KANA’TA DAY - JULY 1, 2023

Enjoy various Canada Day celebrations with plenty of cultural, musical, and family oriented events. Here’s a list of metro events:

• Free admission at the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 and the Halifax Citadel National Historic site.

• Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo Band Performance on Halifax Waterfront

• Rotary Club Ribfest on the Dartmouth Waterfront

• Dartmouth Summer Sunshine free concert featuring ANSMA artists

• Free Halifax Harbour ferry crossings

• Royal Canadian Air Force Snowbirds aerial display over the harbour

• Three separate fireworks/pyrotechnics shows in Halifax, Dartmouth and Bedford

For more details, visit www.hrmcanadaday.ca

PJILA’SI – LET THE GAMES BEGIN

The 10th North American Indigenous Games (NAIG) will host competitions in 16 sports within 21 venues across Kjipuktuk (Halifax), Dartmouth and Millbrook First Nation. These 2023 Games will bring together more than 5,000 athletes, coaches and team staff from 756+ Indigenous Nations celebrating, sharing and reconnecting through sport and culture with the help of 3,000 volunteers. NAIG’s mission is to improve the quality of life for Indigenous Peoples by supporting self-determined sports and cultural activities which encourage equal access to participation in the social / cultural / spiritual fabric of the community in which they reside, and which respects Indigenous distinctiveness. The Games will be from July 15 to 23. Learn more at www.naig2023.com

LAWRENCETOWN ROAD REPAVING

This summer the front section of Highway 207 – Lawrencetown Road from Ross Road to Robinson Road will be repaved and that will include wider paved shoulders. This tender (23-221) was awarded to Cumberland Paving for $1,977,976.00. The construction work is expected to start mid-June and last until the end of August. Expect traffic delays! Use alternative routes such as the Mineville Road, West Porters Lake Road/Crowell Road or the other end of Highway 207. Next year, the plan is to do the section from Robinson Road to Mineville Road.

SUPERVISED SWIMMING BEACHES

The municipality will be providing water quality monitoring at its supervised beaches at various locations throughout the municipality for July & August. However due to a limited supply of lifeguards, HRM may have to reduce its offerings of aquatic programs and supervised beach locations. These are the local sites designated for lifeguard supervisors:

Orenda Beach – Lake Echo

Kinap Beach – West Porters Lake

Petpeswick Lake Beach – Pleasant Drive - Gaetz Brook

Webber’s Beach – Upper Lakeville

Malay Falls Beach – Sheet Harbour

For up-to-date info on hours of supervision and latest water quality results, go to www.halifax.ca/recreation/programs-activities/swimming/supervised-beaches-outdoor-pools-splash-pads 

TRUNK 7 MUSIC FESTIVAL – JULY 21 & 22

The Trunk 7 Music Festival will be held again at the Porters Lake Superstore Parking Lot. Plenty of bands and great music. More details at www.trunk7musicfestival.com or on their Facebook & Instagram pages. Or get tickets at https://tproatlantic.ticketpro.ca/en/pages/Trunk7_2023 or at the gate during the weekend.

WEEKLY ORGANIC BIN COLLECTION

Again, as a part of the 2023–24 HRM Budget will be the resumption of weekly organic green cart collection. These changes come into effect on July 3 and will be carried out for a three-month period during July, August and September.

MACPASS STICKER PASS SWAP

After 25 years, it’s time to say goodbye to the classic hard-shell MACPASS transponder. Halifax Harbour Bridges (HHB) is no longer giving out them out and now offering a new, free and more effective sticker pass. The sticker MACPASS is smaller, works faster at the toll lanes, and will interact with new tolling technology coming soon to HHB. Get your new sticker online at www.myMACPASS.com or by visiting the MACPASS Customer Service Centre at the base of the MacKay Bridge on Princess Margaret Boulevard or call them at 902-463-3100. More information and videos on using, installing, and updating your MACPASS can be found on the HHB website at www.hdbc.ca

BLUE-GREEN ALGAE AWARENESS

Watch for blue-green algae from May to October. It is also called cyanobacteria which occurs naturally in surface waters like lakes, ponds, rivers and streams. The toxins in the algae can make people sick and be fatal for pets if ingested. Blue-green algae tends to develop when a period of hot, dry weather is followed by a heavy rainfall. If you think you see blue-green algae, you should treat it as potentially toxic. Report it to your local NS Department of Environment and Climate Change office or call 1-877-936-8476. For more information, go to www.novascotia.ca/blue-green-algae

2023-24 HRM COMMUNITY GRANTS

The 2023-24 HRM Community Grants Program received a total of 117 applications with a combined total of $1,257,677.10 in requests. After HRM staff assessment and reviewed by the HRM Grants Committee, sixty (60) awards were recommended and approved by HRM Council for a combined total of $473,275.00.

Here is a list of local organizations that were granted awards from this year’s program:

Lawrencetown Sew-ciety Guild – $600 towards the cost of small sewing & storage equipment

Sheet Harbour Marina Association – $2,000 for upgrading website

The Deanery Project – $2,300 towards the replacement of two emergency fire exits

Akoma Family Centre -– $5,000 towards “sensory room” play equipment

Coastal Voices Mens Choir – $5,000 towards audio equipment

Eastern Shore Players – $5,000 towards portable lighting equipment

L’Association Les Voix d’Acadie – $5,000 towards their 50th anniversary concert costs

Sheet Harbour Radio – $8,120 towards heat pump & electrical hook-up for their station venue

Royal Canadian Legion #160 – Westphal - $10,000 for asbestos abatement for flooring replacement

Seaforth Community Hall – $11,000 for replacement of outdoor deck

Moser River Historical Society – $16,000 for McMann House roof replacement

Harbour Lites New Horizons Senior Club – $18,000 for installation of heat pumps

Old School Gathering Place – $25,000 towards installation of energy efficient heating system

CITIZENSHIP AWARD RECIPIENT

Last month I listed the recipients of the 2023 Citizenship Awards given to deserving Junior High School students for their endeavours in civic affairs in their communities, however; I omitted a name. Congratulations to Sarah MacLean from Ross Road Junior High School.