their best judgement.
Deputy Mayor Maddie Charlton asked Grant whether the recommendation against traffic lights would have been different if the consultants had come later in the year. Grant said their conclusion about lights would have been the same.
“I think it was a valid point to be raised,” Christian said, “but I’m satisfied that our director of infrastructure felt that the methodology was appropriate.”
Christian said he’s not sure when council will see a plan for the changes at Main and Market streets. But it would have to be accounted for in next year’s budget before the work could begin.
Cubicles at Global Empire Corporation’s call centre in Liverpool. File photo: Ed Halverson
Sixty-nine people who used to work for Global Empire Corporation at its Liverpool call centre still haven’t been paid severance after being laid off last March.
After a 14-month investigation, the province ruled in May that the company failed to give proper notice of the layoff under Nova Scotia’s Labour Standards Code and that the non-unionized workers were entitled to just over five weeks of severance.
It closed its operation in Liverpool shortly after the May 1 ruling.
Debra Lalonde was one of those who lost her job. An official with the Department of Labour, Skills and Immigration told her recently that they were unable to collect the severance because Global Empire has no funds or assets in Nova Scotia.
“Come on. Really?” Lalonde says. “How about start protecting employee rights in Nova Scotia so that people living paycheque to paycheque feel protected by the government whose duty is to protect the non-unionized workers that are at risk for abuse from a predatory employer?”
The company says its head office is in Edmonton, so the department asked the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia to register the ruling as a judgment of the court.
They then sent that judgement to officials in Alberta to enforce the order on Nova Scotia’s behalf.
Company owner Moe Nashman, however, claims that the company’s assets are in Phoenix, Arizona. So Labour officials say that there are no funds or assets in Nova Scotia or Alberta to collect on.
“No government wants to take accountability when they can’t honour their own legislation, and that’s unfortunate,” Lalonde said.
Lalonde says she and other former employees feel abandoned by the province and the Region of Queens.
Liverpool was the company’s only Canadian location, employing as many as 120 people. It signed a five-year lease with the Region of Queens in December 2021 to move into the municipally owned Business Development Centre.
A Facebook post from the Region of Queens celebrating its lease with Global Empire Corporation.
In late May of this year, a few weeks after the labour board ruling, the municipality hired Global Empire’s former human resources manager.
After Lalonde told two NDP MLAs about the issue at this year’s Labour Day event in Liverpool, Labour critic Paul Wozney raised it in the Nova Scotia legislature with Labour, Skills and Immigration Minister Nolan Young.
“Recent labour board cases involving workers at Global Empire Corporation … show that our Labour Standards Code is outdated and makes it hard for workers to collect wages they’ve rightfully earned,” he said. “If this government is acting quickly to help businesses, why is it ignoring workers unprotected from predatory employers?”
Young responded: “Well, I can’t speak about specifics here on the floor for any specific case, we are working hard. We are. Look, we are working hard for workers. We are out there. We are doing things. Um, yeah, leave it there.”
Wozney replied: “I guess governmenting is hard. The fact is, our current legislation means workers are getting robbed. Despite the labour board ruling in their favour, dozens of people are out thousands of dollars in wages, due to legislation that’s been unchanged for five years under this government’s watch. … Workers need protection from wage theft, and their calls have gone ignored. When will this government update one of the weakest Labour Standards Code in the country to ensure workers actually get paid for the work that they’ve done?”
Lalonde says she’s disappointed that Queens MLA Kim Masland didn’t advocate harder for the employees.
“I have reached out to Minister Masland asking what are our next steps? You know, the government failed in protecting our rights. I haven’t heard back from Minister Masland if there are any any further steps to be taken for the 69 of us to be compensated.”
Masland told QCCR recently that she is “certainly concerned for those employees.”
“Those were earnings and they should be paid. My understanding is that this numbered company which is in a foreign land has gone bankrupt. So I’m not really sure how that is going to be retrieved, but do they deserve to be paid? Absolutely. And the company should have stepped up and paid those employees. But they left in the middle of the night.”
She said the government’s hands are tied.
“You can’t expect the province to pay out every business that goes bankrupt and doesn’t pay its employees. That was a private business, it’s not a government entity, there were no government funds that went into that project, so the business has to step up and find the ability to pay.
“My heart breaks for those folks. … We encourage growth, we encourage business to come to our communities. Sadly a government can’t tell a private business how to run their business.”
Lalonde said Masland’s comments are “typical and disappointing.”
“Actually that’s the first I have heard from her. … I think it’s right on par with the government’s lack of accountability for workers’ rights protection.”
She says that former employees are resigned to never being paid. Most workers were making little more than minimum wage, so they can’t afford to hire a lawyer.
Lalonde says she’s owed about $2,800. She’s contacted Nova Scotia’s ombudsman’s office to see if they can help. But she says the workers have little recourse.
“My next job is just to make sure that I don’t let this go without it being noted that our government did not protect our workers’ rights and unfortunately do not want to take any accountability.”
QCCR hosted a session on Thursdy to generate ideas for events on the Liverpool waterfront and elsewhere. (Rick Conrad)
A food truck festival, a chili cookoff and Movies on the Mersey were among the dozens of ideas for Liverpool’s Privateer Park tossed around Wednesday evening at Queens Place Emera Centre.
QCCR hosted a community meeting to generate ideas for more events on the Liverpool waterfront and elsewhere in Queens County.
