About 25 people showed up at Queens Place Emera Centre in Liverpool on Saturday to discuss the Winds of Change relationship with the Astor Theatre. (Rick Conrad)

The Winds of Change theatre group has voted to end a short-lived relationship with Liverpool’s Astor Theatre and re-form as an independent society.

About 25 people showed up at a meeting on Saturday at Queens Place Emera Centre and voted to reverse a February 2023 decision to become a subcommittee within the Astor.

Nick Moase was the acting chairman of the Winds of Change. He chaired the meeting on Saturday. He is also the technical director for QCCR.

“The decision is what I expected,” he said in an interview after the meeting.

“With everything going on and the comments that have been said to me privately, I was aware that people weren’t comfortable with what the Astor Theatre was doing and that they wanted to separate the Winds of Change again to re-form.

“For 25 years, this has been on the books to discuss. We gave it a try. Things didn’t go as expected, so now we just continue on as the Winds of Change as a separate entity.”

Under the arrangement, the Winds of Change was to use its $29,000 legacy fund for theatrical productions at the theatre. That fund would then be reimbursed from ticket sales, and the Astor would keep any profit.

But recently, members of the group wanted to re-examine the relationship. 

Ashley-Rose Goodwin resigned as the Astor’s associate artistic director this March, shortly after the wrap of the Stephen Sondheim musical Follies. That was a Winds of Change-Astor co-production. Goodwin was the director of that show.

After her resignation, some in the community, including Winds of Change members, were upset at how the Astor was being operated by the board and recently hired executive director Jerri Southcott.

They were also annoyed when Southcott and the Astor decided not to pay for a Follies cast party at the Liverpool Curling Club. The relationship soured further when the Astor forgot to mention and thank the 70 members of the Follies cast and crew in its monthly newsletter. Southcott quickly sent out an apology the next day in another email to newsletter subscribers.

John Simmonds, the chairman of the Astor Theatre board of directors, was at the meeting on Saturday. He couldn’t comment on Saturday, but in an interview on Sunday, he said the group’s decision was unfortunate but not surprising.

“Maybe taking a long-term view, it’s probably the best for all concerned right now so that we can continue to do our thing and Winds of Change can re-form, get back and do the things that they were doing before, hopefully with the Astor. And as things cool down, we can re-examine the thing and take a look at it down the road.”

Simmonds said the Winds of Change will always be welcome at the Astor. 

“We wish the Winds of Change well. That long history between the two organizations is not going to go away. Hopefully, everybody will feel comfortable working with each other again. I know I would. I was just thinking how important it would be to be able to meet people on the street, give them a smile, a handshake, a hug, whatever, and just continue on as friends as we were before.”

Moase said on Saturday that he will not remain on the board.

A slate of 10 people was nominated to form a new board for the Winds of Change. They must re-form as a legally recognized non-profit society through the registry of joint stocks.

Moase said he believes that the arrangement with the Astor for the past year worked well. But he said the Winds of Change is in good shape, especially given the level of participation in Follies.

“I think the interest is there, the people are there again. This issue with the Astor Theatre will come to a conclusion at some point and things will continue. Amateur theatre in Liverpool isn’t going anywhere. And I think we’re probably in good shape to have another production when folks are ready again.”

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

Region of Queens councillors want planning for an accessible washroom at the inclusive play park in Liverpool to begin this year. (Rick Conrad)

Region of Queens councillors want to move up plans for an accessible washroom at Liverpool’s universally designed inclusive play park.

The region set aside about $400,000 for the facilities in the 2025/26 capital improvement plan. But District 1 Coun. Kevin Muise urged councillors on Tuesday to move it up a year. Otherwise, he said he’s worried it won’t get built at all.

The $600,000 play park was opened next to Queens Place Emera Centre in October 2023. It was made possible by a combination of community fundraising and municipal and provincial funding.

The region rented an accessible portable toilet for the site last year. 

