Town of Berwick, Nova Scotia

Elected and appointed folks from the Town of Windsor and West Hants County visited Berwick to learn about our new fire hall efforts. Mayor John Prall, Fire Commissioner Brian Hirtle, Chief Laurie Saunders, along with their peers underlined the benefits of always striving for collaborative outcomes. Our visitors posed many good questions, about budgets, grant funding, inter-organizational agreements, governance, planning. They're doing their homework in a quest to build a fine new fire hall in the Windsor/West Hants region. Click on the thumbnail for some photos of the tour, July 3, 2008.

• Windsor's Mayor Allen (right) with executive assistant, Shelleena. Windsor's Mayor Allen (right) with executive assistant, Shelleena.
• Project Manager, Mark Bouter, on the job at the new fire hall construction site. Project Manager, Mark Bouter, on the job at the new fire hall construction site.
• Visitors from West Hants and Windsor inspect wall where solar panels will go. Visitors from West Hants and Windsor inspect wall where solar panels will go.
• Kings County Councilor, Ted Palmer, intent on Chief Saunders words about the new fire hall. Kings County Councilor, Ted Palmer, intent on Chief Saunders words about the new fire hall.
• Windsor CAO, Louis Coutinho, touring the recreation hall. Windsor CAO, Louis Coutinho, touring the recreation hall.
• Deputy Chief, Mark Marchant, demonstrating hard-hat aerodynamics. Deputy Chief, Mark Marchant, demonstrating hard-hat aerodynamics.
• Project Manager, Mark Bouter, behind the (re)bars. Project Manager, Mark Bouter, behind the (re)bars.
• MLA, Mark Parent, chatting with a roofer at the new fire hall site. MLA, Mark Parent, chatting with a roofer at the new fire hall site.
• Warden Richard Dauphin (left), West Hants, and Mayor John Prall, Berwick. Warden Richard Dauphin (left), West Hants, and Mayor John Prall, Berwick.
• Firefighter, Steven McMahon, explaining interior features. Left to him, Mark Bouter. Firefighter, Steven McMahon, explaining interior features. Left to him, Mark Bouter.
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Berwick marked Canada Day 2008 with plenty of red and white celebrations. Check out the photo gallery. Click the thumbnail.

Amendments to the Motor Vehicle Act will take effect on Sunday, June 1, 2008 to clarify driver and pedestrian responsibilities. Go to the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal website for facts and flyer.

A cycling day success. The street block of Commercial, Union, Cottage and Maple were closed down Saturday morning as age cohorts from 5 years old and up pedaled the route. 400 hundred registrants! Hundreds more applauding! Free lemon-yellow helmets, snacks, bike tune-ups, prizes, thanks to Michelin. Big thanks to all behind-the-scenes and on-the-scenes volunteers, from the organizing committee to the traffic controllers. Great day, lots of fun!.

Click image to go to gallery

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Berwick Community Theatre was started over 30 years ago, and despite lulls in activity has given adults in the Berwick district a chance to exercise their theatrical and creative talents. The group works co-operatively and is always interested in new talent, either on- or off-stage. The current executive members are Eileen Floris, Don Sanford, Judith Wells and Lisa Newcombe. The group is very appreciative of the continuing and overwhelming community support. Email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for more info. The company also has a Facebook group at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=27123916192

The Town has secured funding from the Eco-Trust Fund to perform an Emissions Inventory audit for buildings, equipment and vehicles. Berwick is one of a few Nova Scotia municipalities occupying a leadership position in this crucial issue of environmental stewardship and energy initiatives. Read the press release from the Nova Scotia Government. The Town will publish the results as soon as they are available.

The Town of Berwick and the County of Kings have released the results of a recent feasibility study for a Joint Industrial Park in the Berwick area. The study forecasts significant demand for additional industrial and commercial land in Kings County over the next 25 years. Download the Executive Summary. Translated into employment numbers, the consultants' conservative estimate for the same quarter-century period pegs about 2,500 new jobs created.

Legislation to prohibit hand-held phone use and text messaging while driving will come into force on April 1.

Take steps to ensure you are equipped with the necessary equipment allowing you hands-free phone usage when necessary. Please continue to use your good judgement and limit all cellular usage when driving.

Chapter 293 is further amended by adding immediately after Section 100C the following Section:

100D (1) It is an offence for a person to use a hand-held cellular telephone or engage in text messaging on any communications device while operating a vehicle on a highway.

(2) This Section does not apply to a person who uses a hand-held cellular telephone or other communications device to report an immediate emergency situation.

The fine for using a hand-held phone while driving is $164.50 for the first offence, $222 for a second and $337 for any subsequent offences.

Tips from your Berwick RCMP detachment:

• Don't give out your personal information over the phone or Internet unless you trust the source.
• Check your credit report every year and report any problems immediately.
• Shred unwanted personal documents such as transaction records, credit applications, insurance forms, cheques, financial statements and tax returns.

The Nova Scotia Department of Justice has written to Mayor John Prall notifying him that an additional officer is coming to the municipality upon 2008-09 budget approval. The letter announces: 

New officers have been allocated across the province to address drugs, thefts, assaults, child pornography, school safety, drug education, family violence and proceeds of crime. 

Thanks to excellent working relationships between the Municipality of the County of Kings, the Town of Berwick, the Berwick and District Fire Commission and, of course, the Berwick and District Volunteer Fire Department we have one of the most cost-efficient fire services in the Province. For the Town on a per capita basis, less than a dollar/week, about $40 annually, goes towards the cost of providing fire services. That's the 2nd lowest of all towns in Nova Scotia. Click continue below to see the full list of 31 Towns and their respective fire services costs per capita.

Fifteen photos from around Town, cold day, Feb. 2, 2008 

• Tire swirls in snow Tire swirls in snow
• Gingerbready blue house on Main St. Gingerbready blue house on Main St.
• Can you find the crow in the birch? Can you find the crow in the birch?
• Frame and panel door Frame and panel door
• White and bright, South and Maple Sts. White and bright, South and Maple Sts.
• Mary in the bower, Mill St. Mary in the bower, Mill St.
• Elegant corner house, Mountain View and Maple Elegant corner house, Mountain View and Maple
• Going north on Maple Ave. Going north on Maple Ave.
• Public Works, Main St. Public Works, Main St.
• Shortcut to school from Foster St. Shortcut to school from Foster St.
• Tennis anyone? Yeah, maybe in 3 months! Tennis anyone? Yeah, maybe in 3 months!
• Tennis light standard Tennis light standard
• Tennis clubhouse, Cottage Ave. Tennis clubhouse, Cottage Ave.
• White on white White on white
• Wood on wood Wood on wood
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