HomeMy Public PortalAbout2012-12_MunicipalInsight_pdf-compressed“Having a recreational
program in place
means a great deal to
our participants.”
- Brian Willman, Heart Instructor
Council Grant Fund.
Both are available to non-profit organizations
or individuals/teams selected for an event or
competition (provincial, national, or interna-
tional). Both require an application form, which
is available on our website or by calling the Mu-
nicipal Office. Finally, both require that the orga-
nization/individual applying must be located in
or offer services in the Municipality of the Dis-
trict of Chester.
The difference between the two programs is
that Council will receive applications through-
out the year. The deadline to apply for funding
from Recreation & Parks is generally in October.
To view applications forms, please give us a
call at (902) 275-3554 or go to www.chester.ca
where eligibility is defined and forms are ready
to print.
Municipal Council has recently approved a list
of grant recommendations from the Chester
Municipal Recreation & Parks Department. Go
to Page 7 for a list of approved recipients.
municipal insight
“Keeping you informed about December 2012
your municipal government”
In the Municipality of the District of Chester this winter...
MAKE A KID HAPPY THIS YEAR THINK SAFETY THIS WINTER ILLEGAL DUMPING...WHAT A WASTE
P.R.O. Kids has a few A few surprising, or not so Why the Municipality isn’t
suggestions to make a surprising, pieces of important happy about being “trashed”.
kid’s season bright (pg. 3) information. See pg. 4 Look on pg. 6 to find out why.
GAME
It wasn’t difficult to get people to pose for
this picture once they knew they had the op-
portunity to play badminton for a few minutes.
Badminton is only one of the many activities
enjoyed by residents of Bonny Lea Farm - thanks
to Brian Willman, Heart Instructor for the last
four years. Brian has developed an extensive
recreation schedule, also incorporating some
favourites like basketball and volleyball. Activi-
ties are on a half-hour rotation from 9:00 a.m.
to 3:45 p.m. in their gym.
Time in the large gym isn’t only dedicated to
competitive sports either. There is also a weight
room, a Wii console, and one-on-one physio
sessions and gym classes.
Mr. Willman also organizes off-site activities as
well that includes training sessions for the Spe-
cial Olympics in curling and bowling.
Recreation is an essential part of
daily life at Bonny Lea Farm (on
Windsor Road) and is recog-
nized for the value it brings.
“Having a recreational pro-
gram in place means a great
deal to our participants. There-
fore, it means a great deal to
us,” says Mr. Willman. “Of course, physcial activ-
ity burns excess energy, but more importantly, it
promotes teamwork”.
Right now, badminton is played in the gym
located off of the cafeteria where the courts
boundaries are outlined in paint on the floor.
There’s only one thing missing - a net.
So, Jane Rafuse (Association Support Coordi-
nator) with the support of the Managing Direc-
tor, David Outhouse, and Financial/HR Coordina-
tor, Joanne DeLong, applied to the Municipality
THE
PLAN
of the District of Chester for a grant under the
Recreation & Parks Department program.
The grant wasn’t for a substantial amount of
money, but the overall gain is invaluable. The
$300 grant will pay for an indoor badminton
net, additional racquets, and some more shut-
tlecocks.
Bonny Lea Farm is quite
unique. They rely on do-
nations, but they also
generate income through
a variety of products and
services. For example, the
Municipality uses their paper shredding service.
They also provide mail preparation and prod-
ucts such as wipers, mulch, herbs, preserves,
and gifts.
Bonny Lea Farm doesn’t apply for many grants
under our program, but supporting our com-
munity groups when they need it is one of our
priorities.
There are actually two options for grant appli-
cants: either apply for funding under the Rec-
reation & Parks Grant Program or through the
After tossing the birdie around for a quick demonstration, everyone took a break for a photograph. Shown
from left to right are David Huskins, Brian Willman (Heart Instructor), Duncan Gillis, and Amanda Robar.
Also in this issue of municipal insight...
• Municipal Election results
Interesting statistics and contact information (pg. 2)
• A cure for boredom
Don’t know what to do this winter? Well, we do and we’ll tell you on pg. 3.
• They are pretty, but potentially deadly
Discover the fastest growing cause of fires in North America (pg. 4)
MUNICIPAL COUNCIL
TRANSPARENT GOVERNMENT
At the Municipality of the District of Chester, the
term “transparent government” is not an oxymoron.
We believe that the more everyone knows, the bett er.
In fact, we were the fi rst municipality in the Province
to adopt a “Routi ne Access Policy”, which gives the
public greater access to municipal records. Find a copy
of the Policy on our website at www.chester.ca
On our own, the Municipality willingly shares infor-
mati on with the public through our newslett er, the
website, our social media accounts, open meeti ngs,
public hearings, individual inquiries, or plain word of
mouth.
The Province backs that up by also legally requiring
that we publicize municipal operati ons - and we do so
happily, off ering more informati on than they expect.
The Municipal Government Act includes a secti on
called “Freedom of Informati on and Protecti on of Pri-
vacy” that outlines the things that the Municipality
must share and what we must keep private. Discus-
sion at the Council level about the private informati on
must be held “in camera”, which means away from the
general public and the press.
We cannot legally publicize or openly discuss:
• Personal informati on - Informati on we have
about you and our employees goes no further.
