HomeMy Public PortalAbout2013-02_MunicipalInsight_pdf-compressedmunicipal insight
“Keeping you informed about February 2013
your municipal government”
In the Municipality of the District of Chester this winter...
WHY IS THIS DOG SO HAPPY? CAN YOU GUESS WHAT THIS IS? WHAT IS THAT SOUND?!
Our guess is because her Here’s a hint: It’s FUN, it’s Why it’s HERITAGE! What you
owner cares about her FREE, and it’s in FEBRUARY! can do to keep heritage alive
so much! (pg. 3) Confi rm your guess on pg. 4 in your community (pg. 5)
Shown from left to right is a porti on of a sidewalk (Corn Hill, Chester Basin), Wild Rose Park (Western
Shore), Western Shore Wharf, and Anvil Park (Chester Basin); all municipal assets for public use.
MORE THAN
TAXES AND
MEETINGS
From Hubbards to Marti ns River, many
outdoor municipal faciliti es are accessed
by residents and visitors every season.
On Tuesday, January 15, the Atlanti c Can-
ada Opportuniti es Agency (ACOA) an-
nounced that the Municipality would receive
$51,000 to upgrade parts of the Chester Con-
necti on Trail and Aspotogan Trail.
This money comes from the federal Com-
munity Infrastructure Improvement Fund (CIIF)
and will be put towards purchasing and applying
crusher dust to the trail surface.
In additi on to the federal support, the Mu-
nicipality will also receive $16,000 from the Off -
Highway Infrastructure Fund, which consists of
provincial registrati on fees for off -road vehicles.
The total of $67,000 will be combined with
the Municipality’s investment of $65,000 for a
total of $132,000 spent on resurfacing the parts
of the trails that need it the most urgently.
The federal fund is available to non-profi t
organizati ons who want to repair existi ng or
construct new infrastructure, such as centres,
parks, arenas, etc. The provincial fund is meant
to increase accessibility of trails to off -highway
vehicles and is available to certain non-profi t
groups and landowners.
The Municipality has been fortunate enough
to have accessed funding sources for many proj-
ects, such as the Green Gym and the Croft Road
playground in Chester Basin.
Outdoor spaces are a great investment for
taxpayers for so many reasons. The obvious, of
course, is health promoti on and access to clean
recreati onal areas. Public-owned areas ensure
accessibility to natural setti ngs, provide a venue
for outdoor acti vity, and someti mes unique op-
portunti es to try new things.
Imagine if the Municipality didn’t have a
Bandstand to get married in, or a playground for
children to play, or a level trail to cross-country
ski, or an island beach to have a picnic. Sure,
we’d survive; it’s not like these things are a
necessity...or are they? Now imagine no recre-
ati onal spaces anywhere.
Luckily, the Municipality has acquired and de-
veloped a good number of outdoor resources;
some with the help of federal or provincial grants
and some without. Overall, the list of available
public assets is impressive and includes:
• Croft Road Playground (Chester Basin)
• Green Gym (Chester Basin)
• Two trail systems, totalling 46 km
• Parade Square (Chester)
• Freda’s Beach (Chester)
• Public gazebo (Chester Basin)
• Anvil Park (Chester Basin)
• Wild Rose Park (Western Shore)
• Wharves in Aspotogan, Western Shore,
Chester Basin and Chester
• Boat launches in Deep Cove, Blandford,
Borgald’s Point, and two in Chester
• Four islands (Clay, Marrs, Big Fish, and
Round Island Nubble)
• Potenti al development on land in East Riv-
er, Spectacle Lake and on Victoria Street.
• Zoe Valle Library
• Chester Skate Park
• Sidewalks in Chester, Chester Basin, West-
ern Shore and Hubbards
Please contact the Municipality of the District
of Chester at (902) 275-3554 with any questi ons
or comments about development, projects or
acquisiti ons.
In brief:In brief:In brief:
• • • Do you know the re-Do you know the re-Do you know the re-
sponsibilities of your sponsibilities of your sponsibilities of your
Fire Commission? You Fire Commission? You Fire Commission? You
will after reading the will after reading the will after reading the
article on page 2.article on page 2.article on page 2.
• • • Changes are proposed Changes are proposed Changes are proposed
for the Waste Collec-for the Waste Collec-for the Waste Collec-
tion By-Law. Do you tion By-Law. Do you tion By-Law. Do you
agree? Read more on agree? Read more on agree? Read more on
page 3 and give us page 3 and give us page 3 and give us
your thoughts.your thoughts.your thoughts.
Mail US
Community Development
Department
PO Box 369
186 Central Street
Chester, NS B0J 1J0
pHONE US
(902) 275-2599
E-Mail US
planning@chester.ca
A development
agreement application has been submitted for a proposed 102
megawatt wind energy facility consisting of 34 wind turbines.
The project is a partnership between three developers,
working together as operating partners, to build and operate
a wind energy facility on land leased from private property
owners in the South Canoe Lake area, near New Russell and
New Ross.
Council will be holding a Public Hearing to
receive written and verbal presentations from the public. Prior to the Public Hearing
there will be a Public Information Open House held by staff.
PublIC HearI ng
Thursday, February 21, 2013
7:00 p.m.
Forest Heights Community School
847 route 12, Chester grant
WE WaN t tO HEar frOM yOU!
