Bay Bulls receives funding for lights along Long Pond trail

By Mark Squibb \ April 21, 2023

Things are getting brighter for folks in Bay Bulls— literally.

The provincial government last week at a special event in Mount Pearl announced some $2 million in funding in Building Age Friendly Communities grants, a one-time grant designed to help municipalities make upgrades to better accommodate seniors.

Earlier this year, Bay Bulls had requested funding for solar lights along the Long Pond walking trail to the tune of $27,700. Minus the GST/HST rebate, the cost comes to $18,130, of which government will pay $16,320. The Town of Bay Bulls will be on the hook for only $1,810.

Council agreed to accept the funding arrangement during last week’s public meeting, and also agreed to submit a Gas Tax Capital Investment Plan application to the Gas Tax Secretariat in the amount of $7,300 for the project.

Town Manager Jennifer Aspell said that work is expected to begin once the weather clears up.

Work on the design began in 2020 and the trail will be a combination of compacted granular and boardwalk with a focus on accessibility.

Phase I of the project was cost shared by the federal, provincial, and municipal governments under a Municipal Capital Works program, with each government paying a third of the cost, which works out to $143,702 each for a total of $475,444 (less HST). Phase II is valued at $144,229, and of that cost, the Town only has to contribute 10 per cent — $14,422. The rest of the cost of Phase II was covered by provincial COVID stimulus funding.

Southern Shore Breakers U11 tier 1 girls

The Southern Shore Breakers U11 tier 1 girls hockey team won the Metro League championship last month against the Northeast Eagles taking the series 2-0. Both games were won via a shoot out. The girls also won the bronze medal in the U11B provincials hosted at the Southern Shore arena March 17-19. The team includes, starting from left: Coach Glen Sullivan, Mya Carey, Ava Curtis, Faith Kieley, goalie Rachel Coady, Maggie Carter, Bree Joyce, Jenna Keough, Kayleigh Dalton, Lyndon Kieley, Manager Laura Mullowney, Emma Ward, Zoe Brennan, Grace Boland, Lauren Johnson, Coach Jonathan Carter, Lexi Burke, Abbi Sullivan, Callie Coombs, and Trainer Jed Kieley. Missing from the photo is Head Coach Jennifer Bidgood. Photo courtesy of Laura Mullowney

Police seize bikes, charge two youths with flight from police

Two youths operating off-road vehicles are facing criminal charges after fleeing from the RCMP in Witless Bay on Sunday, April 2.

Police were patrolling the Witless Bay Line when they observed ATVs driving on the roadway, said RCMP spokesperson Glenda Power.

“Upon the activation of police emergency lights to conduct a traffic stop, the three ATVs fled at a high rate of speed,” she said. “In the interest of public safety, officers did not pursue the vehicles.”

Power said additional officers parked and waited for the ATVs at the intersection of Witless Bay Line and Route 10. Two of the three ATVs came upon the intersection, failed to stop at the stop sign and continued to flee. They were last seen turning onto Deans’ Road. Police made a patrol on Dean’s Road and observed the ATVs parked by a guard rail at the end of the road. Two youths were arrested for flight from police and were transported to the RCMP Bay Bulls Community Office.  They were released from custody and are set to appear in court at a later date to answer to the charges. The ATVs were seized and impounded.

The third ATV operator was not located. The investigation is continuing.

Power said according to the provincial Off-Road Vehicles Act and Regulations, it is illegal to operate any off-road vehicle on a roadway and offenders could be liable for $325 summary offence ticket. 

“Operators who fail to stop for police put themselves and others at unnecessary risk and place themselves in breach of a criminal offence – Flight from Police – which can result in a criminal record,” Power said.

Ronayne feels new policy for demolition permits is a dynamite idea

By Craig Westcott/March 31, 2023

Bay Bulls council is moving to speed up part of the development process by handing over its authority for the issuance of demolition permits to Town staff.

Councillor Corey Roynane made the motion to devolve that responsibility, which was seconded by councillor Shannon O’Driscoll.

Deputy Mayor Jason O’Brien asked whether council will still be informed when the permits are issued.

