Official Sydney and Area Projects Thread

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Originally Posted by Davey Boy Smith

Some downtown notes:

- Greco/ Capt Sub has closed and it appears that the old building MIGHT be coming down as a part of a parking lot for next door's Lawton's Development.

- The Old Townsend/ Charlotte St Corner Tim Horton's building is being renovated. The rumour is that Kenny's Pizza is opening a new location there.

- On the topic of pizza, it is rumoured Napoli Pizza is opening up a location in Sydney River.

- The old Chandler's Bar building on Dorchester is currently being renovated. Not suer what is going in there but the rumour is that the owner of the Capri bought the building.

About Greco, you may be right. It wasn't really a good location for that kind of business anyway. I'd rather see it come down for something more substantial, but it is George Street so it'll probably be a parking lot if it's demolished.

Townsend/Charlotte Tim's renovating again? I'm surprised they couldn't find the kind of tenant they're looking for, but Kenny's would work well there. They were missing the downtown core market, though I wonder if they'll keep the location beside Sydney Academy as well. I'm surprised to see Napoli expand though, maybe it's hedging against any business they might lose to Kenny's downtown.

Capri moving to Chandlers (and getting more space) would make it a much better bar. It'd be nice if they could get an internal entrance to upstairs. The old owner was trying to do that for Chandlers but couldn't get the permit or something like that...hence the Rum Jungle...hence it closing.

There'll probably be another break in postings next week unless I get really lucky with internet connections. I'm driving out west leaving Monday or Tuesday, likely Monday, so by the time I get settled with a connection it could be upwards of a month again. In other words, keep the updates coming as you get them because I'm not sure when I'll be able to. I'll get the Louisbourg area Panoramio photos done tomorrow.

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Cape Breton Post

Practice Depot closure seems a bit hasty according to this.

Goals weren't met: government

Section: Cape Breton

By Chris Shannon,


Service Canada's decision to cancel funding of an on-the-job training firm came as a result of unmet goals, says a government spokesperson.

Martin Rivard, spokesperson for Service Canada, said the Practice Depot didn't meet its targets as part of the most recent two-year agreement with its partner Cape Breton University.

"Expected and agreed upon results for the program over the past two years have not been achieved. This is in part due to the stronger job market that means fewer unemployed people have signed up for the program," Rivard said in an e-mail from Ottawa.

"Cape Breton University acknowledges this and has provided the government with a plan to wind down the program.

"It was agreed to extend the program to November to allow for the transition of current participants and program employees."

University spokesperson Irene Khattar said the agreed upon number of participants over the last two-year contract was 112 people.

Even as Service Canada planned to cancel funding this spring the practice firm was on target to meet its participant quota, she said.

"The Practice Depot assisted 95 participants up to July 15, 2008 - 17 short of the target number," Khattar said.

"However, Service Canada has suspended a new intake of students which would be starting this month and next and potentially could have reached the 112 number by the end of the contract."

Prior to the decision to close there were no previous discussions specific to these targets, she noted.

Khattar said the federal government's decision to terminate the Practice Depot's ability to advertise the program in 2006 also impacted recruitment efforts.

Efforts by Practice Depot to reduce a proposed two-year budget by $300,000 didn't sway government officials to keep its doors open.

The firm, which has been funded solely by Service Canada over its 10-year existence, has helped about 500 unemployed people secure employment, due in part to the hands-on work experience the firm offered. Its success rate stands at 80 per cent.

Sydney-Victoria Liberal MP Mark Eyking said the closure of the Practice Depot is a short-sighted decision by the Conservative government.

"I will be writing the minister responsible for Service Canada to reinstate funding for the centre and to help find ways to keep the centre running," Eyking said in a release.

Rivard said the government will continue to explore other training and employment initiatives with Cape Breton University.

The Practice Depot first launched in 1998 as the Virtual Firm on Charlotte Street before partnering with retail giant Home Depot to simulate business operations in a virtual network of 5,000 firms worldwide.

Not that it's made an enormous difference, but, it gives a helping hand through training to previously unemployable people, and every little bit helps in the struggle to get the unemployment rate on the island into the single digits.

Six Cape Bretoners named to business hall of fame

Section: Cape Breton

By Chris Hayes,


A group of highly regarded business people have been named as inductees into the Cape Breton Business Hall of Fame.

The inductees for 2008 include Marty Chernin, Hugh Tweedie, Doris MacDonald, Sid and the late Jean Meloney and Rankin MacSween.

Bruce Meloney, who with his wife, Liz, runs The Shoe Tree in Sydney, was pleased to see his late grandmother, Jean, and his father, Sid, named as inductees.

Jean Meloney, who was a school teacher and nurse, took over the family business, Meloney's Shoe Store in North Sydney, after the death of her husband, George, in 1929.

"She had three small children and a young business so she took it over and ran it through the Dirty 30s," said Bruce Meloney.

Sid Meloney took over after returning home from the Second World War in 1945. He had four stores in North Sydney and Sydney at one time, retiring in the early 1990s.

Bruce Meloney said his father and grandmother, who lived to be 103, were both active contributors to the community.

Rankin MacSween, who started with New Dawn as a volunteer in the early 1980s and is the president today, was also named as an inductee. New Dawn which started out developing affordable housing, has expanded its mandate into community economic development, health care, training, social development activities, some commercial real estate and port development, he said.

Marty Chernin, who got his start in a family wholesale and retail grocery business partnered with Hugh Tweedie and a number of other businessmen to open Joe's Warehouse in Sydney and with Tweedie, to open Cape Breton Cablevision.

Chernin and his partners built many of the better known buildings in the area including Commerce Tower, Harbour Place, the TD Bank Building, 500 George Place and other properties. He is also chairman of the board and a partner in Laurentian Energy and is chairman of the board of Techlink Entertainment.

Doris MacDonald, of D & R Dance, who was instrumental in developing dance studios in Cape Breton, was also known for her community spirit, said John Nash, chairman of the selection committee.

"All of the dance academies that are winning significant awards for students in this area are all owned and operated by people that either she trained or were trained by people she trained, so that has created quite a little industry around here."

The hall of fame is operated as a joint project of the Sydney and Area Chamber of Commerce and Cape Breton University.

Business Hall of Fame members are inducted at a gala dinner which over the last six years have raised about $75,000 which goes to scholarships and bursaries for returning business students at the university. The gala will be held this year on Sept. 23 at Membertou Trade and Convention Centre.

Holding the fort

Fortress Louisbourg ready to welcome thousands of visitors for historical encampment

Section: Front

By Chris Hayes,


Fortress Louisbourg, where life in an 18th century French New World fortress comes to life, and its next door neighbour, the modern community of Louisbourg, are getting ready to welcome thousands of visitors for an historical encampment.

Celebrating the 250th anniversary of the second siege of the French fortress, the encampment could attract up to 1,000 historical re-enactors from across Canada and the United States. They will wear the clothing and play the parts of British soldiers and the French troops they defeated in the summer of 1758 to win control over the fortress town, in what was one of the most significant events in Canadian history.

Fortress and community officials are also expecting thousands of visitors who will take in the spectacle of the enactment, which will happen from Friday to Sunday.

For Fortress Louisbourg, encampments are something special, said curator Sandy Balcom.

"People who work at Louisbourg are always interested in imagining the town as a living, vibrant town and with 1,000 people in costume it is very living and vibrant indeed."

Balcom said some highlights of the encampment will include opening ceremonies Friday at 11 a.m. featuring a welcome for the historical re-enactors.

During each day of the encampment there will be artillery, drumming and dancing demonstrations.

Visitors should also watch for sutlers, who will be offering authentic-looking reproductions of 18th century clothing, dishes and other products. Balcom said exit polls from previous encampments showed that the sutlers were very popular.

Military tacticals demonstrating 18th century warfare will take place each day of the encampment (2-3:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Saturday at 8 p.m. and 1:30-3:30 p.m. Sunday).

The Canadian Armed Forces band will perform before the tactical and display of 18th-century fireworks Saturday evening.

Closing ceremonies will be held Sunday at 4:30 p.m.

Balcom pointed out that re-enactors, who will mostly be staying inside the fortress walls, are eager to meet visitors. "They are very interesting people to talk to."

Modern-day members of the military and historical re-enactors will march together in a Parade of Centuries, Friday evening at 7 p.m. in the modern community of Louisbourg, said Joleen MacIntrye, project manager of Louisbourg 2008, which is organizing activities in the town.

"It's also a Support Our Troops Red Friday that day and we're encouraging everybody in the community to wear red and come out and enjoy the parade."

