On today’s show, Marshlight Theatre is preparing to open its first production, the Wyrd Sisters, on Friday, and we stop by the newly renovated theatre space on Fairfield Road to hear about it.
Plus more stories from Tantramar council this week, including a new direction for funding from the province’s Environmental Trust Fund that means an end to a part time climate change coordinator for the town, and changes to a policy that will see council members added to the municipality’s confidentiality policy.… Continue
On today’s show, we take a look at some of the items discussed during Monday’s Committee of the Whole meeting of Tantramar Council, including a municipal buy-back of land in the Sackville Industrial Park after it remains undeveloped, an update on the likely cause of a culvert collapse on Route 106, and praise for the municipality’s Tantramar Roadshow series, which continues this week with an event at the Tantramar Civic Centre on Thursday, May 30, at 10am. … Continue
Grade 11 students Nik Estabrooks and Dominick Wilson are the main organizers of the Moto Show which saw a record number of registered vehicles and attendees. Photo: Tori Weldon
A record 250 people attended the annual Maritime Moto Show at Tantramar Regional High School on Sunday. The TRHS Essential Skills class fundraiser was organized by the students who participate in the program.
Nik Estabrooks and Dominick Wilson put the event together as part of their year end project. “I was definitely nervous for this, I will admit, but it’s turned out great. I’m happy, really happy about it,” said Estabrooks.
Estabrooks is working towards being a firefighter, and he’s also interested in cars. He’s one of 33 students at the high school involved in the program.
Essential skills teacher Matthew Wheaton said the Essential Skills Achievement Pathway (ESAP) Program started in New Brunswick six years ago. It helps students who have a clear sense of what they want to do work towards their career. TRHS was one of the first ten schools to participate.
“We basically have a program designed apart from the regular graduation pathway that traditional schools have,” he said. “Starting in grade 10, [students do] a foundation year where they work on skills that the federal government has said, we need our future labor force workers to be able to do these things, reading, writing, numeracy, digital oral communication, all that stuff,” said Wheaton.
After the foundation year, students then focus on the line of work they want to follow.… Continue
A record 250 people attended the Annual Maritime Moto Show at Tantramar Regional High School yesterday. The TRHS Essential Skills class fundraiser was organized bystudents who participate in the program.
In other stories, Tantramar council is meeting today at 3pm at Sackville Town Hall for their monthly Committee of the Whole meeting and Levee on the Lake announced it’s August lineup which includes Michelle Wright, Steven Page, Lennie Gallant, and Julie Aube.
Tantramar councillor Debbie Wiggins-Colwell at the Two Mile Brook closure in April 2024. Photo: Erica Butler
The Department of Transportation and Infrastructure has proposed a temporary fix for Route 106.
Tantramar Mayor Andrew Black made the announcement to a crowd of about 30 residents at a municipal roadshow session last night in Dorchester.
Black told the crowd he had just received confirmation from DTI Thursday morning that they intend to construct a one-lane modular Bailey bridge beside the current damaged culvert at Two Mile Brook, to allow drivers through on the 106 between Sackville and Dorchester. The move will take some of the pressure off Woodlawn Road and King Street, which are currently serving as the detour route between the village and the town.
The Bailey bridge will span about 80 feet, said Black, and could take about 4-5 weeks to complete. He said that weather permitting, DTI expects to start work on May 28, and so the project could be completed by July 2. “Which is a lot better than September,” said Black, referring to the latest timeline for a permanent fix to the closure. When the road was first closed at the beginning of April, DTI had predicted a fix by the end of May. But then that was revised to September, much to the chagrin of locals and commuters.
Black said that the temporary solution from DTI came after some pushing from both himself and MLA Megan Mitton.… Continue
Commercial tenants at 26-30 York Street in Sackville have received notice that their leases will end in April 2025. Photo: Erica Butler
A portion of York Street in Sackville has been slated for redevelopment as early as next summer.
Businesses at 26 and 28 York Street have received notice that their leases will terminate at the end of April 2025. The two properties–which house Blind Forest Books, Sweet Yummyland, The Little Pantry and Steel Clippers–are all owned by Right Coast Realty, whose director is Mike Wilson, the CEO of the AIL Group.
Blind Forest Books has been operating at 28 York Street since 2017, when owner Miriam Lapp bought Rags of Time, another bookstore that had operated in the space since 2002.
