The Region of Queens adopted a winter maintenance policy this week. (Photo by Sergei Starostin via Pexels)

The Region of Queens has a snowplowing policy for the first time.

“This ensures municipal transportation infrastructure, roads, sidewalks and facilities are managed effectively during snow, ice and other winter conditions, while providing consistent, transparent and a measurable level of service throughout the community,” Adam Grant, director of infrastructure, told councillors at their regular meeting this week.

“Establishing this policy will provide clarity for staff as winter maintenance is provided, while also providing clear expectation to residents.”

The region is responsible for snow clearing mostly in Liverpool and some parts of Milton. Nova Scotia’s Department of Public Works looks after everything else.

The winter maintenance policy details priority areas and response times.

• MORE DETAIL HERE ON EXPECTED RESPONSE TIMES

For example, at the top of the list are roads and sidewalks leading to the municipal public works garage, Hillsview Acres Home for Special Care in Greenfield, Queens Place Emera Centre, the municipal administration building and Liverpool Business Development Centre on White Point Road and the Queens Waste Management Facility.

Then it’s collector roads and sidewalks downtown, including the main parking lot and spots on Main Street. Local roads and sidewalks are next, with municipal waste collection sites, otherwise known as grey boxes, dry hydrants, Pine Grove Park, Queens Ground Search and Rescue and the Astor Theatre as lower priority areas.

Click on the map for a larger image (Region of Queens)

The service standard is to have all roads, sidewalks and parking areas accessible within 48 hours after a storm. But some areas have six-hour or 12-hour targets. For example, the goal on main roads is to have both lanes cleared to bare asphalt within 12 hours. 

Grant stressed that municipal crews begin their work as quickly as possible. 

“So when you look at the time, post-storm, whether it’s six hours, 12, or 48, that doesn’t mean that we’re waiting six hours to start,” he said. “It’s likely to assume that it would be completed in a shorter period of time. It just sets out a priority for us as what we tackle first, second, third, fourth, achieving always to try to have zero as the response time for residents to experience.”

Some councillors were concerned that the service standard for clearing out dry hydrants is 48 hours after a storm.

District 6 Coun. Stewart Jenkins said he wants to see a stricter standard for maintaining those areas.

“I can’t believe we would wait two days after a snowstorm to clean out fire services’ access to their dry hydrants. I think that’s a misstep and it should be done sooner than that.”

Grant said that crews usually get to those areas pretty quickly.

“We generally start dry hydrants probably 12 hours after a storm’s end and we work on them routinely overnight and the next day and they’re typically cleaned up within 24 hours,” he said.

“And I guess what this outlines is that if we can’t accomplish that within 48 hours, then we need to revisit the resources and the level of service that we’re trying to achieve, then make sure that there’s that balance in there. But in no way are we intending to not maintain dry hydrants in a timely manner.”

He also pointed out that fire departments can call municipal crews in emergency situations and they’ll respond immediately.

Mayor Scott Christian also wanted to ensure that downtown streets and sidewalks are accessible as early as possible for those with mobility challenges.

Manager of Public Works Garrett Chetwynd said main sidewalks are usually passable pretty quickly after a storm after the sidewalk plow goes through. Crews have to use shovels and other hand tools to get to the bare sidewalk, and the crosscuts (the sloped area that joins the sidewalk with the road) would be clear within 12 hours. 

“That doesn’t mean that they’re not touched at all,” Chetwynd said. “When our sidewalk plow goes through, it’s clear just not to that bare sidewalk. It’s very difficult to navigate that changing slope and terrain as you get through with the machine.”

Councillors approved the new policy at their meeting on Tuesday. Christian said that staff and council could make tweaks to it if necessary as the season progresses.

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

Listen to the audio version of this story below

The Region of Queens wants ‘clear, enforceable provisions’ around e-bike and e-scooter use. (Mercea Iancu via Pixabay)

The Region of Queens wants to figure out how to regulate e-scooters and e-bikes in the municipality.

And that could include allowing them on sidewalks.

