St. Mary's Bay 4-H Club celebrating 50th anniversary

By Mark Squibb

The Zodiac 4-H Club of St. Mary’s Bay is thriving — the club boasts a membership of 34 students, meaning that roughly half of Dunne Memorial Academy students are members.

Some $500 in funding courtesy of Farm Credit Canada (FCC), released just before Christmas, will be put towards a 50th anniversary celebration to be held this spring.

“It’s great to have that extra money,” said club coordinator Patti Corcoran. “It goes a long way to making things that you want to do with the club more feasible.”

In years past, the club has been able to buy sports equipment and other items through the funding.

Aside from the anniversary celebrations, the club will host provincial competitions later this year. Students of all ages will give speeches and perform demonstrations before a panel of judges. The competition will be followed by a large banquet.

The organization, which has been active in Canada for over 100 years, is rooted in agriculture and community outreach. Members of the Zodiac Club participate in a wide range of activities, from cooking to crafts to outdoor games.

The club also partners with local Branch 62 of the Royal Canadian Legion in Riverhead. The club uses the Legion building for meetings and in turn its members participate in the Poppy Drive and Remembrance Day parade.

Children can join at six years of age. Those interested in helping as a volunteer leader must have a vulnerable sector check, as with any youth organization.

The club currently boasts eight adult leaders.

Joint council wants better cellular service

By Mark Squibb

Members of the Southern Shore Joint Council have two major concerns on their minds that they want to see addressed — poor cell phone service and damage caused by coastal erosion.

Bay Bulls Deputy Mayor Jason O’Brien, who sits on the council along with representatives from other municipal councils and local service districts along the shore, told his fellow Bay Bulls council colleagues during the January 13 public meeting that the two topics were major subjects of discussion during a recent joint council meeting.

“We’re looking for an approach to get better cell coverage for the Southern Shore,” said O’Brien. “It goes blank in a lot of areas and is very poor in others.”

He said the committee was looking at reaching out to both Bell and the provincial government regarding the issue, and the problem appears to be a case of “more users on the same old equipment.”

The deputy mayor added that many communities along the shore have suffered coastal erosion, particularly following recent storms.

Mayor Keith O’Driscoll applauded the joint council’s action on both items — particularly in regard to the poor cell phone coverage.

“Cell coverage has diminished completely,” said the mayor. “Hopefully we can make some traction and get things changed.”

The issue of poor cell phone service is not limited to the Southern Shore— the town councils of Conception Bay South and Holyrood have also raised a fuss over poor cellular service in recent years.

Additional trail costs get the okay from council

Bay Bulls council last week ratified an email vote conducted by council earlier in the month to approve $17,560, HST included, worth of additional work for phase 2 of the Long Pond Walking Trail upgrade project.

Town Manager Ashley Wakeham explained the extra work was for additional quantities of material and the addition of extra culverts to prevent washouts.

The addition of a tow-along snow groomer will also keep the trail in good, useable condition, for either hiking or snowshoeing, throughout the winter months.

Phase 2 of the project consists of building 1.5 kms of walking trail at Long Pond, effectively closing the trail loop.

The project, valued at $484,292, was cost shared with the provincial government on a 60/40 split. The town successfully applied for gas tax funding to cover its portion of the project cost ($193,717.)

Bay Bulls approves new mental health clinic

By Mark Squibb

Bay Bulls council has approved the operation of a mental health clinic on Southside Road.

Deputy Mayor Jason O’Brien, during last week’s public meeting, moved that council approve the business application for a mental health counseling clinic for 151 Southside Road, adding the service will benefit the region as a whole.

Councillor Ethan Williams seconded the motion.

“God knows there are a lot of people that are struggling that may go unnoticed by the community, especially here in a small town,” said Williams. “A lot of people are fighting those battles (with mental health) so a big thank you to the applicant for taking the initiative to start this here in the community.”

Mayor Keith O’Driscoll concurred with his colleagues, and the application passed unanimously, excepting that councillors Corey Ronayne and Jason Sullivan were absent from the meeting.