For example, your credit card or banking infor-
mati on, address, phone number, etc. All per-
sonal informati on is off limits to anyone outside
of this organizati on
• Open court case records - Evidence or records
used in an unsett led court case are not avail-
able to the public, or even most staff . Aft er a
ruling, the records are public informati on.
• Informati on that belongs to someone else, but
we are holding.
• Trade secrets - We don’t have any...
• Contracts unti l 90 days aft er they are execut-
able - This includes contract negoti ati ons.
• Informati on that may endanger someone.
We generate a tremendous amount of informati on,
and - believe it or not - not all of it is riveti ng. In fact,
most of it is only applicable to a small percentage of
the populati on at a parti cular point in ti me. For ex-
ample, regulati ons around subdividing property may
only be interesti ng to those who plan on subdividing.
Similarly, residents in Marti ns Point might only have a
passing interest in a development happening in Bland-
ford. In any case, we want to be as accessible as we
can so we off er all of the informati on we can. Some-
ti mes it’s posted on the website, someti mes it’s in our
newslett er, and quite oft en it’s delivered in person.
If there is informati on that you think we have, but
you can’t seem to fi nd it anywhere, you can also re-
quest it. Call 275-3554.
2
As we again fo-
cus on the future
of our Municipali-
ty and how we can
positi on ourselves
to meet the chal-
lenges ahead, I’d
like to take a mo-
ment to reiterate
Council’s commit-
ment to you. Despite any changes we may experi-
ence, our prime directi ve is always to represent our
residents and fi nd opportuniti es that will bett er our
overall lifestyle. Across the Province, the Municipal-
ity’s reputati on is that of a progressive and sound
municipal unit. This is no accident. With the public’s
encouragement, we have done a great deal to move
towards fi nancial independence, environmental
acuity, and sound community planning.
You can contact the Warden by calling the Municipal Offi ce at (902) 275-3554,
calling his home at (902) 275-2536, or emailing him awebber@chester.ca
It would be remiss if we didn’t bid farewell to two
former Councillors: Marshall Hector and Cheryl Scott .
They both contributed greatly around the table and
their presence will be missed. At the same ti me, we
welcome new Councillors, Andre Veinott e and Tina
Connors who have already shown their enthusiasm
and dedicati on to their electors. I look forward to
building a strong team over the next four years.
We have a lot on our agenda these days. First, an
orientati on period for all Councillors. Following this,
Councill will see existi ng projects to their comple-
ti on, such as the wind tower at Kaizer Meadow Envi-
ronmental Management Centre.
We will discuss bringing potenti al projects to our
Municipality that will take us to the forefront of in-
novati on. Projects such as bio-fuel producti on, waste
management partnerships, and developing quality
standards for ourselves.
We ask that you support us by providing your
thoughts and advice as we take on these endeav-
ours. Become involved; off er proacti ve feedback that
we can use to make our processes bett er. We want
our community to thrive just as much as you do.
Message
from the
Warden
2012 School Board
and Municipal
ELECTION
District Councillor
1 Andre Veinott e
277-1409 aveinott e@chester.ca
2 Floyd Shatf ord, Deputy Warden
857-9817 fshatf ord@chester.ca
3 Brad Armstrong
275-3121 barmstrong@chester.ca
4 Allen Webber, Warden
275-2536 awebber@chester.ca
5 Robert Myra
627-2470 rmyra@chester.ca
6 Tina Connors
679-4461 tconnors@chester.ca
7 Sharon Church-Cornelius
275-2281 scornelius@chester.ca
In case you haven’t seen our website or heard from your neighbours, the Council
representati ves for the next four years are listed below. Theresa Griffi n was elected as
the Municipality’s representati ve on the South Shore Regional School Board.
In case you haven’t seen our website or heard from your neighbours, the Council
representati ves for the next four years are listed below. Theresa Griffi n was elected as
the Municipality’s representati ve on the South Shore Regional School Board.
Voter turnout
increased this Electi on.
Counti ng only votes for
municipal council, overall par-
ti cipati on in both electronic and
traditi onal voti ng grew by 22.4%
compared to 2008 - over half of
them voted electronically in
the Advanced Poll (50.3%).
Thanks to those who worked so
hard during the Electi on; we ap-
preciate it. Thanks also goes to
all of our residents who voted.
Good job!
District Councillor
1 Andre Veinott e
277-1409 aveinott e@chester.ca
2 Floyd Shatf ord, Deputy Warden
857-9817 fshatf ord@chester.ca
3 Brad Armstrong
275-3121 barmstrong@chester.ca
4 Allen Webber, Warden
275-2536 awebber@chester.ca
5 Robert Myra
627-2470 rmyra@chester.ca
6 Tina Connors
679-4461 tconnors@chester.ca
7 Sharon Church-Cornelius
275-2281 scornelius@chester.ca
If you want to address Council regarding an issue, make an appointment with the Municipal Clerk at (902) 275-3554 or email pmyra@chester.ca
WHOA!
Back the editi ng truck up!
Apparently, we weren’t prepared for summer
to end because instead of “what’s happening
in the Municipality of the District of Chester
this fall” in October’s editi on, we opted with
what was happening “this summer”.
A mistake on our part...apologies!
YOU DON’T SAY...