Sweet Yummyland only recently opened in the space next door, and The Little Pantry is the newest tenant, having just moved in last week from its previous location on Bridge Street.
AIL vice president of finance Wendy Alder confirmed that termination notices have been sent for April 30 of next year, but said the company had no further information to share at this point, including how many properties might be involved in a future redevelopment.
AIL’s Sackville office is next door to the properties, in the former New Brunswick Telephone Company building at 32 York Street. According to the Tantramar Heritage Trust, the NB Tel building dates back to 1926 when it was constructed as a telephone exchange. Around 2012, the building was “extensively restored with a plan approved by the Town of Sackville Heritage Board,” according to the Trust.… Continue
On today’s show, we talk with former Sackville mayor Shawn Mesheau about what’s new and what’s next for Sackville and Area Housing, a non-profit group that manages and maintains four affordable housing units that are partially subsidized by Housing NB. As the group gets ready to pay off its final mortgage this summer, the board is considering possible new projects.
Plus in news briefs, the province will be re-opening route 106 between Sackville and Dorchester with a temporary one lane bridge, and a group of properties on York Street in downtown Sackville are slated for redevelopment. … Continue
Tantramar council has started the process of fixing a situation it got itself in last week when it repealed a bylaw that allowed for Sunday shopping in the the former town of Sackville. But there’s still no information from staff about how the mistake happened.
On Friday May 17, council held a short, special meeting to consider a new bylaw similar to the previous Sackville version, but with limits on Sunday shopping hours removed. Council passed first and second reading of the new bylaw on Friday, and will have to hold another meeting to entertain a third reading. CAO Jennifer Borne told CHMA via email that another special meeting will likely be called next week.
At Friday’s meeting Tantramar councillors did not ask for, and staff did not volunteer, any explanation of how staff’s bylaw review process resulted in a recommendation to repeal, when information on the province’s website clearly indicates the requirement for municipalities to have their own Sunday shopping by-law. A report from staff recommending the repeal did not include information beyond what was included in a letter from the Retail Council of Canada, who wrote to the Mayor on March 28 requesting an amendment to the bylaw.
Councillor Barry Hicks asked why the provincial law didn’t regulate Sunday shopping directly. “Doesn’t the provincial government supersede our bylaws,” wondered Hicks. “Don’t they regulate when they can be open, when they can’t?”
Tantramar Clerk Donna Beal said staff has been talking about that very issue since the day after the repeal was passed.… Continue
Noah Throop plans to run a half marathon on Saturday morning, and end up at Bill Johnstone Park for the Sackville Farmers Market. Photo: Erica Butler
Sackville’s Noah Throop says the Daybreak Activity Centre has helped him get through dark times and supported him in his journey to live with anxiety. The urge to show his appreciation led him to start Noah’s Run, an awareness and fundraising event in its fourth year, happening this Saturday.
“I want to give back to them for helping me,” says Throop. Daybreak’s programs and activities helped him “get back on track” says Throop, and he feels it can help others as well.
Throop is hoping his run, as well as a community ‘walk around the block’ slated for 11am Saturday, can help end the stigma around mental health challenges. “Before I found Daybreak I never talked about it,” says Throop. Now he wants people to know, “it’s okay to have bad days… We can all get through this.”
Throop’s goal is to run a half marathon on Saturday morning (at an undisclosed location, to avoid the spotlight) and then land at the Sackville Farmers Market where donations are being accepted at a Daybreak booth. Volunteers will lead community members on a ‘walk around the block’ at 11am as part of the event.
Throop says any and all donations can help, no matter how small. “To me, it’s just great that people are helping,” says Throop.
Donations can be e-transferred to sackvilledaybreak@gmail.com,… Continue
On today’s show, we talk with Noah Throop, who is planning to run a half marathon on Saturday as part of a fundraiser for Daybreak Activity Centre, a local peer support centre for adults who want to maintain or improve their mental health. Throop has been accepting donations throughout May, and will be at the Sackville Farmers Market this Saturday after his run.
Plus in briefs, an RCMP police dog helps locate a 4-year-old Memramcook boy who wandered off, Nova Scotia teachers ratify a deal, and an Amherst woman is charged with vehicle theft.… Continue
