Town of Berwick, Nova Scotia

Horse Pull, 1st Annual Berwick Gala Days, 1945 

GALA WEEKEND EVENTS - September 4, 5, 6, 7, 2009

If you have any questions about Gala Days or would like to be involved, please contact Carol (902-538-8616 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) or Ashlyn (902-538-4016 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ).

Click 2009 Gala Days Program to download the pdf file of the Gala Days program.

The  64th Annual Berwick Gala Days is set to take place Labour Day Week-end in Berwick.  Highlights of the week-end include:  Children's Parade, Grand Street Parade (note new start time of 11 am), Fireworks, Car Show, Strongman Competition, Craft Fair, Midway, Barbeques, Much Music Dance and more!!  There wil be something for all ages to enjoy.  This is a great opportunity to get together with friends and support Gala Days - a unique event in that all funds raised go back to support youth activities in the community. 

Watch for a complete schedule of events to be posted here by mid-August.  

For more information, call Gala Day Student Coordinator, Megan Lamb at 538-4019 or Carol Boylan-Hartling at 538-8616.

"The Harbourville Connection" - Exit 15...Heading North, a new book by Pat Hampsey and Anne E. McKenna is now available at local businesses throughout Berwick including Palmer Home Hardware, Berwick Town Hall and Berwick Visitor Information Centre.  This is a follow up to Pat and Anne's first book - Exit 15 - A History of Berwick and is a great book to add to your summer reading list!

The Town  of Berwick Swim Program is in danger of being cancelled.  We are in need of private "in-ground" pools to use for our summer swim program.  Participants will be reimbursed with a donation to assist with the cost of pool chemicals, upkeep, etc.  Please contact Ashlyn or Carol at The Berwick Recreation Department (538-8616/4016) if you are able to lend your pool for one week (either mornings or afternoons) this summer and help keep this very important Recreation Program Alive!!

**Update - July 14, 2009**

Thanks to the response of Berwick residents, we now have enough pools to run The Berwick Recreation Swim Program this summer.

We are still looking for pool owners to donate their pools for a couple of hours from time to time for our DayCamp and Sport Camp Programs.  If interested, please contact The Berwick Recreation Department at 538-8616/4016.  THANK YOU!! 

Join us at Rainforth Park on Wednesday, July 1st from 2-5 pm as we celebrate Canada Day!  There will be a performance by Dance ConXion and Tim Beanie the Clown will be on hand to entertain the children.  Join Janet Small and help plant a "Canada Day Garden".  There will be facepainting, games for the kids, free cake, hot dog barbeque and strawberry shortcake.

The Berwick Fire Department will be there too with Obstacle Course Challenges and Live Demos.

For more information, call The Berwick Recreation Department at 538-8616. Come celebrate Canada with us!!

The Berwick Gala Day Committee are busy planning for this year’s Celebration to be held on September 5,6 & 7.  A full schedule of events will be available by mid July on this website.  This year’s Gala Day

Student, Megan Lamb can be reached at the Berwick Recreation Department at 538-4019, Monday to Friday from 8:30 to 4:30.

Attached forms…..5 mile road race registration form and Apple Town Craft Fair application form..

Background

Each year as part of its budget process, Council approves a one year operating budget. (Download the 09-10 Operating Budget here).

This involves:

•    Calculating the total expenditures the Town requires to provide selected level of service to the ratepayers. 
•    From this expenditure total, all non tax levy revenues are identified and deducted to arrive at the “tax revenue requirementâ€� for the year. 
•    It is this total that ultimately contributes to the tax rates selected.

The event itself was a tree-mendous success: a maple, four flowering crab apple trees and a smaller tree planted behind the Berwick town hall by Berwick Girl Guides and community helpers along for the June 1 tree planting party. Thanks to a successful grant application by 1st Berwick Pathfinders, the trees were funded by Girl Guides of Canada and GM.

The girls intended to provide shade for other kids using the town¹s outdoor spaces, and the town hall hosts the skateboard park, beach volleyball court, a soccer field and afterschool and summer day camp programs. Cancer care N.S. sent along some Seek shade and Stop sunburn tattoos and info for all to match the theme.