WHaT IS THe PrO jeCT?
SOu TH C anOe WIn D energ Y PrO jeCT
P ublIC HearI ng n OTICe
H OW C an I be H earD?
PublIC InFOrmaTIOn
OP en HOuSe
monday, February 11, 2013
7:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.
Chester municipal Council Chambers
151 King Street, Chester
H OW C an I geT mO re In FOrmaTIOn?
MUNICIPAL COUNCIL
The relati onship between
FIRE COMMISSIONS and
MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT
According to the Municipal Government Act (MGA),
a municipality may provide and maintain fi re and
emergency services by providing them directly, assist-
ing others, and/or working with others. Currently, our
Municipality has chosen to work closely with others to
ensure appropriate emergency response systems are
in place.
We do that by:
• Registering all emergency service providers
within our boundaries;
• Evaluati ng services required and provided;
• Determining that the service provider has the
ongoing ability to provide the emergency ser-
vice at an acceptable level;
Our Municipality is divided into several “fi re dis-
tricts”; each having a fi re commission incorporated
by way of the Rural Fire District Act (RFDA). In addi-
ti on, the Village of Chester Commission under Sec-
ti on 423(1)(g) MGA, is authorized to provide fi re and
emergency services to Village of Chester, and is under
contract with the Municipality to provide services to
District #7 and parts of District #3 and District #1. In
all cases, Commissions are authorized and responsible
to provide fi re protecti on for their district and to levy,
through the Municipality, an area fi re tax to pay for it.
Fire Commissions and Village of Chester Commis-
sion are responsible for:
• Overall governance of the fi re and emergency
services in their fi re district;
• Ensuring that the fi re service is properly fund-
ed; and
• Ensuring that appropriate policy is in eff ect to
make service safe, suffi cient and eff ecti ve.
Direct fi re and emergency response in each district
is provided by volunteer Fire Departments established
by each Commission, as their operati onal arm.
Commissions decide the required level of fi re and
emergency response. This service level is usually de-
termined in consultati on with the residents and the
Fire Department and aft er a thorough assessment of
the fi re risks and other hazards in the area. The level of
service dictates membership, apparatus, equipment
and training. In close consultati on with the Fire De-
partment, the Commission sets a fi re tax rate to pro-
vide suffi cient funding to support these operati ons.
There is no clear “operators manual” defi ned for the
Municipality, Commissions or Fire Departments. The
MGA advises Commissions to reference best practi ces
set by the Nati onal Fire Protecti on Associati on (NFPA).
Each Fire Department is responsible for actual de-
livery of fi re and emergency services consistent with
the policy determined by the Commission, be it the
NFPA or other best practi ce. The Fire Department has
the technical experti se and experience to advise the
Commission of their ongoing needs.
The people involved with the fi re and emergency
services, Municipal Council and Staff , Commissioners,
and Fire Department membership are committ ed to
providing the best possible emergency response.
Contact your local Fire Commission/Fire Depart-
ment or, the Fire Services Coordinator at (902) 275-
2599 or bblackwood@chester.ca with questi ons.
2
Hope everyone had a great holiday season
and is able to make the best of what’s shaping
up to be an old-fashioned winter.
Your 44th Council has now sett led in and is
fully engaged in the many challenges and op-
portuniti es our community and region now
face.
Our fi rst evening meeti ng in some ti me was
very well att ended with an agenda that gave
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
a snapshot of what this term of offi ce has in
store:
• Does South Canoe wind project meet
the requirements of the Land Use By-
Law and Planning Strategy?
• How best do we address the concerns of
residents in relati on to the outside area
Fire Service Contract?
• How do we support the initi ati ve of the
Our Health Centre project? and
• What is our role – both locally and re-
gionally – in economic development as
well as overall community sustainability?
There is no magic in how a community ap-
proaches issues such as these. It’s a thought-
ful process on the part of all Councillors and if
we become engaged, informed and involved,
we will be successful.
On behalf of Council, we look forward to
working for you and with you.
Message from
the Warden
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
SUMMER EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
The Municipality of Chester Recreati on & Parks Department is seeking appli-
cati ons from students who would like to be part of our summer staff team.
We need students to organize special events and plan summer recreati on
programs. If you are creati ve, outgoing, energeti c and enjoy working with
youth and the public, submit your resume to:
Municipality of the District of Chester, Recreati on & Parks Department
ATTN: Jody Conrad
151 King Street PO Box 369, Chester NS B0J 1J0
Email: jconrad@chester.ca
Phone: (902) 275-2712 Fax: (902) 275-3630
Deadline to apply for University Positi ons is March 15. Deadline to apply for High School
positi ons is April 26. Only those applicants selected for an interview will be contacted.
“Budget season” at the Municipality of
Chester is a year round process but
kicks into high gear in January with approval
date expected in June. It seems like a long ti me,
but planning needs to be precise. This is be-
cause, according to the Municipal Government
Act, municipaliti es aren’t permitt ed to budget a
defi cit and any defi cit from one year must be re-
covered through the budget process in the fol-
lowing year. Therefore, it’s imperati ve that ev-
erything is prioriti zed and doublechecked.
Our fi scal year offi cially begins on April 1 and
ends on March 31, but long before April, Council
and staff are planning future projects and deter-
mining which ones are urgent and which ones
can wait.