Station manager Norm Amirault said he wanted to hold the session after seeing some comments on Facebook about people wanting more to do in Privateer Park.
“And honestly, I’d felt that way myself,” he said in an interview. “You have this beautiful park, and you wonder why there aren’t more activities going on there. I always thought if you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem. … And based on the feedback tonight, there’s a ton of good ideas out there that people really do want to see more activities there.”
About 20 people discussed ideas for a more vibrant waterfront, like holding more seasonal festivals similar to last March’s Light Up Queens Winter Night Festival, more events targeted toward youth, encouraging more performing arts besides music in the park. And there was even talk of a Beatles festival.
Min Smale is the secretary-treasurer of the South Queens Chamber of Commerce. She’s also the chair of the Privateer Days committee, which holds the popular annual festival in the park every June.
She was impressed with people’s ideas.
“I think they’re fantastic, and I think it’s really going to revitalize both the waterfront or Privateer Park as well as some of the smaller, lesser-known venues across Queens.
“I think it was great to see the younger folks come in here and enjoy the conversation. They need to be involved in the music and the entertainment scene here.”
One of those young people was Easton Goodwin. He and some of his high school bandmates were at the event.
“I’m glad I came out tonight. Usually, not a lot of people like me come out to this kind of thing. And it’s such a great opportunity, you know? There’s a lot of voices in Queens County that really need to be heard.”
“We definitely do have some highlights, such as the Astor Theatre, a lot to explore there, but also, you know, a group of teens want to hang out Friday night, where do they go? So, some spots for people to just explore, hang out with friends, and more opportunities for the youth.”
A couple of roadblocks exist in turning the ideas into reality — finding enough funding and volunteers.
Deputy Mayor Maddie Charlton told the group that while the municipality can’t fund everything, there could be some money available for certain events.
Amirault said he’ll collect the ideas into some common themes, and then approach some local groups like the chamber to try to get things going.
“Maybe as we talked about bite sized pieces, partnerships, and focus on a few things and do them well. Maybe that’s a reasonable first step.”
La Fecundidad by Salvador Dali will hang in Gallery 244 in Brooklyn on Saturday as part of the Queens Coast Art Tour. Photo courtesy of Sue and Chres Jensen
It’s the third year for the Queens Coast Art Tour and studio rally, but it will be the first year that people will be able to see a piece by Salvador Dali at one of the galleries.
Gallery 244 owners Sue and Chres Jensen bought a signed Dali in September and they plan to display it at their gallery in Brooklyn starting Saturday to coincide with the art tour.
Called La Fecundidad or Fertility, it’s a sterling silver relief from 1977. It’s signed by the Spanish surrealist, weighs just 249 grams, and measures 18 by 24 centimetres.
It was part of a limited run created for American Express as a promotional item for some cardholders.
The couple are in Toronto for six months while Chres awaits surgery. They told QCCR this week that they bought it from their friend Doug Peterson in Burlington, Ont., who has owned it since the ‘70s.
They thought it would be a great way to help promote the art tour and Queens County artists.
“We knew we weren’t going to be there for the art tour and we wanted to send something back to Nova Scotia that would align our artists with a master,” Sue says. “I’m hoping that people come to see it and enjoy the work.”
“It’s kind of a draw like a bit of a fish hook so that people will see a piece by a well-known artist, and that will maybe introduce them to some of the local artists there,” Chres says.
“So that will create some curiosity and some buzz and that’s what we’re hoping to do and hopefully give the art scene in Liverpool and Brooklyn a boost.”
Sue says the piece will be hung differently than other artwork in the gallery. She says they’re not concerned about security.
“It’s gonna be hung in a little different way on the wall, but no, we know where we live and we want people to enjoy seeing it.”
After the art tour, she says they’ll store it in a secure place until next spring when they reopen the gallery.
The back of a piece by Salvador Dali bought by Sue and Chres Jensen of Gallery 244 in Brooklyn. Photo: Sue Jensen
Gallery 244 features work by Chres and other local artists.
He says the Dali, which he estimates is worth around $5,000, will help add to the eclectic nature of their space.
“Our gallery is kind of diverse but we are more contemporary. We have abstract artists and cubist artists. I guess I’d put myself in that category. We try to offer something different to the public. Some people want to have something a little different and more striking in their personal collection of art.”
Sue says their friends have been looking after the gallery for them while they’re in Toronto.
“It’s exciting to give back to the community. The artists and musicians have been watching the gallery for us and working, so it’s just something to send back to them to say thank you.”
The Queens Coast Art Tour is on Saturday, Oct. 18, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. In addition to the Salvador Dali piece and other work at Gallery 244 in Brooklyn, the tour features artisans at work all over Queens County. You can meet artists in their own workshops or at three public sites – The Astor Theatre, Coastal Queens Place or White Point Beach Resort.
Region of Queens councillors on Tuesday voted on a revised plan to develop 194 Main St. in Liverpool. (Rick Conrad)
Region of Queens council have changed course to allow a developer to build apartments on Main Street in Liverpool after all.
At their regular meeting on Tuesday morning, councillors voted unanimously to start the process to amend the municipality’s land use bylaw.
A public hearing will be held on Nov. 12 at 9 a.m. in council chambers about changing the bylaw to allow more ground floor space to be used for residential uses in the downtown commercial zone.
Currently, no more than half of a building’s ground floor can be used for apartments.