Witless Bay to ask Province to help shoulder burden of emergency

By Mark Squibb

Witless Bay council will request a meeting with Minister of Health and Community Services John Hogan to ask whether the Province can help the town and it’s volunteer fire department bear some of the burden of providing emergency response services within the region.

Town CAO Jennifer Aspell noted that in 2024 the Witless Bay Volunteer Fire Department received 286 calls for service, 218 of which were medical calls.

Aspell said the issue has been discussed often over the years, and that provision of an ambulance service would be ideal. Barring a local ambulance service, Aspell suggested the Province could supplement the fire department or help cover the costs of training and equipment.

“There’s no harm in meeting with the minister,” ventured councillor Ralph Carey. “Nothing lost, nothing gained.”

The motion, brought before council during this month’s public meeting, was approved unanimously.

Bay Bulls lit it up for annual Christmas light contest

The Town of Bay Bulls has announced the winners of its annual Light it Up Christmas light challenge.

The judges were so wowed by the spectacular displays that in addition to the three prize winners, the Town named several runners-up. Mark Hiscock, Dwaine Lake, and Teresa St. Croix won first, second, and third place respectively. Prize packages, consisting of gift cards from the Stone Ducky, The Jigger, and Arbour restaurants, were valued at $150, 105, and $60 respectively. Darrin Lundrigan, Kevin Glynn Sr., Andrew Mackey, Michael Burke, Derrick Williams, Brian Swain, Evelyn Tucker, Kevin Whelan, Angus O’Brien, and Debbie Joyce received honourable mentions and each received a $25 North Atlantic gas card.

Cape Broyle businessman was a familiar, friendly face on the Southern Shore

By Olivia Bradbury/Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Anyone who has ever stopped by Cape Broyle for a feed of fish and chips or a cold brew over the past 40 years can probably say they were served by Harold Hayden.

The former owner and operator of the Riverside Restaurant and Lounge, and a beloved father, grandfather, and friend, passed away January 16 at the age of eighty-seven.

Harold met his wife Nora in Goose Bay in 1956. Nora, originally from Paradise River, worked at Ward’s Pharmacy, while Harold worked at the military base as a painter, plasterer, and maintenance man. They were married for 64 years until Nora’s death in January of 2024. They built their first house in Goose Bay, where their first three children were born, and in 1970 moved to Harold’s hometown of Cape Broyle, where they had two more children.

That’s where Harold purchased a house and business from his brother, Michael.

When he first bought it, the business was a takeout, but he turned it into the Riverside Restaurant and Lounge people know today. He worked at the restaurant for 32 years, becoming as familiar a face to patrons going up and down the shore as anyone.

Despite not having a formal education, said his son Rick and business successor in an interview last week, Harold excelled in his work and was a markedly successful business owner.

When asked what he learned from his father, Rick, who took over the Riverside after Harold’s retirement, didn’t even have to think about it.

“Hard work don’t kill anybody,” he said, recalling his father’s words. “And if you want something, and you want it to thrive, in business or whatever, in order to get ahead, you have to work at it. And one thing Dad always said to me, he said, ‘You treat everybody the same, my son, and you keep your business clean, and you’ll always have a business.’”

Rick said his father was quiet but sociable, always happy to talk with others.

“He knew everybody from Trepassey right down to past Bay Bulls. He knew everybody and everybody knew him,” said Rick. Outside of work, Harold enjoyed fishing and hunting in the country, particularly with his friend Denny Stratton, as well as playing cards.

Harold was predeceased by his wife, Nora; his parents, Ronald and Elizabeth Hayden; his parents-in-law, Arthur and Gemima Learning; his grandson, Jacob Puddister; his brothers: Vince, Stan, Michael, Lawrence, Frank, Ronald, Randell, William, and Cyril; and his sisters: Hilda, Rita, Sally and Joan.

Hayden leaves to mourn his five children: Sandra, Richard (Linda), Elizabeth, Marlie (Keegan), and Lesa (Neil); his grandchildren: Jimmy (Cynthia), Melanie (Bill), Tyler (Katelyn), Kelsey (Julia), Brittney (Lucas), Kali, Erin, Natalie (Owen) and Nielle (Colby); his great-grandchildren: Calista, Lyla, Jesse, Hayden, Chase, and Lennon; his best friends: Denny Stratton, Helen Hawkins, Raymie O’Brien; his song friends, card friends, and special nieces and nephews.