This is the Municipality’s fi rst electi on where electors had the opportunity to cast their ballot electronically - either by
telephone or internet. Intelivote Systems was the company that the Municipality used to coordinate this eff ort, and
they provided us with some stati sti cs of both the Municipal and the School Board informati on. Below is a table show-
ing the voti ng method chosen by each age group. More stati sti cs can be found on our website at www.chester.ca
COMMUNITY INTEREST
3To adverti se your event with us, submit it to the Recreati on & Parks Department. Call (902) 275-3490.
Saturday, Dec. 1
to Sunday, Dec. 16
Annual Gingerbread
Festi val
Decorate and photograph your outdoor
gingerbread man (NS Building Supplies)
and send it to chestergingerbreadfesti -
val@gmail.com where it will be posted
on Facebook for judging. Winners
announced at the Family Gingerbread
Celebrati on Party on Dec. 16 at St. Ste-
phen’s Church Hall, 2-4pm. Pick up Fes-
ti val passports at local shops and check
out gingerbread houses on display.
Friday, Dec. 7 to
Sunday, Dec. 9
19th Annual New
Ross Christmas
Festi val
Start at the Welcome
Post at Ross Farm
Museum
www.newross.ca
Friday: Community Supper
Friday: 5:00-7:30pm. LED light exchange
Friday: 7pm. Tree Lighti ng with Santa
Friday: 8pm. Al Bernard Magic Show
Saturday: 7-10am. Firefi ghters’ Break-
fast and Bake Sale at New Ross Legion.
Pewter ornaments on sale in support of
Muscular Dystrophy. 689-2018.
Saturday: Craft Fairs, children’s acti vi-
ti es, wreathmaking,
Saturday: 2-4pm. “Cider with Cecelia”
with Food Bank donati on.
Saturday: 4-8pm. Christkindlmarkt
Saturday: 7pm. Concert with Rachel
MacLean
Saturday: 9pm. Dance at New Ross
Legion.
Sunday: 11am. Ecumenical Church
Service.
Sunday: 1-4pm. “Tea & Tour” of local
homes. $10 per person.
Sat & Sun: Christmas Tree U-picks
Sat & Sun: 10am-4pm. Craft Fair & Tree
Decorati ng Contest, Forti es Community
Centre. 689-2612 or 689-2000.
Sat & Sun: 11:30am-1:30pm and again
3:00-4:30pm. Turkey Dinner & Supper,
Forti es Community Centre. 689-2612 or
689-2000.
Saturday, Dec. 8
Christmas at the
Hubbards Barn 8am-noon. www.hubbardsbarn.org
Crib Tournament Litt le Red School House, Canaan, 11am.
Christmas Carol Sing
& Warm Cider
Lordly House Museum, Chester, 2-4pm.
Hosted by the Heritage Society.
Christmas Dance Chester Basin Legion, 9:30 pm to 1:00
am. 275-3948.
Sunday, Dec. 9
Annual Fundraising
Christmas Dinner
Seasonal music by Chester Brass Band
and special guest performers. 275-3453.
Lobster Supper &
Variety Show
East River Union Hall, 4-6:30pm. Order
Supper ti ckets by Dec. 8. 275-5720 or
275-4219. Variety Show, 6:30-8:30pm.
Wed., Dec. 12 Seniors Social Hubbards Area Lions Club, 12 noon.
Meal followed by games. 857-9845.
Saturday, Dec. 15
Breakfast District #1 Community Centre, Bland-
ford, 9:00-11:00 am.
Merchandise Bingo
and Lobster 45’s
Hubbards Area Lions Club, Bingo at 1pm
and 45’s at 7pm. Proceeds for Christmas
hampers. 857-9845.
Christmas Jamboree &
Memory Tree Lighti ng
Litt le Red School in Canaan, 7 pm. Local
musicians, raffl es and lunch.
Chistmas Party with
“Hog the Covers”
Chester Legion, 9pm-1am. Members
and guests 19 yrs and over.
Sunday, Dec. 16
Breakfast with Santa Forti es Community Centre, New Ross,
8-11am. 689-2612.
Crib Tournament Chester Legion, 1pm.
Christmas Gospel
Concert
Aenon Bapti st Church, Chester Basin,
7pm.
Saturday, Dec. 22 Newfi e Breakfast Chester Basin Legion, 7:30-10:30 am.
Monday, Dec. 24 Christmas Eve
Candlelight Service
Aenon Bapti st Church, Chester Basin,
6:30 pm. Free will off ering to Missions.
Monday, Dec. 31
Karaoke Chester Legion, 9pm-1am
New Year’s Eve
Dance
District #1 Community Ctr., Blandford,
9:30pm-1:30am. Band: “Usual Suspects”
New Year’s Eve
Dance Hubbards Area Lions Club. 857-9845.
Friday, Feb. 8 to
Monday, Feb. 11 Snowball Bonspiel Chester Curling Rink. February 1 dead-
line. www.chestercurlingclub.ca
Think the
Municipality of
Chester P.R.O. Kids
this Christmas!
Municipality of Chester License Plates
make a great Christmas Gift, and you will
be supporting
P.R.O. Kids at the
same time. Only
$20.
Make a note to Eat at Subway in
Chester on Friday, December 14
and help support the Municipality
of Chester P.R.O. Kids Program. A
portion of their sales today go to
P.R.O. Kids.
Consider a donation to P.R.O. Kids in
lieu of a Christmas Present. Ocial
Donation receipts will be given for
all donations
over $10.
For more information call the Recreation Department at 275-3490.