Town Manager Jennifer Aspell said the permits will be included for council’s review in the monthly permit report.

“It’s really just an effort not to hang people up,” she explained. “Demolition is usually the first step in the process for a development. So, if we can get demolition permits out the door quickly, the individual can get their application (to build) tabled (before council earlier) if they want to do a development.”

Roynane said he thinks it’s a good idea as it will speed up the process for residents.

In other council news:

Council has denied a request to waive interest on a tax account.

“I’m going to motion to deny waiving that interest,” said councillor O’Driscoll, “due to the fact it has been outstanding for a while with no effort to make payment on this account.”

Deputy Mayor O’Brien seconded the motion.

“I think it should be noted that there has been no cooperation from the individual to make a tax payment plan,” said O’Brien.

Town Manager Aspell pointed out the Town does offer a number of options for people who are struggling to pay their municipal taxes. “The interest relief one is one that we’ve had great success with over the last few years,” she added. “So, we do work with account holders quite frequently.”

In other tax related news, Gully Designs, which was located at 151 Southside Road, has been removed from the business tax rolls effective January 2023.

Deputy Mayor O’Brien made the motion to remove the business and to provide remission of $450 for the company’s 2023 taxes.

Councillor O’Driscoll seconded the motion, which carried unanimously.

And in the monthly report on the Bay Bulls to Bauline Athletic association, Mayor O’Driscoll noted the organization’s after school program had to be discontinued.

“But moving along for the month of April and into Easter, they are opening up for the Easter Camp,” said O’Driscoll. “That’s a positive event there.”

The BBBAA’s indoor soccer program is also continuing, he noted.

Council getting cautious with speed bump policy

By Craig Westcott/March 31, 2023

Bay Bulls council has approved new speedbumps for three more places intown.

Deputy Mayor Jason O’Brien made the motion to implement the so-called Speed Bump Location Plan at last week’s monthly public meeting.

The speedbumps will be installed near the playgrounds on Sheldon Drive and Island Cove Road, as well as near O’Brien’s Boat Tours on Lower Road, “as that is a busy pedestrian activity (area) in the summertime,” said O’Brien.

Town Manager Jennifer Aspell asked council to clarify whether it is only approving speed bumps for the three areas identified.

“It’s just my opinion, but I think we have too many on certain roads,” said O’Brien, adding that unless there is a concentration of children in the area, the bumps are probably not needed.

“That’s fine. I just wanted to make sure we had the list complete there,” said Aspell.

“I think we should focus around playground areas and busy pedestrian areas that cross local roads,” said O’Brien.

The list was approved unanimously.

Town wants more detail before signing onto regional plan

By Craig Westcott/March 31, 2023

Bay Bulls won’t be participating for now with other municipalities on the Northeast Avalon in the creation of a new plan to govern development throughout the entire region.

Town Manager Jennifer Aspell explained the item was on last week’s public council meeting agenda because Bay Bulls was recently notified by the provincial Department of Municipal Affairs that it is interested in restarting the so called NEAR Plan, “which wasn’t really finished completely back in 2017.”

“It was originally stated in 2005 and as we know, quite a lot has changed on the Northeast Avalon since those times,” said Aspell. “Staff did reach out to the department to determine what kind of commitment was involved and what the financial cost might be. We were unsuccessful at this point in getting that information.”

Councillor Shannon O’Driscoll moved that Bay Bulls not participate “at this time.”

That was seconded by Deputy Mayor Jason O’Brien. “It would be nice to get some more details about what’s involved and what we’re meant to do and need to do before we decide,” he allowed.

“The biggest would be (to determine), how is it impacting us?” said Mayor Keith O’Driscoll.

Aspell said when the project was launched back in 2005, the budget for it was set at $771,850, all of which was spent with the exception of $106,800. The cost was shared by the participating municipalities on a per capita basis.

In order to restart the plan, Aspell said, the municipalities will have to call for a new Request for Proposals from consultants interested in leading the project. “And as it’s been almost 20 years since it was initiated, I don’t know what the costs would be, but it would stand to reason that they would be significant,” she said.

Aspell said the per capita rate that will be charged to each municipality is unknown.