The community will also hold an opening ceremony Friday at 8 p.m.

MacIntyre said the community plans entertainment Friday evening featuring Jason MacDonald, Wally MacAulay, Stephanie Hardy and the Andrew Doyle Band. There will be entertainment for children Saturday as well as a magic show. The entertainment Saturday will include Rumours and Gone Country.

"Of course, we have many other aspects like our trails and our lighthouse," she said.

Sunday there will be entertainment by Zodiac and a fireworks display.

These hospital foundations are what keep many of these community hospitals running.

Foundation helps out New Waterford hospital with purchase of $60,000 operating table

Section: Glace Bay/New Waterford

By Sharon Montgomery,


Things just got a little easier in an operating room at the New Waterford Consolidated Hospital.

The New Waterford Hospital Foundation has donated a $60,000 operating table.

"This is probably one of the newest operating tables in the district," said John Malcolm, chief executive officer for the Cape Breton District Health Authority. "The room is used for orthopedic, plastic and dental surgery. It is a busy operating area."

Malcolm said they have two new orthopedic surgeons, allowing them to do shoulder, hand and wrist surgeries, along with regular orthopedics.

He said the table is an important piece of equipment for the hospital.

"We are really thankful to the foundation, for all their support."

Margo Simms, unit manager of the operating room, demonstrated how the table operates to members of the foundation who took a tour of the operating area Wednesday.

The table is fully electric, replacing a manual one that had to be cranked, she explained.

"The table is charged at night. We also have a backup system, it can be cranked manually. It is common to move a patient during surgery, now we can do it easily while the surgeon continues to work."

It can also be moved to a tilt position, helping patients to get on the operating table.

"It can hold up to 700 pounds. We sometimes have a lot of heavy steel and metal equipment that we use, that can be a lot of weight."

"We thought it was an important piece of equipment that would be well utilized, so we provided the funds for it," said Rev. Duncan Roach, chairperson of the foundation.

Roach said every year the foundation allocates a certain amount of money to the hospital.

"We recently received a substantial bequest."

He said the New Waterford hospital ladies auxiliary also plays a big role in assisting the hospital.

The New Waterford Consolidated hospital was built in 1963, to replace the New Waterford General.

Some bragging rights for a while

Island getting recognized today in New York

Section: News

By Chris Hayes, Cape Breton Post


Sandra MacDonald was brimming with pride in Cape Breton as she travelled to New York for a ceremony today at which Travel + Leisure magazine will hand out its 2008 World's Best Awards.

The awards, which are based on a survey of the magazine's readers, includes one for Cape Breton, which was named the best island to visit in the continental United States and Canada.

MacDonald, the general managerof Destination Cape Breton, joined a delegation that travelled to the awards ceremony to represent Cape Breton.

She described Travel + Leisure as a high-end magazine with a readership of about 995,000 among potential world travellers.

The edition of Travel + Leisure magazine featuring the 2008 World's Best Awards will hit the news stands on Aug. 22, she said. The magazine will hand out awards in a large number of areas at the ceremony Thursday, like best hotel, tour operators and other categories based on the readers' survey.

MacDonald said she was very proud of what Cape Breton has to offer.

"Very proud of the fact other people recognize it just as much and love it just as much as we do," she said. "The more that word gets out and the international word, it is only going to bode well for us in visitation, in economic development, all of those kinds of things.

The high-profile award comes at a time of widespread unease about the 2008 tourism season.

Nova Scotia's Tourism Department said in a release Tuesday the number of visitors to Nova Scotia to the end of May is up slightly over last year. The numbers show 627,400 people came to Nova Scotia between January and May, a one per cent increase, or 5,200 more, compared to the same period in 2007.

The numbers showed occupancy rates for Cape Breton averaged 28 per cent for the January to May period compared to 30 per cent last year.

MacDonald hoped Cape Breton tourism numbers for the months of June, July, August and September which will be released later this year will match last year's totals.

"Some properties are holding their own or they are on par for last year but when you are saying that, last year wasn't a boom year," she said.

"I think if we can hold our own we are going to be extremely fortunate."

"I spoke with one of the local restaurants today and they are actually above last year," she said.

"I have spoken with hotels that are doing well. I have spoken with attractions that are seeming to be OK and yet the operators in the Louisbourg area are down, and the gift shop people in Cheticamp are down and some of the restaurants as well.

"I know Baddeck numbers are down, so if you can gauge by that, I think we will do very well if we match last year and I think that's what we should be hoping for at this point."

MacDonald hoped the encampment at Fortress Louisbourg this weekend, H.O.G. rally and Dragon Boat festival last week and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League draft last month will boost the final totals when they are released.

Cape Breton Island also ranks 10th on the list of Top 10 islands overall in the world in this year's survey.

Municipality turns over land deed to civic centre society

Section: Northside/Victoria

By Julie Collins,


The Northside Civic Centre Society can begin clearing land for the new civic centre.

During opening ceremonies for Bartown Festival's Carmen Young Memorial track and field event Wednesday, regional Mayor John Morgan turned the deed for the property over to society chairman Leo Steele.

"This is big," Steele said. "It's a step in the process, but it's a big step."

The society plans to immediately call for proposals to clear the 7.2 acres.

"This is exciting for the society and the community," Steele said. "The upgrade work that will begin soon on King Street is important to our project. We wouldn't be at this stage without the co-operation of everyone involved."

Community fundraising is moving ahead with approximately $405,000 in the bank. The actual cash on hand at the anticipated time of construction will be approximately $600,000.

Sydney-Victoria MP Mark Eyking said the application has been submitted to the Build Canada Fund.

"I plan to contact Peter MacKay, the minister responsible for ACOA (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency), to try and move the application along," Eyking said.

He added that it is important for governments to see the commitment on the part of the community.

"I have to commend the volunteers and the people who donated to this project."

The application was one of the first to be submitted under the Building Canada Fund, part of a $33-billion federal fund, with $8.8 billion for projects that deliver economic, environmental and social benefits to all Canadians.

"The time is right for this project," said Cape Breton North MLA and Justice Minister Cecil Clarke. "The process is moving forward because the Cape Breton Regional Municipality has worked with us; it's being done because the community is raising the necessary $1.5 million. There is a recognition that we are going to build a complete facility, one we can all be proud of well into the future."

Morgan said the CBRM has submitted only one project under the Build Canada Fund, that being the Northside Civic Centre project.

"The CBRM set aside its money ($2.5 million) for this project in the last budget," said Morgan. "The application went in two months ago and, hopefully, with the help of our federal and provincial representatives, there will be an announcement soon."

The regional municipality will manage the project during the construction phase. Once complete, it will be turned over to the Northside Civic Centre Society. Deputy Mayor Richard Fogarty and councillors Gordon MacLeod, Wes Stubbert and Clarence Prince were also on hand for the deed transfer.

Multicultural group starting a regional council

Section: Our community


The Multicultural Association of Nova Scotia is looking to establish a regional multicultural council in Cape Breton County.

The purpose of the council is to bring together ethnocultural/immigrant and founding community members in parts of rural Nova Scotia.

There will be several programs taking place concurrently in five specific regions across Nova Scotia, including Cape Breton, where groups will gather information about ethnocultural members and their communities. This process will help in the first steps of developing a multicultural council in each region.

Newly formed councils, with initial funding assistance from MANS, will help create opportunities for newcomers to the region. It will also help develop communication and interaction among ethnocultural and founding community members living in rural areas to instill a sense of belonging, co-operation and to help reduce isolation.

Each council will provide social support systems where needs for health, education and job opportunities can be addressed.

MANS believes there is an urgent need to make rural Nova Scotia attractive for newcomers settlement by giving them a sense of connectedness in each region.

Anyone interested in the welfare and growth of the community and interested in raising awareness of diverse cultures by promoting respect and appreciation for a rural global community is encouraged to join the regional multicultural council.

For more information, contact community canvasser Catherine Buhariwalla by phoning 562-2201 ext. 223 or by e-mail, comcans@mans.ns.ca.

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Cape Breton Post

Chamber official pleased government still committed to Route 4 upgrade

Section: Cape Breton


The Sydney and Area Chamber of Commerce is pleased the provincial government remains committed to completing the upgrade of Route 4 by 2013.

In recent correspondence to the chamber of commerce, the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal reiterated its commitment to the community, and indicated federal funding is being sought from the Build Canada program, as Route 4 is part of the National Highway System (NHS), one of the priorities for this program.