WINTER TRAVEL
Be prepared before the storm strikes. Check and
winterize your vehicle before the season begins. Al-
ways check the latest weather reports to avoid the
storm! Leave ahead of the storm to arrive safely, or
delay travel unti l aft er the event. Be aware of the
travel plans of other family members. Ensure some-
one knows if you don’t arrive at your desti nati on on
ti me. Carry an emergency kit in your car including a
car phone, fl ashlight, fi rst-aid supplies, extra clothes/
blanket, cat litt er or sand for tracti on, jumper cables,
knife, high-calorie, and non-perishable food.
It is recommended that you stay in your car or truck
if you get caught in a winter storm. Disorientati on
occurs quickly in wind-driven snow and cold. Run
the motor about ten minutes each hour for heat, en-
suring that you open the window a litt le for fresh air
to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning. Exercise from
ti me to ti me by vigorously moving arms, legs, fi n-
gers, and toes to keep blood circulati ng and to keep
warm. Make yourself visible to rescuers, perhaps ty-
ing a coloured cloth (preferably red) to your antenna
or door. Winter driving is always a challenge.
FIREPLACES, FURNACES and SPACE HEATERS
Keep fi re where it belongs - in the fi replace! Clean
and inspect your chimney annually for damage and
obstructi ons. Store cold ashes in a sealed metal con-
tainer. Only burn materials appropriate for a fi re-
place, never burn trash or other such materials.
An annual cleaning and inspecti on is recommend-
ed for your furnace as well. Keep combusti bles at
least three feet away from space heaters. Ensure
that the unit has a thermostat control mechanism
and a switch that automati cally shuts off the power
if the heater falls over. Locate the heater on a level
surface away from foot traffi c. Be especially careful
to keep children and pets away from the heater.
For informati on, visit www.chesterfi re.ca or www.
emo.gov.ns.ca
PUBLIC SAFEY
4
Candles may be prett y to look at and nice to smell
but they are a major cause of home fi res - and home
fi re deaths. December is the peak ti me of year for
home candle fi res with Christmas Day having more
candle fi res than any other calendar day.
The top fi ve days for home candle fi res are Christ-
mas, Christmas Eve, New Year’s Day, New Year’s Eve,
and Halloween.
The Nati onal Fire Protecti on Associati on (NFPA) re-
ports that candles are the fastest growing cause of
fi res in North America.
Remember, a candle is an open fl ame and can easily
ignite anything that can burn!
• Never leave a burning candle unatt ended. Blow out
all candles when you leave the room or go to bed.
• Avoid the use of candles in the bedroom and other
areas where people may fall asleep, 40% of home
fi res started by candles begin in the bedroom!
• Keep candles at least one foot away from anything
that can burn.
If you burn candles:
• Use candle holders that are non-combusti ble, stur-
dy and won't ti p over easily.
• Use candle holders that are sized and designed to
suffi ciently contain any melted/dripping wax the
candle may produce.
• Place candle holders on a sturdy, unclutt ered sur-
face heat/fi re resistant surface.
• Keep candles away from curtains, blinds, newspa-
per, wallpaper, upholstered furniture and any oth-
er combusti bles.
• Don't place candles near doorways or windows
where a draft could bring combusti bles in contact
with the fl ame, or knock the candle over.
• Light candles carefully. Keep your hair and any
loose clothing away from the fl ame.
• Keep candle wicks trimmed. This is essenti al for the
candle to burn cleanly, safely and without smok-
ing. Trim candles wicks to 1/4" every ti me you burn
them.
• Don't burn a defecti ve candle. If it is not burning
properly - if it's sputt ering or smoking or the fl ame
is burning too high - don't burn it.
• Don't burn a candle all the way down - put it out
before it gets too close to the holder or container.
• When exti nguishing candles, never leave the room
unti l wicks have stopped glowing.
• Never use a candle if oxygen is used in the home.
• Have fl ashlights and batt ery-powered lighti ng
ready to use during a power outage instead of
candles.
HYPOTHERMIA, WIND CHILL and FROSTBITE
Hypothermia or low body temperature can be very
serious and even life threatening. Warning signs in-
clude uncontrollable shivering, memory loss, disori-
entati on, slurred speech, and apparent exhausti on.
Infants and elderly people are most suscepti ble. Im-
mediately seek medical att enti on.
Wind chill is based on the rate of heat loss from ex-
posed skin caused by the combined eff ects of wind
and cold. As the wind increases, heat is carried away
from the body at an accelerated rate, driving down
the body temperature. Be aware that animals are
also aff ected by wind chill.
Frostbite is damage to body ti ssue caused by
it freezing. Frostbite causes a loss of feeling and a
white or pale appearance in extremiti es, such as fi n-
gers, toes, earlobes, or the ti p of your nose. If symp-
toms are detected, get medical help immediately!
Wear loose-fi tti ng, light-weight, warm clothing in
several layers. Trapped air insulates. Layers can be
removed to avoid perspirati on and subsequent chill.
Outer garments should be ti ghtly woven, water re-
pellent, and hooded. Wear a hat. Half your body
heat loss can be from the head. Cover your mouth to
protect your lungs from extreme cold. Mitt ens, snug
at the wrist, are bett er than gloves. Try to stay dry.