Muise said he’d prefer planning for the accessible washroom facilities to begin sooner than later, especially with the $21.5-million Mount Pleasant water and sewer extension work due to begin this year.

“I’m not saying that it’s going to be built this summer. I know in reality it’s not going to happen, but if we don’t start doing some planning, … it’s not going to be built next summer either. … Put it on the budget for this year. But if we leave it till next year, we’re going to be having the same argument again. It’s not going to be there for next summer.”

Mayor Darlene Norman said she was worried about overwhelming the region’s already thinly stretched public works staff. 

Councillors decided to add it to the 2024/25 capital plan and get as much planning work done on it this year as possible.

Athletes Sarah Mitton, Michael Moreau, Rebecca Delaney, Abigail Smith and Jillian Young were honoured with a homecoming meet and greet at Queens Place Emera Centre on Thursday. Earl Mielke (right) is the head coach of the snowshoe team for Special Olympics Lunenburg/Queens. (Rick Conrad)

Queens County celebrated some of its most successful athletes on Thursday as national and international medallists were honoured at Queens Place Emera Centre.

Four athletes from Special Olympics Lunenburg/Queens were joined by judo athlete Abigail Smith and recent world indoor shot put champion Sarah Mitton.

More than 100 people showed up to cheer on the athletes at a homecoming meet and greet organized by the Region of Queens.

Jillian Young, Michael Moreau and Rebecca Delaney made up half of Nova Scotia’s medal-winning snowshoe team at the Special Olympics Canada Winter Games which wrapped up this past weekend in Calgary. And Ben Theriau of Hunts Point was on the silver-medal-winning curling team.

Young won silver in the 100 metres and bronze in the 4 x 100-metre relay; Moreau captured the silver in the 4 x 100 men’s relay; and Delaney won gold in the 100 metres and bronze in the 4 x 100 relay.

Only six athletes were selected from across the province for the snowshoe team. And three of them are from right here in Queens.

“These are three snowshoe athletes that made it by competing at provincial games to get to national games,” said Earl Mielke, assistant coach with Special Olympics Lunenburg/Queens.

“That tells you something about the program and the commitment and the coaching.

“A huge thanks to the Region of Queens and the wonderful community we have being so welcoming and inclusive. It’s really important and this community is behind these athletes. They know it, we know it and it’s wonderful to be a part of it.”

It was a sentiment shared by all the athletes on Thursday. 

Sarah Mitton of Brooklyn won the gold last Friday in the shot put at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Glasgow, Scotland, breaking her own Canadian record twice in the final round on the way to the win.

She said having such solid hometown support has motivated her throughout her whole career.

“It means a lot,” she told the crowd. “So much of who I am is where I came from. And this community and where I grew up, I’ve learned so much. … Everybody that has been a part of my journey has shaped me into the human being I am and most of that comes from here.”

Mitton said financial support was also crucial when she was starting out. And she said that she hopes the community continues to be giving and supportive of athletes like the Special Olympians and fellow Brooklyn athlete Abigail Smith.

“There’s so much talent in this community on every level,” she said in an interview afteward. “And I think with Abigail, she’s up and coming and I think she’s going to be the next really big thing for Queens County. I just always want to make sure we’re continuing to support the next generation. Some day I’m going to retire and these athletes will be the ones carrying Queens County on their backs. And with the Special Olympians, their joy for the sport makes me remember that sport is supposed to be fun.”

Brooklyn judo athlete Abigail Smith is only 16, but she’s already made a mark on the national and international stage, placing on the podium at national competitions and at a recent meet in Denmark. She will be travelling to Germany this month representing Team Canada in an international tournament there.

She said that even though she and Mitton grew up near each other, Thursday was the first time they had actually met.

“It’s pretty cool and pretty crazy. Sarah came up to me and said, ‘Do you mind if I sit by you?’ And I was like, ‘Oh yeah, of course.'”

Smith said it was great to see all the support from the community for all the athletes.

