David White, president of the Queens County ATV Association, made another appeal to regional councillors on Tuesday to create road trails in Queens County. (Region of Queens YouTube channel)

ATV users in Queens County are motoring along with their plans to connect off-road trails with public roads and streets in the municipality.

And Region of Queens councillors are interested in hitching a ride.

David White, president of the Queens County ATV Association, was at regional council on Tuesday evening to repeat the group’s request from last March for the region to help make a connected network a reality.

“The idea behind them is to provide trail-to-trail connections and trail-to-access services. 
That’s supported by the 2022 Off-Highway Vehicle Spending Report that showed in the province of Nova Scotia in that year $464 million was spent by off-highway vehicle users. It’s time that impact was felt here in our county. It’s well past time. ”

This is the third time off-highway vehicle groups have appealed to councillors for a road trail that would allow users to go from Lunenburg to Queens to Shelburne counties.

They first presented to council in July 2023, shortly after the Nova Scotia government passed the Road Trails Act, which would allow off-highway vehicles on provincial and municipal roads, with certain conditions. Both levels of government must grant access. And in Queens, that would require a new bylaw.

Queens County ATV groups say having that connected trail locally would boost tourism and help local businesses by creating a destination riding area.

“You need look no further than this weekend gone by where 551 off-highway vehicle users registered and went on a run in Western Shore, and they raised over $13,000 for a volunteer group and their club and saw somewhere in the neighbourhood of 800 people participate. Sixty-one rooms were sold over two nights for a total of over 120 room nights in that community because of off-highway vehicle use.

“Our goal is to have a connected route across Queens County to complete the western loop of the Great Trail, part of the TransCanada Trail to be able to leave Lunenburg County and go right through to Shelburne with the bigger idea of leaving Halifax or Tantallon, travelling to Yarmouth, around to Middleton, and back to Bridgewater via New Germany.”

White told councillors his group has signed agreements with 10 private landowners in Queens County, which would give ATV riders permission to use people’s property to get from one trail to another.

He said the ATV association and the Queens Rails to Trails Association have also spent about $300,000 maintaining and improving trails around Queens County. 

White told councillors that Queens ATV Association spent $49,150 in 2024 clearing and improving trails for off-highway vehicles. 

The Queens Rails to Trails Association has spent almost $245,000 maintaining and improving other trails around Queens County.

White asked councillors for letters of support to explore developing the road trail network in Queens. And he said he’d like a commitment from the region to explore any funding for the groups. He also wanted the region to commit to a process that would begin consultations with ATV groups and others.

Mayor Scott Christian thanked White for his groups’ work on trails around the region.

“And I think it’s appropriate also to apologize for the lack of engagement or action on behalf of the Region of Queens Municipality in actioning previous requests, that the two organizations have made and attempts at engaging our municipality on these files.”

At Christian’s urging, councillors agreed to the letters of support and to explore funding for the groups. They also asked staff to prepare a report for their Feb. 25 meeting on connecting a trail near the region’s offices to the popular multi-use Trestle Trail.

Christian said he wants the region to continue consulting with the community about how to make the connected road trail a reality.

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

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Region of Queens Coun. David Brown says he’s not seeking re-election in October partly because he’s frustrated by some of the abusive comments he’s received in the past four years. This photo was taken when he launched his first election campaign in 2020. (David Brown councillor Facebook page)

When David Brown ran for Region of Queens council for the first time in 2020, he wanted to try to make things better for the people in his district.

Brown represents District 6, the areas around Port Medway, Mill Village, Greenfield and Labelle.

He was ready to work hard and bring his constituents’ issues to the council table. What he wasn’t prepared for, though, were some of the abusive comments he would receive after he was elected. 

“It’s online, it’s in person, it’s all the way across the spectrum in dealings with people,” Brown told QCCR.

“It just seems like after Covid, everybody was angry and they found people that thought the same way as them online and it became an echo chamber, that they feel they can say whatever they want because you’re a public figure. And really, that’s not the way to treat your friends, your family, your neighbours, people in your community that have just put their name out and step up and try to do the best for people.”

Brown has had enough and has decided not to reoffer in October’s municipal election. Some other council members have said privately that they’re also frustrated by some of the online abuse.

“I think people have legitimate concerns and they should absolutely voice those concerns. But when people start voicing those concerns is that politicans are corrupt because they didn’t decide the way they wanted to or they’re lining their pockets or we’re criminals and we should be thrown in jail. That’s not voicing your opinion, that’s anger and those are attacks. If somebody disagrees, I’m wholeheartedly in favour of people voicing their disagreements. It’s the tone of the disagreements and the way they voice them now, I’m just not interested in putting up with for another four years.”

It’s a familiar story for politicians around the province and at all levels of government. Amanda McDougall-Merrill, the mayor of Cape Breton Regional Municipality, has said that she won’t seek re-election partly because of threats she received as mayor.

And RCMP announced this week charges against two Alberta men for posting threats on YouTube and X or Twitter about Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh.

Brown says he hasn’t been threatened. But he’s still frustrated by the tone of some of the disparaging feedback he’s received.

“Maybe others don’t find the same thing but I found that it seems the harder you try to work, it seems like you’re upsetting people. As councillors we have to try to do the most good for the most people. But that means that some people are going to be unhappy but those people are very vocal and will attack now just because they didn’t get their way. And that’s really just not the way it should be.”

Robert Huish, an associate professor at Dalhousie University in Halifax, has studied civic and political engagement.

He says abusive and threatening comments rose exponentially after Donald Trump was elected U.S. president in 2016. And because the U.S. has such an influence on political and popular culture, Huish says that flavour of political vitriol has bled to other countries.

But he says toxicity has been a fixture in political discourse dating back to the 19th century.

“It’s something that is like a crescendo that we’re seeing right now,” Huish says.

“It’s coming to this big climax of political culture that seems to be producing and reproducing hatred through discourse and engagement rather than try to find something about a rules-based order and listening and those compromises that are so important in governance.

