Each year, from November 5th – 11th, hundreds of commemorative ceremonies and events will take place across our country to commemorate Veterans’ Week. These will be opportunities for all Canadians to recognize the contribution our Veterans and Military personnel have made and to honour those who made the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of Canada. However; a lot of these events this year will be held virtually. Please wear a poppy BUT this year with the Covid-19 pandemic, the public is asked NOT to attend any  local Remembrance Day ceremonies. So this year for Veterans’ Week, please remember them at the 11th hour, on the 11th day, of the 11th month in your own special way. Take time out and observe a two-minute moment of silence. We Shall Remember Them! Lest We Forget!

Canada, Nova Scotia & HRM will be investing in a new community centre for Sheet Harbour. The Federal Government is investing $3.6 million in this project through the Community, Culture, and Recreation Stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure plan. The Provincial Government is contributing more than $2.9 million plus providing the lands by the West River as the place for the new facility. And the Municipality is contributing $3 million. Plus, HRM is exploring the opportunity to incorporate a new fire station with it too with an additional $3 million investment. This jointly cost- share infrastructure funding will see the construction of a new community facility that will include spaces for recreation and fitness, a library, and a community hall, all housed in one building. Currently, these spaces are in separate buildings in different locations. This investment in a new, accessible Eastern Shore Life Style Centre (ESLSC) will encourage healthy, active lifestyles and help bring people in the area closer together. The current community centre – the Lion’s Hall on Pool Road is a former indoor swimming pool that was retrofitted into a community hall about 40 years ago. About 5 years ago, HRM was going to redo the roof but found major deficiencies in the roof trusses. It is structurally unsound. There are significant risks of collapse if there were ever an accumulation of ice and snow load on it. High winds from a hurricane or severe storm could also damage it. For the last 4 years, the facility has been closed over the late autumn and winter months. That’s about 5&1/2 to 6 months a year the community is without a facility. Many events, dinners, receptions, entertainment functions and bingo have either been cancelled or downsized to the local Legion. The community seized upon this opportunity to look at the possibility of co-location of several services and closing other smaller local facilities. Next phase will be the engagement of an architect to devise a conceptual plan from the work done by the ESLSC planning committee.

If you live in Cole Harbour, Cherry Brook, Lake Loon, North Preston, East Preston, Mineville, Lawrencetown, Eastern Passage, Shearwater or Cow Bay, then the Southeastern Community Health Board ( SECHB ) wants to hear from you. They are conducting a COVID impact survey. How has the pandemic impacted you? The SECHB wants to know, so they can improve health in our communities. Please take their survey which is located at:  http://surveys.novascotia.ca/SoutheasternCHBsurvey
Help them to advocate for us for healthier communities by completing a brief survey to better understand the impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic. The SECHB will use the results to inform providing wellness grants, developing partnerships and being advocates on behalf of our communities. Complete survey by November 13th Your email address can be entered into a draw for a $50.00 Grocery gift card. To learn more about Community Health Boards go to:  www.communityhealthboards.ns.ca/

The Volunteer Conference is a celebration of the tremendous contributions of volunteers throughout the region. It gives residents an opportunity to participate in training, networking and learning what helps them become more effective in their work and provide strong volunteer capacity in the municipality. This year marks the 20th year of the annual Volunteer Conference hosted by HRM but it is moving online this year as a result of COVID-19 and physical distancing measures.
Four live webinars will be hosted every Thursday in November as follows:
• Nov. 5th from 1-3 PM Boards 101 & Effective Meetings –
• Nov. 12th from 10 AM – 12 Noon – Micro Neighbourliness – Small Actions, Big Results
• Nov. 19th from 1-3 PM – Supporting Diversity in Volunteerism
• Nov. 26th from 10 AM – 12 Noon – Turning Ideas into Actions – Grants & Funding
Webinars will be hosted using Zoom, and each session has capacity for 100 participants. Registration for these sessions opened on Tuesday, October 13th and there is no cost to register. For more information and to register, visit  www.halifax.ca/volunteerconference