“It’s really nice. Of course, I always know that my community’s been behind (me) supporting me, donations, constant messages and posts. But today was very real, it was very nice, everyone is here to help me and Sarah and our Special Olympics athletes. So it was really nice.”

Mike Ferguson of Milton was one of the people who turned out to show their support.

“They’re providing inspiration to other young people to get involved in their community, in athletics or in arts, or whatever it is that makes them happy,” he said.

“It’s about working together and doing something you love doing and having happy fun at it. That’s what I think is the most important message here. Yes, you can win. There are always winners. But it’s all the rest of it. The way they all talked was so wonderful and they showed that wonderful inspiration.”

If you couldn’t make it to the event in person, you can catch a replay of the livestream on the Queens Place Facebook page. 

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

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Brooklyn’s Sarah Mitton throws during a qualification round at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. (Photo by Mark Blinch/COC)

If you want to congratulate some Queens County athletes on their recent success, you’ll get your chance on Thursday at Queens Place Emera Centre in Liveprool.

The Region of Queens is hosting a homecoming meet and greet for athletes with Special Olympics Lunenburg/Queens and Brooklyn’s Sarah Mitton.

The Special Olympics Winter Games just wrapped in Calgary and Team Nova Scotia won 30 medals, with many of those won by local athletes.

Mitton won the gold medal in the shot put on Friday at the World Indoor Athletics Championships in Glasgow. 

The event begins at 1 p.m. Seating is limited, but it will also be livestreamed on the Queens Place Facebook page.

Queens regional councillors will vote Tuesday on whether the Liverpool library will move to the Liverpool Business Development Centre until a new one can be built. (Rick Conrad photo)

The library in Liverpool may be moving temporarily to the Liverpool Business Development Centre on White Point Road.

Region of Queens councillors are set to vote on a recommendation Tuesday from CAO Cody Joudry to move the library to the same building that houses the Global Empire call centre and Belliveau Veinotte accountants. It would be there until a new site can be chosen, designed, financed and built. 

The council meeting is set for 6 p.m. in council chambers on White Point Road.

The Thomas H. Raddall Library is currently in the Rossignol Centre on Old Bridge Street close to downtown Liverpool. The lease expires this December. Last year, the region spent $51,680 on rent.

The building owner Sherman Hines has been trying to sell it since at least November 2022. Joudry claims in his staff report that “staff are of the opinion the property is likely to be sold before the lease expires”.

Joudry is recommending that staff immediately begin renovations of the vacant space at the call centre building so that the library can move in by December. He estimates the renovations would cost from $1.05 to $1.26 million. 

He is also suggesting that staff work with the library board to create a public consultation plan on a new library.

Councillors decided at a December meeting not to move the library to the call centre building permanently. Residents flooded them with emails and public comments about that plan. Most were against it.

Finding a new home for the library has been fraught with delays and controversy since the spring of 2022, when the region allocated $3 million from an unexpected budget surplus to its construction. Joudry says a new library would likely cost much more than that.

“Consulting the public about (the) library matter, selecting a site (and acquiring land if needed), creating design options, costing the project out, acquiring funding, tendering then constructing and moving the library will, realistically, take several years,” he says in his report.

“If council takes the recommendation to move the library as recommended, input and feedback would be beneficial to inform decisions on designs, renovations, and furnishing of the new space. As such the CAO and library CEO would work collaboratively to ensure the community and users are consulted on these matters.”

The library steering committee twice recommended an area by Queens Place Emera Centre for the relocation. Council declined the first time but decided to accept the committee’s recommendation a second time.

But council scuttled the plan once more when it learned that connecting the site to existing road and infrastructure would cost close to a million dollars.

At the December council meeting, many residents spoke against the plan to move the library to White Point Road permanently. Some also were worried that if the library moved there temporarily, council would stop looking for a new location.

Susan DeChamp was one of three community members appointed to the region’s library steering committee in April 2022. She spoke at the council meeting in December when staff were recommending the call centre building as the permanent site for the library.