“The more that we’ve normalized the ability to describe and caricature people through derogatory or offensive names and stereotypes and the more that becomes common, the more it’s ultimately reproduced.”

He said social media is a great tool for politicians to engage with voters. But it’s also made it easier for people to attack politicians personally.

“Any sort of politics, especially municipal, it’s about engagement. And engagement is fostered on the ability to listen, respond, debate, discuss. And if we’re seeing the only feedback that’s getting the attention of politicians at the municipal level is this really heated vitriol then it really puts any politician in a position to not respond effectively to the issue at hand but try to deflect from whatever character attack is coming in.

“And now it begins to unfold into what can be called a democracy deficit, because it’s as if those who are holding the seeds o governance are just going to be attacked for being there, rather being pressured for change or to hear community concerns.”

Huish said putting pressure on politicians is a good thing. But personal attacks actually work against making our politics better. And he says they may be losing their effectiveness as people get tired of the lashing out.

“You can’t make people do something, but you can certainly put certain behaviour out of fashion quickly. And this might be getting to be too tired because it’s ineffective to try to have political engagement along these terms.”

For now, though, it’s pushing people like David Brown out of politics.

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

Region of Queens administration building. Photo Ed Halverson

By Rick Conrad

The Queens Place Emera Centre canteen contract and electronic voting are among the topics on the Region of Queens council agenda on Tuesday.

Staff are recommending that the Kiwanis Club of Liverpool be awarded a one-year contract to operate concessions at Queens Place. Councillors had previously agreed that the Kiwanis Club would be a good fit to operate the canteen, rent free, for one year. 

Under the proposal, the club would be responsible for ensuring food safety and insurance compliance. Volunteers from the club, Queens County Blades and the Queens County Minor Hockey Association would operate it.

The three organizations would share proceeds from concessions sales. The groups have joined together to operate the canteen at some previous events. 

The Kiwanis Club also told council that it would step aside if another operator came forward during their one-year term.

When Queens Place opened in December 2011, the region operated the canteen. Since 2016, however, either private businesses or community groups have run it.

Electronic voting may not be possible for the 2024 municipal elections, according to a report from Cody Joudry, Region of Queens chief administrative officer.

Twenty of Nova Scotia’s 49 municipalities offered online voting in the 2020 elections by contracting with a private company, he says. If the region wants to follow suit, it is probably too late to join with those other municipalities. It would have to issue a tender on its own and find a service provider, he said.

The possibility of e-voting in Queens came up at a previous council meeting. And Joudry is recommending that council ask for a staff report on the feasibility and cost to implement it in time for the October 2024 election.

Staff is recommending that council approve two requests to name private roads. Terry Whynot of Kent Fields Estates and the Quarterdeck Resort made both applications.

The first is to name a private road off Cobbs Ridge Road in Liverpool Lingley Lane. The other application is to call a new road off Willow Lane in Summerville Centre Audrelyn Lane.

Councillors will hear a presentation on Pemsik Conservation Mosaic. It is a proposed conservation area that would connect the Tobeatic Wilderness Area to the lands and waters around Port Mouton, Port Joli and Port l’Hebert, as well as Broad and Sable rivers.

The Pemsik project partners want to protect the cultural and natural values critical to the livelihoods of Mi’kmaq and rural communities throughout southwest Nova Scotia.

The council meeting begins at 9 a.m. Tuesday in the council chamber at 249 White Point Rd., Liverpool. 

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

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Region of Queens administration building. Photo Ed Halverson

Region of Queens council will once again delay a decision on the location of a new library.

Municipal staff had recommended building at the Liverpool business development centre but after a flood of e-mail correspondence and public comments at the last meeting councillors decided to discuss the matter further. They have requested staff look into the feasibility of temporarily relocating the library at the business centre until a new permanent home can be found.

In the recommendations portion of the meeting council determined three properties were considered dangerous and unsightly and directed staff to take action.

Councillors also approved a staff request to apply for over $10 million from the provincial municipal capital growth program. The program supports municipalities’ efforts to address infrastructure needs.

Region of Queens would like to use the funding to support the Mount Pleasant service extension project which has three distinct components: transmission main upgrades, water lift station upgrades, and extending services to the growth area around Mount Pleasant. The current estimated costs of the project are in the neighborhood of $21.5 million.

Council then approved spending $750 as their contribution to co-host the New Year’s Day levee alongside Mersey branch 38 of the Royal Canadian Legion.

Council then moved into discussions, the first two items involved road names, the first being Lingley Lane and the second Audrelyn Lane. No other streets in the region currently have those names so they will be assigned to those streets at an upcoming meeting.

A discussion whether to support Mill Village fire department’s request to purchase a new truck for $620,000 will come back to council once the chiefs of the Regions’ five fire departments have an opportunity to discuss long term planning for replacement of their engines. The municipality contributes 25 percent of the cost to the fire service whenever a new truck is purchased.

Next municipal staff asked council to clarify the intent of the travel expense policy. Staff are looking to clarify the language and will bring the policy back for Council’s consideration at a future meeting.

The last item on the agenda was a request from the Kiwanis Club of Liverpool to take over operation of the concession stand at Queens Place.

Under the proposal, the club will be responsible for ensuring compliance with food safety certificates and insurance as well as obtaining a food operating permit, while operations will be handled by volunteers from the Queens County Blades and Queens County minor hockey association. Councillors were supportive of the idea as it would provide an opportunity for all three local organizations to raise money.

Regional staff will work out details with the Kiwanis organization and bring the item back before council at a future meeting.

Council only meets one time in December due to the holidays. The next council meeting will be January 9^th at 9:00am in council chambers.

To hear the broadcast version of this story click play below.

E-mail: edhalversonnews@gmail.com

Entrance to Region of Queens council chambers. Photo Ed Halverson

Tuesday’s Region of Queens Council meeting began with a couple of petitions to address speeding on Main Street in Liverpool.

Council moved the item to discussions and decided to have staff look into the costs and process of lowering the speed limit from 50km/h to 40 km/h at the far end of Main Street ending at Fort Point Rd.

