[Smevo]

There's a gap here created by my twice-weekly trips to Saint John, but I'll try to fill in the gap later by browsing the pdf files and reporting on updates. Until then, here's some to catch up.

From Thursday, April 26, 2007 Cape Breton Post

Farmers' markets group wants to grow industry

Section: Business

By Chris Hayes,
Farmers' markets in Nova Scotia are working on a growth strategy for a sector that already contributes almost $63 million to the provincial economy.

A group called the Farmers' Markets of Nova Scotia Co-operative was in Sydney Wednesday for the first of a series of brain-storming sessions with vendors and customers.

Co-ordinator Don Black said that session - which was hosted by the Cape Breton Farmers' Co-operative - was the first of five that will tap into the issues and concerns of all 10 farmers' markets in the Nova Scotia co-operative.

Farmers' markets have seen growing demand for their fresh produce, raising big questions about how to supply that demand, he said.

"The rate of growth of our markets is being driven by hugely increasing consumer demand for healthy food, to know where the food comes from and to get some reconnection with the reality of food as opposed to buying it in packages," he said.

"We have, as far as we know, as many producers as are interested and able to come to farmers' markets, they are already there. We have to find a whole new range of producers."

A study for the provincial co-operative estimated the impact of the farmers' market sector in 2004 was almost $63 million, taking direct sales at the markets and indirect sales at other nearby stores into account, he said.

Black said the goal of the strategy, which will be developed during the remainder of 2007, will be to identify roadblocks, like lack of labour or investment money.

Service Canada has provided funding for a resource person to help develop expansion strategies.

The Cape Breton Farmers' Market has grown in the last five years from a summer-only market attracting some 200 people on Saturdays to a year-round indoor market (at the Sydney Marine Terminal) that had over 1,000 customers on many Saturdays last fall, according to a release.

The market averaged 600 customers during the winter season.

Fifteen vendors take part during the winter months but another 10-15 show up during the summer and fall, said Sharon MacDonald, a director of the co-operative.

Customers like the freshness of the produce, which contributes to its nutritional value, she said.

"We have a lot of regulars and it is a joy to see them every week and it's not the same if they don't show up for some reason."

Products for sale at the Cape Breton market range from fresh produce to eggs, baked goods, jams and jellies and crafts.

Charles MacDonald, the president of the co-operative, said some ideas he heard at Wednesday's get-together included providing entertainment or guest speakers to attract more consumers and greater use of greenhouses to expand the availability of fresh produce throughout the year.

And people complain Cape Breton has too much power in the provincial legislature.

Students want to teach province a lesson

Sydney Academy students march to demand much-needed renovations

Section: Front

By Chris hayes,
Sydney Academy students chanting "broken promises broken school" marched to the Provincial Building Wednesday to protest delays in much-needed renovations at the school.

About 120 students lined up on the sidewalk in front of the building during the noon hour waving protest signs and cheering passing cars that honked their horns in support.

Grade 12 student Liam Gillis, who helped organize the protest, said they wanted to send a message to Education Minister Karen Casey.

"We want to make a statement obviously and some sort of visual statement we think is what's needed in order for the government to completely understand how passionate we are about the situation," he said.

"There is a general feeling in the student body that we need to have government give us these renovations."

Students at both Sydney Academy and Riverview Rural High School in Coxheath were frustrated when the Education Department postponed scheduled renovations at the high schools for the second year in a row.

The province had planned renovations at Sydney Academy that included an addition to the building to house changing rooms, showers and a music room.

"We are a school of almost 800 with no shower and changing facilities for the gym," said Sydney Academy principal Kevin Deveaux in an interview before the protest started. "That's desperate."

"The music room is in an area that is totally inappropriate. The room is too small. It doesn't have the height, it doesn't have the practice area . . . and it is in a venty, drafty damp basement."

Sydney Academy's plumbing, heating and ventilation problems are not being repaired either, he said.

"We had two more plumbing problems just in these past two days," he said.

Casey has agreed to visit Sydney Academy on May 3 to talk to students about the delayed renovations.

The minister has also agreed to visit Riverview High School on May 2.

Riverview students are frustrated by another year of delay in the completion of renovations to their high school.

The school started work on a new entranceway but that project remains unfinished. Along with giving the school a modern twist, the project was supposed to give students space for their music and drama programs and a stage the school currently lacks.

School principal Betty Crosby said renovation requirements for the school also include the library, art classrooms, labs and lockers in the phys-ed room.

Renovations at Riverview and Sydney Academy were omitted from the provincial government's spending plans for the next fiscal year.

Instead, the $58.5 million for school infrastructure will be spent on 11 other schools.

From Friday, April 27, 2007 Cape Breton Post

African Nova Scotians now have access to office in Cape Breton

Section: Business

By Nancy King,
African Nova Scotians in Cape Breton now have local access to services with the official opening of the first regional office of African Nova Scotian Affairs in Sydney Thursday.

Premier Rodney MacDonald and African Nova Scotian Affairs Minister Barry Barnet were on hand for an open house at the office, located on the fifth floor of Commerce Tower in Sydney.

The office is staffed by a community development officer, program administration officer and secretary.

"(It) will provide an excellent opportunity for people to have direct access to government services and access to the resources that we have not only in these offices but in Halifax as well," Barnet said.

