In today’s local news:
- No new cases in the Maritimes;
- “The Chignecto Balance” could be Sackville newest public sculpture;
- Sackville Film Society has overwhelming interest in a fall season;
- No discussion for new marketing strategy;
- Mainstreet Redevelopment “revitalized”, and may grow;
- Safer, cheaper crosswalk lights coming to Sackville streets;
- Another town hall for Mount Allison;
- and an interview with Dr. Vett Lloyd about her plans for new COVID-19 research funding at Mount Allison.
No news cases in the Maritimes
New Brunswick, PEI and Nova Scotia reported no new cases of COVID-19 yesterday. It’s been 15 days since the last new case was reported in New Brunswick.
There are now only two active cases in the Maritimes, both in Nova Scotia’s central zone.
Canada-wide the story is not so good: There were 761 new cases reported in the country on Tuesday, with 303 of those in Alberta. Ontario reported 179 new cases, and BC and Quebec each reported well over 100.
Globally, the US, India and Brazil continue to lead in daily new cases, with each of the three countries reporting well over 50,000 new cases yesterday.
“The Chignecto Balance” could be Sackville’s newest public sculpture
Sackville could be home to a new piece of public art by early December.
Town Council will be asked to approve a public art installation next week that would depict a 15-foot-high metal cattail with a working weathervane on top and a compass at its base.
The chrome sculpture, called The Chignecto Balance, was designed by Slipper Liu Studio of Vancouver to create awareness of climate change.
The proposal was one of three submitted in response to the town’s request for proposals. The budget for the project is $25,000, approved by town council in December 2019.
CAO Jamie Burke said the project was chosen unanimously by judges, including members of the Mayor’s Roundtable on Climate Change.
The weathervane at the top of the sculpture depicts a large bird and a car, which Burke said represented “the balance of being a transportation corridor, but also rich in wildlife.”
“We felt this was the strongest and most appropriate work for the community. And given its size and design elements, we really felt that it would be a strong symbol and raising awareness for for climate change.”
Burke said that out of the five potential locations which could accommodate the sculpture, two have made the short list:
“In our initial discussions amongst ourselves, as well as the Mayor’s roundtable, we felt that the Lorne Street retention pond would be a nice fit, as well as potentially the area behind the the Arts Wall at the entrance of the Civic Centre. So either one of those two are, I guess, the front runners. We leave that open to have some further discussions with the artist and the Mayor’s Roundtable.”
Mayor John Higham commented that it would be important to place the sculpture so that a large number of people would be exposed to it.
“The Roundtable people who looked at the design spoke about it needing to be seen by people because it would be an educational tool, where you would learn to see which way the winds were blowing and what that meant. And what that meant when it moved another direction. So it was quite interesting, their view of it having a different benefit than perhaps just a nice looking thing”
Sackville Film Society has overwhelming interest in a fall season
The director of the Sackville Film Society is gauging interest in launching a Fall program of films in a slightly new way.
Thaddeus Holownia posted on social media Tuesday asking for interest in a fall film series, relying exclusively on season’s passes to avoid line-ups and other unnecessary personal contact at the theatre.
Holownia floated the idea of selling 80 season’s passes for $130 each, which he says will allow for social distancing inside the Vogue Theatre, and for the Society to break even.
The response has been overwhelming, says Holownia.
“I thought I’d just throw this out on my Facebook page, and the Film Society Facebook page, as you know, start a conversation. And then I’ve already… Like I proposed a seating of 80, and I already have commitments for half of them. Like in four hours. So that’s pretty crazy.”
Since CHMA spoke to Holownia, he has heard from over 80 people and is now compiling a waiting list. He says with enough people willing to pay upfront for a season’s pass, a second screening is possible.
The plan is very much in a preliminary phase says Holownia, as he has yet to speak with Vogue Cinema owner Jeff Coates.
The film society was shut down along with just about everything else in March, with three screenings left to show. The Vogue Cinema has since re-opened, and is screening films Monday to Thursday.
