July 24, 2018; Liverpool, NS: Partnerships enable much to be accomplished, and such is the case for repairs required to reopen the Trestle Trail Bridge in Liverpool, NS. Queens Rails to Trails Association’s request for funding support from Region of Queens Municipality’s Council was approved at the Region of Queens July 24, 2018 Regular Council meeting, in an amount up to $90,000 to be funded in 2018-2019 through a withdrawal from Gas Tax Reserve, subject to all funding being in place to advance the first phase of the upgrades.

“Council is happy to provide funds to support Phase One of the upgrades required to reopen the Trestle Trail Bridge, and join with funding partners from private sector and the province to ensure that this popular trail reopens,” said David Dagley, Mayor of the Region of Queens Municipality. “Completion of repairs that will allow the reopening of the Trestle Trail Bridge will support future trail development by the Queens Rails to Trails Association which will connect east and west Queens.”

The Trestle Trail Bridge is part of the popular Trestle Trail which runs through Liverpool, joining the east and west side of the community by crossing the Mersey River. The bridge was closed in November 2014 due to a recommendation for immediate closure to vehicular and pedestrian traffic following an inspection by structural engineers. Estimates for repairs to the bridge a year following its closure were in the area of half a million dollars. In September, 2016, Council approved a Letter of Authority with Queens Rails to Trails Association for establishment of a shared use trail on the abandoned rail corridor in Liverpool. An agreement was signed in October, 2016 with Queens Rails to Trails Association turning over authority for construction, operation and maintenance of a shared use trail and related facilities for the abandoned rail corridor owned by the Region of Queens Municipality from Bristol Avenue to White Point Road in Liverpool, encompassing the Trestle Trail. The agreement required that prior to construction of the Trail or related facilities, that the Association and Municipality review and finalize the construction schedule, design, and construction standards. As well, the agreement states that the Municipality shall not be responsible for the cost of constructing, maintaining or operating any trails or related facilities within these lands.

The Region of Queens and the Province cost shared with the Queens Rails to Trails Association to provide the Region of Queens with a copy of an engineering report by CBCL Limited concerning short and long term costs over a 10 year period to repair the Trestle Trail Bridge only. The 10 year Class D estimate contained in the report for bridge restoration is estimated to be $1,570,000, with a contingency of 10% built in at each stage for engineering and 20% built in at each stage for cost overruns. The upgrades planned by Queens Rails to Trails are planned in three phases; Phase One is expected to begin in the coming months at an estimated to cost of $490,000, which will enable the bridge to reopen once critical structural work is completed. Queens Rails to Trails Association intends to begin Phase Two soon after Phase One, at an estimated cost of $950,000 for additional structural work. Phase Three is budgeted at $130,000 and must be completed within the ten year time frame. It should be noted that a Class D estimate is usually estimated at a 40% contingency for cost overruns, not 20%, however, future tender bids will determine actual project costs.

Confirmed funding for Phase One includes the Region of Queens commitment of up to $90,000, along with $150,000 from the Province of Nova Scotia, and $250,000 from the J&W Murphy Foundation. Phase Two funding has $500,000 confirmed from the J&W Murphy Foundation, with the balance of $450,000 as yet unconfirmed. Phase Three funding estimated at $130,000 is currently unsecured.

Since 2010, Region of Queens Council has worked with organizations in Queens to conditionally permit off highway vehicle access to the Trestle Trail Bridge to create a recreational trail within Queens that would eventually connect to existing ATV trails in Lunenburg and Shelburne Counties.

July 18, 2018

Milton Centennial Pool will be closed Wednesday, July 18, 2018 as a result of a chemical imbalance.  Those registered for swim lessons are being contacted regarding the closure.

We apologize for any inconvenience caused.  The safety of our participants and staff is our #1 priority; we will re-open the pool for aquatic activity only when we are positive that there will be no safety issues for swimmers and staff.  We anticipate that the pool will resume its regular schedule of activities Thursday, July 19, 2018.

July 10, 2018; Liverpool, NS: As time passes, communities change, trends shift and new practices emerge; Region of Queens Municipality is taking steps to continue to evolve with the shift in demographics, changes in the business community, climate change impacts, and other developments affecting the community. At the July 10, 2018 Region of Queens Council meeting, the contact for consulting services for the Review of the Municipal Planning Strategy (MPS) and Land Use Bylaw (LUB) was awarded to UPLAND for a total cost of $138,000.

“There has been much change in Queens since 2009, and Council is pleased see the MPS and LUB review moving forward under the skilled leadership of UPLAND. The Region of Queens plans to build on the success of the community, and through engagement with our citizens throughout the review. The updated plan will serve our community’s needs now and into the near future,” said David Dagley, Mayor of the Region of Queens Municipality.

Periodic updates to MPS and LUB documents are required by the Municipal Government Act; the current Region of Queens MPS and LUB were adopted by Council on July 20, 2009, and there has been much change in Queens County in the ensuing years.

A Request for Proposals (RFP) was issued on May 4, 2018, with a deadline of June 15, 2018, to engage the services of an integrated land use planning and engineering consulting firm with expertise in land use planning to carry out a formal review of the Region of Queens Municipality’s MPS and LUB. The RFP identified that the project would be expected to take place over approximately 18 months in 2018 and 2019. Seven consulting firms submitted proposals, all of which were reviewed by a committee consisting of the Region of Queens Planning Advisory Committee (PAC) and Municipal staff. The proposal from UPLAND had the third highest project hours, second highest project hours by firm project manager, and the lowest overall project price. The Review Committee felt UPLAND’s experience with a similar project was an advantage; in 2017, the firm completed a review and consolidation of planning documents for the Municipality of Cumberland, which is similar to the Region of Queens Municipality in that it has a large geographic area, primarily rural with pockets of urbanized development, and extensive coastlines.

