Official Sydney and Area Projects Thread

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http://www.capebretonpost.com/News/L...d-conditions/1

Sharon Montgomery-Dupe - Cape Breton Post

Dist. 2 Coun. Kevin Saccary shows one of the many rough sections on the No. 6 Mines Road, which connects Donkin and Port Morien. Saccary said both of the main roads into Port Morien, the other is Highway 255, are in deplorable condition.

Councillor critical of road conditions


Published on July 27, 2012

By Sharon Montgomery-Dupe - Cape Breton Post

PORT MORIEN — A municipal councillor says a road on the Marconi trail might lead tourists to Port Morien, but it won’t bring them back.

Dist. 2 Coun. Kevin Saccary said the No. 6 Mines Road, also known as Long Beach Road, is in deplorable condition.

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Saccary said No. 6 is one of the two main roads leading into Port Morien; the second is Highway 255, Dearn’s Corner to Port Morien, and it is also in bad shape.

He said the provincial government has the No. 6 Mines Road classed as a secondary road and as a result it is not a priority for repair and merely gets potholes patched.

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Steve Smith, spokesperson for the Department of Transportation and Renewal, said the sections of Highway 255 and the No. 6 Mines Road are not on the province’s five-year paving plan and there are no plans to pave these roads this year.

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http://www.capebretonpost.com/News/L...p-facilities/1

Four island groups receive grants to develop facilities

Published on July 27, 2012

SYDNEY — Recreational facilities in Cape Breton involving bowling, sailing and walking have received grants to improve and upgrade their infrastructures.

The Recreation Facility Development Program has awarded $183,000 to four island groups to better help develop and maintain their facilities.

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The other Cape Breton groups to receive grants were:

— The greenlink trail system developed by the Cape Breton Regional Municipality was awarded $80,575 to improve trails in Sydney’s Rotary Park.

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http://www.capebretonpost.com/News/L...s-the-island/1

Road work continues across the island

Published on July 28, 2012
Laura Jean Grant RSS Feed

SYDNEY — Department of Transportation officials are still determining exactly how the project to replace the Sydney River bridge will proceed.

Department spokesperson Steve Smith said Friday that a lot of planning goes into a project of this size and design specifics are being finalized before a tender for the construction of the new bridge goes out.

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The current 130-metre Sydney River bridge was built in the late 1950s. The construction of a new bridge is expected to take two years.

Smith said they expect to have more information on the project’s progress within the next couple of weeks.

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I post this following letter to the editor only because of the info that pertains to the harbour fees...
http://www.capebretonpost.com/Opinio...is-developed/1

CBRM residents can now decide how Sydney port is developed

Published on July 28, 2012
Letters to the Editor (The Cape Breton Post)


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Each year, upward of $500,000 in shipping fees and taxes are collected in Sydney and sent on to Ottawa. In contrast, the Halifax Port Authority collects an estimated $1.5 million each year in fees and taxes from the ships that pass through, and this money stays in Halifax to enable further port development.

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When the Cape Breton Regional Municipality approached Transport Canada about the possibility of establishing an independent port authority, it was told that it didn’t qualify, in part because it did not own the land around the harbour.

Hence the importance of the greenfield site purchase. The purchase represents one important step toward a more encompassing and sovereign port governance model, which will enable the community to work with businesses here and abroad to achieve an attractive and sustainable context in which both prosperous harbour-based ventures and the community can flourish.

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Rankin MacSween, president

New Dawn Enterprises


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http://www.capebretonpost.com/News/L...ments-signed/1

Muskrat Falls agreements signed

Cape Breton Post

Published on July 31, 2012

SYDNEY — Cabinet ministers from Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador gushed over the benefits to their provinces Tuesday of the proposed Muskrat Falls hydroelectric megaproject, which took a major step forward Tuesday with the signing of a number of agreements.,

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Emera in exchange will invest $1.2 billion in the project which will fund a 180-kilometre subsea cable link between Cape Ray, N.L., and Alder Point in Cape Breton as well as $600 million of the $2.1 billion cost of building a transmission link from Labrador to Newfoundland.