Developer Eric Fry approached the region in February to change that rule to allow him to turn all of 194 Main St., commonly known as the old Stedman’s building, into apartments. His original plan was for 16 units, with indoor parking and storage.
In July, councillors rejected changing the bylaw. Fry immediately listed the property for sale.
He returned to the region’s planning advisory committee in August with a new plan that would include two commercial units on the ground floor of the 30,000-square-foot building, in addition to 14 apartments.
His latest proposal is for 18 residential units, four of which would be “hotel suites”, and two Main Street-level commercial units of 300 square feet each. One of those would be a laundromat.
“So given the significant size of the building at 194 Main St., 50 per cent of the ground floor area of the building creates some challenges for the owners of the building,” Director of Land Use Mike MacLeod told councillors.
MacLeod reminded councillors that if the bylaw is changed, it would apply to all property owners in the downtown commercial zone.
“Any proposed amendments would apply not only to the applicant’s property, but would apply to all other owners of property of commercial buildings who want to convert more than 50 per cent of the ground floor area to residential uses.”
Planning advisory committee members originally discussed recommending a minimum depth of 6 metres for commercial space on the ground floor, but settled on 3.66 metres or 12 feet and a minimum floor area of 27.88 square metres or 300 square feet.
The other changes proposed would require that commercial uses extend along the full width of the building facade from its main entrance.
Deputy Mayor Maddie Charlton, who is a member of the committee, said PAC members believe the bylaw needs to be more flexible for property owners in the commercial zone.
“There are buildings of significant sizes that make it really challenging to allow for more residential while protecting the commercial area. And so what this does is it protects the Main Street and surrounding streets in those commercial zones or commercial core zones anywhere.
“We do recognize that there are folks beyond this proposal that have an appetite to decrease the size of commercial space. They could put in more residential space, which we feel like is a win-win.”
Under the proposed amendments, the commercial units could not be used as office space by the building owner or manager.
Mayor Scott Christian said after the meeting that the changes would be good for downtown Liverpool.
“We’re hoping to see that generate more investment, because right now we all know that there’s a lot of vacancy and underutilized spaces in the downtown core and there’s also a lot of space that could be repurposed for residential units, which we know there’s a huge demand for. So we’re hoping that we’ve struck a good balance there.”
Christian said the municipality looked at rules in other areas for guidance on the changes. He pointed to Halifax, which encourages businesses to set up as boutique shops in some buildings.
“Like a fishmonger or a small deli or an ice cream shop or a candy shop or small sort of micro retail models,” he said in an interview. “If property owners take advantage of the opportunity to create really small spaces, that micro retail model, which I think could be attractive to our residents and our visitors.”
Christian said he understands if some people might believe the process has been tailored to suit one developer. But he says it’s an issue the community had to tackle.
“That was certainly the impetus or the catalyst to have the conversation, but I’m quite excited about where we’re going to land. I think that if the amendment goes through, I think it’s a step in the right direction, in getting more flexible in the way that folks can use those buildings in the downtown core to make it more vibrant, breathe more life, bring more people into the downtown core.”
In a survey conducted by Halifax consultants UPLAND Planning in July, 18 of 30 respondents said they were fully or somewhat supportive of changing the bylaw.
But 90 per cent of the business owners who responded were against a bylaw change. They said they were concerned about eroding the commercial area.
Liverpool residents Jillian Young, Susan Inglis and Rebecca Delaney are the newest inductees on the Olympic Wall at Queens Place Emera Centre. (Rick Conrad)
Three Queens county residents who have made their marks on the world stage were honoured at Queens Place Emera Centre on Thursday.
Liverpool athletes Jillian Young and Rebecca Delaney and coach Susan Inglis were added to the Region of Queens Olympic Wall, in front of a full house in the foyer of Queens Place.
Inglis, who is Delaney’s mother, was also in Italy as one of Team Canada’s coaches.
Mayor Scott Christian said the community is proud of the athletes and coaches from Queens County who have represented Canada at the Olympics, Paralympics and Special Olympics. After Thursday’s ceremony, 12 banners now hang on the Olympic Wall at Queens Place.
“I think that this is a great initiative having the Olympic Wall here. I don’t know what we’re going to do because we’re running out of room, but no, I think I think it’s really fantastic that we have a way of honouring folks for their achievements. We’re happy to celebrate any athlete from Queens County who can climb that mountain and manage to get to an Olympic Games. And so that’s what this is all about.”
Inglis said having her banner sharing space with fellow inductee Sarah Mitton is “a dream come true”.
“I really wasn’t that much of an athlete myself growing up, so I could never have dreamed that I would be on the Olympic wall of anything, let alone, you know, here locally. It’s such a privilege. Special Olympics is an amazing organization, and I am very, I’ use the word again, privilege to be a part of it, and to have guided my athletes to get to where they are today.”
Inglis has coached the five Special Olympians who are now inductees. And she said it’s important for all athletes to be recognized for their achievements in world competitions.
“When you look at the talent that comes out of this small town, you know, people think, oh, you’re from a little small town, you’re not going to get anywhere, but, you know, you look at Sarah, you look at Jenna Martin, all the other people that are on the wall, the special Olympians. And I don’t know that it really hit home to me until I went to Italy and I saw the talent on the world stage and saw how our athletes could measure up to that world talent.”
Delaney, who has numerous medals at national and international competitions, said it’s exciting to be among her heroes like Sarah Mitton and to be inducted alongside her mom.
