KANA’TA DAY - JULY 1, 2024

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

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

• Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo Parade in downtown Halifax and Band Performances on Halifax Waterfront

• Dartmouth Waterfront free concerts featuring Drumming and ANSMA artists

• Free Halifax Harbour ferry crossings

• Fireworks/pyrotechnics show on a barge in Halifax Harbour

More details at www.hrmcanadaday.ca/events

TAX RELIEF PROGRAM REVAMPED

If your organization is registered with the HRM Property Tax Relief program, the municipality would have sent a communication package by registered mail in June that contains a newsletter and draft new schedules that reflect the program’s revised eligibility criteria and levels of tax relief. This package will also include a Request for Review form. This is a one-time only opportunity. The Request for Review form and required support materials must be sent to back to the municipality on or before Tuesday, July 2. The Request for Review can be sent to requestreview@halifax.ca or by mail to Tax Relief for Non-Profit Organizations Program, HRM Finance & Asset Management, PO Box 1749 Halifax NS B3J 3A5, or delivered to any 311 Customer Service Centre.

SUPERVISED SWIMMING BEACHES

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

⁃ Orenda Beach – Lake Echo

⁃ Kinap Beach – West Porters Lake

⁃ Petpeswick Lake Beach – Pleasant Drive Park Gaetz Brook

⁃ Webber’s Beach – Upper Lakeville - Lake Charlotte

⁃ Malay Falls Beach – Sheet Harbour/Lochaber Mines

For updated information on hours of supervision and latest water quality results, visit www.halifax.ca/recreation/programs-activities/swimming/supervised-beaches-outdoor-pools-splash-pads

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

SWIMMING POOLS & FENCING LAWS

Residents with an above-ground or in-ground swimming pool are required to obtain a permit. To obtain these permits, details of pool location, fencing and security must be identified as specified in HRM By- law S-700. For more information on the by-law, please visit www.halifax.ca/sites/default/files/documents/city-hall/legislation-by-laws/By-lawS-700.pdf

This applies to all swimming pools with a diameter of 11 feet or more and a depth of 2 feet or more. They should be completely enclosed with a 5 foot high fence. For more details, please visit www.halifax.ca/sites/default/files/documents/home-property/building-renovating/PoolsSummer2018.pdf

2024-25 HRM COMMUNITY GRANTS

Regional Council approved 53 awards from the 79 eligible submissions received for the 2024 Community Grants Program for a combined total of $470,808. Here is a list of local organizations that were successful in getting a grant award:

→ $600 - Lawrencetown Sew-Society Guild for the purchase of a fabric cutting system.

→ $900 - Icelandic Memorial Society of Nova Scotia in Long Lake (Markland Settlement) for small interpretive signs about the historic Icelandic settlement site.

→ $1,750 - Eastern Shore Players in Lake Charlotte towards professional fees to assist in the script development and presentation of a new play entitled A Cranberry Caper.

→ $3,000 - Royal Canadian Legion: Eastern Marine Branch #161 in Gaetz Brook for the purchase and installation of a replacement fire escape for the Legion Hall.

→ $4,888 - Harbour Lites New Horizons Seniors Club in Musquodoboit Harbour for re-shingling a portion of the Seniors Centre roof.

→ $4,900 - Porters Lake Community Service Association for furnishings and equipment for the community hall.

→ $5,000 - Coastal Voices Men’s Choir Association on the Eastern Shore for the purchase of a portable keyboard and sheet music.

→ $5,000 - Sheet Harbour Marina Association to fund electrical upgrades to the marina building and funding towards the replacement mooring buoys.

→ $8,800 - Deanery Project Co-operative Limited in Lower Ship Harbour for a commercial dishwasher to support food services at this rural environmental camp facility.

→ $17,250 - Old School Gathering Place Co-operative Limited in Musquodoboit Harbour for upgrading the plaster ceiling in the multi-purpose room which includes removal and installation of lighting fixtures, drywall installation, and painting.

→ $18,500 - Saint James Hall Renovations Committee in Head of Jeddore for an energy retrofit of the hall.

→ $25,000 - Akoma Holdings Incorporated in Westphal the purchase and installation of snow/ice guards on the roof of Kinney Place.

→ $25,000 - Orenda Canoe Club in Lake Echo towards the completion of a heating and ventilation system for their facility expansion.

→ $25,000 - Marine Communities Food Bank Society in Head of Chezzetcook for the construction of a replacement building for the Food Bank.

HRM CIVIC EVENTS 2024 GRANTS

Here is a list of local community festivities that have received municipal civic events grants:

⁃ LAKE AND SHORE DAYS:

August 9-11, Porter’s Lake - Grant: $1,000

⁃ PRESTON COMMUNITY FIELD DAY

August 28, East Preston - Grant: $1,500

⁃ TRUNK 7 MUSIC FESTIVAL

July 19-20, Porter’s Lake - Grant: $3,500

⁃ NORTH PRESTON DAYS

July 19-20, North Preston - Grant: $6,000

⁃ HALIFAX COUNTY EXHIBITION

August 14-17, Middle Musquodoboit - Grant: $25,000

TRUNK 7 MUSIC FESTIVAL – JULY 19-20

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 trunk7musicfestival. com or on their Facebook & Instagram pages. Get tickets at www.tproatlantic.ticketpro.ca/en/pages/Trunk7Festival?presale=trunk7test24 or at the gate during the weekend.

WEEKLY ORGANIC GREEN CART

Again, as a part of the 2024-25 Municipal Budget will be the resumption of weekly organic green cart collection. These changes come into effect on July 2 and will be carried out for a three-month period during July, August and September.

RADON GAS REDUCTION PROGRAM

LungNSPEI has launched a program to create greater access and to reduce barriers for Nova Scotians to be able to test their homes and remediate if high levels are found. The Radon Reduction Grant Program is a two-pronged program that offers free long-term radon test kits to lower-income households to test their homes. The program also provides grants up to $2,500 to assist with the cost of remediation for homes that have high levels of ranon found. Visit their website at www.lungnspei.ca/radonreductiongrantprogram to find eligibility requirements for each part of the program and the application forms. Contact them at radonreduction@lungnspei.ca or by calling Lung NSPEI toll-free at 1.888.566.5864 to learn more about the program and how to apply.

MCA 25TH ANNIVERSARY

The Mineville Community Association (MCA) will be celebrating its Silver anniversary during its Summer Fair on Saturday, July 6 from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. (rain date: Sunday, July 7). Activities are planned for lots of family fun at Bennett Park by Hwy 107 Exit 18. More details can be found on their Facebook page. Congratulations MCA!