September 12, 2017; Liverpool, NS:  This afternoon, the Council of the Region of Queens Municipality appointed Jennifer Keating Hubley, Director of Finance who is a 13 year employee of the Region of Queens Municipality, as Interim Chief Administrative Officer (ICAO).   This will become effective upon the departure of the current CAO in early October.

Council also approved commencing advertisement of the position to seek a candidate for the permanent appointment of a Chief Administrative Officer.  The objective at the Region of Queens is to provide opportunity for career advancement to staff, while ensuring that the Region enjoys a robust, transparent, and competitive selection process for the next Chief Administrative Officer.  Council will take the time to properly complete this hiring process, and will strive to hire the best candidate for Queens.  In this regard, both internal and external candidates will be considered.

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that pursuant to the Municipal Government Act, certain lands situate in the Region of Queens Municipality and described in general terms below are now liable to be sold at Public Tender in the Council Chambers of the Region of Queens Municipality at 249 White Point Road, Liverpool, Nova Scotia on Thursday, September 28, 2017 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. Please click on the link below for the list of properties.

Public Tender

There will be a Special meeting of Region of Queens Council held on Tuesday, September 5, 2017 at 9:00 a.m. in the Region’s Council Chambers, 249 White Point Road, Liverpool.  The purpose of this meeting is to deal with an in-camera item under Section 22(c) of the Municipal Government Act.  An agenda will be posted on this website.

I was saddened to learn of the tragic event on Saturday during the Hank Snow Tribute.  I offer my condolences to the families involved in this accident.

A special thank you is extended to our Queens Place Emera Centre staff, Hank Snow Museum staff and volunteers, the RCMP, and emergency and fire services first responders.   I know this has been difficult for all involved.  Thank you for your leadership and public service.

Mayor David Dagley, Region of Queens Municipality

August 8, 2017; Liverpool, NS:  The Region of Queens Council is looking to the future and making plans for down the road by setting up funding reserves and a long range plan to improve road conditions in the Municipality.  At the August 8^th Regular Council meeting, approval was given to sign the standard, recurring 3 year agreement to be eligible to “apply at a future date” for Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal (TIR) approval to cost-share on surface upgrades.  Staff will include a list of possible improvement needs to be included in the future capital plan, along with a funding suggestion to be considered at 2017/18 budget discussions.

The suggested solution would be to begin building a reserve as early as the 2018/19 budget, which would then be used in the recapitalization of Local Roads under the Municipal Service Exchange.   The second item included a motion to authorize the Mayor and Chief Administrative Office (CAO) to sign the three year cost sharing agreement for paving subdivision roads; this is a document that is renewed every three years, and enables future consideration of joint paving projects with the Province.

The motion gives staff the flexibility to investigate the various funding solutions.  At an estimated $250,000 per kilometer, and nearly 47 km of roads identified as being in need of resurfacing, there are over $11 million in infrastructure costs currently not funded.  There is an annual financial cap on the Province of Nova Scotia’s cost sharing program, which currently funds up to 50% of project costs.  Establishing a reserve to fund the municipal portion of the resurfacing of the identified roads will help to systematically, over a long period of time, enable roads to be resurfaced that would not otherwise be resurfaced.  Some of the roads identified in the 46.84 km of roads require more immediate assistance, and will been attended to first.  Roads eligible for paving under the Municipal Service Exchange agreement are those constructed prior to April 1995.  Currently, fees paid by municipalities for operational maintenance (ie; winter operations, drainage, ditch maintenance, and pot hole repairs) do not cover resurfacing, and  are adjusted annually by the consumer Price Index for Canada, with the rate for 2015/2016 being $5,064 per kilometer; the 2017/2018 Region of Queens budget allocated $244,613 to pay the Province for these services. 

August 2, 2017; Liverpool, NS:  The mood was celebratory at Queens Place Emera Centre today as the Liverpool Championship Host Society announced they will host the World Junior Curling Championships in Liverpool, NS from February 17 – 24, 2019.

“The Liverpool Championship Host Society  has done a great job in securing this event, which will  bring 140 of the world’s top young curlers, their coaches, families and fans to Queens County in February, 2019,” said David Dagley, Mayor of the Region of Queens Municipality.   Queens County has a reputation of hosting great events, having strong volunteer support, and bringing the crowds in support of all events, whether it is sport, cultural, or entertainment. We are excited to welcome the world to Liverpool, Queens County, Nova Scotia in February, 2019.”

President of the Liverpool Championship Host Society, Greg Thorbourne, announced that the Society had been successful in their bid to host the World Junior Curling Championships, and reflected on the previous success that the community had experienced in hosting the 2014 Canadian Junior Curling Championships. During the event announcement, the Honorable Leo Glavine, Minister of Communities, Culture and Heritage, advised of Provincial support for the week long world championships, contributing $100,000.  Region of Queens Municipality’s Mayor David Dagley confirmed that Council’s July 25, 2017, pre-budget approval of $50,000 in the 2018/2019 was in support of the World Junior Curling Championships. Shirley Osborne spoke on behalf of Curling Canada, advising that the 2019 Championships will be the 10 year anniversary of the event being held in Canada, which was in Vancouver in 2009.  Also attending the event were representatives from the Nova Scotia Curling Association, Liverpool Curling Club, Member of Parliament Bernadette Jordan’s Office, members of the Region of Queens Council, Events Nova Scotia and Communities Culture and Heritage.