District 4 Coun. Vicki Amirault said that at the Nov. 13 police advisory board meeting, Queens District RCMP Const. Andrew Winsor reviewed the Motor Vehicle Act provisions around e-scooters.

“We discussed the uses of these devices on all roads, but the most challenged road was Bristol Avenue,” Amirault told her fellow councillors at Tuesday’s regular council meeting.

“
The board discussed sidewalk versus roadway use for the e-scooters. Due to the narrow lanes and heavy traffic in this area, it was suggested sidewalk use for limited areas, such as these supported by signage, with expectations for reductions in speed.” 

Residents told councillors at their recent town hall sessions that it’s become too dangerous as a pedestrian in some areas, with the rise in popularity of the devices.

They reported people riding e-scooters and e-bikes at high speeds and not paying attention to what they were doing.

Councillors asked staff to develop “clear, enforceable provisions regulating e-bikes and e-scooters as recommended by the police advisory board”.

They also want staff to come up with amendments to a bylaw that restricts skateboard use in downtown Liverpool.

Deputy Mayor Maddie Charlton said the 1998 bylaw prohibiting skateboards at Fort Point, on Main Street, park of Market Street and near the Visitor Information Centre is too restrictive.

“The police advisory board wanted to remedy that since we have a lovely skate park and we’re promoting activity and further engagement with our youth. So that doesn’t jibe with the council of the day.”

She said Winsor told councillors that they can’t do anything about reckless e-scooter and e-bike use without a municipal bylaw.

“Where the municipality doesn’t have bylaws with e-bikes and e-scooters, he can’t do any ticketing. So once we have a bylaw in place that covers that, if someone is going excessive speed on Bristol, he actually would be able to ticket them.”

The Motor Vehicle Act does extensively regulate the use of e-scooters. It explicitly says they should be treated like bicycles, and are not allowed on sidewalks.

Users of bicycles, e-scooters, skateboards and other similar devices are also supposed to wear helmets.

“Where a roadway has a bicycle lane for bicycles travelling in the same direction that a cyclist is travelling, the operator of an electric kick-scooter shall ride in the bicycle lane unless it is impracticable to do so,” the act says. 

“An operator of an electric kick-scooter who is not riding in a bicycle lane shall ride as far to the right side of the roadway as practicable or on the right-hand shoulder of the roadway.”

The Nova Scotia government recently passed a new Traffic Safety Act, which is due to replace the Motor Vehicle Act. It has not been proclaimed yet, so the current Motor Vehicle Act stands.

Under the new act, however, much of the responsibility for regulating the use of bicycles, e-scooters and e-bikes would fall to municipalities.

Mayor Scott Christian said he’s unsure why provisions of the Motor Vehicle Act aren’t being enforced. But he said he hopes the staff report will help clarify who’s responsible.

“It seems to me that some other municipalities will have already tackled this one. So I’ll be interested to see what approaches to regulating the appropriate and safe use of those devices within a town context where there is sidewalk infrastructure in place.”

Councillors also asked staff to investigate traffic calming measures in the town of Liverpool to respond to residents’ concerns about speeding by motor vehicles.

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

Listen to the audio version of this story below

Region of Queens Mayor Scott Christian speaks to residents before a town hall meeting at the Liverpool Fire Hall on Thursday. (Rick Conrad)

Community safety and downtown development dominated the first of seven town hall meetings held by Queens County councillors.

About 30 people attended the two-hour session at the Liverpool Fire Hall on Thursday evening to hear about council’s plans for the municipality and to ask some questions of their own.

Safety for people of all ages was a big concern.

Some residents said their grandchildren stay away from the Mersey Skatepark at Queens Place Emera Centre because of violence and bullying there. 

Others said they were worried about reckless riding of e-scooters and other vehicles on sidewalks.

And the owner of the Subway restaurant said she and her staff are dealing with problems from some students at the neighbouring Queens Adult High School.

Kim Moulton told councillors that her staff regularly witness drug use in front of the restaurant. She said they’ve called the RCMP, who take the students away but then bring them back. 