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[jslath]

Went for a jog and snapped a few pics with my phone of the road construction in Sydney. Next time I'll take a proper camera for some better shots. I'm impressed with the amount of road work being done.

George Street Rebuild (Section Between Townsend St & Prince St).


Highway 125 Twinning. New overpass at Alexandra Street


EastLink mobile tower is also complete

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^Looks like a good jog. I'm in town for the week so I'm hoping to get out a few times with my camera for a proper photothread. Definitely going to try to get some Action Week festivities as well as the twinning work for sure.
Any other projects you've heard starting I should check out?

[q12]

BEST BUY mobile opening in the Mayflower Mall Fall 2012!

https://www-ssl.bestbuy.ca/en-CA/sec...px#storeProvNS
http://www.mayflowermall.com/

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I'm in the process of uploading the photos and videos from my trip, so there will be a trip-summary update coming, but in the meantime I'll start catching up on the CB Post articles.

http://www.capebretonpost.com/News/L...-Cape-Breton/1

A dedication ceremony to mark the donation of this statue entitled “Land of Our Own” by Cape Breton native William Ernest Brown is scheduled for Wednesday at the Sydney Marine Terminal. The statue was placed along a walkway near the terminal last month. Steve Wadden - Cape Breton Post

Immigration statue welcomes visitors to Cape Breton


Published on August 1, 2012
Greg McNeil RSS Feed



SYDNEY — A symbol of the importance of immigration to Cape Breton is now greeting new visitors to the island.

The sculpture by Cape Breton native William Ernest Brown entitled “Land of Our Own” was erected near the Sydney Marine Terminal last month to salute the diversity of people who came to Cape Breton.

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http://www.capebretonpost.com/News/L...this-weekend/1

Motorcyclists rolling into Cape Breton this weekend

Published on August 1, 2012
Chris Shannon RSS Feed

SYDNEY — The roar of thousands of motorcycles will be heard starting Friday and throughout the upcoming long weekend in Cape Breton.

The fourth annual Cape Breton Bike Fest will welcome as many as 10,000 motorcycle enthusiasts from across the continent over the four-day festival.

There were about 8,500 participants in 2011, said bike fest organizer Leah Boyd.

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http://www.capebretonpost.com/News/L...-partnership/1

Environment Minister Peter Kent, from left, speaks with Luciano Lisi and his wife Christine Kavanagh at the construction site for their energy self-sufficient New Aberdeen Garden Townhouses in Glace Bay on Thursday. The project uses geothermal energy from mine water, combined with a windmill and solar power. Steve Wadden - Cape Breton Post

CBU charged up about battery research partnership


Published on August 2, 2012


SYDNEY — The next generation of batteries to power everything from cellphones to cars could very well come from a Cape Breton laboratory after a multi-year collaboration between the Verschuren Centre for Sustainability in Energy and Environment at Cape Breton University and Yava Technologies was announced Thursday.

The agreement will see research and development of higher-performing lithium ion batteries take place at a new lab at CBU.

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This has progressed to an area typically covered by the "Rural Atlantic" thread, but since it started in this thread I'll continue it here as well.

http://www.capebretonpost.com/News/L...-progressing/1

Multi-year upgrade of Trunk 4 progressing


Published on August 4, 2012


SYDNEY — Deputy warden Victor David of Richmond County council is looking forward to the end of the road for the multi-year upgrade of Trunk 4 from Sydney to St. Peter’s.

David said the road is rough from St. Peter’s to Campbells bridge area where the Trunk 4 upgrade left off last year, although it is “fantastic” from there to Sydney.

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http://www.capebretonpost.com/News/L...ll-situation/1

Senator intervening in Gabarus seawall situation

Published on August 7, 2012

GABARUS — A group advocating for the replacement of the Gabarus seawall is encouraged by a Cape Breton senator’s pledge to intervene in the matter.

Sen. Michael MacDonald met with the Friends of Gabarus on Friday at the request of Cape Breton West Tory MLA Alfie MacLeod.