Holownia has been running the Film Society since 1978, his second year of teaching photography at Mount Allison University. In 2018, he retired after having taught for over 40 years and serving as head of the Fine Arts Department.
The Film Society has had a good run, says Holownia, and it looks like that will continue.
“I’m going to give it a week, and I’ve got to meet with Jeff and see what he thinks. I’m feeling pretty confident that, you know, I’m going to book a series. And, you know, I feel badly that we can’t have it open to everybody. But I think we have to be sensible about it, at least for the first semester and see how it works. And see how the spacing works in the theatre.”
Holownia says he expects that masks will be called for at Film Society events, and that social distancing will be relatively easy in the large Vogue Theatre, which has a seating capacity of 279.
“We are so fortunate to have an independent theatre here. I shudder to think what would happen if that ever got sold and closed… But it’s a tough go, you know. I mean, showing movies is not an easy, profitable thing anymore.”
No discussion for new marketing strategy
Although it’s dubbed a discussion meeting of town council, there was no discussion last night on a new marketing strategy for the town of Sackville.
The town’s manager of business development, Ron Kelly Spurles, gave a brief recap of the 50 page document which was presented by consultants at last month’s council meeting.
He told council the strategy would be brought forward for approval next week.
Mainstreet Redevelopment “revitalized”, and may grow
Sackville’s Business Improvement Area, Mainstreet Redevelopment, is being “revitalized” with a new slate of board members elected at an annual general meeting on July 15th.
Sackville town council discussed the Business Improvement Area, or BIA, briefly at their meeting Tuesday thanks to a request for the appointment of a town representative to the Mainstreet board of directors.
Ron Kelly Spurles noted the resurgance of interest in Mainstreet.
“So we’re very pleased to see the renewed interest in this organization which will provide an important voice for local businesses during these difficult times. And we’re pleased they’ve also expressed their eagerness to include businesses outside of the BIA… and they are considering some form of affiliate membership.”
Councillor Bill Evans pointed out that the marketing strategy on the docket for next week’s council meeting specifically targets “the development of an organization to represent the businesses in town.”
“It was addressed in our marketing plan about the lack of, essentially, a Chamber of Commerce. Now this is a Business Improvement Area board, but I really liked the idea that they’re considering expanding this… We’ve had discussions in the past about changing the size of the BIA, and that’s something that people in the area have to do. It’s not something council can do. So anyway, anytime anything is revitalized like this, I’m enthusiastic.”
Councillors Bruce Phinney and Andrew Black both expressed interest in the position.
Mayor John Higham says he will take further nominations up until next week’s council meeting, when a representative will be selected.
Safer, cheaper crosswalk lights coming to Sackville streets
Town engineer Duane Acton informed council Tuesday evening that a new style of crosswalk light will soon be hitting the streets of Sackville.
Two crossings will see Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons-or RRFBs-installed instead of the typical overhead flashing light.
RRFBs are considered safer than their overhead hanging counterparts due to increased visibility for drivers.
The lights are mounted on poles on either side of the crosswalk just above the height of an average person, and flash in an irregular pattern.
As with overhead lights, the RRFBs do need to be activated by a push button.
Acton says not only are the lights considered safer, but they are actually half the cost of overhead lights.
The RRFBs will soon appear on two Main Street crossings, at the Booster Pump and at Salem Street.
Another town hall for Mount Allison
The Mount Allison Board of Regents is hosting another town hall for students, staff and faculty this Thursday at 2pm.
The meeting will be hosted online, but also on campus at the Windsor Great Room, where limited seating will be available in order to accommodate COVID spacing restrictions.
University president Jean Paul Boudreau and members of the Board of Regents will be on hand to answer questions about the upcoming year at Mount A.
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New research funding on COVID-19 coming to Mount Allison
Finally on today’s CHMA local news, here’s Meg Cunningham reporting on new COVID-19 research funding at Mount Allison University.
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That’s it for the CHMA local news.
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