Moving to the recommendations portion of the agenda, staff recommended reappointing three members of the Planning advisory committee to their current positions. Members can serve either a one- or two-year term. The intention of the policy is to stagger the appointments, so the entire committee isn’t replaced at one time.

Next council heard a recommendation to waive tipping fees for a property that has fallen into disrepair since the previous owner died in 2001. Her beneficiaries have agreed to cover the cost of demolition but as they are on a limited budget they are asking the municipality to forgive the tipping fees. Council will vote on the recommendation to waive the $700 charge at their next meeting.

A request to enter into a development agreement to expand what is currently two short- term rental units in Summerville into seven units was denied as council and staff felt the number of structures would be too much for a parcel of land which is only 26,5000 square feet in size.

Council appointed two new representatives to the new Police Advisory Board. North Queens will be represented by Donald Kimball and South Queens will be served by Elaina Gaetan.

The Diversity and Inclusion Action Team also added a new member as council approved Tammy Conway-Denning. She brings over twenty years’ experience working with vulnerable and diverse populations to the position.

The long-discussed new outdoor pool was next on the agenda. Council was presented with a site plan based on the criteria they had previously established including a six-lane competitive pool, seating for spectators, a thermal pool and a zero-entry side. The cost to fulfil the wish list comes in at $8.22 million.

Council directed staff to proceed with the next steps of developing an estimated operating budget including expenses and revenue; a financial plan including possible funding models and grant opportunities for the current capital cost deficit; construction procurement options; and to obtain further Project Management services.

The last recommendation was to provide the Hunts Point Community Hall Association with $6,139 from the Community Investment Fund to install a new roof.

In the discussion portion of the meeting Council received a report to improve the heating system at the Town Hall Arts and Cultural Centre, home of the Astor Theatre. Theatre personnel have applied for federal funding to offset the cost of installing a new HVAC system.

Council then directed municipal staff to work alongside theatre group to determine what work will be performed and how it is to be funded.

The next Region of Queens Council meeting will be held November 28 at 6:00pm in Council Chambers.

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Region of Queens administration building. Photo Ed Halverson

Region of Queens council packed a light agenda as they took their meeting on the road this week.

Residents took the opportunity to ask questions of council during the public comment and question portion of the meeting held in the Seaside Centre. The first was a request to repave or repair a section of School St. in Milton prior to the winter of 2023. The second was to ask if council were aware of a home being built on eagle head placing large rocks to prevent the ocean overflowing their property.

Mayor Darlene Norman says School St. is maintained jointly by the province and the municipality and any work would have to go out to tender. She says the province has already allocated their shared road repair budget for this year and it would be unlikely a tender would come back in time to complete the work before this winter.

Regarding the large rocks being placed on the eagle head property Norman says that responsibility also falls to the province.

The lone recommendation was a request to approve fixed roof overnight accommodation in south Brookfield. The petitioners Jasmine and Matthew Mallay want to build a collection of cottage rentals on 19 acres of property which requires a development agreement between the owners and the municipality.

The property is close to Cameron’s Brook provincial day park and Norman expects a development like this in a remote area would be welcome.

“People need to get out in nature,” said Norman. “Everybody’s not camper, everybody doesn’t go to provincial parks or national parks. Some people just like to get out in nature and have the comfort of a fixed roof and a bed.”

Council approved the development agreement and schedule a public hearing for November 28th in council chambers for residents to weigh in.

Next council discussed appointments to the planning advisory committee. Three member’s terms expired and all three wished to remain on PAC. Council reappointed the committee members but directed staff to examine the policy to determine if longer terms or term limits would be appropriate.

Finally, council discussed sending a letter of support to Municipal Affairs Minister John Lohr for a bill currently working its way through the legislature which updates interactions between the province and municipalities across Nova Scotia.

Norman says the new deal would put $400,000 back in the Region of Queens coffers representing four cents on the tax rate.

The next Region of Queens council meeting is scheduled for November 14th at 9:00 AM in council chambers.

To hear the full interview with Mayor Norman click play below.

E-mail: edhalversonnews@gmail.com

Entrance to Region of Queens council chambers. Photo Ed Halverson

A relatively light agenda at the Oct 12 Region of Queens council meeting started out with preparations for winter.

Council awarded the tender to truck bulk road salt to the lone submission, VanDyk Excavation & Truckin’ for $78.76 per metric tonne.

Visitors to Queens Place will see a new ice resurfacer in the summer of 2024 as council agreed to purchase a new electric Zamboni at a cost of $179,975.  Funding is coming from the province through a Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage grant valued at $205,000. The balance of the funds will be used to install the charging unit and make any necessary modifications.

The region will also partner with the province to pave a 200-metre-long section of Oliver Street. Queens will pay $50,000, half the cost of the total $100,000 project with the province picking up the balance.

Council next agreed to make an application to the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board to provide a one-time reduction of the consumption rate for residents affected by the two-months-long boil water advisory. If approved, residents will see the 70 percent reduction on their January bill.

Council then issued a dangerous and unsightly order for a property at 9777 Highway 8 in Caledonia near the fire station. The owner now has 30 days to clean up the site or they will be responsible to pay costs to the municipality to complete the work which includes demolishing a makeshift outbuilding, removing debris, and levelling the property.

In the discussion portion of the meeting councillors asked staff to report back with solutions for illegal dumping at Grey Boxes in private roads in Labelle.

Staff were also asked to provide council with options for reducing homelessness in Queens.

The next council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday October 24 at 6:00pm in the Seaside Recreation Centre in Eagle Head.

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E-mail: edhalversonnews@gmail.com

Region of Queens Administration Building. Photo Ed Halverson

Region of Queens Council was back with a jam-packed agenda in the first meeting after summer.

Council meets just once a month during July and August and have now returned to their regular twice monthly schedule.

Council heard from the public to start the meeting. A question was raised whether water utility customers would receive a refund from the municipality considering they haven’t had drinkable water in over a month since the treatment station was struck by lightning.