THIN ICE
People are att racted to either ice in a pond or out
on our lakes during the winter months. It is fun to
walk on, run and slide across, and to go snowmo-
biling on. Unfortunately, the risks are real and oft en
underesti mated. If you see someone who has fallen
through the ice, DO NOT WALK out to them as you
may quickly become another victi m. Instead, try to
reach them with a tree branch, rope, shovel, any-
thing that you can place between you and the victi m
and have them grab onto it. Call 911 to noti fy the
Fire Department who are trained in ice rescue and
will respond to the scene.
WINTER STORMS
In our area, winter means we will likely experience
storms with high winds, heavy snowfall, and freezing
rain. Unfortunately, we can’t change the facts; fortu-
nately, we can be prepared.
Strong winds can create blizzard conditi ons, and
ice storms can knock down trees, uti lity poles, and
power lines. Downed power wires should always
be considered LIVE AND DANGEROUS and must be
avoided. Call 911 to noti fy the Fire Department who
will respond to the scene.
Make sure family members know what to do if
school or work is cancelled or dismissed early. Have
alternati ve arrangements worked out before the
storm hits. Work with your school and business on
child care opti ons, school bus plans, and work-at-
home strategies. Review these plans during early
weather warning phases.
Avoid over-exerti on, such as shoveling heavy
snow, pushing a car, or walking in deep snow. The
strain from the cold and the hard labour may cause
a heart att ack. Sweati ng could lead to a chill and hy-
pothermia.
If a disaster happens in your community, it may
take emergency workers some ti me to get to you as
they help those in desperate need fi rst. Be prepared
to take care of yourself and your family for a mini-
mum of 72 hours. By taking a few simple steps today,
you can become bett er prepared to face a range of
emergencies – anyti me, anywhere.
Take a few moments to check in with your neigh-
bours, especially if they are elderly. It doesn’t take
long to make sure they have everything and they are
not in any diffi culty. It helps just knowing someone
is out there.
There is a handy guide and checklist available to
help you to take care of yourself and your loved ones
during an emergency. Please visit htt p://emo.gov.
ns.ca/content/prepare-kit for assistance.
HAVE A FUN (AND SAFE) WINTER
With the colder months of the year now upon us, the seven fi re departments in the Municipality have a few
safety ti ps for you and your family. Fire preventi on and safety is our mission, make it yours as well!
Our Emergency Services website has plenty of resources. Visit www.chesterfi re.ca today.
+
5Exceeding bag limits or not using clear bags for garbage could result in rejecti on
PROPERTY SERVICES
A civic address is the number, road name and
community name used to identi fy buildings. It
ensures fast emergency response for:
• AMBULANCE SERVICE
• FIRE SERVICE
• POLICE SERVICE
What buildings need a civic number?
• structures used or intended to be used to
support or shelter any use or occupancy;
• dwellings (houses, cott ages, apartment
buildings etc.);
• businesses (full ti me or seasonal); and
• insti tuti ons (churches, schools etc.).
How do I get a civic number for my building?
• The Building Inspector issues civic num-
bers to new buildings.
• If you have an existi ng building and you
don’t know your number, call our Plan-
ning Offi ce at (902) 275-2599 between
8:30am and 4:30pm, Monday to Friday.
• Blue and white refl ecti ve civic number
The Municipality has developed a user-friendly guide especially for heritage property owners. It's enti tled "Municipality of Chester:
Preserving our Heritage Properti es", and the purpose is to provide owners with informati on about the process involved in altering the
exterior of a municipal-registered heritage property.
The guide includes:
•The steps to follow if an applicati on is needed to alter a heritage property
•The principles of heritage conservati on
•An outline of alterati ons deemed "character defi ning"
The document also contains principles and guidelines for property owners on appropriate ways to approach the design of new additi ons
and the treatment of windows, doors, cladding, and other building features.
plates can be ordered through the Com-
munity Development Department for
$10.00 each, by calling (902) 275-2599, or
visiti ng us at 186 Central Street in Ches-
ter. All plate orders must be prepaid.
What do I need when I call to found out what my
civic number is?
• your road and community name;
• your AAN (Assessment Account Number);
• your PID (Property Identi fi cati on Designa-
ti on); and
• the assessed property owners name(s)
Who is informed of my new civic number?
• EMO(NS) (Emergency Management
Offi ce - Nova Scoti a)
For questi ons, comments, or a
paper copy, contact the
Community Development
Department at (902) 275-2599.
• EHS (Emergency Health Services –
Ambulance)
• FIRE DEPARTMENT (local departments)
• TAX OFFICE (Chester)
• LAND INFORMATION CENTRE
(Bridgewater)
• ASSESSMENT OFFICE (Bridgewater)
• POST OFFICE (new roads)
• Chester RCMP (new roads)
How can I fi nd out more about the Civic Address
By-Law?
There are copies of Civic Addressing By-Law
#139 at the Planning Department at 186 Central
Street in Chester or go to our website at www.
chester.ca
CIVIC NUMBERS:
Why do I need one?
Wrapping paper
and rolls are recyclable.
Put them in your bag for
recyclable paper.
BUT metallic (shiny) paper
is NOT and must go in your
clear bag with the other
garbage.
Gift bags are usu-
ally garbage because
most of them are coated
in a plasti c layer. Before
disposing of, check by making
a litt le tear in the paper. OR
you could reuse them if
they are sti ll in prett y
good shape.
Bows, ribbon, tape,
and other gift decora-
ti ons are reusable, but
not recyclable.Unless
made from paper, they
are trash.