"We expect that the federal government will agree that this highway fits the criteria for funding set forth in the Build Canada program. Regardless of whether this receives significant federal support or not, our need for a new Route 4 remains, and we appreciate and applaud the continued support of the provincial government towards this goal," said chamber president Owen Fitzgerald.

A year ago, the chamber joined with other community groups in calling for government to immediately address the poor condition of Route 4 between Sydney and St. Peter's. Attending the press conference were representatives of the Strait Chamber of Commerce, Richmond County Council, Cape Breton Regional Municipality council and residents living along Route 4 - all looking for a commitment to a timely upgrade. Subsequently, the provincial government indicated its intention to have this completed by 2013.

Slow day today...

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Kinda fitting that the recreation of the second seige is happening this weekend.


Credit: athenaa


Credit: gerardh

Complete with the old spelling

Credit: chsanfino


Credit: Adi Linden


Credit: chsanfino


Credit: Syl de Canada


Credit: castlemouse


Credit: Patrick Dooley


Credit: louisbourg


Credit: Georg Gollmann

Next: Mira
To come: Bras D'Or, Sydney area

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Cape Breton Post

Don't get carried away with the "boom" word Mr. Jackson...

Facilities boom good for region

Section: Comment


There's a mini-boom getting underway in Cape Breton in the construction of sports and recreation facilities. Several multi-million-dollar projects are underway or about to move off the drawing board, all focused on the promotion of a healthier, fitter population.

We shouldn't forget about the fun. Though we take our competitions very seriously in Cape Breton, these are going to be fun places too.

Work is underway on a major reconstruction and expansion of the YMCA building in downtown Sydney but on Friday various dignitaries gathered for the official kickoff.

Some $10 million will be spend on over the next two years on the ambitious make-over, funded by all levels of government, public fundraising, and the Y itself.

Earlier this week, there were some grab-and-grin official photos to mark the turning over of the deed for the site of the new Northside Civic Centre, a rink and recreation project that's been in the wrangling stage for years.

The Cape Breton Regional Municipality is making the land available and will manage construction. History warns us to be cautious about pronouncing this project definitely a go but the politicians representing three levels of government, as well as the Northside Civic Centre Society, were all sending optimistic signals that the major funding will soon fall into place and the replacement for the decrepit old forum is about to be built.

On a more modest scale, the province has announced it will build, all on its own, a $400,000 outdoor complex in the Harbourside Commercial Park, the former Sysco site, including a full-size track and field layout, a soccer and rugby field, and courts for tennis and basketball.

Still in the planning and finance stage, but clearly on the horizon now, is a proposed $12 million Cape Breton Health Recreation Complex planned for the Cape Breton University campus. Among other things, it will feature soccer facilities both inside and out, providing opportunities year-round for what is now the most popular sport in the region by participation rate.

Further off, mostly in the concept stage, are major signature projects proposed as part of an active transportation plan endorsed by regional council. As described today on Page C1 (Bike Lanes, Ferry Could Be in CBRM's Future), the plan includes such ideas as bicycle and walking trails linking the largest urban communities in CBRM.

All this stuff costs a lot, of course, both to build and to maintain, and not everyone is sold on the idea of substantial sums of public money going into facilities that cater mostly to people enjoying their leisure hours with a lot of sweating and grunting. The population health and fitness statistics, pretty grim for Cape Breton for the most part, provide a major part of the justification for public spending but perhaps this social engineering argument doesn't quite get to the crux of the matter.

These facilities, and lesser ones filling in with walking trails and the like at the community level, will make the whole region a more desirable place to live. These are one sort of investment that has to be made for the region to survive and develop.

I kinda agree with Bill Davies...a hotel for Glace Bay would be great for the former town, and would have a barely noticeable effect on Sydney's hotels.

Glace Bay bleeding business for lack of accommodation

Section: Comment

Column: Letters to the editor


The businesses in Glace Bay should all get together and build a motel or hotel. We are missing out big time while Sydney reaps all the benefits from all that goes on in Glace Bay. The Vince Ryan hockey tournament and other sports events as well as performances at the Savoy are just some examples. Keep the money in the Bay!

Bill Davies

Glace Bay

Government money will revitalize Renwick Brook Park

Section: Glace Bay/New Waterford

By Sharon Montgomery,


It was 'icing on the cake' for Coun. Kevin Saccary as funding was announced to upgrade Renwick Brook Park.

Enterprise Cape Breton Corp. is contributing $224,000 and a total of $187,000 will come from the Cape Breton Regional Municipality. Combined with a previously announced $150,000 from the province, there is now enough money to complete the $561,000 revitalization project.

MP Gerald Keddy, parliamentary secretary to the minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, was at the Savoy Theatre in Glace Bay, to make the announcement Friday.

"I am excited, to say the least," Saccary said. "This is a component to the Glace Bay downtown revitalization, it adds to the tourist aspect."

Keddy said the funding will be used to revitalize the park, resurfacing 4.1 kilometres of trail at the brook and among other things improve lighting.

"When completed it will be the scenic focal point for the enjoyment not only of the local population, but visitors as well. It will help make Glace Bay more attractive for investors and tourists."

Keddy commented on the three levels of government working together to build stronger communities.

"These announcements are proof good things are happening in Glace Bay and in Cape Breton."

Mayor John Morgan praised the volunteers working on the project to protect and enhance Renwick Brook.

"This is a great announcement for all of us and possible because of all of you. Such infrastructure enhancements make Glace Bay an attractive place to work, visit and live."

Renwick Brook Park was constructed in the mid-1980s.

The Friends of the Renwick Brook Society was formed in the fall of 2007, with the goal of seeing the park revitalized.

James Kerr is the chair of the Renwick Brook society and Donnie MacKenzie is the vice chair.

Saccary said the plan now is to get the public involved.

"We will be talking to the garden clubs and other volunteer organizations in Glace Bay, to help maintain the park, rather than see it get run down over the years. There are hundreds of people who use the park from early morning until late at night, it is important to the community."

Saccary said back in 1983 people donated lights to the park in memory of loved ones and plaques were put on the light fixtures to signify each memorial. The project will see these fixtures replaced with more up-to-date lighting.

The plan is to preserve the plaques on a monument in the park.

Open meeting on Silver Dart anniversary set for Sunday

Section: Northside/Victoria

By Julie Collins,


The public is invited to a meeting of the Silver Dart Centennial Association Sunday at 3 p.m. in the library of the Alexander Graham Bell Museum in Baddeck.

"We want to give folks an update on plans for our community and media event scheduled for Friday, Aug. 15," said project co-ordinator Eleanor Anderson. "There is going to be a huge amount of people in Baddeck next February, normally a quiet time for the village. There are also a number of large conventions booked for that time."

Sunday's open meeting will also include updates on marketing and the legacy project.

The association continues to plan activities for 2009 to celebrate the anniversary of the first manned flight in Canada.

"Even though it's July and people are enjoying their summer, we feel it is important to hold these open meetings and keep everyone informed. We have lots of inquiries each day on events, so that's a good sign."

Feb. 23, 1909, was the day Canada's best known pioneering aviator, J.A.D. McCurdy, flew three-quarters of a mile at a height of about 60 feet over the Bras d'Or Lake before returning to the surface of the ice.

"There is a replica of the Silver Dart being built in Welland, Ont., and I'm sure there will be a lot of people around on Feb. 23 to see if it flies," said. "It is going to be quite busy in Baddeck in February, so we'd encourage people who are going to be in the area, to book their accommodations early."

Also on that day, Canada Post will launch a stamp commemorating the centennial anniversary of the first powered flight in Canada,

The legacy committee is working on a multimillion-dollar expansion to the Bell museum to house a Silver Dart replica, which must be of museum quality.

It was also in Baddeck that Bell conducted experiments with genetics, medicine, underwater sound transmission and marine engineering. Bell's last great triumph was the development of a hydrofoil craft that would capture the world water speed record in 1919.

Hopefully we'll get some of this going soon

Bike lanes, ferry could be in CBRM's future

Section: Weekend

By Chris Shannon,


Dreams of recreational bike and walking trails linking the four largest urban communities in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality may not be so far fetched in the not too distant future.

In this future bike lanes would possibly rival arterial streets for the most traffic and an improved transit system, with the potential inclusion of a harbour ferry, could reduce peoples' dependence on the family car, according to one CBRM councillor.

In fact, Coun. Ray Paruch is hoping at least some of these ideas will form a short-term, as well as a long-term active transportation strategy for the municipality.

He said there is no other choice.

"Health organizations are recognizing the move from a treatment approach - somebody's sick so you treat them - and they're taking a more proactive approach and, as we say in the report, we're moving into the preventative," Paruch said.