Put to a vote, council voted unanimously – with the exception of councillor Jason Sullivan who was absent from last week’s meeting – to refrain from participating for now.

Witless Bay council promises to resume public meetings

By Mark Squibb/March 31, 2023

After over three years of tuning in by phone due initially to pandemic restrictions, residents of Witless Bay will finally be able to attend in-person council meetings again next month, as council has committed to re-open the chamber.

Witless Bay is one of the few municipalities in the province whose council continues to meet out of public view since the Covid-19 pandemic was declared in March of 2020.

“I wanted to let people know that meetings will be open again to the public in April,” said Deputy Mayor Lorna Yard following a short council meeting held via teleconference on March 23.

Yard added that Mayor Trevor Croft will be back from the west coast to chair the meeting.

For the last number of months, Croft has been helping with the Clean Harbours Initiative on the island’s west coast, and the duty of chairing the meeting has fallen to a handful of councilors who took turns chairing the sessions.

During last week’s meeting, from which councilors Alex Troake, Jacob Hayden, and Ralph Carey were absent, council voted to hire a temporary office assistant through Advantage Personnel, a national staffing agency. The Town Hall is down to one staff person following a couple of years of hirings, firings and resignations among staff. The Town Hall has been frequently closed for business since the new council was elected in September 2021 and council has yet to say whether it will extend deadlines for permits and other matters that are set to expire as residents and developers have been unable to complete their business because of the unpredictability of operations at the Town Hall. With 1,640 residents, according to the 2021 census, Witless Bay is the largest populated town on the Southern Shore.

While people living in larger municipalities such as Mount Pearl, Conception Bay South, or Paradise rarely attend council meetings in person, unless to give a presentation, Witless Bay and neighbouring Bay Bulls often attracted full houses before the pandemic closed chambers across the province. Bay Bulls too is continuing to meet via teleconference. No date has been set for its return to full public meetings.

The official date for Witless Bay’s return to regular in-person meetings has not yet been announced other than it is said to be in April.

Council hoping feds will see the light on trail application

By Craig Westcott/March 24, 2023

The Town of Bay Bulls is applying for an Age Friendly Building Grant from the federal government.

At Tuesday’s public council meeting, Mayor Keith O’Driscoll explained that council had actually approved the application in a phone poll earlier this month. That was done to meet the deadline for applications. On Tuesday, council voted to ratify that decision with all of council voting in favour of it, except councillor Jason Sullivan, who was absent.

If successful, the Town will use the money to install solar lighting along the Long Pond Walking Trail.

“Mayor O’Driscoll, we should probably just mention it was a quick turnaround on the funding,” said Town Manager Jennifer Aspell. “Council had suggested solar lighting (would be better) on the trail – I believe it was councillor Roynane who brought it up, but if we’re successful we will be installing 40 solar lights on the existing section of trail.”

In other development news, council has approved two applications to demolish buildings situated at 56 – 64 St. John’s Road. One was for a house, the other for an accessory building.

“The demolition must be completed in accordance with the Newfoundland and Labrador Occupational Health and Safety Regulations,” said councillor Shannon O’Driscoll.

The demolitions appear to be needed to make way for a new business, as council shortly afterward approved a new commercial development permit for the same address, namely an eating establishment and lounge.

Council also approved a residential development permit for a single family dwelling at 185 Northside Road conditional upon approval from the relevant government departments related to septic and other matters.

“It’s good to see more dwellings and more development,” said Deputy Mayor Jason O’Brien. “People deciding to move to Bay Bulls is a good thing to see.”

And council also approved an application to erect an 8’ X 12’ utility shed at 16 Southside Road.

The Mobile Monarchs won the Grade 7 Provincial B Championship held at Beaconsfield Junior High last weekend defeating Paradise Intermediate in the final. The team includes, from left: Coach Chris Doyle, James Choke, Grady Dalton, Olive Pike, Cam Maloney, Grady Williams, Braden Joyce, Jordan Cahill, Cohen Doyle, Rower Power, Cameron Barnable, Raiden O’Reilly, Austin Cahill, Jacob Sullivan and Keith Dalton.