South Coast Today - shelburne

RCMP arrest in Farley Mowat case

Timothy Gillespie — Thu, 04 Aug 2016 13:28:00 +0000

Tracy Dodds in Federal Court in Halifax
"Should anyone choose to bring derelict vessels in the future into this port, they will be dealt with in the same manner as the Farley Mowat."

REVISED: The Shelburne Sherrif's office has informed the Town of Shelburne that that scrap dealer Tracy Dodds has been arrested in Wolfville on a warrant for his failure to remove the rotting hulk of the former Greenpeace Ship Farley Mowat from Shelburne Harbour.

Kingston RCMP spokesman Sgt. Jamie Green told SCT that Dodds was arrested at 1:00pm Wednesday by Kings District RCMP and turned over to the Sherrif's Department.

Police sources tell SCT that Dodds has been transported to Burnside Jail in Dartmouth.

Dodds consented in Federal Court in Halifax in March to have the vessel removed by April 8. The Town of Shelburne asked than that, if Dodds fails to meet that deadline, the court impose a fine $5,000 and 20 days in jail for contempt of court.

Shelburne mayor Karen Mattatall told SCT, "Although the arrest of Mr.Dodd's will not move the ship, it is a small bit of compensation for the town. More importantly it will send a message that should anyone choose to bring derelict vessels in the future into this port, they will be dealt with in the same manner as the Farley Mowat"

In 2014, the vessel arrived in Shelburne where it has been ever since. The town is also suing Dodds for more than $44,000 in unpaid berthing fees.

Last summer the vessel sank beside the wharf, triggering a cleanup organized by the Canadian Coast Guard that removed fuel and raised the boat.

Mayor Mattatall estimated then that the process cost between $400,000 and $500,000.

Dodds has also been charged by the Environment Department regarding the derelict ship King's Endeavor in Woods Harbour.

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Volunteers in action on Shelburne public art project

Timothy Gillespie — Tue, 02 Aug 2016 09:19:58 +0000

Volunteers from the Whirligig & Weathervane Festival, the Public Art Committtee, the Shelburne Harbour Yacht Club and the community at large responded to the call for volunteers for the major landscaping project surrounding the public art project on Shelburne's harbourside. The art work was designed and constructed by Nova Scotia artist Brad Hall from a commission from the Committee.

Day 2 of the landscaping project begins at 9:00am, Tuesday, August 2, at the breakwater, just south of the SYHC. All volunteers welcome and appreciated.

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Letters: Roseway emergency closures unacceptable

Timothy Gillespie — Mon, 11 Jul 2016 09:51:18 +0000

Frustrated and mad
Open letter sent Sunday to premier Stephen McNeil, Health minister Leo Glavine, MP Bernadette Jordan, Roseway Hospital administration and to Nova Scotia Health Authority.

We pay taxes and are worthy of having a functional emergency department 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year!

We have just been informed that the emergency room at Roseway Hospital in Shelburne will be closed again tonight and tomorrow morning.

This is still unacceptable.

This is probably the third or fourth time I have expressed concern over the closure of our emergency dept. I'm getting tired of writing to express my frustrations, as is everyone else I'm sure.

This was supposed to be fixed almost two years ago. We lost a good Dr because of such shortages and if it's not nurse we're lacking, it's physicians.

Don't bother writing back with automated, standard responses. We don't want to hear the excuses anymore. We want to have 24/7/365 access to a functioning emergency department.

My friend was lucky Roseway was open a month or so ago, as he had a massive heart attack at 2:00am. His life was saved because of it. The Dr worked for six hours to stabilize his heart so that he could make the trip to Yarmouth and then for Halifax.

If someone has a heart attack tonight and are expected to go to Liverpool or Yarmouth, their fate may not be that lucky.

The citizens of Shelburne and Shelburne County pay taxes for these services!

So where are they!

We need action,not bandaid fixes and excuses. We are worth more than that.

Yours, extremely frustrated and mad about our continuing situation,

Heather Strang
Shelburne

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Paranormals coming to Shelburne in July

Timothy Gillespie — Thu, 30 Jun 2016 15:08:01 +0000

Who you gonna call?
The Shelburne Historical Society is inviting local residents to participate in a draw to join a team of researchers from the Greater Moncton Paranormal Society as the team tries to suss out whether there are any paranormal shenanigans going on at the Shelburne County Museum.

The Society is hosting a draw in which the lucky winner will join the New Brunswickers on July 27 for a spooky night of searching for ghosts and other paranormal antics at the museum.

Photo: Lindsay Isenor is the lead investigator for the GMPS

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Shelburne Founders' Days 2016 sure to be a big draw

Timothy Gillespie — Thu, 30 Jun 2016 12:42:46 +0000

Tried and true... plus some new.