“I love it because we have a good bond together. I would have never expected to be on the wall, but here I am, at Queens Place.
“Me and Jill are very good teammates and I’m glad she got to do it with me. It was a good experience.”
Young said she was “happy and excited” to be recognized for her achievements, though she joked that she didn’t like the food in Italy and was eager to get home to her parents after the games were over.
Kristopher Snarby, Region of Queens Mayor Scott Christian, Queens MLA Kim Masland, Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston and Olympian Sarah Mitton were among those at the official opening of the Steele Athletic Grounds in Liverpool on Wednesday. (Rick Conrad)
The South Shore’s first turf field and rubberized track officially opened in Liverpool on Wednesday with a new name and lots of community enthusiasm.
The $3.5-million facility at Liverpool Regional High School will be called the Steele Athletic Grounds after a $100,000 donation from Steele Auto Group.
Hundreds of people including Olympian Sarah Mitton, Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston, Queens MLA Kim Masland and Region of Queens Mayor Scott Christian turned out for the ribbon cutting.
The Queens County Track Society spearheaded the project that began in 2018.
“It will be a place where both youth and adults can train and dream, where teams can compete and where a community can come together to celebrate with sport and achievement,” president Kristopher Snarby told the hundreds of students and others gathered for the event.
“Today’s grand opening is more than just a ribbon cutting, it’s the start of a new chapter for recreation, health and community pride in Queens County and across the South Shore.”
Snarby thanked the many people and organizations in the community that made the track and field a reality. The federal government contributed $1.8 million, the province gave $1.2 million and the Region of Queens granted $250,000, with local donors and sponsors chipping in another $250,000.
Snarby said after the event that thanks to the 10-year agreement with Steele Auto Group, the society has about $1,000 left over to put toward future improvements like seating and security cameras.
“Most people are bringing their own chairs, but we would like to have some seating, that’s probably the next thing. The other thing are security cameras, that’s probably the top priority. We need to get security cameras up and we’re putting things in place to get that done.”
In addition to the all-weather track and soccer field, the fully lighted facility also features an area for the long and triple jumps. A new shot put circle and area have also been installed next to the high school. The complex is open to everybody in the community.
“It’s getting a lot of use, the soccer kids are loving the field,” Snarby said. “Track doesn’t start until the spring, so the track hasn’t had like a lot of training but the cross-country team does use it to train as well and just the general public using it for walking and … to have some recreation.”
Masland said she was overwhelmed to see the facility completed and open.
“To actually stand on this field today, to see the kids out there really enjoying it, just an amazing day for me,” she said in an interview. “It’s been something that’s been very close to my heart since becoming elected in 2017. Glad I could be part of the project and work with such amazing dedicated folks with the society. This is a game changer for our athletes, for our community and for our students.”
Mitton is a champion shot putter who was a high school student in Liverpool more than 10 years ago. She said the state-of-the-art facility will help young athletes excel.
Before it opened, local track and field athletes had to leave the community to train or use the bus loop around the school.
“This is such an incredible thing for the kids that go to school in this area,” Mitton told QCCR.
“Anyone in the community can use this, whether it’s for just a healthy active lifestyle, a project like this can really change the lives of many people in the community. … I learned a lot not having a facility like this, but I think like this would have eliminated a lot of barriers for me. I drove to and from Bridgewater three or four times a week as a kid once I started joining a club and to have something like this here I think would have been a lot easier and maybe my progress could have been a little bit faster.
“But to have something like this, if you’re interested in throwing shot put, you can just come up and do it whenever you want like in the evenings, it just opens the door for kids to have the same opportunities other athletes and kids have in other communities on the South Shore and around Nova Scotia.”
The facility is operated by the Queens County Track Society and maintained by the South Shore Regional Centre for Education.
The society is selling annual memberships of $25 which entitle people to use the track whenever it’s available. More information can be found on the Liverpool community track and field Facebook page.
Hundreds showed up at the Hank Snow Museum community park on Tuesday in Liverpool for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. (Rick Conrad)
Hundreds turned out to the Hank Snow Museum Community Park in Liverpool on Tuesday to mark the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
Survivors of residential schools and their families shared their stories in the morning. In the afternoon, organizers held a mawio’mi, or pow wow, that highlighted Indigenous dancing, drum singing and traditional crafts.
This was the fifth annual event in Liverpool to honour the victims and survivors of residential schools, as well as their families and communities.
The National Indian Residential School Crisis Line is available 24 hours at 1-866-925-4419. It provides support, including emotional and crisis referral, for former residential school students.
Here are some of the stories and sounds from the event in Liverpool.
Michelle Roy organized the event to mark the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in Liverpool. (Rick Conrad)
The Region of Queens administration building. (Rick Conrad)
The Region of Queens has hired a deputy chief administrative officer.
Patrick Hirtle will start the job on Oct. 20. He’s currently the manager of community attraction and communications with the Town of Bridgewater.
“I’m thrilled that Patrick will be joining our team as deputy CAO. Patrick brings a unique perspective to this role – he has more than 10 years’ experience in municipal government, and has been a councillor in Town of Bridgewater several years ago,” Willa Thorpe, the region’s CAO, said in a news release.
“When we interviewed Patrick, we were very impressed with his extensive experience in municipal and private sector communications, strong skills and training in emergency management, and strength and proficiency leading a cohesive staff team.”