"If we can prevent the illnesses from occurring that are out there caused by unhealthy lifestyles then there is a savings ... and we can take those savings and put them really where they belong."

In the CBRM Active Transportation plan, the report shows the growing problem chronic disease is playing in today's health-care system.

It's estimated that chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease and diabetes are killing 5,800 Nova Scotians each year and many of these diseases are linked directly to high obesity rates.

Results of a wide-ranging health survey of more than 65,000 Canadians, released in June by Statistics Canada as part of its Canadian Community Health Survey, found that in Cape Breton 25.7 per cent of adult males and 17.4 per cent of females are considered obese, compared to a national average of 16 per cent.

And overall 61.3 per cent of Cape Breton adults are considered overweight, compared to the 48.4 per cent national rate.

Paruch said that over a span of 20 years, the committee in charge of active transportation in the CBRM will chip away at multi-million dollar signature projects, as well as smaller, less costly initiatives aimed at shifting peoples' sedentary lifestyles toward healthier ones.

The plan recently received final approval from municipal council to move the strategy forward.

"I think some of the more doable, cost effective (initiatives) would be to put some of the policemen to police the communities on bicycles and that could start as early as this summer," Paruch said.

"What a nice image for the community to see a policeman on a bicycle out in the community with other young people aspiring to ride bicycles."

The Active Transportation committee, consisting of municipal officials, health care, education and business professionals, as well as personnel from the Department of Transportation, have outlined a short-term five-year plan, and a long-term vision expanding 15 years beyond that.

Nearly $5 million has been pegged for projects in the first five years beginning in the 2009-2010 budget year, said CBRM planner Rick McCready, who's also the committee's project manager.

McCready said the committee is working on the premise that the CBRM would contribute one-third of funding for projects - whether they are bicycle or walking paths - or more ambitious projects such as a revamped transit system or a harbour ferry connecting Westmount to downtown Sydney.

"If we can get even one or two per cent of the people who are driving to work everyday now, or three or four per cent of the kids who are taking the bus or getting driven to school ... to start walking or cycling, that's going to take a certain percentage of the pollution (out of the environment) being generated by cars right now," he said.

The committee will spend the summer deciding how to pursue the active transportation strategy. Seeking funding partners - particularly getting the provincial and federal governments onside - will be at the top of its agenda.

It's not clear, however, what project may take priority.

There will be community input as funding becomes available and projects undergo design work, Paruch noted.

He calls the strategy a "fluid" process, but one with specified goals attached.

"We're not going to go out and do a curb, gutter, sidewalk (job) ... in order to curry favour with the electorate at election time," Paruch said.

"This is all about doing the right thing. It's all about health, it's all about fitness and it's all about community needs. That's where it's at and that's where it's going to stay."

There has already been a number of public meetings, focus groups and information displays at the Bayplex and Mayflower Mall during the consultation phase in the winter and spring.

A project that already has the backing of a local community group is the Whitney Pier Heritage Trail. It is outlined as one of 14 signature projects that'll require funding from several sources.

The trail, which overlooks the former Sydney steel plant site, would provide a valuable link to downtown Sydney once remediation of the tar ponds and coke ovens is complete.

"It's been talked about for a long time and it has been incorporated in our plan. Hopefully we can start turning it into reality in a couple of years," McCready said.

"The Whitney Pier Heritage Society really has been the driving force behind that and there has already been a lot of consultation in that neighbourhood years ago on that concept and we're really working with them now to nail down some of the details so they can actually move forward."

Other projects include creating a walking trail along the Devco rail line between Glace Bay and Sydney and a multi-use path running parallel to Grand Lake Road.

More radical changes include reducing Kings Road to three lanes of car traffic to make room for a bicycle lane.

The committee, in its report, is working on the premise that the regional municipality's population isn't expected to grow significantly as the average age of residents continue to increase.

The report said with a reduction in car congestion, it'll favour a "more conducive environment for concepts such as reducing traffic lanes in favour of bike lanes."

Community groups would have to step forward to accept some of the costs for maintaining pedestrian and bike paths, Paruch said.

Again, no decisions have been made on how that would be implemented or even whether community groups would have the resources to maintain multi-use trails.

Improving existing infrastructure like crumbling sidewalks, the addition of more bike racks and more sidewalk benches has also been cited as a priority.

Brian Hollingworth of IBI Group, the consulting firm commissioned for the active transportation study, said the CBRM is making initial strives to improve basic infrastructure.

"I think a description (of the sidewalks) is somewhat inconsistent," Hollingworth told councillors during the June council meeting.

"There are certainly a lot of sidewalks that are getting old and they're crumbling but as I mentioned you're investing in your sidewalks, it's having visible improvements and you'll continue to do so."

The financing for those improvements would likely come from the existing public works budget, said Paruch.

Come budget deliberations next spring, the councillor for District 8 will be pitching the active transportation plan to a newly elected council since municipal elections will be held in October.

Paruch is confident council will allocate the funds necessary to implement the first year of the strategy.

"I can't tell what's going to happen in the future. Hopefully the budget we're talking about for the Active Transportation plan is there. Again, this document is a fluid document and so are council deliberations especially in terms of budget," he said.

"If there are seven new councillors coming in or 10 new councillors coming in, I imagine some of the newer councillors may want to view it. Some of them might not know about active transportation or the plan. Who knows?

"But I'd be very surprised if an incoming council, regardless of how many new members ... didn't endorse it to the same degree that this present council has."

"More radical changes include reducing Kings Road to three lanes of car traffic to make room for a bicycle lane.

-That would be disaster! They just increased Kings Road to four lanes because of the traffic volumes (which are increasing across the city), so unless theres an enormous shift to bicycles, this is just a step backwards. The better thing to do would be to either move the sidewalks over slightly or even shrink them a bit for bike lanes.

The committee, in its report, is working on the premise that the regional municipality's population isn't expected to grow significantly as the average age of residents continue to increase.

The report said with a reduction in car congestion, it'll favour a "more conducive environment for concepts such as reducing traffic lanes in favour of bike lanes."

- First of all, most indications that aren't over 2 years old (and even some that are) are contrary to this belief. Secondly, it would take an extremely long time for traffic volumes on Sydney's busiest road (King's Rd) to drop to a point where a three lane roadway would work. You'd see rush-hour drive times rivalling some much larger cities, and that's just not the route we want to go down.

Outside of the King's Rd. thing, I agree with most of the plans.

[Davey Boy Smith]

A few thoughts..

There actually appears to be a need for additional parking with how big the new Lawton's/ whatever else building is. It really does take up most of the lot!! The Greco lot does seem to be too small for anything substantial anyway. Still plenty of space in downtown Sydney for other buildings - would love something going up in old rental car space where Fuzzy's parks.

I talked to someone whose brother works at a bank and aaprently the business case is not there for a Glace Bay hotel - though I have always been surprised there isn't one there. The writer should realize BTW that many Glace Bayers would work at the Sydney hotels so it really isn't much about Bay money moving to Sydney. There really isn't enough events at the Savoy that would keep it afloat.

[Smevo]

I think it would have to key in on tourist season (Marconi, Miner's Museum, proximity to other locations which Sydney has anyway). It certainly wouldn't get the business traveller...I'll add "yet" to that because who knows what the future holds for downtown Glace Bay, though Sydney is still very much the region's "engine" with the Northside picking up and helping out. I've kept track of the writer's letters, and he's very self-centric geographically (Glace Bay-centred regionally and CB-centred on the larger scale). He's also an outspoken member of Mark McNeil's baby (provincehood movement). A Glace Bay hotel is more of a "wishful thinking", but it will probably happen eventually in the future...even if only to offer a cheap alternative to Sydney. I guess the Northside's market get's a bit of a boost from being slightly closer to the main attraction (Cabot Trail) and another boost from the ferry, which helps their hotels/motels stay afloat.

That old rental location lot is prime for a good infill...or even a highrise if the market was there at the time. The other lot I'd love to see filled (but only with something in the 8-10 storeys or higher range) is the gravel and grass lot on the boardwalk beside Cambridge Suites and behind Mercer fuels. The gravel driveway is actually the planned extension of Falmouth Street if I understand it right, so the access would come off of the new extension rather than through the gas station's parking lot. As for the Greco lot, I was thinking something along the lines of 2-3 storey infill with no setback from the sidewalk. George St lacks the urban feel because of a) it's crazy width (4 wide driving lanes + 2 parking lanes for those outside the city) and b) the setbacks for surface parking of the developments along it. Lawtons will help that a bit, though, and the YMCA redevelopment along with the new office building on the Vogue site will really help that block of Charlotte Street become more urban. That block didn't really have the urban feel consistent with the rest of Charlotte St (with the other exception being the area around Scotiabank), so it'll be nice to see that change, even if they did have to demolish some history to do it...not just the Vogue but the old (1940's) section of the YMCA is coming down as well.