Council and Senior Staff draft two budgets:
Capital and Operati onal. The Capital Budget is
basically for large expenditures, such as infra-
structure (buildings and equipment) projects,
that can be amorti zed (cost spread out over a
few or more years). Capital expenditures are
based on public need and where Council focus-
es their prioriti es. Someti mes, costs associated
with Capital projects can be recovered through
Provincial or Federal funds, like Gas Tax or the
Community Infrastructure Improvement Fund.
The Operati onal Budget covers day-to-day
revenues and expenditures, such as salaries,
supplies, and funding to other agencies (usually
Provincial).
The Municipality has a Five Year Capital Invest-
ment Plan that is updated annually. This is when
the Municipality looks ahead to each of the
next fi ve years to determine what is expected
for large capital expenditures.
MUNICIPAL BUDGET PREPARATIONS
How the Municipality is preparing for the upcoming fi scal year
There are also several tools that we use to de-
termine next year’s budget in additi on to what
Council identi fi es as prioriti es.
• The current year’s budget. “Forecasti ng”
is calculati ng the amount of money spent
to date and then esti mati ng what we will
spend the rest of the year. This helps for
both the future capital and operati onal
budgets.
• Projects already identi fi ed in the 5-Year
Capital Investment Plan as well as other
plans, such as the Integrated Community
Sustainability Plan.
• The Province’s Budget. When the Provin-
cial budget is approved, they inform mu-
nicipaliti es of any fi nancial downloads or
funding cuts that we should consider dur-
ing our budget planning.
• Historical revenue from user fees, grants
and property taxes off sets expenditures.
Watch future issues of municipal insight for
complete details and status updates about the
municipal budget. Also, fi nancial documents
are posted on our website (www.chester.ca) or
available by calling us at (902) 275-3554. You
can also drop in to the Municipal Offi ce to dis-
cuss the budget with the Director of Finance.
BUDGET TIMELINE AT A GLANCE
January Capital budget preparati on
February Operati onal budget
preparati on
mid-April Provincial budget approved
May Committ ee of the Whole
reviews budgets
June Council approves budget
and fi nalizes tax rate
BY-LAWS & POLICIES
3
Contrary to what some people would have
had you believe, the world did not end
on December 21st when the long count Mayan
calendar expired. Instead, 2012 passed by with
barely a bump.
In early January asteroid Apophis hurtled
past the earth with room to spare, and so far at
least, there are no other
earth shattering events on
the horizon. Phew!
So what does all this
mean? That’s right, there
is no excuse, it’s time to
make sure your dog tag is
current, and if you run a
kennel or dog day care, it’s
time to renew your kennel
license!
If you own a dog and
live within the boundar-
ies of the Municipality you
must register your dog,
and it must wear a tag.
This is nothing sinister.
The primary reason for your dog wearing a
tag is so it can be easily identified and returned
to you should it ever go missing. The Animal
Control Officer can simply cross-reference the
tag number on the database, and return your
pooch to you without having to take it to the
pound. I am sure you will agree, this is less
stressful for everyone concerned.
New to the area? Stop by the Municipal Building and get a "Welcome Kit".
A dog tag costs $15 and is good for five years.
You can purchase a dog tag at the Municipal Of-
fice, located at 151 King Street in Chester.
If you run a boarding or breeding kennel, or
if you provide a daycare service for dogs, then
you must have a kennel license. The purpose of
a kennel license is to ensure your establishment
meets the minimum standards adopted by the
Municipality, and that it is suitable for the ser-
vice you are providing. As part of the license ap-
plication process, your kennel will be inspected
and the Municipality will provide guidance to
help you meet the standards.
Kennel licenses are $150 and are good for
twelve months. You can pick up an application
form at the Municipal Office, or you can contact
me directly if you want to discuss the applica-
tion, or need any more information.
I wish you all a happy and healthy 2013.
Dave Brettell,
By-Law Enforcement Officer for the
Municipality of the District of Chester
(902) 275-2599 office
(902) 277-1589 cell
It’s not the end of the
world...
OBJECT: This By-Law describes the regulations governing how we manage solid waste in our Municipality.
Collection: The By-Law states how often waste is collected and from where it will be collected; how waste should be left for collection; how early waste can be
put out for collection; and how to handle special waste and construction waste.
Disposal (Landfill): The By-Law indicates site regulations, such as availability of the landfill and to whom it’s available; acceptable and non-acceptable wastes;
illegal dumping at the landfill site; removing waste from the Municipality to another municipality; waste separation; criteria for the Landfill Operator refusing
waste; salvaging and scavenging; and illegally storing waste.
Waste Collection & Disposal By-Law
PROPOSED CHANGES: Added or significantly modified definitions for “clear bag garbage”, “black bag garbage”, “Curbside Inspector”, “municipal solid waste”,
and “owner”.
Various “housekeeping” changes, such as updating the By-Law to include wording such as “clear bag” and revisions to incorporate Provincial regulations.
Also, responsibilities of the Curbside Inspector are added.