The deputy CAO new position was created this past year. Hirtle will assist Thorpe with projects and administration and he’ll oversee staff in administration, community economic development, communications, information technology, protective services, and policy and bylaw development.
According to his LinkedIn profile, Hirtle has worked for Bridgewater for almost 11 years. He is also the former communications co-ordinator at Covey Island Boatworks. He served one term as a Bridgewater town councillor. Before that, he worked as a journalist for Lighthouse Publishing, which used to print the Bridgewater Bulletin and Lunenburg Progress Enterprise.
He was born in Bridgewater and raised in Mahone Bay, according to the region’s news release.
“I’m both honoured and excited to have been selected as the Region of Queens’ new deputy CAO,” Hirtle said in the release.
“There are a lot of great things happening here in Queens, and I can’t wait to get to work with the team.”
The annual salary range for the deputy CAO position is $113,339 to $149,885.
Annette Burke is the director of Sadie Flynn Comes to Big Oak, debuting at the Astor Theatre in November. (Rick Conrad)
Some new and familiar faces will be back on the Astor Theatre stage in November when the Winds of Change Dramatic Society presents Sadie Flynn Comes to Big Oak.
Rehearsals began earlier this month in Liverpool with the five-member cast.
Annette Burke is directing, her first time guiding actors since the 2021 comedy Tom, Dick and Harry.
“I enjoy directing, and I do enjoy working with a small cast because it makes it easier to schedule things,” Burke told QCCR in an interview.
“It’s been a treat to work with this crew. I think we’ve put together a really solid team with lots of experience. … We’ve got some very creative and artistic people involved.”
The two-act farce from Canadian playwright Norm Foster centres around what happens when a woman with a colourful past steps off the bus and into smalltown life.
“I don’t want to give too much away but … it takes place in a small community where everybody knows everybody’s business or they think they do, and Sadie arrives, she gets off the bus just by chance, walks into the cafe and things get very interesting very quickly,” Burke says.
“It’s very funny and there’s a lot of humour that comes from just different innuendos and things like that so I think the audience is really going to enjoy it.”
Ashley-Rose Goodwin stars as Sadie Flynn, with Cynthia Walker as Rachel Blessington and Nicole Whynot as Bev Dupuis. Al Steele as Tom Shaw and Joseph Lyndon as Orson Hubble round out the cast. At least 14 other volunteers make up the show’s crew.
It will be a return to acting for Goodwin, who was last seen on the Astor stage in 2013’s Les Miserables. She has founded her own popular Mersey Rose Theatre Company in Liverpool, directing and producing youth in their own productions. She also directed the 2024 musical Follies at the Astor.
“I’m so excited that she agreed to audition,” Burke says. “I think she’s very much enjoying the experience. Sometimes when we don’t do something we love for a long time we forget how much we love it. And she’s very talented. … It’s been fun and I think I can speak for her and say that she’s been enjoying it a great deal.”
Burke says rehearsals of up to 14 hours a week at South Queens Middle School are going well, with the cast almost off-book through Act 1.
“I think one of the biggest challenges with a show like this is the dialogue. There is a lot of dislogue and a lot of the exchanges are short and quick, so that to me is the challenge to make sure things are being said properly, important things aren’t being left out. The chemistry with the five of them is really great, so it makes it easier.”
She says it helps that all five actors have stage experience.
“Some people are just natural performers. I know the five of them have spent quite a bit of time over the summer delving into who their characters are. It’s been very exciting to see these characters develop and we’re not even halfway there.”
Burke is also president of Winds of Change. She says the community theatre troupe was looking for a show to get them back in front of an audience. And this one, with this cast and crew, seemed like a good fit.
“The support for Winds of Change for over 50 years has been incredible in this community. I can guarantee our Winds of Change fans that they will not be disappointed in this show and the people that get involved, it’s just all volunteer time. They’re showing up, everybody’s contributing, everybody’s pitching in, so this is what community theatre is meant to be. ”
Sadie Flynn Comes to Big Oak runs at the Astor Theatre Nov. 14, 15 and 16 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are on sale at the Astor box office or through Ticketpro.
Nicole Whynot, Cynthia Walker, Ashley-Rose Goodwin, Al Steele and Joseph Lyndon star in Sadie Flynn Comes to Big Oak at the Astor Theatre in November. (Winds of Change Dramatic Society)
CAST OF SADIE FLYNN COMES TO BIG OAK Ashley-Rose Goodwin – Sadie Flynn
Al Steele – Tom Shaw
Joseph Lyndon – Orson Hubble
Cynthia Walker – Rachel Blessington
Nicole Whynot – Bev Dupuis
CREW
Director – Annette Burke
Assistant director – Jackie Leonard
Producer – Sue Beaumont-Rudderham
Costumes – Crystal Doggett and Kylie Doggett
Set design – Craig Doggett and Alex Doggett
Stage managing/props – Sheree Chandler, Jane Mullen, Sue Higgins and Jane Stevenson
Lighting/sound – Kevin Colwell
Posters/graphic design – Greg Tutty
Cast photography – Brenda Deveau
Videography – Dan Williams
The emergency department at Queens General Hospital in Liverpool will close early on Friday. (Communications Nova Scotia)
The emergency department at Queens General Hospital in Liverpool will be closed on Friday at 5 a.m. and reopen on Monday at 8 a.m.
The ER at Queens General is usually open 24 hours daily from 8 a.m. Monday to 1:30 p.m. Friday and closed on Saturday and Sunday.