[Smevo]

Something messed up a bit with CB Post's new system for subscribers, so I have to get that fixed on Monday before I get back to full fledged updates, but here's an update on Wentworth Park from the main page today (Saturday, August 9, 2008).

http://www.capebretonpost.com/index....=160577&sc=145

Wentworth Park upgrades stuck in neutral
Work on two phases to be combined

CHRIS SHANNON
The Cape Breton Post

SYDNEY — Work to reconfigure the upper portion of Wentworth Park that borders George and Bentinck streets is stuck in a holding pattern.

The last two weeks has provided days with showers, periods of rain and outright deluges, which have prevented contractor Latimer General Contracting Ltd. from beginning work on the two ponds, the playground equipment and the bandshell.

That section of the park is considered phase two of the overall redevelopment of Wentworth Park. The first phase was completed more than three years ago and cost the three levels of government about $2-million.
Phase two will cost considerably less at about $750,000, with phase three — the refit of the bandshell — costing about $500,000.

Coun. Ray Paruch, a member of the Friends of Wentworth Park Society, said it’s the belief of many involved with the project that the work can be completed by the end of this year’s construction season. Paruch remains doubtful, however.

“We’re endeavouring to combine the two phases to try to get them done in this building season. We’ve received assurances from the engineering people and our departmental people that this is possible,” Paruch said.

“I’m a little skeptical because of the late start. We’re now into August so I’m very skeptical if we can do two phases in one this year.”

That work will include the construction of two concrete box culverts to better control the flow of water in the park and address flooding concerns as the pond closest to the bandshell will be narrowed into a brook and the second adjoining pond will increase in size.

The pond will be open to skaters once the water freezes sufficiently and an entrance way for skaters will be created along with walking trails, an outdoor play area for children, more benches and a seating area around the bandshell, as well as extensive landscaping.

According to Paruch, it will once again become the “peoples’ park” and will likely draw similar traffic as the other side of the park did following the completion of phase one, which included new fountains, a gazebo and an underground pedway running beneath Kings Road.

Two-thirds of the funding for the half-million dollar bandshell reno is in place and funding applications forwarded to federal agency Enterprise Cape Breton Corp. remain to be processed once the government is assured the environment won’t be impacted during construction on the aging bandshell.
Paruch said he is hopeful the funding pieces will fall into place.

Work crews will begin work on the upper portion of Wentworth Park once the ground dries out from the heavy rains, Paruch noted.

Recent concerns about vandalism and assaults happening near or in the renovated section of Wentworth Park led Cape Breton Regional Police to begin 24-hour surveillance of the park in early July.

“It’s working,” he said.

“The police presence is there and people found committing acts of vandalism in the park will be prosecuted.”

Also, posted about a week ago (sometime during my drive to Calgary), was an editorial mentioning the downtown developments. In it, when talking about the new building on the Vogue site, the issues with the foundation were revealed. Apparently there's an old train tressle buried underneath the site. I've seen a couple old photos of the old train line, and basically it ran under Charlotte Street at that spot, and there was an old wooden bridge over the harbour to Westmount. So that's what the holdup is and why they have to close down that block of Charlotte Street during the foundation work.

[Davey Boy Smith]

I heard on the radio today that work on the new Eastside Mario's officially begins tomorrow and indeed it is in the old Mayflower Mall location and will open in December. The piece also said that they expect another good news announcement within the next couple weeks.

[Smevo]

Originally Posted by Davey Boy Smith

I heard on the radio today that work on the new Eastside Mario's officially begins tomorrow and indeed it is in the old Mayflower Mall location and will open in December. The piece also said that they expect another good news announcement within the next couple weeks.

Here's the story from the paper.
http://www.capebretonpost.com/index....=162039&sc=152

East Side Mario’s coming to Mayflower Mall
Restaurant expected to be up and running by end of year in former Jasper’s location

BY NANCY KING
The Cape Breton Post

SYDNEY — Visitors to the Mayflower Mall will have new a dining option by the end of the year, with a franchise of national restaurant chain East Side Mario’s franchise slated to open.

Mall manager Paul Carrigan confirmed Wednesday that construction on the restaurant, which will be located in the former Jasper’s location, is about to begin.

“We’re hoping it will be open by Dec. 5, construction is to start immediately,” he said.

Carrigan couldn’t say who the franchisee is, referring those questions to Prime Restaurants, parent company of East Side Mario’s.

“I can tell you that it’s local interests,” he said.

A request for comment on the new Sydney restaurant to East Side Mario’s head office in Ontario was not returned by the end of the day Wednesday.
The search for a franchise owner had gone on for several years before a deal was finally done, Carrigan noted.

“It takes awhile to get a franchisee, but we did find a local interest,” he said, noting it’s a longtime resident of Cape Breton.

The franchise will be larger than the previous restaurant that operated in the space, so it will take some additional mall space. No other retailer at the mall will be affected by the expansion, Carrigan said.

“It won’t interfere with any existing retailers,” he said.

The addition of the restaurant is great for the newly expanded Mayflower Mall, he added, noting visitors will soon be able to choose between a sit-down restaurant and food court options. It will also offer a dining opportunity in another area of the shopping centre. He added he believes there is enough business to support both the food court and East Side Mario’s.

He called it another piece in the puzzle of attracting new customers and keeping existing ones shopping in the region.

“The sit-down restaurant part, there are a lot of customers that enjoy that experience while shopping, and they don’t have to leave the property,” Carrigan said.

He added he does not know how many people the restaurant will employ in operation.

East Side Mario’s has been expanding for some time, moving into markets such as Cape Breton, Carrigan said, adding he thinks the chain restaurant will prove to be a good fit for the area as Boston Pizza has proven to be on Prince Street.

Carrigan noted further announcements regarding retail businesses at the mall are coming.

In a news release, Luc Cornelli, president of High Park Leasehold, which oversees management of the mall, noted it has expanded its tenant base over the past several years and mall owners are confident in the Cape Breton market.

The Mayflower Mall is Cape Breton’s largest shopping centre.

[Smevo]

http://www.capebretonpost.com/index....=162961&sc=152

Dining options will soon be more Flavor-ful
Cape Breton chef plans to open new bistro in downtown Sydney

DEBBIE GWYNN
The Cape Breton Post

SYDNEY — There’s a new chef in town and he believes he may have discovered his niche with Canadian bistro cuisine.

Sydney native Scott Morrison and his wife Karry hope by September to open the doors to their new venture Flavor, which will be located on Pitt Street in Sydney. And the name says it all.

Morrison, a certified red seal level chef, completed his studies at the Nova Scotia Community College in Halifax to obtain his certification.

Since then he has run his own catering business in Alberta, as well as being employed by a fine dining bistro in the western province.

“We’ve been planning on opening a restaurant for years, we do a lot of catering now,” said Morrison.

“We’ve tried out different recipes and different types of food and I think we’ve come up with something the population here needs and is going to be interested in.”

Morrison describes his style of cooking as a contemporary type of home style cooking, using fresh organic ingredients and recreating dishes similar to what people would have eaten at home as children.

Flavor’s menu will include a lot of fresh seafood, different types of fresh home-made pastas, salads, a lot of different types of Italian sandwiches and panini.

“I’m going to have a seafood chowder and a few different soups, like a roasted tomato and basil soup,” said Morrison. “A lot of Italian influence.”
The Italian sway comes from time the Morrisons have spent travelling in Italy, Greece and parts of France while researching their menu choices at various small restaurants throughout Europe.

The bistro will offer pressed-for-time workers in Sydney’s downtown core a healthy fast food alternative for lunch.

Hours of operation will be Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and they also intend to offer a Sunday brunch.

“As we get going we are planing to put on special evening menus on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings,” said Morrison. “We will look at opening later on those nights.”

Flavor will also offer off-site catering, lunch and business meetings as well as personal dinner parties at home — the chef cooks while you relax.

“We go into people’s homes and we bring everything in, organize a menu and everyone just comes to the house,” said Morrison. “We take care of everything.”

For more information on Flavor or Flavor’s Creative Catering telephone 595-0446 or e-mail creativecatering@ns.sympatico.ca

http://www.capebretonpost.com/index....=163427&sc=145

Cape Breton highway named Peacekeepers Way

ERIN POTTIE
The Cape Breton Post

SYDNEY — Peacekeepers across the province and those visiting Nova Scotia will be able to look to Highway 125 as a recognition of their efforts in various peace missions around the world.