The biggest change is to increase the time between when residents are allowed to put their waste out for collection and when the waste is collected. Cur-
rently, we are only permitted to put regular collection out at 6:00 a.m. on the same day it’s scheduled to be picked up. Proposed changes will allow waste to
be put out as early as 6:00 p.m. the night before. Similarly, special collection items (bulky waste) could be put out for collection 48 hours in advance of pick-
up day as opposed to 24 hours. This change is found in Section 4 under “Collections” and comes with the condition that property owners are responsible for
waste until it’s collected.
Also, Kaizer Meadow is the primary location for waste disposal for all municipal residential and commercial customers. Although this remains in effect, a
proposed amendment would allow more flexibility. This change is found in Section 12 under “Landfill”.
BY-LAW REVIEW
Amendments proposed to
the Waste Collection By-Law
Council is considering amending the Waste Col-
lection & Disposal By-Law. Many of the changes are
minor “housekeeping” and consist of updates and
additions to the list of definitions.
The proposed amendments will go for First Read-
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
ing at the February 28th Council meeting, which
means the public has until February 21 to submit
input (either in writing or by appointment). If you
miss this deadline, it’s not too late to comment be-
cause the Second Reading usually follows a couple of
weeks later (the ad will be in the newspaper). Input
will be received up until then.
Please submit your comments to the Municipal
Clerk one of the following ways:
• IN WRITING to the Municipality of the District of
Chester, 151 King Street, P O Box 369, Chester
NS B0J 1J0;
• VIA EMAIL to the Municipal Clerk at pmyra@
chester.ca; or
• IN PERSON at the February 28 Council meet-
ing. Please contact the Municipal Clerk for an
appointment time by February 21. You can call
(902) 275-3554 or email pmyra@chester.ca.
Just a reminder that the Council meeting on Feb-
ruary 28 will start at 6:00 p.m. Also, all Council meet-
ings are open to the public and the press.
CENTRAL
SEWER 101
If you visit our website, www.chester.ca, and look on
our FAQ page (which means “Frequently Asked Ques-
tions”), you will find an assortment of topics. Under
each topic, you will find some of the more common
questions asked of staff and Councillors by residents.
For those who don’t own a computer (or care to), we
will share a few universal answers with you in this, and
upcoming, newsletters. Some of them you may already
know, and some of them you may find instructive. Or,
you may have a few questions of your own. Contact us
for the answers and request that we put it in our FAQs
list for others.
This month, we highlight central sewer problems.
Central sewer is located in Western Shore, the Village
of Chester, Mill Cove, Chester Acres, and New Ross.
Q: How do I connect to central sewer?
A: The Municipality has a Sewers By-Law (#34) which
outlines the criteria for connections to Municipal sew-
ers. If you are in a serviced area, you must complete an
application, which you can get online or at the Public
Works Department. Applications must be completed
by the property owner and returned for review and ap-
proval. The property owner is responsible for all costs
associated with the connection to the sewer main
lines, and an area rate will be charged to the owner
when the connection is complete.
Q: I have noticed a strong sewer smell in my home
or on my property, who do I call?
A: If your property is connected to the central sew-
er system, contact a plumber first to determine if the
problem is within your plumbing system. If the plumb-
er determines that the problem is in the connection
line but beyond your property line, call Public Works
at (902) 275-1312 to report the problem. We will send
someone to assess the problem.
Q: What do I do if I notice a slow-draining sewer line
or sewage is backing up into my home?
A: If your property is connected to central sewer,
contact a plumber first to determine if the problem
is within your plumbing system. If the plumber deter-
mines that the problem is in the connection line but
beyond your property line, call Public Works Office at
(902) 275-1312 to report the problem. We will send
someone to assess the problem.
Q: What do I do if I see a flashing red light on a
pumping station?
A: Please contact the Public Works Office at (902)
275-1312. If it is after hours, call 1-888-664-6998 to re-
port the problem. We will have a technician dispatched.
What does P.R.O. Kids
pay for and what activi-
ties are kids taking part
in?
We assist with registra-
tion fees and equipment
costs for :
• Boxing
• Hockey
• Tae Kwon Do
• Theatre classes
• Music
• Dance
• Cheerleading
• And more - name it and we may be able to help.
How much money does P.R.O. Kids spend in a year?
From April to December 2012, we have spent ap-
RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
4
Upcoming events in the Municipality
• Snowshoeing at Ross Farm on Saturday, February 16. Cost is $8 per person and for ages 16 years and over.
• East River Exploration is free for those over 8 years old. Saturday, February 23.
Call the Recreation & Parks Department at (902) 275-3490
for more information or to register.
Where does the money come from to support the
Municipality of Chester P.R.O. Kids Program?
• Municipal Council
• United Way of Lunenburg County
• Canadian Tire Jump Start
• Donations from Individuals
• Donations from local Businesses
• Memorial Donations
• Sale of Municipal License Plates
• Community Fundraisers
How much actually goes to the kids?
100% of all money raised for P.R.O. Kids goes directly
to benefit the children in our Municipality, which
also benefits the community groups in the area.
Note: Nothing is taken out of monies raised for P.R.O. Kids
for Administration fees or the Coordinator’s salary. These
items are all covered in the regular Municipal Budget.
Every April, events are held to raise awareness of the
importance of volunteerism in our communities. We are
asking community groups to nominate one volunteer
whom they feel contributes extensively to their organi-
zation. All nominees will be recognized at our local cer-
emony and one individual will be selected to represent
the Municipality at the Provincial Volunteer Awards.