The federal government has yet to act on a request for funding despite a provincial coastal hazard assessment report detailing the seawall’s deficiencies.

A jurisdictional issue must be settled first with the federal Department of Justice to determine whether it’s the responsibility of Fisheries and Oceans or the Public Works department.

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http://www.capebretonpost.com/News/L...-opens-today/1

New access route officially opens today

Published on August 10, 2012

SYDNEY — Today marks the official opening of a much anticipated new route that links Sydney’s downtown and northend to the Sydney Ports Access Road (SPAR).

The newly constructed Ferry Street Bridge offers motorists another route in and out of the downtown core and is completed nearly a year earlier than expected. Today’s opening will only allow access for pedestrians and bikers while the first vehicular traffic can begin crossing Monday.

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http://www.capebretonpost.com/News/L...l-last-month/1

Cape Breton’s unemployment rate fell last month

Published on August 10, 2012


SYDNEY — Cape Breton’s unemployment rate stood at 13.4 per cent in July, down 1.4 per cent from a month earlier, according to figures released by Statistics Canada Friday.

That compares with a rate of 13.7 per cent in July 2011.

The size of the labour force grew from 64,600 in June to 65,900 in July. There were 57,100 people employed in Cape Breton in July, compared with 55,500 a month earlier. The labour force participation rate in July was 59.4 per cent, up from 58.3 per cent in June and an increase from the rate of 58.2 per cent that was seen in July 2012.

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http://www.capebretonpost.com/News/L...hicles-today/1

Owen Rolls, centre, took part in the recyclable boat building challenge as part of opening ceremonies for the Ferry Street Bridge, Saturday. His name was randomly chosen from participants to be the first person to walk across the new bridge. He’s shown with Cape Breton Regional Police Service escorts Const. Ed Hall, far left, and Const. Gary Fraser, far right. The bridge was opened to pedestrian and bike traffic, Saturday and for full traffic beginning, Monday.

Ferry Street bridge to open to vehicles today


Published on August 12, 2012

SYDNEY — For the record, young Owen Rolls will go down in history as the first person to ceremonially cross the new Ferry Street bridge.

He was given that right Saturday and a police escort after his name was randomly chosen from a list of entrants in a childrens’ recyclable boat-building challenge organized as part of the bridge opening ceremony.

While many on hand for the celebration saw the bridge as a symbolic milestone in the cleanup of the Sydney tar ponds, his mom is simply glad to have a safe and efficient roadway available again.

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http://www.capebretonpost.com/News/L...-in-new-year/1

Brent Denny, deputy chief for the Cape Breton Regional Fire Service, goes over the basic layout for a new fire station that will be constructed along Victoria Road in Sydney. The new station will replace the demolished Ashby station and aging Whitney Pier station. Steve Wadden - Cape Breton Post

Construction on new fire station expected to begin in new year


Published on August 13, 2012
Ken MacLeod RSS Feed


SYDNEY — Work on a new fire station to replace the demolished Ashby station and the aging Whitney Pier station is expected to get underway early in the new year.

A request for proposals for a design consultant closed Friday, said Brent Denny, Cape Breton Regional Fire Service deputy fire chief, with three companies having submitted tenders.

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The proposed 10,000 square-foot structure has been budgeted at $3.5 million and will be located on Victoria Road, on the Ashby side of Inverness Street where three old company homes have been torn down to make room for the new fire station.

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http://www.capebretonpost.com/News/L...-Highway-125/1

New interchange will link Membertou and Highway 125

Published on August 14, 2012


MEMBERTOU — A funding announcement is expected today that will better link the Membertou First Nation with the provincial highway system.

A sod-turning will take place at the site of the future Highway 125 interchange at the end of Tupsi Drive in Membertou.

Premier Darrell Dexter and Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan will be on hand to announce provincial and federal funding.

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The interchange will also connect to the site of a future elementary school, said Hartley.

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http://www.capebretonpost.com/News/L...ional-grants/1

CBU researchers receive national grants

Published on August 14, 2012

SYDNEY — Two Cape Breton University projects focused on cultural preservation have received national research grants.