“The main issue everyone had was the location itself,” she told councillors. “The first time we recommended the sledding hill location (near Queens Place), we had councillors object that you can’t move it that far from where it currently is and it would be unreasonable to expect library users to  walk across the bridge. Now you’re asking library users to walk to the fringes of town where the street lamps are fairly far apart, it’s not brightly lit and there are no sidewalks.”

Jessica Joudrey and Tom Raddall resigned before the December meeting. Raddall told councillors that they were “frustrated and disillusioned”.

In response to public comments at the December meeting, District 6 Coun. David Brown summed up the general mood on council when he said that using the call centre only as a temporary space would give the region time to do more thorough public consultation. 

“So I think we have to do a better job of getting more engagement from the public so that we can build what the public wants and needs,” he said.

“If we can make this a temporary, it gives us a chance to take a deep breath, look at it, analyze it and do that job right in the long run. And I think the public will be much better served if we get it done right rather than if we get it done quick.”

Joudry’s other recommendations include: a high-level public engagement process begin on what people want from a new library and a new advisory committee be formed with clear direction and support from council. 

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

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Employees at Queens Place Emera Centre work on Tuesday to get the ice ready for skaters. (Rick Conrad photo)

By RICK CONRAD

The arena at Queens Place Emera Centre is set to reopen on Friday.

The Region of Queens made the announcement late Tuesday evening. 

The region announced on Dec. 29 that it had to cancel all on-ice activities immediately, until a new condenser could be installed.

The municipality had already planned to replace the ice-making equipment early in January, but it was forced to close the rink earlier than expected.

“Actually, ahead of the scheduled time when we thought it would be replaced,” Mayor Darlene Norman said Tuesday.

Cimco Refrigeration finished installing the new equipment on Jan. 5. Queens Place staff have been working since then to get the ice surface ready.

The new $255,000 unit is stainless steel. Norman said they expect it to last longer than the original unit, which had been operating since Queens Place opened in December 2011.

“So it should operate for many, many, many more years than the one we had to replace.”

The old condenser unit sits outside Queens Place Emera Centre on Tuesday. (Rick Conrad photo)

The rink’s regular users, such as Queens County Blades and the Queens County Minor Hockey Association, had to search for ice time elsewhere while the arena was shut down. 

The region notified groups of the planned shutdown in late November. 

While they said they were disappointed they couldn’t use their home rink, they adapted by using ice in other communities.

Melissa Robinson, an executive member with Queens County Blades, said she’s happy that the rink is open again.

“I think it’s great that we’re able to kind of get back in the swing of things, hopefully this Sunday,” she said Wednesday. “Originally, we weren’t supposed to have ice on Sunday, so it’s good that we’re back.”

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

Darlene Norman, mayor of Region of Queens. Photo Credit: Darlene Norman

By Rick Conrad

Voters in the Region of Queens may be able to cast a ballot online in October’s municipal election.

Mayor Darlene Norman says she’s confident the region will be able to introduce electronic voting as an option this year.

Councillors asked CAO Cody Joudry at their first meeting of 2024 to prepare a report on the feasibility and costs of introducing electronic voting to Queens, while keeping the traditional paper ballot.

“I expect the cost to come back much more than pure paper voting, but it may not,” Norman said in an interview after the meeting. 

“But a combination (of voting options) would be good. … Younger people say that it’s the thing that we need, but it would be interesting to do it.” 

Twenty of 49 Nova Scotia municipalities offered an electronic voting option in 2020. Elections Nova Scotia used electronic ballots in the July byelection in Preston. And it plans to allow e-voting in the 2025 provincial election.

District 3 Coun. Maddie Charlton said it’s time that Queens offers an electronic option in addition to the traditional ballot, to make it easier for people to make their choice.

“I think it’s important for us to move forward with this.”

District 6 Coun. David Brown said it would also help encourage people in more rural areas of the municipality to vote.