The deadline to submit your nomination to the Munici-
pality of Chester Recreation & Parks Department is Fri-
day, February 8, 2013. All volunteer forms are available
on the municipal website (www.chester.ca) or call us
at 275-3490 to make arrangements to have the forms
mailed or picked up.
Get outdoors and be active this winter!
Discover cool tips and
ideas for having fun in
the outdoors this win-
ter by checking out our
Winter Edition of Ex-
plore Life.
You’ll find information
on our Snowshoeing at
Ross Farm, Croft Road
Outdoor Rink, and East River Exploration.
For more great ideas on how to Take the Roof
Off Winter, visit www.taketheroofoffwinter.ca
You can register online for Recreation programming at www.chester.ca
FREE Lunch time Skate
at the Chester Rink
Thursdays
February 7, 14, 21, 28
12:30 to 1:30 pm
proximately $42,000 in registration fees and equip-
ment costs.
For more information on the Municipality of Ches-
ter P.R.O. Kids Program, please call Cosette Howlett,
P.R.O. Kids Coordinator at 275-3490 or email
chowlett@chester.ca.
“It takes a community to raise a child,
and you can help by donating today.”
Come for an evening of discussion
around best practices for volunteer
screening and orientation, share
ideas, and discover some resources
available to help your organization
protect itself and its volunteers.
What you need to know about
Volunteer Screening & Orientation!
To register call the Chester Recreation
& Parks Department at 275-3490.
Follow us on twitter @ChesterRecParks
Wednesday, February 13
6:30 to 8:30 pm
Aspotogan Heritage Trust
10 Pte. Richard Green Lane, Hubbards
Instructor: Leslie Taylor
FREE
Register by: Wednesday, February 6
5
COMMUNITY INTEREST
February 8 to 11 Snowball Bonspiel Visit www.chestercurlingclub.ca
Saturday, Feb. 9
Coldest Day of the
Year Fundraiser
Fo’c’sle Tavern from 3:00pm-closing.
Proceeds for Chester Drama Society.
Washer Toss New Ross Fire Hall. Register at 9am,
play at 10 am. 689-2220 or 689-2867.
Country Jamboree Litt le Red School, Canaan, 7-10pm.
Sunday, Feb. 10
Variety Show Forti es Community Centre, 1:30-
4:30pm. Call 689-2612 or 689-2000.
Valenti ne Luncheon Hubbards Fire Hall, 10:30am-2:30pm.
Call 857-3043.
Tuesday, Feb. 12
Annual Pancake
Supper
Ocean Swells Community Centre,
4-6pm. Call 228-2373 or 228-2059.
Pancake Supper Chester Bapti st Church Hall, 4-7pm. Call
275-5720 or 275-5966.
Thursday, Feb. 14
Luncheon & Aucti on Forti es Community Centre, 11:30am.
Call 689-2577.
The Cemetery Club Chester Playhouse, 7:30pm.
www.chesterplayhouse.ca
Saturday, Feb. 16 Breakfast District #1 Community Centre, 9-11am.
Storm date is Feb. 17, 11:30am-1:30pm.
Saturday, Feb. 16 Meat Dart Shoot Chester Basin Legion, starti ng at noon.
Call 275-4767 or 275-2577.
Sunday, Feb. 17 Roast Beef Supper Forti es Community Centre, 4:30-
6:00pm. Call 689-2000 or 689-2612.
Thursday, Feb. 21 to
Monday, Feb. 25
NS Under-18 Curling
Championship Visit www.chestercurlingclub.ca
Saturday, Feb. 23 Newfi e Breakfast Chester Basin Legion, 7:30-10:30am.
Monday, Feb. 25 Basin Gardeners
Assoc. Meeti ng Aenon Bapti st Church, 2pm. 273-2000.
Tuesday, Feb. 26 Toronto NHL Legends Hockey game at Chester Rink, 7pm.
Sunday, March 3 Crib Tournament Forti es Community Centre, 1pm.
Friday, March 8 to
Monday, March 11
NS Mixed Curling
Championship Visit www.chestercurlingclub.ca
Saturday, March 9 Country Jamboree Litt le Red School, Canaan, 7-10pm.
Thursday, March 21 to
Saturday, March 23
NS High School Curl-
ing Championship Visit www.chestercurlingclub.ca
Saturday, March 23 Sing for a Cause,
Dance for a Cure
Chester Legion, 7pm. Proceeds for
Breast Cancer and P.R.O. Kids.
Feb.16, March 2 & 16 Crib Tournament Litt le Red School, Canaan, 11am
It may be that we take for granted our rural, pristi ne
communiti es, but have you ever taken a good look
at what lies within the makeup of our neighbourhood?
Do you remember where the local corner store used
to be? Or the local hall where everyone gathered for a
dance or social? Do you remember going to a parti cu-
lar house on a summer night, sitti ng on the verandah
watching fi reworks or a parade?
It’s not just about mortar and wood; it’s the stories,
folklore and the local gathering places that have mean-
ing and helped shape our communiti es. It’s about heri-
tage.
In recent years, funding has decreased dramati cally
due to declining budgets. There has also been a de-
cline in the interest to stand behind our communiti es
and maintain the ti e between our history and our fu-
ture. The communiti es of our Municipality would not
be what they are today if not for the cultural, social,
economic, and built heritage that provided the original
building blocks.