Mayor Darlene Norman says the Region of Queens won’t be providing a refund as the utility is its own legal entity and rates are set by the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board.

Next council awarded the South Shore Multicultural Association $3,000 from the Community Investment Fund to assist with National Day of Truth and Reconciliation events being held at the Hank Snow Museum at the end of the month.

Council then heard from finance staff who reported the municipality had a $1.6 million operating surplus last year. Mayor Norman says the surplus can be attributed to a number of factors including: $1.2 million in unexpected income from deed transfer tax and investment returns, as well as $400,000 that went unspent on staff positions the Region has been unable to fill.

Two contracts were then awarded following request for proposals involving an evaluation of the Region’s Information Technology systems as well as a staff and council compensation review.

Mayor Norman says it’s been many years since either was properly assessed and the municipality needs to know which IT systems work and why.

The compensation review will be undertaken to determine if staff and council pay are in line with what other municipalities and the private sector are offering.

Council went on to discuss Queens County Rails to Trails and the Queens County ATV Associations’ request to redesignate the trail corridor from West Street, behind the municipal offices building to Silver Rock Road to multi-use. Currently that trail only permits pedestrians, and the organizations would like it opened for off-highway vehicles and bicycles.

The Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities will be hosting their fall convention and Region of Queens decided to send five members of council.

Finally, the Region will be applying for intervenor status at an upcoming hearing at the Nova Scotia Aquaculture Board regarding a site expansion at the salmon farm in Liverpool Bay.

The next council meeting will be held September 26 in council chambers beginning at 6:00pm.

To hear the broadcast of this story click play below.

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Graffiti on Burgess Rd breakwater. Photo Darlene Norman

Region of Queens will spend $5,000 to clean graffiti in Port Mouton.

For the last year and a half residents have complained about offensive graffiti being posted on a breakwater and surrounding rocks at the end of Burgess Rd.

The complaint landed on the council floor at the last meeting where Mayor Darlene Norman shared photos she had taken with the rest of council.

Norman says council agreed with the representative for that area, Councillor Kevin Muise, who said that graffiti wouldn’t be tolerated in more populated parts of the Region and his residents should expect the same service.

“Even though that area may not receive as much traffic and eyeballs as land in around Liverpool, Milton, Brooklyn area, or any community, it is an area known by locals who like to go there and look out to sea and it’s our land,” said Norman. “So, we need to be responsible for our land and we need to keep unsavoury comments off our land.”

The abandoned breakwater at the end of Burgess Rd was transferred from the Federal Government to the Region of Queens about 20 years ago because it provides access to water.

At one point in the discussion council contemplated removing the breakwater but Norman says that idea was quickly dismissed as the structure is important in maintaining the integrity of the surrounding land.

“If you were to remove that then you are changing the dynamics of those ocean currents and you would, in effect, be causing significant change to the land on the other side, so, the breakwater stays,” said Norman.

Council has requested that either staff remove the graffiti, in-house, or hire a contractor to complete the work.

E-mail: edhalversonnews@gmail.com

To listen to the full interview with Mayor Darlene Norman, press play below.

Future site of proposed Co-op housing along Trestle Trail. Photo Ed Halverson

Region of Queens Council voted in favour of rezoning for 26 units of affordable housing in Liverpool.

In November, Council approved selling four adjoining lots between Lawrence and Amherst streets and Trestle Trail and the Queens Street Extension to Queens Neighbourhood Cooperative Housing Ltd, an offshoot of the Queens Care Society group for one dollar.

The area is currently zoned for Lower Density Residential and needs to be redesignated for Multiple Unit Residential to accommodate the two proposed buildings.

The municipality’s Planning Advisory Committee approved the proposed development at their June 19 meeting. Council approved the rezoning at Tuesday’s council meeting following a public hearing where no one spoke for or against the proposed development.

If the rezoning is upheld a public notice will be issued Aug 16 and the four parcels will be rezoned Multiple Unit Residential effective Aug 31.

Mayor Darlene Norman says council wants to do everything it can to get this project of the ground as everyone is aware of the desperate need for more housing.

“We’re a year and a half in already from the time we first started talking about council selling the land,” said Norman. “Because then you have to go through the public hearing of selling it for a dollar and all other such things, and then the deeds, and then the rezoning, so we’re going through this as quickly as we can.”

At an expected cost of $6 million, the development will require funding from several sources and the cooperation of different levels of governments and other agencies.

The municipality has already committed $203,000 in the 2023-24 budget for the group to complete predevelopment work on the site including project management and engineering fees, architectural drawings costs and a landscape architect as well as initial site clearing, road access excavation and digging test pits.

Norman says the Region will continue to assist the Queens Neighbourhood Cooperative Housing Ltd.

“It’s their project so we’re not sticking our nose in it, but everything they need, every help they want, they come see us,” said Norman.

The new development will focus on seniors but aims to be inclusive and diverse.

As a co-op, the units will be owned by members who will form a democratically elected board of directors to make decisions about maintenance or improvements of their units. In the co-op model, members will not build equity in their unit like a private homeowner. Instead that equity will be used to build more units and pay off the development over a longer mortgage period, between 40 and 50 years, keeping the units affordable.
As one occupant leaves, the next occupant won’t be faced with a massive increase in housing costs.

The board of the Queens Neighbourhood Cooperative Housing Ltd. is working to break ground on the new development in early spring of 2024.

E-mail: edhalversonnews@gmail.com

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Region of Queens Administration Building. Photo Ed Halverson

Rezoning of an area to accommodate to construction of co-op housing topped the latest meeting of Region of Queens council.

No one spoke in favour or against the proposed multi-unit co-op development at a public hearing ahead of Tuesday’s council meeting.

Council approved the rezoning to allow the construction in the Lawrence Street/Amherst Street part of Liverpool.

Also receiving council approval was a request from the Medway Head Lighthouse Society to allow liquor to be served at the opening night of their annual art show.

Council then approved the $314,700 + HST purchase of a front-end loader for the Queens solid waste facility. The purchase came in over $70,000 less than the budgeted amount of $385,000 + HST.

