Some residents in Bay Bulls last week were so eager to learn who their new mayor and deputy mayor would be that they overloaded the Town’s conference call system. The system allows up to 25 people to call into the public meeting and listen in at home. A number of people dialing in last Wednesday night were met with a busy signal as the conference call had reached its limit. For those who missed the action, Ethan Williams, who earned more votes than any other candidate this election, was nominated by former mayor Keith O’Driscoll for the position of Mayor. Williams, however, declined, citing his young age and status as a full-time student. O’Driscoll, in turn, was nominated for the position by Jason O’Brien and Williams. O’Driscoll accepted the role, and will once again serve as mayor. Next, both Williams and O’Brien accepted nominations for the role of deputy mayor, and the matter was put to a secret ballot vote. Williams claimed that victory, and will serve as deputy mayor. Pictured, from left, are newcomer Johnathan O’Dea, Jason O’Brien, Mayor Keith O’Driscoll, and Deputy Mayor Ethan Williams. Missing from the photo is councillor Corey Ronayne. In neighbouring Witless Bay, former Deputy Mayor Jacob Hayden was acclaimed as Mayor and councillor Justina Nawaz was acclaimed as deputy mayor. Town of Bay Bulls photo
Donnie Earle takes Ward 5 on a wing and bite
Donnie Earle
By Mark Squibb
Donnie Earle was at home spending the night with friends, family and a feed of Keith’s wings and cod bites when he learned he had been elected Ward 5 councillor.
“I’m over the moon,” said Earle. “I’m so honoured and privileged that the residents of Ward 5 believed in me, were willing to put their faith and trust in me and give me an opportunity to do my part to make my city a better place.”
Earle bested incumbent Carl Ridgley 3,687 votes to 2,545 votes, a difference of 1,142. He had previously run against Ridgeley in 2021 and lost by 14 votes.
“There was no pressure this time around,” said Earle, comparing this election night to his last. “We were just waiting for the results to come in and once they started to come in, we knew we were going to be in for a great night.”
Hard work and a great campaign team made the difference this time around, Earle added.
“We took nothing for granted,” said Earle. “On the cards we were leaving at the doors, we put my private number. People knew that this was the same number my grandchildren reach me on, and my sons reach me on, and my mom. People were willing to say, ‘If this person is willing to give out his private number, he’s for real. He’s not going to hide. He’s not going to not be available if he’s elected and given the opportunity to represent us.’”
The councillor said he is excited to get to work on behalf of his constituents.
“There’s some great men who come before me and a lot of hard work already has taken place,” said Earle. “I look forward to the next chapter in our ward and to being a hard working, dedicated, easily accessible councillor, who’s not always going to have the answers you’re looking for, but will always get you an answer and will always take your phone call.”
Southern Shore running club growing legs
SSH Running Club founders, from left, Sam Kelly, Heidi Clowe, and Shannon Chidley, have been overwhelmed with the success of the group. Mark Squibb photo
By Mark Squibb
Last January, Sam Kelly, Heidi Clowe, and Shannon Chidley decided on a whim to start a running club for the Southern Shore.
They dubbed it the SSH Run Club, and while many people at first believe the acronym to stand for Southern Shore Highway, they would actually be wrong.
“It’s actually the Sam, Shannon, and Heidi Run Club,” said Shannon Chidley, laughing. “When we named it, we named it as a joke because we honestly didn’t think anybody would show up. We honestly thought it would just be the three of us running… And so when people started showing up, it was a little bit embarrassing to let people know we named it after ourselves.”
To date, over 130 women have participated in weekly runs hosted by the SSH Run Club.
“It’s overwhelming to see the community that has developed,” said Chidley. “People hang out together now that have met at run club. It gets you out of your house, and so it’s good for your mental health and your physical health… and when people say to you, ‘Run Club has changed my life,’ it’s overwhelming. It just feels so good.”
Chidley noted a number of members ran this year’s Tely 10, some of them for the first time.
“A lot of girls ran it for the first time because they had someone to run it with,” said Chidley, adding some members have also participated in other races, including the Conception Bay South T’railway Trek Half Marathon.
The group has hosted runs in the Goulds and Cape Broyle and every where in between, with the majority of the runs being in either Mobile or Witless Bay. Members run Saturday mornings and Monday evenings. Additional runs are held throughout the week for those who can’t make it out on Saturday or Monday. All told, the group runs probably three or four times a week.
As a means to keep the club welcoming to new runners, routes are kept to a distance of about four kilometres, although some runners opt to run longer distances. The social aspect, added Chidley, is just as important to the club as the athletic.
If someone is interested in joining, Chidley said, it’s as simple as showing up.
“We’ve had a lot of people message and say, ‘I’d like to get involved but I’m nervous to show up,’” said Chidley. “Showing up is the hardest part. It’s so intimidating to show up for the first time, and you think that all these girls have been running forever.”
The club, she added, is one where no one runs by themselves.
“If you come and decide to walk, myself, Sam, or Heidi will stay behind with whoever is walking,” said Chidley. “You won’t be left behind.”
There’s no registration fee to join, although members are encouraged to bring a toonie Saturday morning to go towards supplies.