Each year HRM recognize the extraordinary contributions of individuals and groups who volunteer their time and skills to provide services and programs in our communities. Nominations are now being accepted in three categories: adult, youth (ages 13- 19) and community group. Successful nominees will be notified in March 2021. An awards ceremony will coincide with and is in celebration of National Volunteer Week in April 2021. The deadline for nominations for the 2021 awards is Wednesday, December 16th. To find out more information about the awards, nomination criteria and to nominate someone in your community, go to:  www.halifax.ca/about-halifax/volunteering/volunteer-awards-halifax  or by Fax 902-490-4535 or by regular post to PO Box 1749, Halifax, NS B3J 3A5. Or contact Shawna Shirley at:  shirles@halifax.ca  or by telephone: 902-869-4202 or 902-456-9683 or send a message to  hrmvolunteerservices@halifax.ca  .

There is a snow removal program available to seniors (65 years of age or older) and for persons with disabilities throughout all areas of HRM. You must reside in a single dwelling home that you own or rent. Its mandate is to provide a resource to clients for the removal of snow for safe access. The program is limited to those households with a combined total income not exceeding $32,000. The program is NOT available to landlords. To make more enquiries about this program, please call 311 HRM Contact Centre or the YMCA at 902-483-3678.
Or go to these web-sites for further details:  www.halifax.ca/transportation/winter-operations/senior-snow-removal   and/or  www.ymcahfx.ca/ymca-programs/ymca-senior-snow-removal/

Registration deadline is December 1st or sooner depending upon the demand. Completed applications may be faxed to 902-423-8530 or e-mailed to:  ssr@halifax.ymca.ca  or can be mailed or dropped off in person to: YMCA Senior Snow Removal, Community YMCA, 2269 Gottingen Street Halifax, NS B3K 3B7. Applicants forms can be downloaded at:  www.ymcahfx.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/SRP-Details-and-Application-Form-2020-2021.pdf

They will be placed on a list based on a first come, first serve basis. So please apply now before the snowfall.

HRM can help some local non-profit organizations reduce their property tax payments through the Tax Relief for Non-Profit Organizations Program. Applications must be filed by November 30th. There are various types of tax reduction programs from Commercial to Residential Tax Rate Conversion, or to tiered level tax rate with 25%, 50%. 75% or 100% tax exemption. For more information about this tax relief program can be found at:  www.halifax.ca/business/doing-business-halifax/tax-relief-non-profit-organizations

Application forms can be retrieved on-line at:  www.halifax.ca/sites/default/files/documents/business/grants/Application%20Form.pdf

Once completed, please send the application forms and all relevant documentation to:
HRM Grants Program: Non-Profit Tax Relief c/o Finance and Asset Management
PO Box 1749, Halifax, NS, B3J 3A5
Or you can also return the application to a HRM Customer Service Centre in Musquodoboit Harbour and at Alderney Landing in Dartmouth. For assistance contact the HRM Grants & Contributions office, HRM Financial Services at 902-490-7191 or e-mail:  nonprofittax@halifax.ca

My thanks and appreciation to all of you that voted for my re-election to be the HRM Councillor for District 2. I feel blessed and it will be my honour to serve you again in this capacity. I will continue to provide this monthly newsletter and use social media tools such as my and HRM web-pages, Twitter, and Facebook sites to keep you informed.

I am looking forward to the challenges and opportunities ahead. Hopefully, my endeavours over the next 4 years will earn your respect and gain your confidence again in the future.

I want to acknowledge the campaign efforts by the other candidates: Nicole Johnson, Tim Milligan, and David Boyd.

Your vote of confidence in me will reinvigorate my commitment to you all.

I want to hear from you on how we can improve our electoral process. We increased voter engagement but there were some people that did not get a Voter Information Letter & PIN to vote online. Do you have any other suggestions on how we can improve voter participation? Please let me know.

Thank you once again.

Councillor David Hendsbee