I recently att ended the Nati onal Heritage Summit in
Montreal where the primary focus was “responding to
new pressures on existi ng heritage policies and pro-
grams and an increasing urgency to assess and clari-
fy our vision and strengthen our resolve.” Their main
questi ons were: what’s working, what’s not and what
needs to change?
These questi ons are for everyone to answer. We
know of museums and tourist desti nati ons that show
off our local history and that funding will always be a
stumbling block for local communiti es and organiza-
ti ons, but we need to think about the who, what, when,
where and why of our area and celebrate it. These are
the things that lend substance to our surroundings. It’s
worth preserving.
Some of the towns and villages in Vermont and New
Hampshire build their identi ti es on history and the
beauty of their heritage. Like us, their communiti es are
rich in pastoral traditi on. We have so many wonderful
buildings and places of interest in the Municipality as
well as the stories that enhance our area. Let’s nurture
our past and grow it into our future.
One of the discussions at the Summit stressed that
heritage needs to be taught to the younger generati ons
so that the informati on is passed on and not forgot-
ten. It’s relevant to maintain our community identi ti es,
build character and help build a place where our chil-
dren want to stay. Let’s give them some of the great ex-
periences we had as children, like skati ng on the pond.
Every year a provincial heritage conference is held in
our Province. It is organized for those already in the in-
dustry as well as municipal offi cials, registered heritage
property owners and for anyone who wants to learn
more. This year, it is in Liverpool. Consider att ending
for a day, a session or for the enti re conference. It’s
worth your ti me to give a voice to heritage.
Or, become involved with a local heritage group.
Lend experti se to a local heritage group or the Planning
Advisory Committ ee (Municipal or Village of Chester).
To get informati on on the Planning Advisory Com-
mitt ee, please contact the Community Development
Department at 275-2599.
Local heritage groups are:
• Blandford Historical Society (www.blandfordarea-
histsoc.org);
• Chester Municipal Heritage Society (www.chester-
bound.com/heritage);
• Hubbards Heritage Society (www.hubbardsher-
itage.ca); and
• New Ross Historical Society (www.nrhs.ednet.
ns.ca)
Karen Coldwell-Newton,
Development Offi cer
February 18 is HERITAGE DAY
Heritage Canada Foundati on (HCF) encourages Canadians to celebrate “Heritage Homes and Neighbour-
hoods” and their importance to our communites. For more informati on on how to celebrate Heritage Day,
visit www.heritagecanada.org
One Municipality, one mailing address. All mail is now directed to P O Box 369, 151 King Street, Chester NS B0J 1J0
GREEN space.
Communiti es in Bloom is a great program for communiti es who want to beauti fy their surroundings, create welcome green spaces, and increase
civic pride. It’s designed to be a conti nuous improvement program and has three phases: provincial, nati onal, and internati onal. For criteria, please
visit www.novascoti acommuniti esinbloom.org
Examples of projects:
• Plant-a-row, Grow-a-row (providing food for a local food bank)
• Home Hardware Charity Calendar initi ati ve (raising money for Sick Kids Foundati on through the sale of the calendar)
• Tree planti ng programs
• School gardens
• Youth in Bloom program (training youth in landscaping and horti culture)
• Cemetery beauti fi cati on
If you or your group is interested in parti cipati ng in Communiti es in Bloom, please contact Karen Coldwell-Newton at (902) 275-2599.
Rosebank Cott age at Ross Farm Museum was constructed in 1817 and designated a heritage site in 1992.
GIVE A VOICE
TO HERITAGE
SPECIAL FEATURE
6
Department of Transportati on and Infrastructure Renewal (TIR) public roads
are usually 66 feet wide (although some older roads widths do vary).
During the winter months TIR snow plows will someti mes hit a mailbox,
road sign or even a civic number post by accident.
If a snow plow hits a TIR (public) street sign, they will replace it because it
is their sign posted on their property. If a snow plow hits a mailbox, private
road sign or civic number post that you have posted on TIR’s property, it will
NOT be replaced. They will not take responsibility. Their job is to clear the
roads of snow.
When posti ng a mailbox, private road sign or civic number, please keep this
in mind. In most cases you can measure 33 feet from the centre line of the
highway to fi nd out where the property boundary lines of the road are.
If you have any questi on about the widths of roads or road signs, please
contact the Community Development Department at (902) 275-2599 or the
Nova Scoti a Department of Transportati on and Infrastructure Renewal at
1-888-432-3233.
Our Emergency Services website has plenty of resources. Visit www.chesterfi re.ca today.
We are very proud to announce that our
volunteer fi re services in Blandford,
Hubbards, Chester, Chester Basin, Western
Shore, New Ross and Marti ns River, have now all
received their “Superior Tanker Shutt le Service
Accreditati on.”
“Tanker Shutt le Service” essenti ally means
the ability of a fi re service to eff ecti vely supply
water to a fi re scene in the absence of pressur-
ized fi re hydrants. The “accreditati on” comes
from Fire Underwriters SurveyTM (FUS), and “su-
perior” is the highest level of service bestowed
by FUS.