Next up was the appointment of Miles Harlow as Fire Inspector for the municipality. Harlow is a building inspector for the Region and will continue in that role as he takes on the responsibilities of fire inspector alongside the municipality’s current sole fire inspector Tim Clattenburg.

In the discussion portion of the meeting, a question was asked during the Council Implementation Report as to what progress is being made to sell off some the Region’s surplus properties.

Planning staff had been tasked with developing a policy for the equitable sale of surplus lands but say there hasn’t been time. They are processing a high number of permits which need to take priority over the policy development.

Next council tasked staff with cleaning up graffiti on municipally owned property in Port Mouton.

The first quarter financial review continues to show high deed transfer tax payments. The deed-transfer tax puts 1.5 percent from the sale of any property in Queens into municipal coffers. Staff had predicted $720,000 in tax revenue for the entire year but has taken in $321,905 in just the first three months of the year, almost half of what they were expecting for all of 2023/24.

Finally, council is looking at installing security cameras in the recreation areas at Queens Place after vandals have been leaving broken glass and graffiti throughout the campus. Staff will explore options and bring a report back to council at the next meeting that will outline possible solutions and costs.

The next council meeting will be held in council chambers on September 12 beginning at 9:00am.

E-mail: edhalversonnews@gmail.com

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Entrance to Trestle Trail from Bristol Ave. Photo Ed Halverson

Region of Queens council heard a proposal that would allow off-highway vehicles to drive through downtown Liverpool.

At the July council meeting, members of the Queens County ATV Association and the Queens Rails to Trails Association came together to present the idea of allowing OHVs to travel along Hwy 3, down Bristol Ave, across the bridge where they would turn onto Henry Hensey Drive, crossing Main Street and continuing up Brunswick until vehicles connected with the Trestle Trail.

The idea is possible because of a recently passed piece of provincial legislation called the Road Trails Act which is intended to allow OHVs to cross short stretches of road to move from one off road trail to another.

The Act is not yet law but President of the Queens County ATV Association David White says the groups wanted to present the plan to council so they could hear and address any concerns before it comes into effect.

“This is an early-step process because that’s still not actually enacted but we’re trying to get all of our ducks in a row so when it hits the ground, we’re one of the people out front,” said White.

The new act says all riders are required to have a valid driver’s licence, insurance, registration and a licence plate, and vehicles may not go faster than 25 km/h.

Councillor David Brown was concerned about OHVs traveling along Bristol Ave where they would have to move in traffic along with other vehicles.

“I see in other places that it’s been a real financial boon to people. But it almost seems to me like going across Bristol instead of going across the Trestle trail, finance is trumping safety..” said Brown. “To me, it looks like using the Trestle Trail, cutting off by the Irving and not going across Bristol would be much safer for pedestrian traffic, for bicycles for people driving, for the people on the ATVs but we’re trying to force them through the town just because it’s finance and I have a little problem with that.”

White acknowledged the vehicles could travel along the Trestle Trail and avoid downtown Liverpool, but the idea is to bring riders closer to local businesses. He says while there are financial motives, safety must always come first.

“As for Bristol economic trade trumping safety, we would never see safety compromised. Safety is at the foremost of what we want,” said White.

The Queens County ATV Association president noted that locals are aware traffic often slows on Bristol Ave due to bicycles, public works, and other reasons and OHVs would be no more inconvenient for drivers.

Council decided to work with the two groups to further explore the potential plan and may look to form a working committee in the future.

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Region of Queens administration building. Photo Ed Halverson

Discussions around changing the sidewalks on the Liverpool Town Bridge and updating the municipal phone answering service were a couple of items on the most recent Region of Queens Council meeting agenda.

The meeting started with a pair of presentations. The first was an update from Roswall, the company behind the Mersey River Wind Farm project.

The company has received several governmental approvals and held community information meetings. They are working towards completing development stage items and signing a lease for the Crown Land.

The second item was a joint presentation from the Queens County ATV Association and the Queens Rails to Trails Association. The two groups are looking for municipal support that would allow ATVs to travel along short sections of municipal roads as permitted by the recently announced Road Trails Act.

Council will discuss the request at a future meeting and will likely be bringing the idea forward to the public for feedback.

In the recommendations section council agreed to waive tipping fees for up to 10 metric tonnes or roughly $700 worth for a family who lost their home in a fire.

Council also agreed to spend $16,850 to install a new telephone answering service for the municipality. The Region has been unable to receive telephone messages for the past several weeks as the old system is no longer supported.

The parameters for a new seven-member police advisory board were also established. Councillors Brown and Hawkes along with Deputy Mayor Fancy will represent council. Community members will include Acadia First Nation Band Council member Andrew Francis and two others chosen from the public. The seventh member will be appointed by the province. Region of Queens is working towards having the new Police Advisory Board in place early in the fall.

Tenders for a new heating and ventilation system for the Liverpool Business Development Centre has come in $130,000 over budget. Council had approved spending $1.9 million in the 2023/24 budget. The only tender received came from Sea Coast HVAC at a total cost of $2.03 million. As it was the only bid, council approved spending the additional money to begin the work.

They also approved $446,200 to buy a new street sweeper from Saunders Equipment Ltd, of Fredericton NB.

A homeowner in Brooklyn requested municipal wastewater systems be extended to their property. Staff informed council it is not feasible at this time because of permitting issues from the province and the large number of projects they are already working on within the municipality.

Council also explored options for improving pedestrian and bicycle traffic on the Liverpool Town bridge. With four options ranging from $325,000 to refresh the existing layout to $4.4 million to move the lanes to the outside of the bridge, council opted to maintain what is in place now and keep an eye out for federal funding options in the future.

Finally, council went in-camera to discuss Nova Scotia Power’s request to install an EV charging station on municipal property in Liverpool, but no site was confirmed.

The next Region of Queens Council meeting will be held August 8 beginning at 9:00am in council chambers.