“With our widespread rural areas, it’s hard for people to get out to the polling station. Having the electronic option will get more people involved.”

The Kiwanis Club of Liverpool is closer to taking over the canteen at Queens Place Emera Centre.

The region would lease the facility to the club for one year rent-free. The club would be responsible for ensuring food safety and insurance compliance. Kiwanis volunteers would operate it along with members of the Queens County Blades and the Queens County Minor Hockey Association.

The three organizations would share proceeds from concessions sales.

Because of the Christmas holidays, staff couldn’t have a final agreement ready for councillors to review at their Tuesday meeting. They voted to wait until they see the contract before giving their final approval.

David Schofield, president of the Kiwanis Club of Liverpool, said Tuesday that his group is excited about running the canteen.

“I think it’s a good opportunity not just for the Kiwanis Club but also for the figure skating club and Queens County minor hockey who we’ve asked for their support as well, because we don’t have enough volunteers in our organization to do it. … A lot of people have made comments about not having a canteen available (at Queens Place), so I think it’s win-win-win-win.”

Steve Burns, manager of events, promotions and sponsorships, told councillors that it would likely take a couple of weeks after the contract is signed to get all the necessary permits in place for the Kiwanis club to take over.

In other news from Tuesday’s meeting:

Councillors want to try to address garbage pileups in Queens County cottage country.

District 6 Coun. David Brown asked staff for recommendations to address the problem.

He said the 40 so-called “grey box” sites on private roads throughout the county consume half of the region’s garbage collection budget.

“These are places that have large tax revenues for us that we don’t provide a lot of services for,” Brown said. “And nobody wants to see a mountain of garbage every time they drive into beautiful, pristine wilderness.”

Mayor Darlene Norman says it is a “huge problem”.

“And people in the Labelle and Molega area, some people are paying $10,000 property tax out there for no services. It is an issue that has to be dealt with.” 

Councillors asked staff to prepare an inventory on burnt out streetlights in the region, and press Nova Scotia Power to fix them more quickly.

District 1 Coun. Kevin Muise said many residents have complained that several streetlights haven’t been working in some areas for up to three months. He’s concerned about safety for motorists and pedestrians.

There are six streetlights out on Shore Road in Mersey Point alone, council heard. Many are out for longer than the 60-day service guarantee.

Nova Scotia Power is supposed to maintain the lights, but the region pays for them, even when they don’t work, Norman said.

“We are paying for a tremendous amount of street lights which are burnt out.”

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

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Queens Place ice surface. Photo Ed Halverson

By Rick Conrad

Groups who use the arena at Queens Place Emera Centre are juggling their January schedules as the region replaces a vital piece of ice-making equipment.

The Region of Queens, which operates Queens Place, announced on Dec. 29 that it had to cancel all on-ice activities immediately, until a new condenser could be installed.

The municipality had already planned to replace the condenser early in January, but it was forced to close the rink earlier than expected.

At a September council meeting, councillors approved the purchase of a new $255,000 condenser. Staff told councillors that the refrigeration equipment began to malfunction in late summer or early September.

Cimco Refrigeration was hired to repair a minor ammonia leak, but found several more problems. Only the arena is affected by the shutdown, though the indoor walking track is closed until Saturday.

The region hasn’t given a timeline for when the rink will reopen. But it said it will post notices online when the work is completed and the ice is reinstalled.

In a release late Friday afternoon, the region said work began on Jan. 2 and the new equipment has been installed.

“The refrigeration plant has resumed operation and staff are currently working towards reinstating the arena ice which will take several days,” the release said. No one from the municipality was available to comment.

Melissa Robinson is an executive member with the Queens County Blades. The group has almost 40 skaters who have had to look for ice time elsewhere with the closure. The club also holds a Learn to Skate program for youth.

Their members would typically use the Queens Place ice surface twice a week, four hours on Wednesdays and four and a half hours on Sundays.