Recycling
tips during
the Holidays
Also, bag limits remain the same during the holidays.
Every two weeks on your regular collecti on day, the
following will be collected:
1 green 1 black bag and 5 clear 10 bags of recyclables
cart bags for garbage (including bundles of cardboard)+
The 2013 Waste Collecti on Calendar will be avail-
able starti ng in mid-December. Get your copy...
• In your mailbox,
• At the Municipal Offi ce, 151 King Street,
Chester, or
• Online at our website: www.chester.ca
If you don’t receive a calendar, you can also call
the Solid Waste Department at (902) 275-2330 or
the Public Works Department at (902) 275-1312
to have one mailed.
Let us take the worry out of disposal
Drop off your old fl uorescent bulbs
(including compact fl uorescent
lights) at one of our drop-off boxes,
and the Municipality will dispose of
them at our Household Hazardous
Waste Depot.
Drop-off boxes are located at:
Chester Home Hardware
Hubbards Home Hardware
New Ross Home Hardware
Municipal Offi ce
Let us take the worry out of disposal
Look for this sign
BY-LAWS & POLICIES
6“Like” the Municipality’s page at www.facebook.com/ChesterMunicipality or follow us @chestermun or @ChesterRecParks
Summer has flown by, winter is starting to
bite, and before we know what hit us 2012
will be a distant memory. As we wave goodbye to
another great summer in Nova Scotia, I thought
this would be a good opportunity to look back
at the year to see how things have progressed
from a by-law perspective.
Let’s start by looking at some of the major is-
sues I have been working on this year.
Illegal dumping has continued to be a recurring
problem in the Municipality. I am still called to
household garbage that had been tossed to the
side of the road, as well as larger scale dumps of
construction and demolition waste that tend to
appear in more remote areas. On one occasion I
was even called to the remains of two and a half
cows that had been dumped in the woods.
There have been 36 complaints of illegal
dumping so far this year, compared to 27 in
the same period last year - an increase of 33%.
That’s very disappointing, especially consider-
ing the frequency of curbside collections, and
the fact that residents can deposit up to 1500
lbs of waste at Kaizer Meadow Environmental
Management Centre free of charge. Cleanup
costs, as well as the environmental impact, are
significant, so I will continue my efforts to iden-
tify those responsible, and will issue fines where
appropriate.
The Municipality has carried out a number of
cleanups of some of the areas where dumping is
an ongoing issue. Beech Hill Road in Gold River
is a prime example.
Dumping in the
ditches along al-
most the entire
length of Beech
Hill Road has
been an ongoing
problem for many
years. Last Decem-
ber the Municipality, partnered with the De-
partment of Transportation and Infrastructure
Renewal (TIR), began removing the larger items
from the side of the road. These included refrig-
erators, furniture, beds, exercise machines and
all kinds of household electrical goods as well
as regular garbage. In early summer 2012, TIR
returned to Beech Hill Road and removed the
remainder of the larger items when they carried
out some ditching work. Finally, in August of this
year, the Municipality completed a final cleanup
of the ditches.
I would like to say that the problem is now
resolved, but only this week I was back down
Beech Hill Road and noticed that once again,
garbage has started to accumulate in the ditch-
es. Since there is a significant combined cost
(thousands of dollars) associated with the con-
tinued cleanup of garbage on Beech Hill Road,
we will look at alternative solutions to this is-
sue over the coming months. Options include
involving local residents and community groups
wherever possible.
On a brighter note, we have seen considerable
improvement with the misuse of the Mill Lake
garbage compound. Although misuse of the
compound is still an issue, the number of inci-
dents is down since the previous year, and the
garbage compound itself has remained in a far
more sanitary condition. It looks like the combi-
nation of education and enforcement is paying
dividends, so let’s hope this trend continues.
Aside from illegal dumping, other issues such
as noise complaints, unsightly premise com-
plaints and other nuisance issues have remained
fairly steady.
Unsightly premises in particular can be a
thorny issue when it comes to enforcement.
However, I am pleased to report that we have
made excellent progress this year, with 20 new
cases as well as a number of historical cases
being resolved, all with the cooperation of the
property owners and without the Municipality
having to take enforcement action.
Clearly, we have improved in some aspects;
however, in some areas we have not. In an ef-
fort to polish our by-laws, Council is reviewing
them along with the Municipality’s legal counsel
and myself, the By-Law Enforcement Officer. To-
gether, we will make them more effective.
To that end, we invite any suggestions for
change as well as any concerns you may have
in this regard. Please feel free to contact your
Council representative or myself through email
or telephone and we would be pleased to dis-
cuss it with you.
Have a safe and warm winter, and I look for-
ward to hearing from you.
- Dave Brettell, By-law Enforcement Officer
What a DUMP!
Illegal dumping continues to be a problem
in the Municipality as do unsightly Prem-
ises and noise. Are our By-Laws working?
Western Shore are included within Sched-
ule “A”).
That means, you can’t park in posted areas
of Western Shore and Chester an hour after a
storm starts until two hours after it ends.
Also, the Municipal Government Act says,
“snow cannot be plowed across any streets
or onto public sidewalks. Snow shall be
stored on the property being cleared or
hauled away and dumped in an approved
location.”