With each unit taking on a job - crafts, games, snacks and a community campfire; Berwick public works' hole-digging help, Valley Solid Waste's fresh compost and about 50 community helpers, the Briar Patch trees are on their way.

Valley Waste Resource brought along some fresh compost to give the Guides' trees a boost, and Hannah Dempsey lugged a bag off to to the job.

Student representatives, Parker Muzerall (left) and Emily Bent, took official oaths of office as members of Berwick's RCMP Police Services Advisory Board. RCMP Corporal Merrill Buglar, in his capacity as Commission of Oaths, presided. So did the adult members take their oaths. All agree that Parker and Emily contribute an all-important youth perspective on local policing issues. Neither are shy about sharing their views on improving the safety and security of all Berwick citizens. The committee is honored and privileged to have Parker and Emily as full-fledged, voting members of our advisory team. 

Follow the Read More link to read the oath affirmed by Parker and Emily and the rest of our Berwick Police Services Advisory Board.

The 11th Annual Sports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony takes place on Saturday, June 6th at the Berwick School Gym, 220 Cottage Street, with a Meet and Greet at 6 pm and the Ceremony beginning at 7 pm.

Inductees this year include Athletes, Purdy Adams and Mike Kinsman,Builder/Athletes, Peter Connell and Andy Hopkins as well as the following teams: The 1993-1994 Central Kings Gators High School Hockey Team and The 1971 Berwick Alpines Men's Fastball Team.  Local athletes will also be recognized for their achievements throughout the year.

There will be displays of memorabilia and a free will offering will be taken at the door.   Everyone is welcome to attend.  For more information, call The Berwick Recreation Department at 538-8616.

Request for Proposals

FOR THE PROVISION OF
One (1) 2009 Model 4X4 Pick-Up Truck
Berwick and District Volunteer Fire Department (BDVFD)-RFP-2009-2010-001

Vehicle “Aâ€�:  One (1) Full Size 4 Door Crew Cab Pick-up 4X4 with GVW Rating of between 4000kgs (8800 lbs) and 4454kgs (9800 lbs)

Download the detailed Request for Proposal (159.55 kB).

Please be advised that the trail bed is under inspection for foreign metal objects.  Watch and use only with extrame care.  The Town of Berwick apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause.  Updates will be provided as the required clean up takes place.  For more information, please call The Berwick Recreation Department at 538-4016.

***Update - May 29, 2009***    A "sweep" of the trail has been completed and nails were retrieved.  We will be reopening the trail today, but ask that users still use caution as there may still be nails on the railbed.  Another sweep of the trail will be done June 1 & 2 to ensure the nails have been removed.  The Town of Berwick appreciates your cooperation in this matter.   

**Update - June 10, 2009**

The Town of Berwick wishes to give some background information regarding in asphalt shingles which were laid on the trail in May. The Town of Berwick gained a letter of Authority for the 2.2km section of the abandon rail line which runs through the town limits. Since October 2, 2002 there have been endless hours of work completed to make this section of trail as user friendly as possible. This 2.2km section has been designated as a demonstration trail. This means that as a trail committee we are looking at the application of a number of trail surfaces to combat common trail use issues, acting as a test site.

 The asphalt shingles is to combat the common dust issue which was brought to our attention by those who live along the trail. During the processing of the asphalt shingles, valley waste was able to extract 900 pounds of nails from the shingles. On the Berwick section of the trail there was roughly 375 tons of asphalt shingles laid and roughly a 5 gallon bail of nails or 60 pounds of nails retrieved after spreading the surface.

The Town of Berwick will continue to maintain a close watch on the trail for further developments. We will be doing weekly surface sweeps until we are comfortable moving towards a monthly sweep and then a more flexible schedule.

We have the support of a number of users groups, for example the Annapolis Valley Lake & Ridge Runners Association, Snowmobile Club and the Kings County ATV club. We have also received a number of compliments about the surface for those who both walk and run on the trail.

We appreciate the continued support of all trail users and hope you continue to bring all your trail issues to our attention.