Nova Scotia’s Department of Health advises people experiencing a medical emergency to dial 911. The ER at South Shore Regional Hospital in Bridgewater will also be open.
Virtual urgent care is available for limited services at Queens General daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Patients of Queens Family Health can access the same-day access clinic for new, emerging health problems that require urgent treatment by calling 902-354-3322.
Steph Peaks is hosting a drag show at the Astor Theatre in Liverpool on Saturday. (Photo courtesy of Chase Hudson)
Liverpool’s Astor Theatre has welcomed a wide array of performers to its stage over its 120-year history, from Rita MacNeil to the Royal Shakespeare Company to Mr. Dressup.
But this coming Saturday, a different kind of artist will sashay onto the Astor stage.
Out of drag, Steph Peaks is Chase Hudson, a 27-year-old pastry chef in Halifax. Hudson says they plan to deliver a show like no other.
“I like to say expect the unexpected,” he said in a recent interview.
“We have 22 performances in the entire show. We have solos, we have duets, we have high-energy dance numbers, we have a couple of emotional slower ballads. We have a couple of live singers coming to the show.
“(A 19+ show) and a drag queen with a microphone? It can only go one way. I think going in with no expectations is probably the safest bet, but be prepared to leave wanting so much more.”
Hudson got his start in drag on Halloween four years ago. Living in his hometown of Annapolis Royal, he says doing drag was his way of coming out to friends and family.
“Instead of saying that I personally was gay, I decided drag was an easier pipeline to trickle that in. And then after that, I started doing solo shows in Annapolis,” he says. “I like to think that this was a shock to everybody around me. I’ve been told that not a single person has been surprised. … My mom wasn’t surprised, my grandparents weren’t surprised. I just sort of said, ‘OK, I’m gonna do a show.’
“My daycare teacher, she came to my first show, and she still says to this day that it makes the most sense to her because I would boss everybody around at daycare in the dressup closet and get everybody dressed up and choreograph numbers. Apparently, it’s been a long time coming.”
Hudson says he knows how lucky he is.
“Not everybody has their Mom coming to shows with shirts that say Mama Peaks on it. Doing this and having the reaction from family and friends and people I grew up with with open arms, it’s made it a lot more special than I ever thought it could have been.”
Those first shows to about a dozen people in his hometown quickly gained a larger following. And soon, Hudson as Steph Peaks was touring to Toronto, Ottawa, New Brunswick and P.E.I. Peaks has also played to thousands at Halifax Pride.
“Drag has gotten me out of my shell so much,” he says. “Chase isn’t the most confident person. And I know it sounds crazy because you think you put on a lot of makeup and a wig. Chase is still there, but there’s something about it for me that lets me escape the day-to-day stresses. It’s such an escape from being me that it makes me feel so me.”
Hudson says watching Drag Race, getting ideas online and “a lot of trial and error” helped him develop his character and her name, a play on what he does as a pastry chef, whipping cream to stiff peaks. He asked a friend in Calgary to help him with the name. They sent him six to eight bakery-themed options.
“When I was coming up with my character, I always said I didn’t want to be a carbon copy of somebody or something else.”
Steph Peaks will be hosting the show in Liverpool and performing, with seven other artists — Randi E. Rogenous, Brooke Rivers, Mike Hunt, Katanna Skin, Andrew Guinness, X and Halifax drag icon Elle Noir.
“Listen, listen, when you get a good show, you have to bring the top-tier performers down.”
While drag has become more mainstream in the past few years, it’s also come with some considerable backlash. When the Astor announced the show on Facebook, some comments were so bad that the theatre had to issue a statement confirming their support for the LGBTQ+ community, performers and audience.
“It’s scary because at the end of the day, the eight of us who are coming to do the show, we’re coming to do one thing only and that is to entertain and get a little attention for ourselves. And if that is threatening or makes some people uncomfortable, … the best thing I can say is if you don’t want to go, don’t buy a ticket.
“That night, there are going to be so many people in that theatre that are there to have fun and are there to show love, and support the queer community and support drag as an art form.”
And Hudson says there will be lots to love on the Astor stage on Saturday night, with lip-syncing and live-singing divas, and some real show stoppers. He’s had a preview of what awaits the audience, and he says he’s “gotten goosebumps, I have cried.
“There are some seriously emotional numbers that these people have dedicated to some important people in their lives. And then we have Mike, who is top-tier vocals – they could be on that stage the entire 22 performances and I would still enjoy the entire show. And then we have the chaos of Randi, chaos embodied in human form, and everybody else is bringing such different drag that I think no matter who’s on that stage, (the audience’s) eyes will be glued.
“I think people should look forward to a show that Liverpool has never seen yet. There are so many things cooking behind the scenes for this show that I think if you don’t come to the show, you’ll hear from a friend that it was otherworldly. There’s something about a drag show in a theatre setting where these artists can truly do whatever they want because they’re not limited to the venue size that make this show next level.”
The Steph Peaks and Friends Drag Show is at 7:30 p.m. on Sat., Sept. 27 at the Astor Theatre. Tickets are available through Ticketpro or at the Astor box office at 902-354-5250.
Summerville artist and retired diplomat Scot Slessor is in Arusha, Tanzania, working with a group of artisans to expand their markets. (Rick Conrad)
A Queens County artist is in Tanzania for the next two weeks, helping artisans there develop ways to get their products to more people.