It will offer an opportunity for people to have their voices reflected in government decisions, he said, adding the Office of African Nova Scotian Affairs works with all other government departments.

More than a year of planning went into opening the Cape Breton regional office. Sydney was chosen for the first regional office because of its distance from Halifax, Barnet said.

"It is a move to get more services out to the rural parts of Nova Scotia," MacDonald said. "It's been a long-standing issue here in Sydney and for Cape Breton Island to see more government services."

The province indicated four years ago it would set up a a cabinet level office for African Nova Scotians as a link between government and the community. The Halifax office opened in fall 2005.

"I think it's rather exciting to have an office finally open here that will be of service especially to the black community . . . but also the community at large," said Sydney resident Clotilda Yakimchuk. "I think it's one of the examples of when government decentralizes some of the services."

Discussions with an eye toward establishing additional regional satellite offices are continuing.

The Office of African Nova Scotian Affairs is mandated to assist, support and enhance the delivery of services to African Nova Scotians and serve as a partner in achieving self-reliance and sustainability for African Nova Scotian communities.

On the other extreme of complaints, we have the mayor of the CBRM, though this one is mild.

Province hands out money for recreation facilities

Bulk of $504,000 for Cape Breton Regional Municipality

Section: Cape Breton

By Chris Shannon,
The province doled out slightly more than a half-million dollars Thursday for upgrades to recreation facilities across Cape Breton.

Known as recreation facility development grants, the $504,000 will be used to build and renovate existing community centres, halls and baseball fields, construction of a skateboard park and equestrian facility as well as money to support trail development.

"We are competing against an increasing obesity rate, high levels of inactivity, chronic disease and many other compelling priorities. It's a competition we must win," the Minister of Health Promotion and Protection Barry Barnet told a group of funding recipients at Silicon Island overlooking Wentworth Park in Sydney, which itself received $96,000 for upgrades.

"These funds will assist 14 different organizations with the goal of helping this community become more physically active."

The funding is part of the annual $3-million provincewide grant program. It provides up to one-third of capital costs to organizations and then those groups are responsible for raising the remainder.

The bulk of the money in Thursday's announcement went to the Cape Breton Regional Municipality. It received $389,000 and Mayor John Morgan welcomed the funds.

However he said the provincial funding system isn't fair, noting the Halifax Regional Municipality is given more recreation funding even though its recreational capital budget is 50 times the size of the CBRM's budget.

"I think it's important to keep in mind . . . we really do need fair funding so that we can do the things and make the facilities available for the public to ensure they have an opportunity to live a healthy lifestyle," the mayor said.

Grants through the recreation facility development program are provided based on criteria, such as community need and benefits, the level of planning and preparation, sustainability and other funding commitments.

From Saturday, April 28, 2007 Cape Breton Post

Demolition of Keddy's building will take a few more weeks

Section: Business

By Wes Stewart, Cape Breton Post
It will take another two weeks to complete the demolition and clean up of the accommodations section of Keddy's Motor Inn on Kings Road.

"We have 165- rooms down and about 30- units left" to be demolished in the modular constructed multi-storey building, said site foreman John MacDonald, Paul MacDonald Trucking, Birch Grove.

"It was a big building and it's getting cleaned up pretty good, he said.

The demolished building is being trucked to the municipal landfill.

Handymen got a lot of pink insulation, plywood and two-by-four's, a lot of good lumber salvaged by local people, MacDonald said.

The remaining section marked for demolition will be down in a week and it will take another week to complete the fine clean up.

"We got to go around to the fences, neighbours yards and do hand picking because we have to leave it clean," MacDonald said.

Group seeks UN recognition for Bras d'Or Lakes, watershed

Section: Cape Breton

By Wes Stewart, cape breton post
The inaugural annual public meeting of a volunteer group seeking United Nations recognition for the Bras d'Or Lake and its watershed will be held Monday.

The meeting begins at 7 p.m. in the St. Peter's fire hall.

The Bras d'Or Lake Biosphere Reserve Association wants the lake and its watershed to join more than 500 special places designated as world biosphere reserves.

Guest speaker Bob Maher, Southwest Nova Biosphere Reserve Association chairperson, will talk about the UN's world biosphere program, which showcases places where residents promote economic and human development in harmony with nature.

Canada has 13 world biosphere reserves, including one that encompasses most of southwest Nova Scotia.

Many groups already promote more sustainable activities and a greater understanding of the lake's ecosystem, Bras d'Or Lake Biosphere Association interim chairperson Teresa MacNeil said in a release.

This designation will support these initiatives, as well as new ones, enhance tourism and increase the recognition that this place is a good place to live, work and visit, she added.

"World biosphere reserves are places where people try to live in harmony with the natural world, balancing the needs of humans with the needs of the environment," MacNeil said.

Jim Foulds, retired Cape Breton University biology professor who serves as the association's interim secretary, stressed that biosphere reserves are not a new level of bureaucracy, do not involve any new regulations, and do not limit the rights of individuals.

"They focus on three functions - the conservation of natural resources in areas that are already protected; economic development that is ecologically sustainable; and increasing an area's capacity for research, monitoring and education."

The meeting will elect a slate of officers and provide an update on its activities to date. It's a chance for residents to become members and volunteer time and expertise for this important initiative, Foulds said.