“Most times it’s pretty good. And then sometimes, when the new school year starts it starts over again and then we have to put our foot down,” she said in an interview.

“It’s not a very nice sight to sit and eat your lunch when you have a group of people hanging around loitering, smoking, cursing and swearing, spitting. It’s very unsightly.”

Other people told councillors they’re concerned about the lack of enforcement of e-scooters on sidewalks.

Nova Scotia’s Motor Vehicle Act clearly defines limits on e-scooter use, similar to bicycles. But Mayor Scott Christian said that Queens District RCMP have told the municipality that they can’t do anything about people riding them on sidewalks or recklessly on the road.

“Some of the stuff that was raised here, it’s not safe for pedestrians and it’s intimidating for some pedestrians when they have users on electric vehicles bearing down on them,” Christian said after the meeting.

“We see a lot of youth, a lot of young kids, riding these scooters. They’re going quite quick. A lot of them aren’t wearing helmets. Something I’ve raised to the (RCMP) staff sergeant and they’ve identified as something that they need to do some public education around. When we raise it to them they say the municipality has to do their part and get effective bylaws in place as well.”

According to the Motor Vehicle Act, which the RCMP usually enforce, riders of e-scooters or electric kick scooters are supposed to wear helmets at all times, just like users of bicycles and skateboards. They also must ride on the road or in designated bike lanes.

Municipalities can make their own bylaws governing their use, in addition to what’s in provincial legislation.

Region of Queens councillors held the first of seven town hall meetings Thursday evening. (Rick Conrad)

People also raised concerns about the state of downtown Liverpool.

Sylvia Hurley said much of Main Street looks rundown.

“It needs to be revamped,” she said in an interview after the meeting.

“It needs upgrading, those buildings. I mean, you go downtown and look at the old Stedman building. Just look at it. It’s not attractive. It’s not attractive. The old Scotiabank, not attractive. You know, it’s just not welcoming anymore.

“I was born and brought up here and I remember when on Friday or Saturday night you came into town, and there was no place to stand on the sidewalk and talk because there would be other people standing and talking, and you don’t get that anymore.”

Christian and Deputy Mayor Maddie Charlton pointed to council’s recent decision to amend the land use bylaw to allow more residential development downtown, specifically at the old Stedman’s site at 194 Main St.

“Coming up with a winning strategy where we can get more vibrancy in the downtown core, that’s a big priority,” Christian said.

For the first part of the meeting, Christian took people through council’s vision for the municipality and the priorities they plan to work on in four areas – governance, economic development, community wellness and environment and infrastructure.

People were asked to choose one part of each of those areas that was most important to them. They could also write suggestions on Post-It notes. The Top 3 concerns appeared to be transparency and accountability, coming up with an economic development plan, and repairing and replacing aging infrastructure. 

Residents said afterward they appreciated the chance to air some of their concerns, though they said they wanted more time to ask questions.

Christian encouraged people to come out to one of the remaining six sessions, to be held over the next week and a half at locations around Queens County.

“I think it’s an opportunity to hear about the direction we’re trying to take the municipality in Queen’s County and then an opportunity to bring your questions forward.

“You want to come out to speak to the issue or ask your question directly to your elected officials, this is your opportunity to do it.”

The town hall meetings are scheduled to run from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Here are the dates and locations of upcoming sessions:

• Fri., Oct. 17 – Milton Memorial Hall
• Mon., Oct. 20 – Mersey Point Hall
• Tues., Oct. 21 – West Queens Recreation Centre
• Thurs., Oct. 23 – Greenfield Fire Hall
• Fri., Oct. 24 – Port Medway Fire Hall
• Mon., Oct. 27 – North Queens Fire Hall

More information about the sessions is on the Region of Queens website. Residents can also fill out a survey here.

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

Listen to the audio version of story below

The Gorham Street sidewalk next to the Astor Theatre was impassable on Thursday. (Rick Conrad photo)

By Rick Conrad

Some users of the Astor Theatre in Liverpool say the Region of Queens is not doing enough to ensure the building is accessible, especially after this week’s snowstorm.