Scott Slessor is a retired Canadian diplomat who lives in Summerville. He’s also the owner of SAS Glass, a stained glass studio in Liverpool. As a Canadian foreign affairs officer and consul general, he led strategic planning and training in places like India, Afghanistan and Thailand.
Since he retired, he’s done a couple of stints in places like Mongolia and Cambodia with Catalyste Plus, a Canadian NGO focused on economic development in Indigenous communities and emerging economies. This will be his first trip with Catalyste Plus working with artists in another country, as part of a project to improve economic and social well-being for women and girls.
“This one is very unlike the other stuff I’ve done,” he says.
“This is about arts and crafts. So this tacks onto a whole other part of my life. I’ve never been to Tanzania. I’ve never been to East Africa. This is all new, which is going to be really cool. … And so they wanted to, in this institute, look into, as part of their tourism program, working with craftspeople, with artisans, and sort of up their game a bit.”
He’ll be working with about 20 artists in Arusha, a city of more than 600,000, near Mount Kilimanjaro and the Serengeti. In an interview before he left for Tanzania, Slessor said he’ll be helping local artists develop ways to get their goods into the hands of more tourists and hikers.
“We’ll be talking about the market there. Who are they actually trying to sell to? Because I don’t think they’ve necessarily done a full assessment. And I have. The government of Tanzania has done some. So we have some starting points of the ages of people coming there, where they’re coming from, a lot from the U.S., Canada, Europe. … And these are people who are going to climb Kilimanjaro. These are guys who are going to have a carry-on (bag) with their hiking boots on. So how do you put something in their pocket? So we’re going to generate a whole whack of ideas. And then they’ll have to decide how they’re going to implement that.”
Slessor has been doing glass art for more than 25 years. And he’s lived in Queens County with his wife, also a retired diplomat, since 2022.
He’s one of the organizers of the Queens Coast Art Tour studio rally. He says he hopes to be able to connect some artists from his trip in Tanzania with Queens County artisans who have offered to be occasional mentors.
“You know, it’d be fun if a couple folks from here, even just an hour a month for three or four months, hook up with somebody in Tanzania just to talk about, ‘What are you making today?'”
Slessor says he hopes his two weeks with the artisans in Arusha can help set them up for success.
“If a couple of these people develop habits that help them design more appropriate stuff for the folks that are coming in, then I think that’s a real win. So I’m going to spend a bit of time with them on, who are these Westerners that are coming here with their money? And then how do you sort of represent your culture, the local techniques, and all of that in a way that satisfies you as an artisan, but also allows you to make a few bucks?”
Slessor says meeting new people and experiencing different cultures are part of why he enjoys taking on these projects.
“So for me, it’s a lot of fun. I mean, I’m going to get to meet 20 people, but then I get to see a new part of the world, which is really fun. Yeah, I think that’s a fair amount of win for me.”
Slessor says Catalyste Plus is always looking for people with experience in varied backgrounds, from marketing and finance to factory production and information technology. More information can be found on their website.
The old Stedman’s building in downtown Liverpool may still be developed into apartments. (Rick Conrad)
There may be a second life for the old Stedman’s building on Main Street in Liverpool after all.
Region of Queens councillors in July rejected developer Eric Fry’s attempt to turn 194 Main St. into 16 apartments.
The region’s land use bylaw limits the amount of residential space on the ground floor of of buildings in the downtown commercial zone to a maximum of 50 per cent.
Fry applied to amend the bylaw so that he could have only apartments in the building, but council rejected it.
He listed the building for sale shortly after council’s decision.
But he has since returned with a new proposal that would include two commercial units on the ground floor, with the rest of the 30,000-square-foot building devoted to 14 apartments, parking and storage space.
That would still require council’s approval and a public hearing.
On Wednesday, Fry said he wasn’t ready to comment on his amended proposal to the region’s planning advisory committee.
The committee had a look at the new plan at their August meeting.
But Mayor Scott Christian said in a recent interview that the committee wasn’t comfortable making any new recommendations to council.
“And so I think just the devils in the detail from a bylaw, from a policy perspective of how do you get to a place where you land in a spot where you’re making sure that you have the right language to facilitate those policy objectives that we want to see, which is again, maintaining the commercial storefronts in the protected commercial zone while allowing flexibility for developers to repurpose other parts of those buildings for residential purposes.”
Fry said Wednesday that he’s still working with the region on options for the building. He said there may be something new to report in the next few weeks.
Stephanie MacKenzie is the co-chair of the 2025 Queens General Hospital Hustle. (Rick Conrad)
A popular fundraiser for Queens General Hospital in Liverpool is back and organizers hope it will be bigger than ever.
People will be able to go to the hospital hustle in person for the first time since before the pandemic.
Stephanie MacKenzie, the co-chair of the 2025 Queens General Hospital Hustle, says the last time the fundraiser was held was an online version in 2021.
“The hospital hustle is just the community getting together to raise funds for extra equipment at our hospital. It was an annual event for 40 years until 2019,” MacKenzie explains.
“This is really important. It’s been a labour of love for us to try to bring it back and we want to make sure everybody knows it’s back, because it’s something that people really look forward to.”
The hustle this year will be held at the Liverpool Curling Club on Sept. 13 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. It’s organized by the Queens General Hospital Auxiliary, which also runs the hospital’s gift shop.
MacKenzie says the popular yard sale-style setup will return, along with food served by local Kiwanis Club members and doctors from the hospital. And nurses will be on hand to perform checkups on the little ones’ dolls or teddy bears.