Marcia Ostashewski was awarded nearly $183,000 from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada to build a web portal that will address the gap in the province’s historical and heritage interpretation regarding ethnocultural groups.

The aim of the project is to classify existing and emerging research that explores Cape Breton’s Eastern European antecedents beyond its more familiar Scottish and Acadian characteristics. The web portal is a joint initiative between CBU and the University of Alberta.

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http://www.capebretonpost.com/News/L...y-by-October/1

Steve Wadden - Cape Breton Post

New Aberdeen Garden Townhouses, energy self-sufficient units in Glace Bay, utilize wind, solar and geothermal energy.

Energy self-sufficient townhouse expected to be ready by October


Published on August 15, 2012

By Chris Shannon - Cape Breton Post

GLACE BAY — The first energy self-sufficient townhouse units aimed at keeping seniors in the community should be ready for occupancy by October.

Luciano Lisi and his wife Christine Kavanagh, owners of the New Aberdeen Garden Townhouses in the New Aberdeen neighbourhood of Glace Bay, broke ground on the project more than two years ago.

With the use of wind, solar and geothermal energy, the costs to heat and run electricity will remain stable in the long run, Lisi said.

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http://www.capebretonpost.com/News/L...nge-underway/1

Elder Katy McEwen, left, performs a smudging ceremony in Membertou on Wednesday afternoon with Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan, centre, Membertou Chief Terry Paul and Nova Scotia Premier Darrell Dexter. Erin Pottie - Cape Breton Post

Construction of Membertou highway interchange underway


Published on August 15, 2012
Erin Pottie RSS Feed

MEMBERTOU — Membertou broke ground on a project that will link the community to the province’s highway and nearby reserve lands.

Digging a shovel into the ground on Wednesday was a symbolic gesture, as construction has already begun on the $7-million interchange to be built at the end of Tupsi Drive near Maliktuk Court.

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Membertou owns land south of Membertou, on the opposite side of Highway 125. As part of Paul’s 15th consecutive term, he promised to build 125 homes over the next five years.

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The federal government and the province will each provide $3 million for the project, while Membertou’s contribution is $1 million.

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In 1995, Membertou was operating on a $4-million budget with a $1-million operating deficit and had only 37 employees on staff.

According to its financial statements from March, Membertou has more than $27 million in net assets and has employed up to 800 people, depending on the time of year.

“When Membertou asks the government to participate in funding, they do their homework,” said Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan. “Part of their business case is a return on investment of about 18:1. Our normal hurdle for infrastructure investments in regard to expanding business is 5:1, so this is more than three times as good.”

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http://www.capebretonpost.com/News/L...asoni-school/1

Photo submitted by George Paul

From left to right, Eskasoni Councillor and Eskasoni School Board Chair John F. Toney, Chief Leroy Denny, INAC Minister John Duncan and Mi’kmaw Kina’matnewey, Executive Director, Eleanor Bernard.

New gym announced for Eskasoni school


Published on August 15, 2012
Staff ~ The Cape Breton Post RSS Feed


ESKASONI — An expansion project will bring gym facilities to Eskasoni high school students.

On Tuesday, a groundbreaking ceremony was held at Chief Allison M. Bernard Memorial High School, that was attended by Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, John Duncan.

The expansion will see the addition of a regulation high school gymnasium, storage rooms, change rooms and shower facilities. Currently, students and teachers must travel to a different location to be able to use a gym.

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http://www.capebretonpost.com/News/L...office-space/1

Jobs are being filled, but government still looking for office space

Published on August 17, 2012

By Laura Jean Grant - The Cape Breton Post

NEW WATERFORD — Job postings are going up but the location of a new Department of Justice office in New Waterford has yet to determined.

Earlier this year the provincial government announced plans to relocate three government departments to rural communities, including moving the Justice Department’s five maintenance enforcement offices to New Waterford.

Maintenance enforcement staff in Kentville, Amherst, New Glasgow, Dartmouth and Sydney had until early July to decide whether to relocate.