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Region of Queens Council. Photo Region of Queens

The creation of a new police oversight board and rezoning for affordable housing topped the items at the recent Region of Queens Council meeting.

Council was on the road this Tuesday, June 27 at the Greenfield Fire Hall with a relatively light agenda.

Three recommendations came forward.

The first was a $5260 grant to the Privateer Days Commission from the Community Investment Fund. The money will help the Commission offset the $42,080 operational costs for this year’s event.

Next council put forth three names to be considered for the Provincial Volunteer Awards. Each year the Region selects two people for recognition.

In recent years the Region would select names from the Ripple Effect program, a municipal program for the public to recognize the volunteer efforts of others. Despite many requests, no nominations were received this year, so council had to submit names.

Beach Meadows resident Amy MacGowan will receive the award for her work to independently raise money for several community organizations. Notably, in the past year she has raised $35,000. Of that, $27,000 went to assist two local families dealing with cancer diagnoses and another $6,000 was raised to assist those impacted by the recent wildfires in Shelburne County.

The second recipient is Sylvia Hurley from Liverpool. Hurley is active in numerous groups throughout Liverpool including the Victorian Order of Nurses, the K-ettes, Ladies Auxiliary Milton Baptist Church, Hank Snow Tribute, and the Queens County PC Association.

Both women will be recognized at a provincial ceremony planned for September 25.

The final recommendation was to rezone a parcel of land in Liverpool from Lower Density Residential to Multiple Unit Residential. The rezoning is needed to allow the construction of the two proposed buildings along Lawrence Street.

In November 2022, Council sold four parcels of land for a dollar to the Queens Neighbourhood Cooperative Housing Ltd to build 26 units of affordable housing.

The Planning Advisory Committee approved the rezoning at their June 19 meeting.

Now that council has given their blessing, residents will have their say at a public meeting ahead of the August 8 Region of Queens Council meeting. Provided there are no objections, the rezoning will go into effect Aug 31.

Three items were up for discussion.

The first was a Council Implementation report from staff to indicate how several council initiatives are proceeding.

The second was a request to waive tipping fees for a family who recently lost their home in a fire and don’t have the means to pay for disposal of the burnt materials.

Interim CAO Dan McDougall said other municipalities have a compassionate fund to assist people in this situation and suggested Queens could do the same. After discussing the matter, council requested staff come back with a report on how the compassionate fund could work in Queens.

The final item up for discussion was the creation of a Police Advisory Board.

By law, each municipality must have Police Advisory Board.

According to the staff presentation, “…Council has been the governance body acting as the Police Advisory Board with the understanding that this approach had received approval from the Minister of Justice at the time when this practice started. However, written approval from the Minister of Justice (pursuant to section 57(8) of the Police Act) for this governance model has not been located.”

One of the recommendations that came out of the Mass Casualty Commission Report in March was that “Municipalities and the Province of Nova Scotia should ensure that police boards and police advisory boards are fully staffed and performing their governance function.”

The Region of Queens was notified by the Department of Justice in May that they will need to establish a stand-alone Police Advisory Board. Staff are now working to get a board in place by September.

The next Region of Queens Council meeting will be held July 11, beginning at 9:00am in council chambers.

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Entrance to Region of Queens council chambers. Photo Ed Halverson

The proponents of a Liverpool development called “The Point” were back before Region of Queens council with a plan to provide over a hundred units of affordable housing.

Rumclo Developments Ltd recently acquired seven acres across Shore Rd from their proposed “Point” development.

Rumclo laid out their plans to build 22 Townhouses in an area they are calling “The Curve” and 92 apartments made up of 1-, 2-, and 3-bedroom units in a community dubbed “Birchwood Gardens”.

The developers want the Region to commit to extending Municipal water and sewer to all their proposed developments in short order.

With Mayor Darlene Norman absent, Deputy Mayor Jack Fancy chaired the most recent meeting.

Fancy says staff are preparing a report outlining what is required to extend municipal services to the developments.

“We should be able to discuss it and have an understand of what the full implications will be for the cost,” said the Deputy Mayor.

The report is expected before council in the coming weeks.

Other highlights from the June 13 council meeting include a $2,475 grant to the Liverpool Ukulele Ceilidh Society from the Region’s Community Investment Fund.

The Region will borrow $780,000 to cover the costs of Liverpool’s Main Street Sewer/Water Project.

Council granted permission to Highway Pentecostal Church to hold church services every Sunday evening in the Liverpool Waterfront Parking lot over July and August.

Public works will receive new four new trucks.

Two ¾ ton heavy duty pickups will come from Mosher Motors at a cost of $152,350 +HST.

The department asked for a budget of up to $40,000 to buy a mid -size truck from David Hatt Auto Sales to be used by the building inspector.

A fourth truck was not included in the 2023-24 capital budget but is needed after a fleet vehicle reached its end of life sooner than expected and needs to be replaced.

Council agreed to fund the purchase of used truck up to $25,000.

Public Works will also be taking ownership of a 2023 Trackless MT7 tractor from Saunders Equipment Ltd, Fredericton NB at a price of $178, 820 + HST. The tractor will be used for snow removal.

In the final piece of business, the new pool came back around for discussion.

After much back-and-forth council decided to go ahead with plans for an outdoor, six-lane, 25-foot-long pool with a zero-entry point after it was determined building an indoor pool is too costly and not feasible at this time.

A wind-breaking fence and hot tank area are also included on the municipality’s wish list.

Council will now wait for the Project Manager and Engineer to come back with conceptual drawings so they can begin pricing out the build.

The next Region of Queens Council meeting will take place at the Greenfield Fire Hall on June 27 at 6pm.

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Region of Queens Council. Photo Region of Queens

After five meetings and hours of deliberation, the Region of Queens approved the 2023/24 budget at the most recent council meeting Tuesday, April 25.

Between the operating and capital budgets, the water utility and Hillsview Acres, the municipality is projecting $44 million in spending.

The budget includes big ticket items like $8 million for the construction of a new library and outdoor pool without raising property taxes.