“And we’ll have baked goods for people to buy and take home as well, and preserves, all the normal tables we have with jewelry, books, the big white elephant table, tools and we’re having a craft table as well.
“It’s hoped to be a family event and a lot of fun for the communtiy but an important fundraising event for the hospital. It’s important to show support for our hospital because it’s so very important to our community.”
Organizers are also planning a silent and live auction on the day of the hustle at the curling club. And for the first time, there will be an online Facebook auction, which will begin on Sept. 2, with items donated by local businesses.
All money raised this year will go toward buying a special cardiac monitor and a linear probe for the hospital’s new echocardiogram machine.
“This is an additional probe that will allow it to do more things. So people won’t have to go to Bridgewater to get these more specialized tests.”
MacKenzie says they hope to raise at least $20,000.
“But we think that we can raise more. In most of the recent years, we’ve raised $20,000 or more.”
They have about 30 volunteers helping out this year. But MacKenzie says they could always use more.
“Where we really need volunteers is on Sept. 7, we are moving all of the treasures that have been donated and stored at Milton Hall to the curling club. We have rented a moving truck to do that and we’re hoping to have enough people that we can stand there and pass the boxes along and just make it happen fairly quickly.”
Anyone who wants to volunteer at this year’s hospital hustle or donate any auction or sale items can email organizers at queenshospitalhustle@gmail.com.
You’ll also be able to buy raffle tickets to help. Volunteers will be selling them on Saturday at the Sobeys in Liverpool from 10 to 4.
The South Shore District Labour Council is holding a Labour Day event in Privateer Park on the Liverpool waterfront on Monday.
The local federation of labour unions is planning live music, kids’ games and free hot dogs and beverages. It runs Sept. 1 from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. The theme this year is A Canada for Workers: Made Here! Paid Here.
More than 300 people attended last year’s Labour Day event. Barring a major storm, this is a rain or shine event. The council advises people to come prepared for the weather.
Members of the Lunenburg-Queens Special Olympics will be hosting the food booth.
Two Bluenose deckhands meet. Kate Smith of Sydney, N.S., is currently part of the Bluenose II crew. Craig Harding of Liverpool was a deckhand on the ship in the 1960s. (Rick Conrad)
The Brooklyn Marina rolled out the red carpet for Nova Scotia’s sailing ambassador on Tuesday evening.
A few dozen people turned out to meet the crew of Bluenose II at the small clubhouse as it visited the Liverpool area in its first stop on a tour of southwestern Nova Scotia.
Others drove down the small wharf in Brooklyn or towards the breakwater to get a look across Liverpool Bay to where the schooner was anchored near Port Mersey Commercial Park.
Volunteers at the marina had food and drinks ready for the crew and fans of the Bluenose.
Capt. Phil Watson was one of the dozen or so crewmembers who shuttled from the sailing icon to the marina.
“We haven’t been here in a long time and we were developing a a cruise along Southwest Nova and so Liverpool it is. There’s great alumni support here and community support and the club has always been good to us so it’s pretty easy to put Liverpool on the list.. … It’s good to come back to this side of the province again.”
The tour of southwestern Nova Scotia was hatched after the Bluenose crew cancelled an early September trip to Gloucester, Mass. Instead, they said they’d do what so many other Canadians are doing this year, stay closer to home and support local tourism.
Kate Smith, a deckhand from Sydney, N.S., is spending her third summer on the Bluenose. It was her first visit to Liverpool.
“I love it. It’s great. People are sweet. It’s super awesome,” she said of the Liverpool welcome. “We really like going around this area and we figured we’d go on a little staycation basically around the south coast.”
Liverpool’s Craig Harding sailed on the schooner as a 20-year-old from 1968 to 1969.
“I’d been on fishing boats on draggers and so on but I’d never been on a sailboat until that year and I learned to sail on it,” he said. “I’ve been connected to the Bluenose ever since. Hard not to be. Really, really happy to see the support. It was beautiful to see her come in.”
The last time the Bluenose II was in Liverpool was in 2021 when the ship celebrated 100 years of Bluenose history.
Jamie Frankel of Massachusetts just happened to be at the marina when he heard about the Bluenose’s visit. He and some others arrived on his boat The Sea Quester a couple of days before to wait for a weather window to continue their journey through the Gulf of Maine.
“None of us knew she was going to be coming at the time, so this is an incredibly welcome surprise. … As the sailing ambassador for Nova Scotia I think everyone loves her but in addition, she has beautiful lines as a ship and as a tall ship of that size I’d say that it’s always a wonderful event to be someplace where she comes in and it’s the splendor of old sailing ships and old-style sailing ships.”
Capt. Watson says the Bluenose always draws a crowd.
“It’s bringing a fishing schooner back to a fishing community. You know all these communities have shipbuilding, fishing heritage and these schooners, whether it was a fishing schooner or a cargo schooner, they all have that history there, so to be able to put a thing in place in the harbour where you can then talk about it and you can talk about, ‘oh those schooners used to be here all the time’ or ‘they used to build them over there’, it’s a chance for the community to talk about the history of their communities and share it with them themselves and hopefully they’ll come and share it with us as well.”
The Bluenose II left Liverpool on Wednesday afternoon, sailing around Port Mouton to its next stops in Clarks Harbour, Yarmouth, Digby and Lower West Pubnico.