Shelburne Founders’ Day weekend is fast approaching and this year's big Shelburne "show" is sure to be a crowd pleaser. The Organizing Committee has assured SCT that many of the "old favourites" will return, but that there will be a few new features "to keep the weekend interesting."

The new events include a washer tournament, known in some parts as "everyone’s favourite back yard activity." Anyone who fancies themselves a good "washer tosser" should partner up with a pal and sign up to compete.

The big fireworks show is back with a bang, and the Parade of Lights is shaping up to be a spectacular event as well. The ever popular Aboriginal village with their entertaining and interactive displays will not disappoint visitors and the 3rd New Jersey Volunteers reneactment regiment will be on the waterfront in all their glory with their encampment and mock battle.

Of course there will be the tried and true favourite activities for the kids - but this year, with a twist. The new bouncy activity this year is called the "Hamster Ball", and youngsters will want to get inside and roll around and race friends. The Shelburne County Museum Complex will be hosting various childrens' activities, and families can stop by the Dory Shop Museum lawn and check them out.

The face painters will be out in full force as will Mr. J, with his amazing magic show. Who can resist children and animals? No one! So be sure to stop by The Hatfield Farm Petting Zoo with the little ones.

The stage is set for a fun few days of musical entertainment. The favourites are back this year, like Dave Burbine & Traditional Country, and Jamie Cotter. One Metre Up is our Friday night feature, and on Saturday afternoon folks will enjoy some great delta blues with Bob Vacon. Also on the docket for the afternoon is the amazing Jessica Jurgenliemk.

A few new features on the main stage this year include Karaoke with Brian Nickerson and a new take on Shelburne Idol - Shelburne’s Got Talent. Last but not least, the ever-entertaining Banjo Bubba hosts his "Shelburne County Country Days."

All of this entertainment, as well as fantastic food booths, sounds like a great weekend for the entire family, so folks better get ready to "come on down" and enjoy it all.

*PART OF SCT SPONSORED EDITORIAL PROJECT

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No Roseway Manor replacement in cards for McNeil govt

Timothy Gillespie — Thu, 16 Jun 2016 14:04:24 +0000

Roseway not on the list

Roseway Manor in Shelburne is 38 years old and, according to local officials, is not meeting the needs of the residents. The facility manager told reporters in 2014 that the quality of life for residents are at risk, with as many as four people might share access to a bathroom with some sharing of rooms as well.

In 2013, the NDP government committed to replacing the aging 66-bed facility by 2015 and the current McNeil government said early in their mandate they would honour that commitment.

On Thursday, during a media scrum following the weekly cabinet meeting, Health and Wellness minister Leo Glavine told SCT that Roseway Manor was not among the six long-term care facilities his department currently has on the boards for replacement, adding that work on those facilities would be underway in the current fiscal year.

The manor is owned and operated by a corporation formed by the towns of Shelburne and Lockeport and the Municipality of Shelburne. The three units are equal partners in the corporation and operation and management of the home is under the direction of the Board of Directors made up of council from the three municipal units.

In 2014, the Coast Guard reported that the CAOs from the Municipality and Town of Shelburne were in the dark about government plans for the replacement, with Dylan Heide, CAO for the Town of Shelburne saying that conversations about the project were "just beginning."

In 2014 Queens-Shelburne MLA Sterling Belliveau told residents in Shelburne that the project was in the budget for 2015-2016

When asked for a timeline for Roseway Manor replacement, Glavine told SCT that, early in his term as minister he was given a list of ten facilities needing replacement and Roseway was not on that list and is not in the current budget. Glavine said that the list is "constantly being evaluated", but would not venture to say when - or if - Roseway Manor would be replaced.

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New Shelburne health-care clinic slated to open winter of 2018

Timothy Gillespie — Tue, 07 Jun 2016 15:25:50 +0000

"The government has dragged this out for too long," says MLA Belliveau

Revised: Work to build a new primary health-care clinic in Shelburne is moving forward, according to a government news release Tuesday.

Stantec was selected by government to design the facility in collaboration with Nova Scotia Health Authority staff and physicians, along with input from the departments of Health and Wellness and Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal.

Once completed, the clinic will allow people to get medical advice and support from a local collaborative health-care team, according to the release, which added, "It will also help attract and retain family doctors to the area by providing the space and support needed for family medicine residents to train in Shelburne."

The design phase will take between six and seven months. While design is underway, construction will start in the fall, with the demolition of the old building and site preparation for the new building.

The new medical centre will be located on the same site as the current facility.