Specialists who work for FUS, a nati onal or-
ganizati on administered by SCM Risk Manage-
ment Services Inc., survey fi re risks and fi re
defenses in communiti es across Canada. The
results of these surveys establish a Public Fire
Protecti on Classifi cati onTM (PFPC) and Dwelling
Protecti on Grade (DPG)
for each community.
PFPC and DPG classi-
fi cati ons are key factors
when insurance compa-
nies calculate fi re insur-
ance rates. When a com-
munity improves its PFPC
or DPG classifi cati on, insurance rates could be
reduced.
To prepare for “Superior Tanker Shutt le Ser-
vice Accreditati on”, the seven volunteer fi re de-
partments and the Municipality spent a lot of
ti me planning water supplies and methods of
delivery to a potenti al fi re scene. Last October,
all of the preparati on paid off . The Departments
got together in a mutual aid exercise and dem-
onstrated their water supply capability to an
FUS Specialist.
To maintain the accreditati on - and to renew
aft er 5 years - fi re departments must maintain
accurate records of their ability to deliver the
service. Your fi re services are committ ed to
maintaining this high standard through conti n-
ued training, practi ce and documentati on.
Residents and businesses in the Municipal-
ity may benefi t from this accreditati on. If your
property meets the criteria below, you may be
enti tled to an insurance rate reducti on.
• Commercial Lines (PFPC) – located within
5 km of a fi re stati on AND 2.5 km of an ap-
proved water supply point.
• Personal Lines (DPG) – located within 8 km
of a fi re stati on AND 5 km of an approved
water supply point.
With the Municipality’s civic mapping and
fi re district fi les, we can assist you in determin-
ing if your property meets these criteria.
Our volunteer fi refi ghters have put in a great
eff ort to achieve this accreditati on to ensure us
excellence in fi re protecti on. In additi on, they
provide us with an opportunity to possibly re-
duce our annual insurance rates. Please conti n-
ue to support their eff orts and dedicati on to the
community.
If you have any other questi ons, please con-
tact your local fi re department or the Fire Ser-
vices Coordinator by calling (902) 275-2599 or
emailing bblackwood@chester.ca
Complete details on FUS and commercial and
residenti al insurance gradings are available on
our Fire Services website at www.chesterfi re.ca
Bruce Blackwood,
Fire Services Coordinator
Fire Departments Receive
Accreditation
Seven FDs in the Municipality prove superior
in water supply capabilities
If you own and/or drive a vehicle in Nova Scoti a, there are a few things you need to know this winter.
• The Winter Parking Ban Regulati ons have been in eff ect since December 15 and conti nue unti l March 31, 2013.
• Unti l the parking ban ends, you cannot park on any street in the Village of Chester or Western Shore between 1:00 and 6:00 a.m.
• ALSO, you cannot park on the street an hour aft er a storm starts unti l two hours aft er it ends.
• Your vehicle can be towed (at your expense of course!) if you obstruct winter maintenance (like plowing, salti ng, sanding, etc.).
Incidentally, if you plow driveways, it’s illegal to plow snow across a street or onto a sidewalk.
Call the Province to receive - or report - informati on on local roads. 1-888-432-3233 (Department of Transportati on and Infrastructure Renewal).
You can also access all of this informati on (plus more) online at their
website: htt p://novascoti a.ca/tran/winter
PROVINCIAL SNOW REMOVAL
The Nova Scoti a Department of Transportati on and Infrastructure Renewal
(TIR) applies sand to 33km of public road in the Municipality of Chester in-
stead of salt because of proximity of drinking water wells. Most of those
areas are in the Village of Chester.
You might recall that TIR performed an inventory of wells last summer to
determine locati on, type and level of suscepti bility to contaminati on. They
found that within the 33km area where they apply sand, 501 wells were
located; 409 of them were dug and the rest were drilled.
In the areas where dug wells were replaced with drilled wells over the years,
TIR will switch from a sand applicati on to a salt or salt/sand mix. In the
meanti me, they have switched from sand to salt in these locati ons:
East and West Wind Drive
Peninsula Road
Nauss Point Road (up to #51)
Graves Island Road
Victoria Street (waterfront area)
Snow Removal
and Civic Addressing
Salt vs. Sand
in the Municipality
Snow Removal
and Civic Addressing
Salt vs. Sand
in the Municipality
PROPERTY SERVICES
7Email communicati ons@chester.ca to submit comments or questi ons related to the newslett er
MUNICIPAL
TAX
EXEMPTIONS
Do you qualify?
Do you qualify for a property tax exempti on?
You may if ALL of the following applies to you:
• The total income from all persons who have
an interest in your property (who are list-
ed as owners or co-owners) was less than
$19,000.00 in the 2011 calendar year.
• Exempti ons are only for residenti al property
tax on the principal residence. Although all
owners do not have to live in the residence,
it must be a principal dwelling of one of the
owners.
• Proof of income is required. Please bring
your 2011 Noti ce of Assessment from Rev-
enue Canada with you.
The exempti on for the current fi scal year
(April 1, 2012 to March 31, 2013) will expire
on March 28, 2013. The amount of the exemp-
ti on is based on total income and will be de-
termined at the Administrati on Offi ce.
Please contact the Administrati on Offi ce at
275-3554 to see if you qualify.
Oft en when building or renovati ng, the task of obtaining a building permit can be rather over-
whelming. We want to help. Follow these four steps, and a Permit can be issued in no ti me…
1. Contact the Community Development Department (Building and Fire Inspecti on Services) at
(902) 275-3080 or visit us at 186 Central Street, Chester.