None of the 23 workers from the four mainland offices chose to move to New Waterford, 19 workers accepted another government placement and four are leaving their positions. The only maintenance enforcement staff members who will transfer to New Waterford are the 11 working in Sydney.

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When the New Waterford office opens it will serve the entire province. Department officials have stated that having staff and services in one central location will mean more consistent oversight, more opportunities for staff training and new ways of providing client service.

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Finally back online. Once I move the pictures over to the new computer, I'll be uploading and posting soon after.


http://www.capebretonpost.com/News/L...-renovations/1

Laura Jean Grant - Cape Breton Post

Bernie MacNeil, with Joneljim Concrete Construction, goes over plans for the new security area at JA Douglas McCurdy Sydney Airport, Friday afternoon. Renovation work at the airport began Thursday and is expected to take approximately six months.

Airport undergoing renovations


Published on August 24, 2012
By Laura Jean Grant - Cape Breton Post

SYDNEY — Renovation work is underway at the J.A. Douglas McCurdy Sydney Airport but officials expect there will be minimal impact on passengers during construction.

Helen MacInnis, CEO of the airport, said the project started Thursday and is expected to last about six months. The work is part of a $5 million capital improvement plan by the Sydney Airport Authority that will see several areas of the airport upgraded.

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Seating capacity in the departure lounge will increase from 110 seats to 238 seats.

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According to statistics provided by the airport, passenger traffic at the Sydney airport has grown 25 per cent in the last four years — the passenger count was 139,000 in 2011, up from 91,700 in 2008. The two major carriers operating out of the Sydney airport are Air Canada Jazz, which operates on a year-round basis, and WestJet, which has been offering seasonal service since 2009.

MacInnis said they’re seeing continued growth in passenger numbers in the first half of 2012 and the renovation project will allow them to better serve their growing customer base.

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In June, the airport also received $363,000 through Transport Canada’s airports capital assistance program to purchase a runway condition reporting system and to replace the airport’s emergency power system.

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http://www.capebretonpost.com/News/L...-Donkin-coal/1

Representatives of the local fishing industry, from left, John Prendergast, Carlton Lunn and Kevin Squires, discuss impacts of a barging plan for the Donkin coal project during a meeting held in Port Morien on Wednesday. Erin Pottie - Cape Breton Post

Sierra Club to file report on Donkin coal


Published on August 29, 2012
Erin Pottie RSS Feed


PORT MORIEN — The Atlantic director of the Sierra Club of Canada said a recent court decision regarding drilling in Lake Ainslie underlines the need to identify all possible impacts of the Donkin mine.

Gretchen Fitzgerald, who represents the non-profit environmental organization, discussed the issue in Port Morien on Wednesday evening.

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http://www.capebretonpost.com/News/L...o-begin-soon/1

A new rock wall surrounds Muggah Creek in the north end of Sydney as work continues on the former tar ponds site. Erin Pottie - Cape Breton Post


Work on tar ponds site expected to begin soon

Published on August 30, 2012
Erin Pottie RSS Feed


SYDNEY — The work that will define the future use of the tar ponds is expected to begin soon.

Dawn MacNeil, who handles contracts for the Sydney Tar Ponds Agency, said three proposals were received to carry out redevelopment construction on the former steel plant properties.

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The design for the tar ponds site calls for a commons area with an outdoor concert venue to accommodate up to 10,000 people, a trail network with bridges and boardwalks connecting downtown Sydney, Whitney Pier and Ashby, and other recreation facilities, including a skating pond. The coke ovens site would be home to a business park that would allow for commercial and light industrial development.Up to $20 million has been set aside for future use.

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http://www.capebretonpost.com/News/L...-Street-Park/1

‘Build-it day’ Saturday for Louisa Street Park

Published on September 1, 2012


SYDNEY — The final but very important steps that will turn a neglected park space into a vibrant community playground will be taken Thursday, Friday and Saturday in Sydney’s historic north end.

The efforts to refurbish the former Louisa Street playground are guided by a group of dedicated community volunteers known as the Northend Park Project Society.

Over the past year the group has been raising funds and co-ordinating volunteers with a goal of reviving the park at the end of DesBarres Street.

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