The arena at Queens Place Emera Centre will be transformed to contain five sheets of curling ice, and will be the venue for the weeklong event. At least 10 countries will compete in Liverpool at this event with world class curlers aged 21 and under, with 10 men’s and 10 women’s teams.  The top six countries in each gender from the 2018 World Juniors in Aberdeen, Scotland will compete in the 2019 Worlds; three more countries in each gender will qualify out of the 2019 World Junior-B Curling Championships, and Canada’s entries will be decided at the 2019 New Holland Canadian Junior Championships.

July 25, 2017; Liverpool, NS:  Queens County has been approved to host a major event, and the Region of Queens Council is showing its support through pre-budget approval of $50,000 in the 2018/2019 budget.   A funding request was made to the Region of Queens Municipality by a local nonprofit organization that has been successful in its effort to host the event. 

“Although we are not at liberty to release any details about the event at this time, Council is confident that this event will be met with great enthusiasm by the public,” said David Dagley, Mayor of the Region of Queens.

An announcement regarding this event is scheduled at noon, Wednesday August 2^nd, 2017 at Queens Place Emera Centre, Liverpool, NS.

July 13, 2017; Liverpool, NS:   In just 14 months, more than 5,700 people from across Canada and the United States of America have taken a virtual journey in Liverpool, NS with a view to retiring in the area.  Liverpool resident Peter Ripple launched the website retiretoliverpool.com in April 2016 to promote Liverpool and area as an ideal choice for to those considering retirement options.

“Mr. Ripple shows a great deal of community pride in hosting and managing the Retire to Liverpool website,” said David Dagley, Mayor of the Region of Queens Municipality.  “To have a citizen spreading the word about the benefits of residing in Queens County, supports the work that Council is doing to grow the population and economy.  We have taken some steps to work with Mr. Ripple in promoting his website, which has many links back to the Region of Queens website.” The Region of Queens Municipality ran a targeted Facebook ad in Ontario in June, directing people to retiretoLiverpool.com, which showed an increase to the website traffic, as well as additional traffic on the Region of Queens Facebook page.  A highway sign has also been placed near the 103, by exit 19 on Queens Crossing land with the Retire to Liverpool web address.

Ripple receives enquiries about the area through the website, and reports that at least six families have moved to the area as a result of the information in the Retire to Liverpool website.    Ripple set up and maintains the site with his own funds, and does not generate revenue from the website.

“I think it is in all of our interests to promote Queens County as a destination for people to live, regardless of their ages,” said Ripple.  “I would encourage you to use the site as a means of promoting Liverpool/Queens as a great place to live.”

Inspired to take action by the results of the 2011 census data that showed Queens County’s population was in decline and aging, and the loss of some longstanding businesses in the community, Ripple features aspects of Queens County that are desirable to those who are at the age to consider their retirement options.  RetiretoLiverpool.com features information about what’s available in Liverpool, with sections on health and wellness; recreational opportunities; services and area businesses; housing and cost of living; arts, culture and entertainment; and the temperate climate.  Those browsing the website will see many pictures of the amenities, natural beauty and abundant arts, culture and recreational opportunities available to residents. 

To view the following properties for tax sale on August 29, 2017 please click on the tax sale link below.

Tax Sale

July 1, 2017; Liverpool, NS: Even the weather couldn’t dampen the spirits of skateboard and biking enthusiasts as the Region of Queens Municipality  and the Queens County Skatepark Association officially opened the Mersey Skatepark in Liverpool, NS. Interested youth and adults gathered with their skateboards, bikes, and scooters to see the opening of the Mersey Skatepark under overcast skies, and a heavy mist.

The Mersey Skatepark has been generating excitement on social media and in the skateboarding community as the current top skatepark in the province, and perhaps even in eastern Canada, as a result of an innovative  design, and features. The skatepark has a large triple bowl, a streetscape, and a flow area, with a small bowl. Since construction was completed, it has been a popular spot, with skateboarders, scooter users, bikers, and rollerbladers of all ages and capabilities.

A skatepark has been a dream of youth in Queens County for over a decade; the formation of the Queens County Skatepark Association in 2012 was the beginning of making the dream a reality. With a vision the “It’s Time for a Skatepark in Queens!”, QCSA approached the Region of Queens Municiplaity for support. The donation of land and $200,000 cash got the wheels moving on the project. Community support through fundraising was huge, with QCSA receiving $330,000 through fundraising and donations.

The Mersey Skatepark is located at 72 Queens Place Drive, Liverpool, NS, adjacent to Queens Place Emera Centre, a Municipally operated multi purpose recreational facility. Also located on the property is a newly built BMX Pump Track, basketball nets, an outdoor walking trail, and a sledding hill. There are year round recreational opportunities for all ages in this multi use complex.