The entire $3.4 million project, including demolition and new construction, has an anticipated completion time of late winter 2018. In August, 2015, the government announced the project would be completed by spring or 2016 and that they would contribute $1.69 million.

The clinic has been an on-again, off-again project by two successive governments for more than eight years.

The Municipality of Shelburne originally committed $200,000 to the project, but, in late 2013, raised that to $450,000, in response to escalating cost projections at the time. The Roseway Hospital Foundation has approved $300,000 and the Town of Shelburne approved $100,000. It was reported recently on Facebook that the "play-it-forward" project for 5 year-old Carmen Faith Huskilson might contribute $100,000 to the project. If so, the government contribution to the project would be $2.5 million.

The community, says the release, will have an opportunity to view the design when it is completed.

Queens-Shelburne MLA Sterling Belliveau told SCT that he was pleased that a start date has been set, but is disturbed that the project has taken so long to become a reality. "The government has dragged this out for too long," he said, "it has to be built." Belliveau added that not having effective health care services in the area, "drags everything down."

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Primary care clinic plans for Shelburne still up in the air

Timothy Gillespie — Fri, 03 Jun 2016 10:20:10 +0000

PHOTO: GOVT OF NOVA SCOTIA

Revised: Mayor says department has advised, 'no off-site location" for med centre

Several options are still being considered by the McNeil government for the long-awaited construction of a medical centre in Shelburne, according to a government spokesman Thursday. The project has been on the drawing boards for more than seven years and has been the focus of much debate and discussion by local residents and political leaders.

Partial news
In a Facebook email Friday afternoon, Shelburne mayor Karen Mattatall told SCT, " I have just received a call from the Minister of Transportation and his Deputy. Both have indicated that they are not looking at nor recommending and off site location for the new clinic."

A request for an interview with Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal minister Geoff McLellan about the project was "respectfully declined", with the minister's communications staff telling SCT that there was nothing new to report.

The department spokesman said via email that "a structural engineering assessment was done on the Primary Care Clinic next to the Shelburne Hospital to evaluate the best course forward to make the necessary upgrades to the facility and meet the needs of the community for years to come."

"There are several options that are being considered," said the memo, "including renovations or building a new facility."

All options being considered
In addition to the location at Roseway Hospital, a downtown site has been considered by government officials for the Primary Care Centre. In June, 2015, SCT asked officials at the Department of Health whether that site, which would include a private developer, was seriously being considered. The Department responded by saying, "partnership options both public and public/private are currently being explored." When asked Friday whether this option was still under consideration, a department spokeman said that "all options are being considered," but that "no decision has been made."

Shelburne Town councilor Roy O'Donnell, who has said in the past that a second option should be considered, says he is encouraged by this latest word from the government. "Even though there have been no concrete decisions made yet on a way forward for this important project," O'Donnell told SCT, "the fact that they appear to be considering several options is a positive sign."

Recent delays in the project have been credited to an engineer's report which noted serious structural flaws in the existing structure, which could result in $1 million being added to the project costs. In 2015, $850,000 had been committed to the project. The Province had previously committed at least $428,000 to the project. The Municipality of Shelburne originally committed $200,000 to the project, but, in late 2013, raised that to $450,000, in response to escalating cost projections at the time. The Roseway Hospital Foundation has approved $300,000 and the Town of Shelburne approved $100,000.

2018 opening date?
Mayor Mattatall told SCT that she has been advised by government officials that the project could take 18 months or more to complete, which would mean that, even if a start date was agreed to soon, a new facility would not likely open until sometime in 2018.

Even though it is easy to get discouraged, O'Donnell added, since the project appears to have some forward momentum, it is important for local leaders to maintain what he describes as "a positive and productive relationship" with government officials. "I think as much as possible," he said, "people in the community also need to be encouraged to keep a positive attitude about the project."

In 2015, the Department told SCT via email that it was, "very close to finalizing details for a medical centre in Shelburne," and that the minister, "hoped to have more information for the community this summer (2015)."

The lengthy delays in building the medical centre, the rash of closures in the past year at the Roseway Hospital EMergency Room and the lack of adequate family physicians locally have led to local demonstrations during ministerial visits to the town, creation of groups formed to lobby for better health care and to dissatisfaction and concern raised repeatedly around the table at local council meetings.