The scope of the project will encompass six guiding principles:
1. Building sustainable communities where residents have varied housing choices, and increased opportunities where to live, work, learn, volunteer, shop, and to have access to a variety of recreational opportunities;
2. Balancing the desires, needs, and unique qualities of our diverse urban and rural communities within the Region;
3. Expanding and growing the local population and economy;
4. Preserving and enhancing community character, the natural environment, and the Region’s sense of space;
5. Responding to climate change; and,
6. Engaging local residents, business community, community organizations, and external agencies and departments throughout the planning process.

The project is expected to start ion the next couple of weeks, and will provide plenty of opportunity for the public to become involved in helping to shape the future of their communities.

July 10, 2018; Liverpool, NS: Homes and public facilities in Liverpool, NS date back centuries, and at the July 10, 2018 Region of Queens Municipality’s Council meeting, motions were approved to preserve and recognize two buildings for their historic significance in the community.

The Heritage Advisory Committee of the Region of Queens Municipality met on June 14, 2018 to discuss the requests for Heritage designations. The owners of the property located at 547 Main Street, Liverpool, NS submitted an application to have their property designated under the municipal register of heritage properties. The dwelling was constructed between 1760 and 1762 on land that was part of the original Town plot, and granted to Captain John West. It is known locally as the John and Phebe West House (West’s Tavern), and the portion of the house containing the original Gambrel-roofed construction is thought to be one of the oldest structures in Liverpool. The architectural style of Gambrel-roofed homes is rare, and the home is among approximately seven in Nova Scotia. The property received provincial heritage designation in 2012. Council served Notice of Recommendation upon the owners of 547 Main Street, Liverpool, and on August 14, 2018 at 9 a.m. in Council Chamber, 249 White Point Road, Liverpool, NS, will sit to hear any comments and/or concerns from the owners regarding the registration.

A letter of request was received from the Queens County Museum requesting that the Region of Queens Municipality, as owners of the building, consider making application to have the Liverpool Court House designated as a Place of National Historic Significance. Council approved a motion in support of this recommendation, and requested staff begin the application, which once submitted, may take up to two years to process by the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada. The Court House was recognized for its historical significance with a provincial heritage designation in 2001. The Court House was built in 1854 by George W. Boehner and was designed by William G. Hammond; it is considered an excellent example of Greek Revival temple style architecture. The Court House has been home to the Queens Museum of Justice since 2017.
Both properties are recognized for their historical significance through listings on Canada’s Historic Places website, which is a Federal, Provincial and Territorial collaboration, featuring historic buildings across the country.

Please take notice that pursuant to the Municipal Government Act, certain lands situate in the Region of Queens Municipality and described in general terms here are now liable to be sold at Public Auction in the Council Chambers of the Region of Queens Municipality at 249 White Point Road, Liverpool, NS on Wednesday, August 22, 2018 at 10:00 AM to recover outstanding taxes, sewer and unsightly charges plus interest as well as expenses of, and incidental to, the sale unless the same are paid in full on or before the said date and time of sale.

June 26, 2018; Liverpool, NS: Succession planning and asset management are important components of running a non-profit organization, and the executive of the Royal Canadian Legion Mersey Branch #038 is making long term plans for the future of the Legion in Liverpool. A motion was approved at the Region of Queens Municipality’s Regular Council meeting on June 26, 2018 in which the Region of Queens agreed to consider first right of acceptance/refusal for the lands and buildings of the Royal Canadian Legion Mersey Branch #038 if at some point in the future the membership gives up its Charter.

“We’ve met with members of the Executive Committee of the Mersey Branch Legion who advised Region of Queens’ CAO and me that, while the Legion currently has no plans to close, declining membership and an aging volunteer base are factors for them to consider when planning for the future of the Legion. It is wise of them to take steps now to ensure that the assets of their organizations will continue to benefit the citizens of Queens in the future,” said David Dagley, Mayor of the Region of Queens Municipality.

“Royal Canadian Legion, Branch #038 is very pleased that the Region of Queens Municipality has agreed to accept our land and building when we can no longer retain our charter. This action will perpetuate our mission to provide for Veterans, Seniors and Youth and to provide an asset for the community. This land and building was provided by the communities’ Veterans and members and we are pleased to know that it will remain a community asset,” said William Cox, Branch Chairman, Royal Canadian Legion Mersey Branch #038.

The Royal Canadian Legion Mersey Branch #038 is a non-profit organization located at 43 Henry Hensey Drive in Liverpool. The Mersey Branch #038 Legion owns and operates the building and land, and the agreement as approved and subsequently incorporated into their by-laws, would grant the Region of Queens Municipality the opportunity to obtain ownership of the building and land if it wished in the event that the Legion surrenders its Charter in the future. The Mersey Branch #038 Legion will submit a ratified by-law to the Royal Canadian Legion’s Provincial Command for approval. The amended by-law was approved by both the Executive Committee and at a General Meeting of the Mersey Branch Legion.