There were 115 applications received for the 2019 HRM Community Grants program with a total request of $1,701,406.50. After careful review by staff and committee consideration, HRM Regional Council approved fifty-five (55) awards for a combined total of $466,650.00. Here’s a list of District 2 Community Groups that were successful with their application this year: 

The HRM Grants Committee has made its recommendations to Regional Council for the 2019-20 Community Festivals & Events Program. To see the full report with an explanation of each applicant’s request and about those others that were declined, then please go to this web-page link at: https://www.halifax.ca/sites/default/files/documents/city-hall/regional-council/190618rc1571.pdf  

Here’s the list of grants awarded to local events:
• Spring Into Our Diversity—$500
• Seaside Christmas (30th Anniversary): Nov 15 to 17 – $625
• Lake Echo Lions Community Boil & Blast: Sept 28—$1,000
• Taste of East Preston: Canada Day—$1,000
• Emerging Lens Cultural Film Festival—$2,000

• Trunk 7 Music Festival: July 19 to 21—$3,200

• Lake & Shore Days: August 6 to11—$4,750
• North Preston Days: July 14 to 21—$6,000
• Halifax County Exhibition—$25,000 

Again this summer from July 1 to August 31, HRM will be providing water quality monitoring at its supervised beaches at various locations throughout the municipality. 

There will be qualifed life-guards on duty at these local lake locations:
• Orenda Beach , Lake Echo
• Kinap Beach , West Porters Lake

• P etpeswick Lake Beach Park on Pleasant Drive, Gaetz Brook 

• Webber’s Beach , Lake Charlotte; and at 

• Malay Falls , Sheet Harbour 

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

Be advised that Government Wharf Park in West Petpeswick/Musquodoboit Harbour is no longer supervised, but its water testing will continue.

For the months of July and August, HRM will have free stand up paddle boards available for children and youth at some of its supervised beaches. Lifejackets are mandatory and are provided for on site. Locally, these Stand-Up Paddleboards are available at the Lake Echo and Malay Falls beach locations. More info at: www.hendsbee.ns.ca

This summer, HRM and the Lake Charlotte Boat Launch Improvement Society with be partnering up to fund the paving of the driveway entrance lane and dockside pathway. This will ensure that the roadway to the parking lot will not wash out or rut up from rain run-off. And it will mitigate and control the road dust problem that the neighbours had to endure. Safe Boating!  More info at: http://www.hendsbee.ns.ca

Residents with either 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: https://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. And they should be completely enclosed with a 5-foot high fence. For more information and details, please go to: https://www.halifax.ca/sites/default/files/documents/home-property/building-renovating/PoolsSummer2018.pdf

With the recent drought conditions over the past couple of years, the Province is allowing municipalities the ability to offer some assistance to help in rectifying the problem. HRM now has approved a bylaw whereby landowners that are experiencing inadequate water supply on their home property to apply to the municipality to assist with the financing of drilling a new well or seek other water supply alternatives. Basically taking out a loan from HRM that places a lien onto your property like a local betterment charge. This is a similar arrangement for the Solar City Program. More details about this program can be found at: https://www.halifax.ca/home-property/property-taxes/inadequate-water-supply-program and the HRM Council Report on Bylaw C-1000 is found at: https://www.halifax.ca/sites/default/files/documents/city-hall/legislation-by-laws/By-lawC-1000.pdf. Anyone with additional questions can direct their enquiries to: bylawc1000@halifax.ca or contact Rose Preston at prestor@halifax.ca or call 902-490-4197 or 311. An application form for this program can be downloaded at: https://www.halifax.ca/sites/default/files/documents/home-property/property-taxes/HRM-By_Law-C-1000-Dry-Wells-Application-Form.pdf

Once again there will be weekly Green Bin organic cart collection throughout the entire municipality for the summer months of July, August and September. To clarify what should go into your cart, go to: www.halifax.ca/home-property/garbage-recycling-green-cart/green-carts-leaf-yard-material   Or call 311 for more info. 

Never miss another garbage/waste resource collection day again! Download the free “Halifax Recycles” app onto your Android or iOS device to have waste info at the palm of your hand! Search “What Goes Where”, sign up for weekly reminders and service alerts, or print a calendar customized for your civic address using this web app. Fr more info go to: http://www.hendsbee.ns.ca