The stretch of highway, which runs from an interchange with Highway 105 in Sydney Mines to Grand Lake Road in Sydney, was officially

designated ‘Peacekeepers Way’ by Premier Rodney MacDonald during a ceremony at the Sydney Garrison in Victoria Park, Monday.

“It’s our way of recognizing the valuable contribution peacekeepers have made in protecting our country and ensuring safety globally,” said MacDonald. “There have been so many from the Cape Breton Regional Municipality and Cape Breton Island who have served as peacekeepers — we thought it to be the highway to rename.”

Tens of thousands of Canadians have taken part in more than 40 peacekeeping missions around the world, with more than 100 of those peacekeepers killed and hundreds more wounded.

According Veteran Affairs Canada, peacekeepers are traditionally placed between hostile forces to supervise ceasefires and the withdrawal of opposing forces. In recent years, peacekeepers roles have expanded to include the delivery of humanitarian aid, the supervision of elections, the repatriation of refugees, the disarming of warring factions and the reclamation of shattered landscapes through the clearing of mines.

Nova Scotians have participated in peacekeeping operations from the Middle East to Central America, from Cyprus to Bosnia Herzegovina.

John Horvath of Howie Centre, the eastern regional director of the Canadian Association of Veterans in United Nations Peacekeeping, said his project to rename Highway 125 was three years in the making.

“I’m elated, it’s unbelievable how elated I am,” he said.

Horvath served two one-year terms with the United Nations in the Gaza Strip in 1958 and again in 1961.

“It was dangerous, but it was in a country that I enjoyed being in. The groups that I was there with I knew from my background days in Canada and you know the camaraderie along with everything else — it was fantastic.”
Justice Minister Cecil Clarke took part in the renaming ceremony on behalf of Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal Murray Scott.

Nova Scotia first used highway designations to recognize the contributions of extraordinary Nova Scotians in 2000, when Highway 102, between Miller Lake and Truro, was designated Veterans Memorial Highway.

Peacekeepers Way will continue to be known as Highway 125 to avoid confusion for emergency personnel and the public.

http://www.capebretonpost.com/index....=162798&sc=145

Canada-Russia Challenge coming to Sydney
Formal announcement to be made Monday in Saint John, N.B.

BY T.J. COLELLO
The Cape Breton Post

SYDNEY — Another major hockey event will be coming to Centre 200 this upcoming season.

The Cape Breton Post has learned that Sydney will play host to one game of the 2008 ADT Canada-Russia Challenge in November. The second game of the two-game QMJHL leg will be played at Harbour Station in Saint John, N.B., home of the Saint John Sea Dogs.

Cape Breton Screaming Eagles president Paul MacDonald will be in attendance for a press conference where the formal announcement will be made Monday at 2 p.m. in Saint John. He will be joined by QMJHL commissioner Gilles Courteau, Sea Dogs president Wayne Long, vice president Mike McGraw, as well as local business leaders.

MacDonald said he would defer comment until after Monday’s press conference in New Brunswick.

The ADT Canada-Russia Challenge has been held each season since 2003-04. A team of Russian Selects challenge an all-star team from each of the three top junior leagues in a six-game series under the umbrella of the Canadian Hockey League: the QMJHL, Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and Western Hockey League (WHL). The farthest east the event has come since its inception was to the Metro Centre in Halifax during its inaugural year.

The series is the second major event in as many seasons for the Screaming Eagles organization. In June, the team hosted the 2008 Quebec Major Junior Hockey League Draft and Annual Session.

Last season, the QMJHL leg was held in Quebec, in both Chicoutimi and Gatineau. The first game went to the Russian Selects at the Georges Vézina Centre Nov. 19 in Chicoutimi, 6-4, while the second was won by the QMJHL All-Stars in a shootout 3-2 at the Robert Guertin Centre in Gatineau, Nov. 21.

The CHL all-stars won the challenge 4-2 last year and have won the series each season its been held. They have a 25-5 record against the Russian Selects over the five series.

Over the years, the event has featured such future NHL talent as Sidney Crosby, Ryan Getzlaf, Alexander Radulov and Wojtek Wolski.

[Smevo]

My internet connection isn't very reliable yet. I actually tried to post this last night before the connection quit on me, so hopefully it gets through this time. Hopefully I'll get it all fixed and settled very soon

Population -600 (5/5) or -0.52% (5/5)
Labour Force +2,800 (T1/5) or +4.39% (1/5)
Employment +3,700 (T1/5) or +6.64% (1/5)
Unemployment -900 (T2/5) or -11.11% (1/5)
Participation Rate +2.7 (1/5) to 57.6 (5/5)
Employment Rate +3.4 (1/5) to 51.3 (5/5)
Unemployment Rate -1.9 (1/5) to 10.8 (5/5)

In summary:
- we led the province in Labour Force and Employment growth (tied with Northern Regoin in both categories)
- were second in Unemployment decline (behind Halifax, tied with Northern Region)
- and led the province while outpacing the provincial rate in:
Labour Force and Employment % growth
Unemployment % decline
Participation Rate and Employment Rate growth
Unemployment Rate Decline
-we are closing in on a single-digit unemployment rate...finally.

Housing Update

Q2 2008 saw the following:
80.0% increase in housing starts
68.3% increase in completions
145.0% increase in single detatched starts
25.0% increase in semi-detached starts
128.6% increase in single detached completions
12.5% increase in semi-detached completions
140.0% increase in absorbed single detached units
8.7% increase in median price of absorbed single detached units (19.6% increase since Q2 2006)
13.1% increase in average price of absorbed single detached units (25.3% increase since Q2 2006)

First half of the year saw an increase in competions of 110.4%, increase in absorbed single detached units of 174.1%, increase in median price of absorbed single detached units of 12.9%, and an increase in average price of absorbed single detached units of 7.1%, in addition to the increases mentioned in the June housing update for YTD starts.

July's update is as follows:
85.7% increase in housing starts for the month of July, tied for 4th highest since 2000.
82.6% increase in housing starts for YTD (July), 3rd highest since 2000.

Always more work to do, but we're obviously doing something right.

[Davey Boy Smith]

Some notes from around Metro Sydney:

- Work has now begun on the Mayflower Mall Annex. They have cleared the land next to Home Depot and there is a sign with a picture of the development there. Not 100% that it is what is going there but Pets Unlimited is coming to the Mayflower Mall area.

- Steel has begun to go up at the YMCA and it is looked quite big!!

- The Lawton's building is begun work inside and the outside is being painted. The parking lot is close to be ready for paving.

- The old Chandler's building continues to be refurbished - my look inside the building appears to indicate some sort of office set-up. This may mean the deck will not really be of much use!

- Nothing started on the new Chernin building yet at all.

-They have begun some work on the 125 twinning going towards North Sydney. Right now, they are preparing to build bridges that need to be built.

[Smevo]

^Thanks for the updates again Davey Boy Smith. By the time I get home again, many of these things will be already completed. As for Chernin's building, I think they may be waiting until the YMCA is further along so they can deal with the buried tressle. I don't know where the current YMCA stuff is happening, but I'd assume they'd wait until the redevelopment on the Charlotte St side was happening because Chernin has to close that block off to deal with the tressle anyway, and it's the same architect for both projects (Trifos).

It's about time they started on the 125 again. Once the bridges are up, they'll complete those sections for sure. The Balls Creek to Coxheath section will probably be complete before they start on the busier section between GLR and Sydney River though, unfortunately. I hope I'm proven wrong there though.

Anyway, now that I finally have internet access and a new computer (old one died right after the internet was hooked up), it's time to post a short update. Not much today I'm afraid, at least, not on the main website. I'll try to renew my subscription this weekend and get back into regular updates.

http://www.capebretonpost.com/index....=173199&sc=152

The Sea Princess made its first stop in Sydney this year on Friday. Like most cruise ships docking in the area this year, it came in above capacity. Greg McNeil - Cape Breton Post


Cruise ships coming to town above capacity print this article
Canada/New England route proving to be popular

BY GREG MCNEIL
The Cape Breton Post

SYDNEY — When just under 2,000 passengers spilled onto the streets of Sydney from the Sea Princess Friday morning, they helped to continue the success story for the cruise industry in these waters.

Like most ships to visit the area this season, the luxury cruise liner docked in Sydney above its capacity (1,950) with 1,972 passengers.