We’ll have a more detailed breakdown of the budget later this week.

As the meeting continued, council approved the creation of three new public works positions.

The department will be hiring a Civil Engineering Technologist, Operations Coordinator, and a Survey Technician.

Council then awarded nine different community groups between $1,500 and $10,000 each from the Community Investment Fund.

The money will help the various groups including the Hank Snow Society, Mersey Tobeatic Research Institute, and this station, QCCR with operational expenses.

The Greenfield Community Park Society were the first-ever recipients of a capital grant from the Community Investment Fund.

The society will receive $32,000 to help offset the $124,000 cost of installing new equipment including: play structures, lighting, a community fireplace and garden behind Greenfield Recreation Centre/Church and the Greenfield School.

Council then agreed to hire Gerald Walsh Associates to conduct the search for a new CAO to replace the outgoing Chris McNeill.

Finally, a request for the construction of a “Little Free Library” was deferred until staff can complete the new policy for placing of memorials in public spaces.

The next Region of Queens Council meeting will be held May 9 at 9:00am in council chambers.

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Region of Queens Council. Photo Region of Queens

Region of Queens Council has rejected a developer’s request to allow short term rentals in all three units they are building in Beach Meadows.

A public hearing on the matter kicked off Tuesday’s Region of Queens council meeting.

The developer will have to stick to the current zoning to permit long term housing which allows only one short term rental on the site.

The council portion of the meeting began with the approval to update the Emergency Management bylaw.

After the development agreement was rejected, council voted to consolidate municipal insurance under one provider.

Much like a multi-line discount for having a car, home and life insurance policy, the Region will save approximately $60,000 by combining all coverage under one provider, AON Reed Stenhouse Inc.

AON requires a significant increase in deductible for fire department trucks, raising the current amount from $5,000 to $25,000 per incident.

The Region agreed to pick up any deductible costs above the $5,000 limit as it is rare for the fire departments to make a claim for the trucks and the move is considered low risk.

Council then approved a tiered system for providing low-income property tax relief.

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

Commercial operators will pay almost $18 more per tonne in residual waste tipping fees going forward.

Council approved a hike to $29.90 per tonne in closure costs effective April 1.

All is back to normal at the South Shore Regional Airport as the municipality has come to terms on a 20-year lease with the South Shore Flying Club.

The club will pay $4,000 plus HST to the Region each year and will be able to continue its activities in exchange for maintaining the site.

The municipality announced earlier this month it had come to terms on a 20-year lease with the South Shore Drag Racers Association.

The two groups will continue to share the airport as they have for years.

During the discussion portion of the meeting council talked about construction of the proposed outdoor pool at Queens Place.

Council put forward the idea that once the scope of the pool is known, that project and the proposed build of the new library alongside Queens Place should be combined and operated by the same project management team.

The next Region of Queens council meeting will be held Tuesday, April 11 in council chambers beginning at 9:00am.

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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.

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

Region of Queens Council has cancelled the construction of a new library near Queens Place.

In a recorded 5-3 vote, Councillors Amirault, Charlton, Fancy, Gidney and Muise voted not to build the library at that location, while Mayor Norman and Councillors Brown and Hawkes voted to go ahead.

The motion was put forward by Councillor Charlton who expressed concerns Council wasn’t consulted about building a new road on the site which would extend the existing driveway to accommodate both the planned long-term care home and the proposed library.

In August 2022 council agreed to sell the land at Queens Crossing (the name of the site containing Queens Place, the Best Western Hotel, the skatepark, the planned long-term care home and the proposed library site) to the Queens Care Society for $2 per square foot.

The 479,000 square feet of land would bring in roughly $960,000, which is about what public works staff estimate it would cost to build a road, sidewalks and water infrastructure out to the end of the cul-de-sac to accommodate the library and long-term care home.

Historically, council has reinvested any proceeds from the sale of land on that site back into infrastructure at Queens Crossing.

Charlton says she supports the construction of a new long-term care home, but council was never asked if they wanted to spend that money and since it isn’t a policy, this council is not bound by the decisions of previous councils.

“We did not discuss a road extension when we agreed to sell the land,” said Charlton. “We were selling the land because it was already serviced for water and sewer to the point where it was required.”

Mayor Darlene Norman says if the municipality doesn’t cover the cost of extending these services it will need to come from the Queens Care Society’s construction budget.

“The whole idea that we would not show our support for this amazing facility is beyond comprehensible to me,” said Norman.

Councillor Vicki Amirault chairs the library site selection committee and voted against the committee’s recommendation.

The committee was tasked by council with finding the best location to build a new library.

The Queens Crossing site was put forth as the committee’s unanimous choice for the new build in June of 2022 but was rejected by council in a 5-3 vote.

In January of this year the committee made the same recommendation which council accepted at that time.

Councillor Amirault was contacted to provide a comment for this story but did not reply before publication.

Council is now looking at options to move the library closer to the Queens Place Emera Centre.

They have requested costed studies for two different library concepts.

One will determine the price of a stand-alone library beside Queens Place; the other would examine building an extension on the Centre.

CAO Chris McNeill told council he was warned by the project manager an extension would be more costly.

McNeill says any extension on Queens Place would have to look at the existing capacity of the building to handle additional demands on electricity, heating and water supply among other issues.

McNeill also informed council the two studies could cost in the range of $200,000.

In the meantime, council is aware of the precarious situation the Thomas H Raddall Library finds itself.

In addition to infrastructure issues the building is currently up for sale.

Council is suggesting the library find alternative locations where they could relocate temporarily until a new permanent location can be built.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

They hit the ground running in the last month.

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

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

Chief among those is where to build.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Region of Queens administration building. Photo Ed Halverson

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

The meeting started with a pair of presentations.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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South Shore Regional Airport in Greenfield. Image from Google Maps

After an initial sale fell through another buyer has been found for the South Shore Regional Airport.

The Nova Scotia Drag Racers Association is one of two groups currently using the airport.

The NSDRA hosts drag racing events on site five weekends each summer.