2. Request an applicati on form, which we are happy to fax, email, mail or help you fi ll out.
3. Ensure you provide these two important details with your applicati on: a drawing showing
constructi on details, such as cross secti onal, and a plot plan.
4. Once you have completed your applicati on, staff will determine if any additi onal approvals are
required, such as:
a) Department of Transportati on - For work carried out within 100 meters of a serviced road;
b) Department of Environment - For any additi on of bedrooms, connecti ng buildings (i.e. ga-
rages or workshops) to existi ng septi c system, or new residenti al or commercial constructi on;
c) Planning - For work conducted in a zoned area of the Municipality;
d) Municipal Sewer - For additi ons of bedrooms or connecti ng buildings (eg. garage) to existi ng
central sewer system, or new residenti al or commercial constructi on in a serviced area; and
e) In some situati ons, depending on the type of applicati on, additi onal approvals from other
agencies may be required.
To limit waiti ng ti me for approval to begin constructi on, it is important you provide as much infor-
mati on as possible when making your applicati on. Please contact us if you have any questi ons. We
are happy to help.
Sample Cross
Secti onal
Drawing
Tax Payments via Online Banking
Online banking has evolved into a very robust vehicle that allows us to monitor and manage our cash, investments and debt. For example,
you can pay your phone bill, electricity bill and even your oil bills online. The same is true for your property tax bill.
All the major banks off er this service. All you need to do is add “Municipality of the District of Chester” as a bill payee (search using
“Chester”), and enter your eight digit municipal account number exactly as displayed in the box on the top right side of your tax bill (even
if it starts with zeros). Once you have us set up as a payee, you can then decide on the amount of the payment and the frequency. This is a
great opportunity to budget your payments for the year. Aft er you have made a payment, we are noti fi ed within 3 business days and your
payment is then applied to your tax account. All from the convenience of home.
If you need some help getti ng started, please contact the Tax Offi ce at (902)275-3554.
Online banking has evolved into a very robust vehicle that allows us to monitor and manage our cash, investments and debt. For example,
All the major banks off er this service. All you need to do is add “Municipality of the District of Chester” as a bill payee (search using
“Chester”), and enter your eight digit municipal account number exactly as displayed in the box on the top right side of your tax bill (even
if it starts with zeros). Once you have us set up as a payee, you can then decide on the amount of the payment and the frequency. This is a
great opportunity to budget your payments for the year. Aft er you have made a payment, we are noti fi ed within 3 business days and your
If there is a snow storm,
listen to CKBW or call the
Kaizer Meadow Environmental
Management Centre at 275-2330
in case collecti on is cancelled. If it
is, waste will be collected on the
Saturday immediately following.
Remember to take your waste
back in to avoid the snow
plow.
Waste
is collected
bi-weekly. On your
scheduled collecti on day,
we collect garbage, blue
bag recyclables, recyclable
paper and cardboard and
a green cart. Please have
your waste at the curb for
8 a.m. or you may be
missed.
If you live on a pri-
vate road, plow and
salt/sand it BEFORE
waste collecti on. If it
is not plowed, the
trucks may not col-
lect your material.
Empty,
dry paint cans
with the lids off can
be put in a
clear garbage bag.
They are not hazard-
ous material unless
there is paint in
the can.
PAPER AND RECYCLABLES
ARE LIKE FLIP FLOPS
AND SNOW...
THEY DO NOT GO TOGETHER
PLEASE PUT YOUR PAPER
AND BOX BOARD IN A
SEPARATE BAG FROM YOUR
RECYCLABLES
(bottles, cans, plastic, etc.)
FOUR STEPS TO A POSITIVE
BUILDING PERMIT EXPERIENCE
Occasionally, winter takes over and we need to cancel a few things, like Recreation programs and activi-
ties, meetings, or other municipal events.
Check our website 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 updates their voice messaging system. You can reach their office
by calling (902) 275-3490.
This sunrise was taken in De-
cember from Parade Square in
Chester. Thanks Robin Kaizer!
If you have a great photo
to share of a person, place
or thing in the Municipal-
ity of the District of Chester,
please forward it to commu-
nications@chester.ca and we
might post it online or in our
next newsletter.
Or, if you have a great photo
idea, call the Communications
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
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 Community Development Department
Building/Fire Inspection Services
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 Community Development Department
Building/Fire Inspection Services
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 Community Development Department
Planning Services
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 Community Development Department
Planning Services
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
We are in the process of getting the outdoor rink on Croft Road in Chester Basin up and running,
however, we need Mother Nature on our side to make this happen.
To check the status of the Outdoor Rink, call the Recreation & Parks Department at 275-3490 or visit
our website and click on the Outdoor Rink status button on the right side of the page.
If you are interested in helping out with the rink, please email the Community School Coordinator at jconrad@chester.ca or call 275-2712.
Two more reasons to visitwww.chester.ca
By now, you
should have re-
ceived your 2013
Waste Collection
Calendar.
If you haven’t,
please call Kai-
zer Meadow Environmental Management
Centre at 275-2330, and we can mail one
to you. Or, pick up a copy at the Municipal
Office at 151 King Street in Chester.