In addition, we want to remind motorists that
in accordance with the Motor Vehicle Act,
“no person shall willfully park or leave
standing a vehicle, attended or unattended,
on a street or part thereof which interferes
or obstructs snow removal during or after a
snow storm, or in any way obstructs winter
maintenance, i.e. salting. Such vehicles will
be towed away at the owners’ expense.”
In other words, your vehicle will be towed if,
at any time, you block any part of the street
that is getting plowed or salted.
Call the Department of Transportation in Infra-
structure Renewal at 275-3221 for info.
From December 15 to March 31, there is a
winter parking ban in effect in parts of Ches-
ter Village and Western Shore. There are signs
posted in the areas where the ban applies.
The Provincial Winter Parking Regulations
reads as follows:
“no owner, driver or person having control
or custody of any vehicle shall during the
period from one hour after any snow storm
has commenced to two hours after such
snow storm has stopped, park the vehicle
if it is unattended by a person authorized to
move and capable of operating the same,
upon any highway or street of the commu-
nities listed on Schedule “A” (Chester and
WINTER PARKING in the Village
Photos of an illegal dump were taken by the By-Law Enforcement Officer.
For the latest municipal news at the earliest time, sign up for municipal alerts sent directly to your inbox. Choose from
storm cancellations, the Recreation Brochure, Council Agendas or municipal updates. Go to www.chester.ca to sign up.
COMMUNITY FOCUS
7
Explore Life. Your mailbox. Janury 8. Be prepared.
If you have questions about… call this Department at...this number
Animal Control (Dogs)Animal Control Officer 277-0017
Boat Launches Recreation & Parks Department 275-3490
Building Permits/Inspections Building/Fire Inspection Dept 275-3080
By-Laws By-Law Enforcement Officer 277-1589
Composting Public Works/Solid Waste Dept 275-1312/275-2330
Council Meetings Administration/Tax Department 275-3554
Derelict Vehicle Program Public Works Department 275-1312
Fire Inspections Building/Fire Inspection Dept 275-3080
Islands (use of)Recreation & Parks Department 275-3490
Kaizer Meadow Solid Waste Department 275-2330
Municipal Sewer Public Works Department 275-1312
After Hours Emergencies 1-888-664-6998
Parks/Trails Recreation & Parks Department 275-3490
Planning Areas Planning Department 275-2599
Public Works (Municipal)Public Works Department 275-1312
Recycling Public Works/Solid Waste Dept 275-1312/275-2330
Taxes Administration/Tax Dept 275-3554
Waste Collection Public Works/Solid Waste Dept 275-1312/275-2330
Wharves Public Works Department 275-1312
Zoning Planning Department 275-2599
Other ways to contact us:
fax mail email
902-275-4771 151 King Street administration@chester.ca publicworks@chester.ca
P O Box 369 building@chester.ca recreation@chester.ca
Chester NS B0J 1J0 planning@chester.ca info@KaizerMeadow.ca
Municipal Councillors and Contact Information
District Councillor/Address Phone #
#1 Andre Veinotte 277-1409
147 Chester Downs Road, R R 1, Chester NS B0J 1J0
#2 Floyd Shatford 857-9817
R R 2, Hubbards NS B0J 1T0
#3 Brad Armstrong 275-3121
P O Box 196, Chester NS B0J 1J0
#4 Allen Webber 275-2536
P O Box 54, Chester Basin NS B0J 1K0
#5 Robert Myra 627-2470
P O Box 126, Western Shore NS B0J 3M0
#6 Tina Connors 679-4461
7139 Hwy 12, R R 4, New Ross NS B0J 2M0
#7 Sharon Church-Cornelius 275-2281
R R 2, Chester NS B0J 1J0
Provincial Contacts
Department of
Environment.........................................................543-4685
Labour ..................................................................543-0665
Natural Resources ................................................634-7555
Public Health ........................................................543-0850
Transportation (Bridgewater) ...............................543-8169
Transportation (Marriott’s Cove)..........................275-3221
Property Valuation Services (Assessments) ...........1-800-380-7775
MLA Denise Peterson-Rafuse ................................1-877-740-3378
...............................................................................857-3378
MP Gerald Keddy ...................................................1-888-816-4446
...............................................................................527-5655
Email communications@chester.ca to submit comments or questions related to the newsletter
GRANTS
GRANTED
As always, requests far exceed the amount of
money available under the Recreation & Parks
Department grant program. This year, out of the
$20,000 budget, $19,500 was donated to local
non-profit organizations (below).
Staff in Recreation expect the overwhelming
response though. They personally contact each
and every community group within the Munici-
pality to let them know about the program well
before the deadline, which is in October.
The Recreation Committee, which is repre-
sented by Council, Municipal Staff and com-
munity members, had some hard decisions to
make. In the end, they were happy with the
list of recommendations they made to Council
on November 8, 2012. There is a mix of groups
from all over the Municipality, and each group
received at least a portion of the funds they re-
quested.
The table below lists the organizations that
applied, the amount of financial support they
requested, and the amounts recommended to
and approved by Council.
All of the money budgeted for the Recreation
and Parks grant program was allocated except
for $500 - this is reserved until March 31 for pos-
sible start-up grants.
Start-up grants are only available to newly-
formed organizations. Applicants must repre-
sent a non-profit group within the Municipality
of the District of Chester. Often, there are addi-
tional grants available through Provincial or Fed-
eral funding, so a conversation with the Director
of Recreation & Parks is encouraged before a
group applies for any funding under the start-up
program.
