Astor Theatre users upset by blocked sidewalks, entrances after storm

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

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First snowstorm of 2024 hits Queens County

Queens County’s first snowstorm of 2024 closed schools Monday. Some organizations and businesses closed or delayed opening. (Rick Conrad photo)

By Rick Conrad

Queens County got a snow day on Monday, as the first snowstorm of 2024 hit the region.

Schools were closed and some businesses and organizations either had delayed openings or closed for the day.

Environment Canada ended its snowfall warning for Liverpool at just after 10:30 a.m. It predicted snowfall amounts of 15 to 20 centimetres, with strong winds.

The South Shore Regional Centre for Education closed all schools Monday morning. Reynolds Pharmasave in Liverpool and the Queens County Museum closed for the day. Some other businesses and organizations remained open.

Environment Canada is predicting continued blowing snow in the afternoon and wind chill of up to -10 Celsius, with temperatures dropping further overnight.

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

Municipality will be towing during snowstorms

Wet snow covers a road and stop sign

Snowstorm with significant snowfall and wet conditions. Photo Ed Halverson

Drivers in Liverpool are being put on notice, don’t park on streets during a snowstorm.

At the most recent Region of Queens council meeting councillors discussed who would be responsible for winter parking enforcement.

RCMP say they don’t have the capacity to be involved but told municipal staff the Region has the legal authority to have offending vehicles towed.

Under the Nova Scotia Motor Vehicle Act it is illegal to leave parked cars where they will interfere with road clearing.

The car can be towed leaving the owner responsible for the costs.

Parked cars not only make snow clearing more difficult but can also be dangerous for plow drivers, pedestrians, and other drivers when snowbanks are left in place.

Mayor Darlene Norman says the safety of everyone on the roads must be the priority, but no one wants to tow a vehicle.

“In the past we have had our bylaw officer, who’s very diligent, has at times, on her own initiative, tried to track down who owns these vehicles, knocked on doors,” said Norman,

She says staff can use their discretion when to remove a vehicle, but it was not determined if it will be the plow truck driver or a supervisor who will make that call.

The Region is responsible for snow clearing around the former town of Liverpool while the province plows the remainder of roads in the county.

The mayor says regardless of where people live, for everyone’s safety council wants to beef up communication with the public about the importance of not parking on the streets during snowstorms.

Norman said, “Our message to the public will be, please do not park on the streets during periods of snow when we have to have snow removal.”

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

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Storms won’t stop emergency services

Snowstorm on February 2 with significant snowfall and wet conditions. Photo Ed Halverson

Snowstorms won’t keep help from arriving at your door.

Area manager with Nova Scotia department of transportation and infrastructure renewal Glen Strang says their workers are tied into the province’s 9-1-1 system.

“When people have an emergency, they really should be calling 9-1-1 and then we would be dealing with the emergency service provider and typically, we would dispatch the nearest plow to assist whether it’s an ambulance or the police or fire, whatever,” said Strang.

Following snowstorms like the one experienced across the province on Tuesday, people often wonder why it takes so long for snowplows to clear their road.

The Region of Queens removes snow within the town of Liverpool while Strang oversees a team of 20 people who are responsible for plowing all municipal roads between Halifax and Shelburne.

The province has established four levels of service standards that determine which roads will get more frequent or faster attention than others during a storm.

“Our top priority would be 100-series and trunk and route highways,” said Strang. “Those roads have the most traffic volumes on them. Our second priority would be secondary trunks and routes and what we would call medium-volume traffic roads. Then third priority would be local paved roads, paved subdivisions, residential streets, that sort of thing. And the fourth priority is non-paved roads, which could be gravel. It could be chip-sealed roads, sand-sealed roads.”

Those priority levels also have corresponding timelines to get the roads cleared. Once a storm has ended, the top priority 100-series and trunk highways need to be plowed clean within eight hours. Second tier roads must be cleared within 12 hours and crews have 24 hours after the snow stops to clear level three and four roads.

Strang says his crews are out during storms plowing the roads and often see people taking unnecessary risks.

“A lot of people will pass our plows. We don’t encourage that. The conditions in front of the plow could be much different than the condition behind the plow. Just be safe,” said Strang.

He says the best plan is to stay off the roads during a storm but anyone who has to go out should take some basic precautions.

“Just be aware of the driving conditions and drive appropriately,” said Strang. “Hopefully their car is in good working condition and they have good tires. Slow down, you know, the common sense stuff you always hear. Leave more room between you and the vehicle in front of you.”

Strang points out, it also makes the plow driver’s job easier when people don’t park cars on the street.

Anyone with concerns about snow clearing levels can reach the department of transportation and infrastructure renewal by calling their toll free number 1-844-696-7737.

Reported by Ed Halverson 
E-mail: edhalversonnews@gmail.com
Twitter: @edwardhalverson

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