Kim Lees lives in Liverpool. Her knitting group meets at the Astor every Thursday. She said when they arrived in the early afternoon, it was difficult to find an easy way to enter the building. It was especially difficult for anyone with mobility issues.

“I don’t think the municipality is doing a very great job considering you can’t get up the wheelchair ramp and you can’t get in the front of the building easily either because there’s no clear pathway.

“It’s horrible and if this is the municipality’s property and it is a public building then it should be accessible to everybody.”

The sidewalk on Main Street in front of the Astor had been cleared Thursday afternoon. But the pathway from that sidewalk to the front of Astor had not. The narrow Gorham Street sidewalk on the side of the building was not cleared either, forcing people to walk in the street from the rear parking lot, or use the sidewalk on the other side of Gorham.

The accessible entrance at the back of the building cannot be used. While part of the wheelchair ramp to the back entrance is cleared, the rest of the ramp is blocked by a chain and filled with snow. 

Part of the ramp to the malfunctioning accessible entrance at the back of the Astor Theatre is blocked by a chain and snow. (Rick Conrad photo)

The automatic accessible door at the top of the ramp has not been working at least since the fall, Lees said. The Astor has kept it locked because it has been malfunctioning.

The region owns the Astor and Town Hall Arts and Cultural Centre. It leases the building to the Astor Theatre Society. The municipality is responsible for keeping the sidewalks and the entrances to the Astor clear.

Jerri Southcott took over as executive director of the Astor last week. 

After concerns about access were raised, she asked one of the Astor’s staff to clear the walkway in front of the building.

Southcott has sent a letter to the region’s accessibility co-ordinator detailing some of the concerns with the building. She has a meeting set with municipal officials on Friday.

“We have made them aware of the issues with the ramp and we’re all working together to try to get that done as soon as possible,” she said Thursday.

Astor Theatre staff cleared the walkway in front of the building Thursday afternoon after people raised concerns about access. (Rick Conrad photo)

Region of Queens Mayor Darlene Norman thanked the Astor’s staff for clearing a pathway to the theatre. She said the region’s staff were busy Thursday clearing streets, sidewalks, parking spaces and other areas around Liverpool.

She said that as mayor she can’t tell staff what to do. Adam Grant is the director of engineering and public works, the department responsible for the maintenance of municipal infrastructure.

Norman did not know why municipal staff didn’t get to the Astor. She said the sidewalk on Gorham Street next to the Astor is too narrow for the region’s sidewalk plows, so it has to be shovelled. She suggested people cross Gorham and use the wider sidewalk to Main Street. 

“And presently staff are clearing parking stalls and ensuring fire hydrants and accessible parks and roadways and all those things are clear,” Norman said. “Again, thank you to the Astor Theatre staff who shovelled out their walkway today before the region’s crew were able to get there.

“There’s many issues with snow removal. That sidewalk on the other side of the street is better for anybody with mobility issues. It’s a few steps more.”

As for the blocked accessible entrance, Norman says the region is working on it. She said she doesn’t know how long staff has been aware it isn’t working. She said she found out about it five days ago. 

“We try our best in the Region of Queens to make our properties as accessible as best we can. Sometimes we run into these unexpected matters. Council budgeted a fair amount of money to make that accessible and how unfortunate it is that we are now having issues with that door. But we are trying our very best to ensure that a building we own is indeed accessible for the public and for those who work there.”

In the meantime, Norman suggests people call the Astor ahead of time if they need help getting into the building.

“But there should be a way in which if someone’s going and they truly need to get in through that door as an accessible doorway, that they’ll be able to make contact with the Astor.”

Kim Lees says she wants the municipality to make sure its own properties are accessible.

“I want them to get off their hands and clear the snow. There is an issue in Canada where accessibility is a problem. And if it’s a public building, especially if the municipality owns it, I think that it should be cleaned. It should be accessible to everyone no matter if you are on foot, in a wheelchair, on crutches, canes. It should be accessible to everybody.”

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

Listen to an audio version of the story below