“It is the whole itinerary that sells, not just the port of Sydney,” said Bernadette MacNeil, director of cruise marketing and development for the Sydney Ports Corp.

“Sydney is just one port on the whole itinerary and it is the Canada/New England itinerary that is popular.”

This route, it seems, has become popular with passengers who have cruised before.

“They have done the Caribbean, they have done the Alaskan tour and they choose this one and we always seem to exceed their expectations.”

MacNeil can’t speak for the other ports along the route but said people in this area work hard to ensure passengers have a memorable experience.

“That is one of the most popular comments that we hear . . . that Sydney always exceeds their expectations. I think it is the friendliness of our people that they warm up to most of all. It is just something that comes natural to us with no effort on our part. And they really warm up to it.”

Capacity and above capacity cruise visits mean good news for local tourism destinations at an otherwise quiet time of the year.

“It is gravy to the local merchants and to the attractions that are around the island. The normal tourism season is over.

“There are busloads going out to Highland Village, up to Baddeck and the Miner’s Museum and Fortress of Louisbourg, et cetera, et cetera.”

There are 27 more cruise ship visits on this year’s calendar, including two stops today by the AidAura and the Royal Princess, followed by the N G Explorer, Sunday.

[Smevo]

I'll start with the Waste-water treatment update...

http://www.capebretonpost.com/index....=175337&sc=145

Phase one of sewer treatment plant project set to begin

SHARON MONTGOMERY
The Cape Breton Post

DOMINION — The reality of a sewer treatment plant for two Cape Breton communities is getting closer.

A tender has been awarded to RDL Construction Ltd. in Sydney River for phase one of the project — the collection and pumping system — for Dominion and Bridgeport.

This work will begin the week of Oct. 6 and is expected to be completed mid-2009, said Sean MacLellan, senior engineering technologist with the Cape Breton Regional Municipality.

“There is more than six kilometres of piping to be put in. The work will continue through the winter.”

He said they are now seeking tenders for the construction of the sewage treatment plant.

The $11.2-million project will see a sequencing batch reactor system in place by the fall of 2009.

The system is an activated sludge process in which the sewage is introduced into various reaction tanks, one tank at a time. Wastewater treatment is achieved by a timed sequence of operations which occur in the same tank, consisting of filling, reaction (aeration), settling, decanting, idling, and sludge wasting. This is a secondary treatment process and meets the requirements of the Canadian Council of the Ministers of the Environment that will be in place by 2017.

The new sewer treatment system is similar to the ones now being used in Port Hawkesbury and Baddeck.

MacLellan said some preliminary work in preparation for the sewer project actually began last year with construction of the road to the plant on Cooney’s Lane near Cadegon Brook and sewer upgrades in the Mitchell Avenue and Kings Avenue areas.

Housing Update
It won't be as indepth in comparison as usual since I'm still moving files from my old computer to my new one.

August 2008
Housing starts were:
Down 28% for the month, hard to say whether the commercial developments have anything to do with it or not, though I wouldn't be surprised since the updates Davey_Boy_Smith gave.
Still up 36% YTD
The second half of 2007 picked up significantly over the first half, so the apparent slowdown isn't as significant on a year to year basis as it may seem. When I get my files moved over, I'll update this post with rankings and comparisons to other years, etc.

Completions for August were up 417%, and unabsorbed units went down 78%.

Again, I'll update when I move my files over. Only one more month before I can start comparing MLS sales!



Employment update
Category: Growth (% growth or rate) Growth Rank (% Growth Rank)

Pop > 15: -500 (-0.4) 5/5 (5/5)
Labour Force: 2,100 (3.3) 2/5 (2/5)
Employed: 3,200 (5.7) 2/5 (2/5)
Unemployed: -1,100 (-13.9) T2/5 (3/5)
Participation Rate: 2.1 (57.3) T1/5 (5/5)
Employment Rate: 2.9 (51.4) 2/5 (5/5)
Unemployment Rate: -2.0 (10.3) 2/5 (5/5)

The North Shore has really stepped it up in the past couple of months, and the Annapolis Valley had a really good month this time. All in all, NS as a whole is moving in the right direction, and we're moving in that direction along with it. I'm hoping we get into the single-digit unemployment range in the next year, we're close now but summer is always a higher employment time of year.

[Smevo]

http://www.capebretonpost.com/index....=177239&sc=145

Bus service begins Monday in various communities in Richmond, Inverness

NANCY KING
The Cape Breton Post

PORT HAWKESBURY — The long anticipated launch of a new regional transit service is finally scheduled to take place Monday.

SAT (Strait Area Transit) held its official launch here last month, but actually the service had to postpone beginning to serve the identified routes as it ran into some snags with the delivery of its two vans, and there was a delay in training its drivers, noted general manager Malcolm Beaton.

The Strait Regional School Board has provided that training and has also agreed to maintain the service’s 26-seat bus.

It will provide door-to-door service, charter and contract services, in addition to a regularly scheduled route during the week.

The main route system will be out of Isle Madame, L’Ardoise and St. Peter’s in Richmond County, on to Port Hawkesbury and across the Canso Causeway to Mulgrave. There are also plans for a dial-a-ride system which will offer service to people, for example who need to access health services at the Strait Richmond Hospital in Evanston, who will be picked up at their home with 48 hours notice.

There will also eventually be a charter service, Chisholm said, and possible expansion of the service to areas such as Route 19, Whycocomagh and Antigonish.

Detailed information about routes and rates can be found on SAT’s website, www.straitareatransit.ca, which is also linked from the Strait-Highlands Regional Development Agency website, it has a presence on Facebook, and hundreds of brochures have been distributed throughout the region.

“We are getting bombarded with e-mails and calls coming in to us wondering when it’s starting, what’s the routes,” Beaton said. “A lot of people still don’t have computers, especially our older population, so we’ve made sure we accommodated them by having lots of reading materials in the communities.”

The province recently announced it will receive $26,000 over the next two years through the Community Transportation Assistance Program to help with operating costs. The program helps support non-profit organizations that provide transportation services in rural areas.

The province already provided $120,000 to help cover startup costs, including the purchase of vehicles, office equipment and bus shelters.

http://www.capebretonpost.com/index....=176793&sc=145

CBU considering installation of wind turbine

GREG MCNEIL
The Cape Breton Post

SYDNEY — Cape Breton University could become the first university in Canada with its own full-size wind turbine.

According to a local proponent of wind energy the planned project has a completion date tentatively set for late 2009 and could see the university producing 850 kilowatts of its own power.

News of the turbine surfaced Wednesday morning when local renewable energy expert Luciano Lisi spoke of discussions between his company — Cape Breton Explorations Ltd. — and CBU during his presentation to members of the Sydney and Area Chamber of Commerce.

“It is actually a good application,” Lisi told reporters following his presentation. “It is worth doing and it has a combination of social benefit and business benefits. It is not strictly business and it is not strictly social. It is a combination of the two.”

Lisi was reluctant to talk about specific details of the project but indicated the cost of the windmill might be shared between his company and the university.

“We are selling a system and we are testing a system and then as a result we hope to implement many more business oriented, not just half and half.”
Officials with the university were reluctant to speak on specific project details but did confirm ongoing wind turbine discussions between the two groups.

“Obviously, we are looking at factors that it would help reduce energy costs and make for a better, greener campus,” said Doug MacKenzie, spokesperson for CBU.

“But at this time they are discussions and nothing is set in stone. Certainly, it is something that everyone would like to see in terms of reducing energy costs and making a green campus but it is still an ongoing situation.”

Should discussions lead to an agreement, MacKenzie said the wind turbine would be a wonderful asset for the university’s research into renewable energy with CBU’s new Centre for Sustainability and Energy in the Environment.

Lisi said he has been talking with the university for almost two years.
The 850 kw of power produced by the proposed turbine would power only a portion of the institution, but Lisi felt it could “reduce their cost of electricity substantially.

http://www.capebretonpost.com/index....=177310&sc=152

Drilling program to begin in port access channel

The Cape Breton Post

SYDNEY — A comprehensive geotechnical bottom drilling program is about to begin in the access channel to the ports of Sydney. The Sydney Marine Group expects the work to take upwards of two weeks to complete, depending on weather.

The group has proposed a $35-million dredging project to deepen the access channel in Sydney harbour and help construct a proposed $200-million shipping container terminal.

Unlike the coring program completed earlier this year, the new drilling will penetrate deeper into the sand and gravel layers of the access channel to collect additional information on the properties of all materials to be dredged, the marine group says.

Among other things, information on particle size, material consistency and bearing strength characteristics will be gathered.

