As we move into the last half of April and we are seeing temperatures consistently above freezing, we herald the arrival of spring, albeit a month late. It is the time of year when the vegetation that went dormant last fall and though the winter, begins to come back to life. With the implementation of Daylight Savings Time last month, we have more daylight in the evenings, and the amount of daylight per day will continue to increase as we move into summer.
The warmer weather is welcomed by people with lots of outdoor projects. Our town is beautiful and the hard work that our citizens put into their properties cannot be overstated. At this time, I would like to remind citizens of our garbage regulations and the need to properly prepare trash from yard clean-up as well as bundling and tying up tree branches. Last year Council placed garbage cans around town to help reduce litter on our streets. Please continue to use these garbage cans and especially encourage children to be mindful of keeping garbage off our streets.
We are very fortunate to have a vibrant, informed and engaged Council. Council meetings are lively and issues requiring debate are approached with prudence and good judgment. Decisions are made with the best interests of the town in mind. We recently received our Audited Financial statements which indicated that the Town finished 2018 in a good financial position. Good Judgement and fiscal prudence continue to underpin our decisions.
You may have noticed our recent addition to the building at the ball field. The new piece that was built on will enable the growing summer programs for children to continue even in the event of inclement weather. It is a significant enhancement to our infrastructure at he ball-field. Other ongoing maintenance work and enhancements to the ball-field include new kids chairs and picnic tables, a new time clock and a new backstop. The backstop will be competed the first week in may with a $10,000 grant and an investment by the Town of $18,000. These improvements will help to ensure that this facility will be able to accommodate both Town residents and visiting players. We have expended considerable time, effort and money to make our ball-field the highest quality that it can be.
Work on the Community Centre includes new painting and flooring where required along with a new security system and new drapes for the sage area. We have also been able to get some work done on the Town Hall / Fire Hall including new paint and flooring throughout. Other activities of late include:
Annual Jingle Bell Festival (before Christmas)
1st Annual Bonfire night
1st Annual Winter Carnival
Our annual volunteer awards ceremony for out town volunteers.
Congratulations to the recipients of awards and I extend a heartfelt thank to all our volunteers. The work you do is invaluable.
As was the case last year, Council approved an allocation of funds for Community Development. We have had many great ideas for work to make improvements and enhancements to our town. One of the projects which received Council approval is the construction a gazebo on Handy Hill at the end of Meadow Road. The location affords a view of the entire shoreline to Bryant's Cove point and right down the CBS side to Cape St. Francis. To enhance the view of the bay, we will be installing a telescope. We will be upgrading the road in the area which will help to create parking spaces.
At the other end of the Town, in the area of the intersection of Back Road and Spoon Cove Road, a piece of property was donated to the town. On behalf of Council I express our sincere thanks to Robert Clarke and the Clarke family. Discussions of the best use of the property took place over several Council meetings and numerous options were explored. In the final analysis, there was unanimous agreement that we would make the property a green space. We are currently considering how best to make the property an inviting and enjoyable place for residents and visitors.
One of the ideas that was a part of our deliberations under the umbrella of Community Development was the creation of a Community Garden behind the Community Center. The idea included the creation of raised flower beds that would be partitioned into small spaces which could be allocated to residents for their use in the summer in which could be planted flowers herbs or other plants of one's choice. If this is something in which you might be interested, please contact our Community Development Officer, Charlene Smith >> , at the Community Center.
May 6-12 is mental Health Awareness Week. The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) is inviting citizens to "Light it up Green" during this time to show your support for persons struggling with mental health challenges. Statistics say that one in five people are afflicted with some form of mental health. Mental heath can be debilitating and it is incumbent upon each of to reach out to family and friends who suffer the effects of mental illness in all its forms. At our Council meeting on April 15th a motion was passed proclaiming May 6-12 as Mental Health Awareness Week and I have signed the proclamation which will be sent to CMHA.
This week-end makes the celebration of Easter. Easter egg hunts, chocolate and family event with great meals will be the order of the day I expect. I would be remiss if I did not extend, on behalf of the Council and staff, wishes for a safe and Happy Easter.