They’ve been able to use other rinks in Shelburne and Bridgewater, Robinson said. And some of their members have gone as far as St. Margarets Bay.

“We definitely have lost ice time, because as an example the senior skaters would skate for two hours on a Sunday,” Robinson said. 

“Typically they only skate an hour and a half at other clubs. … Our higher level skaters are on the ice three to four to five days a week. So they’ll do two days at Queens Place and then they’ll scatter out to the other rinks with the other clubs.”

She said the club had to cancel a scheduled Skate Canada assessment day at Queens Place.

“So there’s been a little bit of disruption, definitely.”

Robinson says the club’s skaters have adapted.

“We’re just moving along accordingly. It’s unfortunate they can’t skate at Queens Place, but they can adapt at another rink and that’s just what we’ll have to do in the meantime and move along.”

Both Robinson and Terrena Parnell, president of the Queens County Minor Hockey Association, said they were notified in advance of the planned closure.

Parnell said by email that while the timing isn’t ideal, “Queens County Minor Hockey understands equipment can fail at any time and needs to be replaced.”

The association has 87 players, in addition to 29 members who are board members, coaches, managers or bench staff.

“The hope is that with weather co-operating and no unforeseen issues with the installation of the new condenser,” Parnell said, “QPEC will be up and running quickly and we will have lost less ice time than was scheduled with the original replacement dates.”

Parnell said that teams are playing away games in the meantime “and preparing for the reopening of QPEC to bring practices and home games back to the arena.”

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

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By Rick Conrad

Queens County residents who haven’t received their latest COVID booster or influenza vaccine will get another shot at it on Tuesday. 

Nova Scotia Health is organizing a COVID-19 and influenza immunization clinic at Queens Place Emera Centre on Jan. 9, from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The public health mobile unit will be offering the following vaccines: COVID-19 Moderna XBB.1.5, the influenza vaccine for people from 6 months to 64 years old and the high-dose influenza shot for those 65 and over.

Officials are encouraging people to book their appointments ahead of time, though some limited drop-ins may be available.

COVID-19 rapid test kits will also be available.

According to Nova Scotia’s online vaccine booking page, the next available appointments in the Liverpool area after Tuesday are on Jan. 16.

Recent figures from the Public Health Agency of Canada show that 14.2 per cent of Nova Scotians have received the most recent COVID booster.

Public Health officials have urged Nova Scotians to make sure they are up to date on their vaccinations, as COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses are still hospitalizing people across the country.

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

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Queens Place. Photo Ed Halverson

Region of Queens has called in professional help to determine where to build the new outdoor pool and regional library.

The same Project Manager who is working on the new library project has been hired to assist in siting the pool.

Region of Queens Mayor Darlene Norman says the project manager will examine the location to determine if the site can accommodate what is being asked before presenting a report to staff and council.

“Council has directed that they want the replacement for Milton Centennial Pool on the lands of Queens Place Emera Centre,” said Norman. “They also indicated they want the library on that site and when they say Queens Place Emera Centre, they strictly mean that lawned area around Queens Place not the rest of the land over there, just that, snugged into that building. So, the project manager will have to determine if both of those buildings will fit.”

The project manager will also need to ensure there are enough setbacks to follow the land use bylaws, there is enough parking, sufficient lighting as well as water access.

Norman says the pool committee has provided a comprehensive list for the design.

“For example, they would like to see a six-lane pool. Will a six-lane pool fit there? That’s up to the project manager to determine. A zero-entry pool, a certain number of locker rooms etc. etc. So then that project manager will take those items that came forward from the pool committee and work with them to create an outdoor pool on the lands of Queens Place Emera Centre, fingers crossed,” said Norman.

Once it’s been determined whether the buildings will fit adjacent to Queens Place, an architect will be hired to design a pool to meet the requirements of the pool committee.

Norman says the project manager has already been working on site for weeks.

Once he has finished his work and made his evaluation a report will be brought to council for their consideration at an upcoming meeting.

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

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