“The geotechnical work will serve to confirm and expand our understanding of the materials to be dredged,” said the group’s chairman, Jim Wooder. “It builds on borehole and seismic information collected as far back as 1988 and as recently as January 2008. We’ll use the new information to fine tune how dredged materials will be placed in the area of the container terminal.”

Earlier this year, the marine group provided environmental regulators with a project description and scoping document in connection with the development of the container terminal and deepening of the channel. The geotechnical program will take the environmental assessment process another step closer to completion. A detailed environmental impact statement for the terminal and channel dredging is expected to be complete by end of the year.

Laurentian Energy Corporation and Galaxy SARL, a transportation infrastructure equity fund company, announced plans for a container terminal on the west side of the harbour’s south arm at Sydport. The proponents have established a joint venture to drive the project to construction, which is expected to be completed in the second half of 2010.

Channel dredging is expected to start next fall and take up to 10 weeks to complete. The marine group says the dredging will be done by suction methods with minimal environment impact to deepen almost nine kilometres of channel by removing approximately 3.5 million cubic metres of material.
A confined containment facility will be built at the site of the container terminal to receive the dredged materials.

A second round of open houses is planned for late October to update community stakeholders on the project and address questions and concerns arising from public meetings in June of this year, the group says.

The province has signalled its support for the development of the ports of Sydney and has listed dredging as an infrastructure priority under the Atlantic Gateway program.

http://www.capebretonpost.com/index....=176362&sc=152

AG Research wins software contract

ERIN POTTIE
The Cape Breton Post

SYDNEY — Sydney-based company AG Research has won a six-figure contract with York Regional Municipality of Ontario to develop software for their computerized electronic mapping system.

The project, valued at just over $100,000, will extend the benefits of advanced geomatics information systems (GIS) technology to all of York’s municipal departments.

“York itself already has a large geomatics branch and they’ve done quite a bit of mapping on their own. It’s kind of a win-win scenario that we can apply our talents, our skill sets, to what their already doing,” said AG CEO Jim Paris. “They’re trying to take everything they’ve amassed in their databases and they’re trying to make it accessible to others.”

Paris said the project will provide inroads to one of the fastest growing demographics in Ontario.

AG Research is an international leader in the development of GIS and has deployed software solutions across Canada, in Bermuda, the United Kingdom, and Gibraltar.

Work on the project will begin immediately with the first phase to be completed in approximately five months. Consultants from AG will travel to Ontario within the next few weeks to refine the project requirements. All software development will be conducted at AG’s Headquarters on Charlotte Street, Sydney. AG expects that this contract will lead to a long and profitable relationship with the York Regional Municipality and help to further the company’s business in Ontario.

Kevin McCormick, VC business development, said currently the company is also working on a mineral claim registry for the Nova Scotia government which is expected to be completed by around Christmas.

“When it’s finished you’ll be able to go on the Internet and look at the whole map of Nova Scotia, zero in on what you are looking for, find the grid that you want and actually stake a claim or apply for a claim online” said McCormick.

“So again it has the mapping component, but it also has what we would call the registry which is about the business process that governments use.”
Eric Whyte, the AG president, commented that winning this contract is a direct result of the application of advanced research that the company has conducted.

“We are very fortunate to have had the support of the Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP) which permitted AG to develop software and expertise that is now paying big dividends,” said Whyte.

“This contract is an important strategic win.”

[Smevo]

Wow, I didn't realize how long I was gone...yikes! I've got a lot of catching up to do, and a subscription to renew.

December to start, and I'll go back to other months over this frigid weekend in Calgary (hi's of -25...before windchill )


http://www.capebretonpost.com/index....=198588&sc=145

Seniors complex getting facelift
JOHN MCNEIL
The Cape Breton Post

SYDNEY — An extensive renovation project is underway at the Cape Breton Island Housing Authority seniors’ complex on the Esplanade.

The entire exterior will be renovated and every window in the building will be replaced in the multi-year project now in its first phase, said Joan McKeough, director of the housing authority.

“Our timeline is approximately one year per each side of the building,” McKeough said. “We will be renovating the exterior, replacing siding and windows for the entire building.”

McKeough said the total cost of the multi-year project will be $5.5 million before taxes with the cost shared by the provincial government and the Cape Breton Regional Municipality.

The complex was built in the late 1970s and contains 120 apartments. In this first phase of construction approximately 20 tenants were relocated, McKeough said.

“Because of the significant nature of the work, we will be relocating some of the tenants as each phase is being done,” she said, “and we are providing housing options for them. We knew this project would be coming up, so we planned to have some of the units empty so that some tenants could temporarily relocate within the building. For other tenants, we have provided options outside the building.”

McKeough said the first phase of the renovations is scheduled to be completed by March 31, the end of the fiscal year, with the second phase scheduled to begin early in the next fiscal year.

“We’re trying to give the residents as much information as we can,” McKeough said. “We are very pleased with the co-operation we have gotten from the tenants on the project.”

http://www.capebretonpost.com/index....=197762&sc=152

CBU gives green light to new dining hall and residence
The Cape Breton Post

SYDNEY — Cape Breton University’s board of governors has unanimously approved in principle a proposal to construct an $8.5 million dining hall and residence on its campus.

The new building will provide an additional 109 single beds to the current residence complex, bringing the total available beds to 568. The addition also includes a dining hall which will be able to accommodate 350 students.

“Through meetings with our students, the most common complaints the University heard were a lack of dining options and the need for single rooms,” John Harker, president and vice-chancellor, said in a news release. “The addition of this new residence will allow us to improve recruitment and retention of students as well as providing the university with a facility which can host larger events.”

The addition of a dining hall will allow the university to return its current cafeteria to the original plan of accommodating commuter students.

“The addition of a dining hall is a natural evolution of our campus development strategy and recognizes the fact that Cape Breton University continues to attract a growing number of non-local students to the area,” Harker said.

“We have a strong desire to continually improve the campus life experience of our students.”

Currently, CBU has three residences: MacDonald, built in 1994, which houses 146 dormitory rooms; Cabot, built in 2000, with 123 apartment-style rooms; and Alumni, built in 2004, with 120 apartment-style rooms and 70 dormitory rooms. The university also features the lowest residence prices of any university in Atlantic Canada.

The new facility is expected to be ready for occupancy in the fall of 2010.

http://www.capebretonpost.com/index....=196815&sc=152

Sydney software firm experiencing growth, expanding markets
The Cape Breton Post

SYDNEY — Despite turmoil in world economies, and shrinkage in the Canadian business climate, a local software firm says its business is growing.

AG Research, based in Sydney, says it is experiencing huge demand for its products and services and is expanding as a result. The company is currently recruiting consultants, project managers and software developers to address emerging domestic and international opportunities.

The company’s main goal has been to create products and services and sell them in other parts of Canada and internationally, while maintaining local jobs.
AG announced Tuesday that it has received a contract with the Government of Saskatchewan to implement an on-line mineral claim registry system using AG’s MAPER software. Once completed, the mineral claim system will provide administrative control for the rapidly expanding mineral industry in Saskatchewan.

The new system will provide detailed geological information and land use restrictions within its electronic maps. This will assist individuals and companies to stake claims and make exploration investments within the province.

Additionally, AG says it is in advanced discussions for similar projects with several jurisdictions in North America and internationally. The core technology has been developed by AG and contains some of the most advanced features available, conceived and developed in Sydney.

Jim Paris, CEO of AG, said the company is “delighted to be chosen by Saskatchewan’s Information Services Corporation to become an information technology partner in support of such an exciting undertaking. We believe the implementation of our AG MAPER registry software can contribute significantly to Saskatchewan’s vision of enhancing citizen-centric government to enable strong economic development.”

AG says it has been in an unparalleled growth period over the past 18 months with major projects in Nova Scotia and Ontario, and international projects in the United States, Bermuda, Gibraltar, St. Lucia and Trinidad.
Founded in 1991, AG is based in Sydney, with offices across Nova Scotia and in the United Kingdom, Bermuda and, shortly, Trinidad.

AG’s primary focus is developing software systems for governments, for use in mineral and petroleum administration, municipal planning and permitting, property and asset management, property tax, and emergency dispatch systems for fire and police.

[mylesmalley]

It's been a while, eh.
Good to see you back, Smevo

[mmmatt]

Welcome back Smevo!

Hope the west is treatin ya well

PS it was +15 here yesterday...guess you are missing out

[Smevo]

Haha...I am. It went from almost +10 earlier this week down to -23 today and -27 tomorrow. It was only -3 in the middle of our blizzard yesterday, too. I'm not looking forward to seeing what the roads are like today.