On today’s show, we stop by the Sackville Public Library to check out a new item on the shelf and available for borrowing: a home energy efficiency evaluation kit, provided by EOS Eco Energy. EOS director Brittany Cormier talks us through the tools in the kit, and what people can do in their homes to save some energy, and some money.
Plus in news briefs, the province announces an application process starting next week for a new N.B. Workers Benefit, and the rate of inflation has slowed slightly in January, according to Statistics Canada. … Continue
A youngster shows off one of the few fish caught at the ice fishing derby. Photo credit: Karen Crawford – Colwell
Few fish were caught, but many good times were had at the Sackville Rod and Gun Club’s annual fishing derby on Silver Lake, Saturday morning. Dozens of kids and their families tried their hand at fishing, and if that didn’t catch their attention there were also hotdogs, chilli and hot chocolate.
The event was free, with equipment and bait provided to each participant. James MacDonald, with other volunteers, were on the ice by 7:30 am, drilling holes with a battery powered auger and prepping the rods and bait.
Grade five student, Mackynlee attends the derby every year. Photo credit: Tori Weldon.
“I think it’s important for kids to know things more than just you know, video games and TV,” said MacDonald.
“When I was growing up, my mom always said like, ‘oh side and blow the stink off you,’ so, this is just an opportunity for that.”
James MacDonald is a volunteer who helped set up the event. He said it’s a chance for kids to try fishing for free, an opportunity they might not have otherwise. Photo credit: Tori Weldon.
10-year-old Mackynlee is a regular at the event. She started fishing when she was two.
“I love, love to reel in fish.”
Dressed warmly in her snow suit, the grade five student said the cold doesn’t bother her at all.… Continue
On today’s show, the future of passenger rail service in the Maritimes and anywhere outside of the Windsor, Ontario to Quebec City corridor may be in jeopardy without federal government action, says Transport Action Atlantic’s Tim Hayman.
We revisit a conversation with Hayman explaining the concerns behind a petition calling on the federal government for immediate action to refurbish VIA Rail’s fleet, and to stop plans to privatize the most profitable parts of its operations.
Plus in briefs, the Anglophone School District East District Education Council meets tonight at 6:30pm online, and Station 8 cooperative hosts another Teaching Kitchen in Dorchester this week. … Continue
Mayor David Kogon signs a proclamation in September 2020. Image: amherst.ca
The town of Amherst has announced what it calls a “bold step” to kick start the number of new single family homes being built in the community: the purchase of 15 acres of land on the town’s east side, off Marshview Drive.
CHMA called up Mayor David Kogon on Wednesday to find out what the town has in mind.
“Everybody knows there’s a housing crisis across this country,” says Kogon, ”and Amherst is no different.”
Kogon says the town has been addressing housing issues across the income spectrum, including putting resources toward emergency shelter programs and affordable housing. “We have all kinds of developments in the works to create a lot of multiple unit buildings like apartments and townhouses,” says Kogon. “But the one thing in that spectrum that has been lacking was single family homes and executive-type homes. And we felt that’s something we also wanted to try to promote, because we’ve been losing out on, for example, physicians and other health care providers because they couldn’t find places to live.”
The town will buy the 15-acre property for $400,000 paid over thee years. A media release says the town plans to extend a small section Marshview Drive this spring which would make way to create about ten building lots. The rest of the land is expected to yield another 20 lots, to be developed at a later date.… Continue
Silver Lake was host to ice huts, hotdogs and plenty of families on Saturday morning during the Sackville Rod and Gun Club’s annual fishing derby. 10-year-old Mackynlee has been attending since before she can remember (her grandmother confirms Mackynlee first attended the event when she was two.)
“I love, love to reel in fish,” she said, dressed warmly in a snowsuit, from her lawn chair on the ice.
Plus in briefs, Wild Carnivore Pet Store will be moving to 69 Main street, across from Bill Johnstone Memorial Park. The move will happen near the end of this month. The store will be closed between February 27 through Feb. 29 and reopen in its new location on March 1.
And, EOS Eco Energy is making five energy efficiency kits available to borrow. The kits can be found at EOS’s office at 43D Main St, in Sackville and at the Sackville, Dorchester, Port Elgin, and Dieppe libraries. The kits will help you learn more about your household’s energy usage and explore ways to reduce your energy consumption.
Vigil participants gather at town hall around clothing symbolizing the thousands of children killed in Israel’s continuing assault on Gaza. Photo: Bruce Wark
On Tuesday night, about 50 people gathered outside Sackville town hall for a vigil remembering the victims of Israeli bombings in Gaza, and asking the Tantramar councillors meeting inside to back a resolution in support of a ceasefire.
