Alex J Walling, founder of QCCR and long-time broadcaster has passed away.

The mainstay of the Maritime airwaves began his career in Quebec City in 1965 before moving to Halifax in 1972 to work at CHNS radio.

One of the early highlights of his career was covering the 1972 Summit Series.

Walling worked on the mic, in front of the camera and behind the scenes in radio and television over the next four decades covering sports at every level.

In 1988 he founded the Atlantic Media Institute in Halifax to train the next generation of broadcasters. He sold the company in 2000 to retire.

By 2008 Walling had had enough of retirement and founded this station, Queens County Community Radio (QCCR). He sold the station to the CJQC Radio Society in 2012 and they continue to operate is to this day.

QCCR General Manager Brian Godfrey says Walling left a legacy in Liverpool.

“He made quite a big legacy here with getting people connected. You know, people listening, to have something here in Liverpool, to the community radio station,” said Godfrey. “He was doing just the monthly ones, but at least people had a chance to listen to something local, a local radio station and he brought that here.”

Godfrey said even after Walling sold the station he would still drop in or call from time to time to see how it was going.

Walling was married to Kathleen Davis of Brooklyn who died in 2014.

Walling passed away in Halifax over the weekend. He was 77.

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E-mail: edhalversonnews@gmail.com

New mixing console ready to be installed. Photo Brian Godfrey

The Region of Queens is providing almost $2,800 in grant money to this station through the Community Investment Fund.

QCCR manager Brian Godfrey says the money will be used to upgrade equipment in the main broadcast studio.

The main mixing console and amplifiers have been in Studio A since the station was launched over 16 years ago.

Godfrey says the equipment still works but as with any technology, it breaks down over time and reliability has become a concern.

“Studio A was always our biggest headache because there’s about, literally, thousands of feet of wire going everywhere in there,” said Godfrey. “We don’t know where it goes so, we had to hire on a couple of broadcast engineers.

The grant will cover half the cost of the new equipment with the rest of the funding coming as a personal loan from several members of the station’s board of directors.

QCCR recently signed a 10-year lease extension at our location on the corner of Market and Main streets in Liverpool.

Upgrading the equipment is part of a larger renovation which will include new flooring, furniture and a fresh coat of paint.

Godfrey says QCCR is a place for residents of Liverpool to hear local voices talking about local issues.

The station is not just a resource for local news, events, and programming but also a destination to hear discussions about Liverpool’s past, present and future.

Godfrey says QCCR is important as it gives community members a voice.

“One thing about the community radio station it’s open to anyone out there that maybe thought, oh, I could be a DJ, I’ve got a voice, but I never thought I could be on the radio,” said Godfrey. “Well, here’s your chance. We’re always looking for volunteers.”

Godfrey says the station will be asking for more funding from the Region in the next budget season to help with the installation costs of the new equipment

If all goes to plan, he expects the renovations and studio equipment will be in place by the end of May.

Anyone interested in volunteering with QCCR can do so by e-mailing Brian Godfrey at: cjqcradio@gmail.com

E-mail: edhalversonnews@gmail.com
Twitter: @edwardhalverson

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A lighter than usual agenda was dominated by the proposed new library during the Region of Queens last council meeting.

As previously reported here, council voted to rescind their approval to build a new library at a site in Queens Crossing.

They’ve asked for studies to determine the cost to instead build either directly beside or attached to Queens Place Emera Centre.

The March 14 meeting began with a presentation from Queens Care Building Society updating their progress on the new long-term care home to be built at Queens Crossing.

The group is currently awaiting design approval before they can formally buy the land from Region of Queens.

Next council gave second reading to a Tax Exemption bylaw to support some non-profit organizations by allowing them to forgo paying their municipal property taxes.

Council passed the motion to give up $241,000 in revenue for the Region of Queens.

They also approved the naming of a new road off Shore Road in Western Head as Serenity Now Lane.

Council then rescinded library approval before awarding a community grant of $2,800 to this station, QCCR to update some broadcasting equipment.

Approval was granted to conduct an HVAC investigation at the Town Hall Arts and Cultural Centre.

Council agreed to provide $10,975 to DUMAC Energy to complete a comprehensive heating, ventilation, and air conditioning assessment to determine the needs and find solutions to the heating and cooling systems in the building which houses the Astor Theatre.

During the discussion portion of the meeting council talked about creating a tiered support system for low-income property tax relief.

Anyone with an annual household income up to $20,000 will receive $400 in relief, from there up to $25,000 will get $350 and between $25,000 and $30,000 will enjoy $300 in property tax relief.

Council will vote on that proposal in an upcoming meeting.

Added discussion items included how to reduce the amount the Region’s fire services are paying for insurance.

Council decided they will go with a lower cost insurance provider and pay the higher deductible for any of the five departments as there have been very few claims.

The next council meeting will be held Tuesday March 28 in council chambers beginning at 6:00pm.

E-mail: edhalversonnews@gmail.com
Twitter: @edwardhalverson

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Welcome to the new QCCR website! This is our first official news post! We hope you enjoy the new design, be it on your phone, tablet or desktop computer. Please continue to enjoy and support QCCR FM 99.3!

Website designed by Ryan JS Chandler.