Comments on Facebook have included:

Shelburne really needs this medical centre. Let's get this started... now!
"I will believe it when it is built. The need is there so get the project started."
"If something isn't done soon we will lose more doctors and probably our emerg. At the hospital, we need an up to date medical facility NOW!!!"
"I don't see any problem with a Private/Public partnership for a community medical centre. If it will address the situation we're dealing with regarding ER closures and staff shortages, let's get going with it. Six years is absolutely too long to be left dangling with no firm answers."
"Every year organizations in Shelburne raise thousands of dollars for the IWK. I don't see it likely the Dept of Health will let the IWK fall into a state of disrepair. Perhaps its time to focus on making fundraising efforts benefit health care closer to home for awhile."
"The root of the problem is that we have lost control of the system.The government is not going to fund a system that doesn't work.The tail has been wagging the dog for far too long....."

A Facebook group called Save Our Services (SOS) has launched a letter-writing campaign to encourage local residents to write to the premier and health minister. Some letter writers have complained of generic, impersonal replies from government.

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New home for social enterprise in Shelburne

Timothy Gillespie — Tue, 31 May 2016 15:14:48 +0000

"We're very excited about the future."
The former TimberMart building in Shelburne is soon to be the home to an improved vocational employment centre for people with disabilities, according to a news release Tuesday from Shelburne Association Supporting Inclusion (SASI). The group has purchased the former Timbermart building in Shelburne.

The 10,360 square foot facility will provide SASI with an enhanced ability to grow its social enterprises and employment contracts, and improve the quality of supports to people with disabilities. This includes existing clients, as well as the development of programs to assist additional people to enter the workforce. The relocation and growth of key activities at the new facility will be phased gradually as renovations and upgrades are completed.

SASI’s vocational and employment services operate at sites in Shelburne (Heritage Hall), Barrington (Mayflower Place) and Lockeport (Beech Street Studio). SASI operates social enterprises (such as the Shelburne Café) and employment contracts with programs, including: bakeries, laundry services, Meals on Wheels for seniors, cleaning contracts, confidential document shredding, textiles and craft production, survey stake production, wholesale sandwich production, a homecare service for seniors, and a green space maintenance team serving local citizens and government. The Heritage Hall operations will move to the new building, with the other enterprises remaining in place.

SASI operates as a dual service provider with both residential and vocational/employment programs at multiple sites across Shelburne County. Residential services consist of group homes and supported apartments for clients with a wide range of physical and sensory disabilities, developmental delays and mental health challenges. Vocational and employment services are progressive and inclusive, including social enterprises, vocational and life skill programs, and labour market employment opportunities. SASI also runs life skill and recreation programs, including workplace education, independent skills for daily living, volunteer placements, and art and music programs.

SASI partners with many government, community and family groups, says the release, and was the recent winner of the “Excellence in Community Development Award” at the 2015 Shelburne County Business and Community Excellence Awards. This award recognizes a community organization or social enterprise that has made significant and notable contributions to their community and serves as a catalyst for positive action, exhibiting the highest standards of leadership.

SASI operated in the fiscal year 2015 with revenues of $2.7 million dollars, largely from government sources, and raised $172,933 of that revenue last year through social enterprises to support clients. SASI says it has a significant impact on social and economic development each year in Shelburne County- assisting more than 60 clients, employing more than 60 staff (with a payroll of more than $2 Million), and expending more than $24,000 in property taxes (soon to be close to $40,000).

“We are very pleased with the opportunity that the purchase of this facility affords our organization," says SASI chair Mark Townsend. "The development of vocational sites and programs in this manner leads to sustainable growth in areas such as supportive employment and local business opportunities. With the financial stewardship of the board and the hard work of clients and staff, we have grown our organization to the point to which we can take on a project of this magnitude. We are very excited about the future!”

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Jordan campaigns for derelict vessel motion

Timothy Gillespie — Thu, 19 May 2016 11:57:53 +0000

A promotional video produced for South Shore-St. Margarets MP Bernadette Jordan played a starring role in a CBC story regarding adandoned and derelict vessels in Canada. On June 3, Jordan will introduce M-40, a motion recommending legislation which could lessen the number of abandoned and derelict vessels in Canadian harbours. It is estimated that there are 600 or more vessels currently abandoned in Canadian waters. Shelburne has been the recipient of six or more derelict vessels over the years, according to Jordan's video.

The most recent episode involves the former Greenpeace ship, MV Farley Mowatt, which sat rotting next to the wharf at the Shelburne Marine Terminal for months and whose owner Chris Dodd has been treatened with jail time if he does not remove the ship from the harbour soon.

Years ago, a former Coast Guard ship languished in the harbour prior to making an ill-fated trip to Spain, where it was intercepted by police in a major drug smuggling bust. Just months ago, a sailboat was deposited in the dark of night in the harbour and was suspected by the RCMP in illegal trafficking.

Jordan's video also features Shelburne mayor Karen Mattatall and includes a strong pitch from Jordan for people to appeal to other MPs to support her motion.

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