Sackville Ceasefire Coalition member Sarah Kardash told the crowd gathered that she was profoundly disappointed in Tantramar council for not taking up the call, but the group continues to ask for a resolution from council. “Municipal governments have a moral obligation to speak up, represent their communities, and collectively call for urgent action from the Canadian government,” said Kardash.
“Ceasefire is a popular demand that people the world over are being asked to take up by Palestinians in Gaza,” said Kardash. “Yet there is no notice of motion on the council’s agenda tonight.”
Kardash said that several councillors responded to the group after a presentation last month which laid out their case for a resolution, but none were willing to put forward a motion. While Councillor Allison Butcher responded positively to the coalition’s presentation in January, Kardash said she later told the group by email that she was “unconvinced that [their resolution] would do much to alter world affairs.”
Councillor Mike Tower emailed the group to say he shared their concerns about the loss of life and the suffering happening in Gaza, but didn’t believe their motion was the answer.… Continue
On today’s show, we hear from a resident of Little Shemogue about the community’s concerns over the condition of route 955, which they say is dangerous and in desperate need of reconstruction. Stephen Robb of Loella’s Country Market gathered hundreds of signatures on a petition calling for attention to the tourist route, and now has a meeting with Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Jeff Carr this month.
Plus in briefs, the Mount Allison Students’ Union says it is backing students who have concerns with student services on campus, and this year’s Crown of Winterfest goes to Doreen Richards of the Sackville Legion. … Continue
Isabella Gallant (left) and Isabella Matchett (right) both graduate this year, and both have concerns about the state of student services at Mount Allison. Photo: Erica Butler
A group of student leaders at Mount Allison are sounding the alarm about what they call “a consistent decline” in the services provided by Mount Allison’s student affairs department.
The group of 30 students sent a detailed package to the school’s Board of Regents in advance of their meeting this week, telling of empty food banks, high staff turnover and vacant positions, new resources that sit unapproved and un-released by university administration, and a pattern of reactive policy-making that leaves the department of student affairs looking poorly organized and under-resourced.
Fourth year Sociology student Isabella Gallant is the driving force behind the letter. As co-lead for the Mount Allison chapter of Jack.org, Gallant says she had a list of frustrations with resources for students, and when she reached out to fellow student leaders, she heard similar concerns.
“I started sending emails before Christmas,” says Gallant, “just reaching out to different students and saying, hey, I’m really fed up, are you really fed up too? And the response from everyone I reached out to was yes, let’s do this.”
Gallant assembled a 32-page document for the Board of Regents, which includes letters from other student leaders including the president of the Black Students’ Union, the president of ENACTUS Mount Allison, and a former Mount Allison Student Union Accessibility Affairs Coordinator.… Continue
The town of Tantramar will be cutting trees near a Walker Road trailhead to make way for a parking lot later this year. Photo: Erica Butler
Hikers and skiers on the Tantramar Outdoor Club trails off Walker Road might have been surprised to see tree cutting happening on the site this week near the trail head.
CHMA called up TOC co-president Karin Aurell Wednesday afternoon to find out more about what’s going on:
The cutting is part of a plan years in the works, says Aurell, to build a parking lot near the trailhead to help reduce on road parking congestion and improve traffic safety at the busy spot.
“It is probably a little bit shocking for people who show up there who don’t already know what’s going on,” said Aurell on Wednesday. “So apologies for that.”
The future exit of the parking lot on Walker Road, with current capacity for 3-4 cars. Photo: Erica Butler
“We’ve been talking for several years about the fact that the parking area by the Crooked Tree Trail is dangerous,” said Aurell, “with a mix of lots and lots of cars parking, people running around, dogs running around, and big dump trucks coming from the quarries.”
The town of Tantramar agrees. Active Living Director Matt Pryde told CHMA in January, “it’s been a safety issue for quite a few years now with larger trucks going through there and cars parked all along the street.” This year, the town has plans to remedy the situation with a parking lot.… Continue
On today’s show, we speak with Amherst mayor David Kogon about the town’s recently announced purchase of 15 acres of land which it hopes to sell off to developers and home builders as 30 single family home lots. Kogon says the project helps round out the town’s overall housing strategy, by boosting the building of single family homes.
Plus, we hear from Tantramar Outdoor Club co-president Karin Aurell about a new parking lot project on Walker Road at the trail head for the TOC-maintained ski, snowshoe and hiking trails. … Continue