Harold was buried alongside his wife’s grave at Our Lady of the Cape Roman Catholic Cemetery in Cape Broyle on January 19. The funeral was followed by a celebration of life at the Riverside Restaurant and Lounge, which saw a huge attendance.

“I’m telling you, I’ve never seen such a crowd in my life as was at the Riverside on Sunday,” Rick said. “You wouldn’t get a pea in there, there were that many people there.”

The turnout, he allowed, was a testament to how many lives Harold Hayden touched, and the pillar of the community he was in Cape Broyle.

75th Anniversary of Confederation Medals

Ferryland MHA Loyola O’Driscoll said he was proud to present a number of deserving residents of his district with 75th Anniversary of Confederation Medals last year. In the back, form left, are Keith Mooney, Lorraine Hawkins, Shannon Ryan, Frank Sullivan, James Boland, Clarence Molloy, Michelle O’Keefe, Charlene Power, Algy Windsor and MHA O’Driscoll. In the front row, from left, is Charlie Philips, Maureen Hynes, Judy Brazil, Kathleen Fortin, Anita Molloy, Rita Pennell and Maureen Walsh. Missing from the photo is Petty Harbour Mayor Ron Doyle, who is also a recipient of the medal.

O'Driscoll ready to lace 'em up and race again

By Mark Squibb

Ferryland MHA Loyola O’Driscoll  intends to run again in this year’s widely expected provincial election and has already been named the Progressive Conservative candidate for Ferryland district.

“It’s a tough go, having an election, and the real work only starts after you’re elected,” said O’Driscoll. “Sometimes you sit and say, ‘Is this what I want to do?’ But it’s something I’ve committed to do for the people of this area. If I can get at something, I generally go at it pretty hard.”

O’Driscoll, who hails from Bay Bulls, was first elected in 2019 and then again in 2021, and hopes that 2025 is the year the PC’s form government again.

“I hope that people see what the Liberal government has done over this last 10 years, such as implementing the carbon tax and the sugar tax,” said O’Driscoll. “We are certainly hoping that we will be government. That is our intention.”

Looking back over 2024, O’Driscoll said he was glad to see some much-needed paving completed in the district, including along the Witless Bay Line, in Trepassey and Portugal Cove South.

“That’s positive for the district, but of course we’d like to see more obviously,” said O’Driscoll. “We’ve been pressing for more, but it’s government’s decision.”

The MHA said brush cutting was supposed to be completed last year, but the tendering process was delayed and so it’s unlikely to be completed before winter sets in.

On the subject of roads, O’Driscoll recently renewed his plea for 24/7 snow clearing during the winter months.

Currently, the Province offers around-the-clock snow clearing on 14 high-traffic routes. Snow clearing elsewhere begins as early as 4:30 a.m., with staff on call to clear areas around the clock in case of an emergency.

O’ Driscoll said it’s not enough, pointing out that it snows outside business hours and limiting snow clearing hours causes delays in getting the roads clear.

“There are people that get on the road at 5 and 6 o’clock in the morning to start their shift, say at the hospital, at 7,” said O’Driscoll. “They might be coming from Ferryland or Cape Broyle or Renews or wherever they may be. They have to get on the road early, and not every road is done when they hit the road.”

O’Driscoll said he was glad last year to be able to recognize residents in his district and present them with 75th Anniversary of Confederation Medals on behalf of the provincial government.

“That was a very nice experience, to be able to give 17 people what I would call volunteer appreciation awards for all they do for the community,” said O’Driscoll. “That was great. The problem was there were so many other deserving people, but each MHA was only given 17 awards. But it was a very nice event I have to say.”

Looking ahead to the rest of this year, O’Driscoll said delays in health care will need to be addressed.

“We try and work with constituents who reach out to our office with dire issues,” said O’Driscoll. “Sometimes waiting is not an option. These issues have to be diagnosed sooner rather than later. People’s lives are on hold until this stuff is done. So that’s worrisome for sure. It’s a concern.”