If no one applies for a start-up grant by March
31, 2013, the remaining money will be donated
to P.R.O. Kids.
Municipal Council also offers a grant program
to non-profit groups, but groups are only eli-
gible to apply and receive funds from one pro-
gram per year.
Requests received under the Council grant
program are reviewed more frequently and al-
low for organizations outside the Municipality
as long as they serve our residents. Many groups
undertaking a large capital project will approach
Council for a monetary request.
To learn about financial support through the
Recreation & Parks Department or through Mu-
nicipal Council, please visit our website at www.
chester.ca and open the applications found in
the Document Library. The criteria is outlined
on the first page of each form.
If you are a community group in the Municipa-
ity of the District of Chester, and you would like
to be included in the Recreation & Parks Depart-
ment’s mailing list, please call (902) 275-3490 or
email recreation@chester.ca
ORGANIZATION AMOUNT REQUESTED AMOUNT APPROVED
2 Bays 4-H Club $50.00 $50.00
Aspotogan Arts & Crafts $300.00 $300.00
Aspotogan Recreation Association $1,000.00 $1,000.00
Basin Gardeners Association $1,000.00 $550.00
Basin Recreation Park $1,483.60 $1,400.00
Blandford Seasiders Seniors Club $1,000.00 $500.00
Bonny Lea Farm $300.00 $300.00
Charing Cross Garden Club $600.00 $550.00
Chester Art Centre Association $1,800.00 $1,100.00
Chester Basin Over 40 Club $500.00 $500.00
Chester Curling Club $500.00 $500.00
Chester Garden Club $1,000.00 $550.00
Chester Minor Hockey $5,000.00 $2,500.00
Chester Yacht Club - Opti Jam & Junior Program $3,000.00 $1,000.00
Forties Garden Club $1,200.00 $550.00
Hubbards Barn Association $4,000.00 $1,000.00
new Ross Farmers Association $759.00 $300.00
New Ross Gold Age Club $500.00 $500.00
Ocean Swells Community Association $2,000.00 $1,400.00
RECAP $2,000.00 $1,500.00
Shoreham Village Senior Citizens Association $2,100.00 $1,000.00
St. Barnabas Church Guild $300.00 $150.00
VOCTADA $2,000.00 $800.00
Western Shore Legion $3,339.24 $1,500.00
TOTAL $35,731.84 $19,500.00
Occasionally, winter
takes over and we need to cancel a few things,
like Recreation programs and activities, meet-
ings, or other municipal events.
Check our website at www.chester.ca anytime
after 3:00 pm for evening events or first thing in
the morning for Council meetings.
Click on the Storm Cancellations button on
the right side of the
screen to view the
status of our events.
The Recreation & Parks Department also up-
dates their voice messaging system. You can
reach their office by calling (902) 275-3490.
Municipality of the District of Chester
Holiday Hours & Waste Collection Information
Administration Offices are observing the following holiday schedule:
Monday, December 24, 2012 CLOSING at noon
Tuesday, December 25, 2012 CLOSED for Christmas Day
Wednesday, December 26, 2012 CLOSED for Boxing Day
Thursday, December 27, 2012 CLOSED (Council meeting is rescheduled to December 20)
Friday, December 28, 2012 CLOSED
Monday, December 31, 2012 CLOSED
Tuesday, January 1, 2013 CLOSED for New Year’s Day
Thursday, January 10, 2013 First Council meeting of the New Year
The Kaizer Meadow Environmental Management Centre (Landfill) schedule over the holiday season is:
Tuesday, December 25, 2012 CLOSED for Christmas Day
Wednesday, December 26, 2012 CLOSED for Boxing Day
Tuesday, January 1, 2013 CLOSED for New Year’s Day
Waste Collection Information:
Waste collection previously scheduled for Tuesday, December 25 is rescheduled to Saturday, December 29. This affects those on Tuesday
Week A collection: all streets in the Village of Chester SOUTH of, and including, Regent Street; all roads off of, and including, Pig Loop Road;
from East Chester Recreation Association Hall to, and including, Chester Shore Road; and from where Haddon Hill Road intersects with
Highway 3 (near the Train Station) up to the Village boundary as well as from Highway 3 to Douglas Avenue.
Waste collection scheduled for Wednesday, December 26 will be collected as usual.
Waste collection previously scheduled for Tuesday, January 1 is rescheduled to Saturday, January 5. This affects those on Tuesday Week
B collection: all streets in the Village of Chester NORTH of Regent Street; from Chester Shore Road to the Train Station; all of Old Trunk 3,
Chester Downs, Islandview Subdivision, Standford Lake Road, Chester Commons Road, Maplewood Drive, and Target Hill Road.
WISHING ALL A SAFE AND HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM COUNCILLORS AND STAFF
This lovely winter scene was
taken last year at the Fox Point
Beach.
If you have a great photo to
share of a person, place or
thing in the Municipality of the
District of Chester, please for-
ward it to communications@
chester.ca and we might post it
online or in our next newslet-
ter.
Or, if you have a great idea for
a photo, call the Communica-
tions Officer at (902) 275-3554.
Everyone who likes our Facebook page or follows us on
Twitter between December 1 and February 28 will have
their name put in a draw for a prize package.
Find us on Twitter @chestermun or @ChesterRecParks
or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ChesterMunicipality