As a non-profit organization the group is looking to buy the airport for less than fair market value.

The proposed sale price was not disclosed in the Region of Queens Council agenda package.

Region of Queens Mayor Darlene Norman says the group has contributed a great deal to the area over its 20-year history and would be a good fit.

“Sometimes it isn’t about who’s got the biggest pockets. Sometimes it’s about who can bring the best value to people.,” said Norman. “When you think this is located in the northern part of our municipality, 1,000 people on a weekend is a nice boost to that economy and several local businesses are supported by the activity of the Nova Scotia Drag Racers Association.”

The drag racers have agreed that should they buy the property they will work to provide the other current user, the South Shore Flying Club with a lease so they can continue their activities on the site.

Council had voted to sell the airport property to Liemke Ventures for $565,000 at their April 12 meeting but the sale was never finalized.

A public hearing on the sale to the Nova Scotia Drag Racers Association will be held at 9:00 AM on December 13 in council chambers.

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Photo Ed Halverson

Region of Queens council were on the road at the fire hall in Port Medway for their latest meeting.

Council gave the go ahead on a plan to build a “Lost at Sea Memorial” in Fort Point Park.

Councillors offered broad support for the project but took note of staff recommendations to avoid underground infrastructure on the site and to place the monument without disturbing existing trees.

Following a discussion, a motion will come before council at a future meeting to spend up to $12,000 for leadership training to provide better coordination between the five fire departments and the municipality.*

The training comes at the request of the five department chiefs and the money will be spent on a facilitator to provide the training.

A request has also been extended from the Emergencies Measures officer to neighbouring municipalities to enter into a mutual aid agreement in the event of severe storms or other large-scale emergencies.

Queens currently has an agreement in place with Shelburne and would like to include the municipalities in Lunenburg County as well.

The second quarter budget update shows deed transfers are already above budgeted expectations.

It appears land sales, particularly in the Molega Lake area are driving the increase.

The municipality is spending more for waste collection as fuel surcharges are averaging $8,000 – $10,000 more per month due to the high price at the pumps.

Mayor Darlene Norman added an item to the agenda requesting council permission to send a letter to the province voicing opposition to any expansion of fish farms in Queens.

Norman is concerned untreated fecal matter from farms will pollute the shallow bays in which they are located damaging the environment and negatively impacting other industries, most notably, the lobster fishery.

“I would sincerely hope that the provincial government recognizes and somehow finds a way to simply state, this province is not a suitable place, in our coastal bays, to be growing salmon”

Finally, council approved a motion that came from in-camera to sell four small parcels of land to the Queens Care Society around the Lawrence and Brunswick Street area of Liverpool.

The aim is to use the use the land to provide affordable, co-op housing.

The plan will come to a public hearing at the council meeting on November 22.

Council will hold their next meeting back in council chambers at 9:00am November 8.

* A previous version of the story indicated council had approved spending $12,000 for leadership training of the fire chiefs. The story has been edited to reflect a discussion was had and the motion will come before council at a future meeting.

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Photo Ed Halverson

The sale of 11 acres of municipal land was the highlight of Tuesday’s Region of Queens council meeting.

The only session in August started with a presentation from the Queens Care Building Society providing an overview of the proposed new long-term care home set to replace Queens Manor and Hillsview Acres.

The four members representing the society highlighted the programs the new facility will provide along with one and two-storey options for construction of the new 112-bed structure.

The society’s request to secure municipal land adjacent to Queens Place and the Best Western hotel was granted during the in-camera portion of the meeting when council agreed to sell 11 acres for roughly $960,000.

Some long-standing items that had previously come before council were also approved.

Region staff will get to work crafting a bylaw to allow Queens to collect road levies on behalf of non-profit associations.

Mayor Darlene Norman says staff has assured council they have the capacity to take on the added responsibility using existing resources.

“It only seems right and proper that we help them where we can,” said Norman. “For example, we do not put streetlights on their roads. We do not have personal garbage collection at their doorsteps. So, if we can, as a council, help them improve their roads, then it is the right thing for us to do.”

Council also agreed to a request from the South Shore Regional Hospital Foundation to provide $100,000 for their Brighter Days Capital Campaign.

The money will be the Region’s one-time contribution towards the $115 million redevelopment at the area’s regional hospital which will expand the size of the emergency room and surgical areas, add new dialysis chairs, MRI suite and CT-scanner among other upgrades.

The vote was not unanimous as some councillors argued with the ongoing doctor shortage and frequent ER closures, council should be supporting Queens General first.

Norman says South Shore Regional is just as much Queens’ hospital as Queens General.

“We could give a million dollars to our hospital, and it is not going to help our ER situation at this point in time. Our foundation, the Queens Hospital Foundation, have encouraged us to provide this money to South Shore Regional,” said Norman.

Council also decided to pay between $50,000 and $60,000 to build an accessible ramp at the Town Hall Arts and Cultural Centre.

The new ramp will be located between the centre and the neighbouring RBC building to provide access from the parking lot into the Astor Theatre lobby.

Council then heard the Region took in just over $300,000 from the sale of 23 properties at the July 18 tax sale.

Approximately $48,000 will go to paying off outstanding debt with the remaining $250,000 or so, being put in the Tax Sale Surplus Reserve Account where previous owners have up to 20 years to claim the proceeds from the sale.

The first quarter financial review indicated the Region will be paying an additional $150,000 for garbage collection this year to cover the increase in fuel costs.

The original estimate was negotiated based on a cost of 89.64 cents per litre and in the past few months, the price of fuel has routinely been a dollar or more per litre above that.

Council was also made aware of human resource changes to the Region’s employee handbook to make the policies more inclusive and in keeping with 2022 standards.

Some of the policies hadn’t been updated in 20 years.

And the planning and development department is looking to increase the fees for some services to better reflect the cost of providing permitting and development amendments.

Council then moved in camera and approved the sale of the lot for the new long-term care facility as well as a piece of property in Milton for a multi-unit housing development.

Council will not meet again until the second Tuesday in September.

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

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