‘I think we’ve got a really good new council,’ says Ferryland mayor
By Mark Squibb
Aidan Costello proved Ferryland’s most popular candidate in this month’s municipal election, garnering the most votes out of the eight candidates.
“I’m glad to get back on council again, and glad to see the town put their trust back in me,” said Costello, “I’m quite happy.”
Former councillors Nathan Ryan, Keith Mooney, and Rudy Embury chose not to seek re-election.
Costello extended his thanks to the outgoing members.
“We did a lot of work in four years,” said Costello. “We received over $700,000 in new monies for various projects in those four years, Council worked hard for those new monies, and I would like to thank them for their hard work over the last four years.”
Costello said that, along with incumbent Arnold Furlong, he has confidence in the three newly minted councillors.
“I think we’ve got a really good new council,” said Costello.
The new councillors include former mayor Adrian Kavanagh, retired provincial government senior manager Steve Barnable, and construction supervisor Kevin Walsh.
Costello said the Town has undertaken a number of large projects in recent years, including harbourfront infrastructure and the drafting of a new climate adaption plan, both of which will remain a priority of council. Improvements to water infrastructure and roads will also remain a priority, he said.
Costello noted the previous council members, shortly after the 2021 election, drafted a four-year plan to guide them during this past term. He hopes the new council will do the same.
Aiden Costello
Goulds land gone to the ducks
By Mark Squibb
The conservation charity group Ducks Unlimited Canada has acquired 41 acres (16.6 hectares) of forested wetland, upland, and swamp habitat near Bidgood Park in the Goulds.
Bidgood Park itself is home to migratory songbirds, waterfowl, moose, and even red crossbills, a species of finch listed as endangered under the provincial Species at Risk Act. Over the years, it has become a favourite haunt of walkers, bird watchers, and photographers.
“Through initiatives like the Natural Heritage Conservation Program, the Government of Canada is making steady progress in protecting Canada’s land and water,” said Minister of Environment and Climate Change Julie Dabrusin. “By working with partners such as Ducks Unlimited Canada, we are safeguarding the natural environment in Newfoundland and Labrador—and across the country.”
The original 38 acres of park land was donated to the City of St. John's by the late Roger and Jennie Bidgood for use as a municipal park.
squibb@theshoreline.ca
Witless Bay rug hooking exhibition draws a crowd
The Herdman Hookers were a hit at the Witless Bay Art Gallery’s first exhibition last month in the former St. Patrick’s Church. The members of the Corner Brook rug hooking group were part of a travelling exhibition sponsored by the Rug Hooking Guild of Newfoundland and labrador. From left are Debbie Jarrell, gallery owner Linda Goodyear, Joanne Organ, Elaine Vey, Diane Howse, Karen Marchant, and Georgie Macfie.
By Mark Squibb
The owner of the new art gallery in Witless Bay’s St. Patrick’s Church says the event was a huge success.
Linda Goodyear admitted she was nervous about the venture given the important role the church held in the lives of many residents before its sale by the Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation, but she decided the best thing to do was dive in and test the waters.
The first exhibition, held from September 4-8, was by the Newfoundland and Labrador Rug Hookers Guild’s 30th Anniversary travelling show entitled, Events that Changed the World.
“Personally, I had underestimated the medium of rug hooking,” said Goodyear, who has named the gallery the Witless Bay Art Gallery & Arts Education Center.
“Days into the event, I was still learning from the various pieces on display,” said Goodyear. “One example was the discovery of the Berlin Wall. Jane Jesseau taught in Baden, Germany, at the Canadian Forces Base in 1989. She and her family hammered at Check Point Bravo to retrieve stones which she hooked into her design believing the Fall of the Berlin Wall to be a joyous occasion in the world’s history.”
An especially moving piece, said Goodyear, was a personal depiction of the Holocaust by Maureen Ashfield. “It took careful observation before one comprehended the faceless uniforms behind hooked wire were the prisoners of war who bore coloured symbols to identify their classification, and subsequent treatment at the hands of the Nazis,” said Goodyear. “Many onlookers expressed cold shivers at the realization.”
The exhibit contained many subjects, often personal, with several representing Newfoundland and Labrador subjects which shaped a world closer to home, added Goodyear. “By the last day I began realizing how transformed I was by this humble exhibition of rug hooking, which has come a long way as an art form.”
Visitors included people from up and down the shore, the United States and Canada, as well as many who travelled from St. John’s and the Northeast Avalon. Goodyear said she’s taking that as evidence there is a thirst for art and cultural knowledge which can be delivered in Witless Bay.
“Rounding out the important participants were three classes of Grade 3s from St. Bernard’s Elementary, in Witless Bay,” said Goodyear, adding that schools and art curriculum will be an important part of the proposed non-profit’s business.
In total, some 275 people were recorded having visited over the five days of the exhibition.
Goodyear said she would like to thank Frances and Maxine Ennis, Winnie Glavine, Jackie Alcock and Barry Norris for providing fine examples of their work which incorporated beautifully with the exhibition by the Guild. The Herdman Hookers, a local rug hooking group, demonstrated all Saturday afternoon to enthusiastic appreciation, she added.
Government pledges money for Southern Shore trail upgrades
By Mark Squibb
Residents along the Southern Shore can expect to see some upgrades to the East Coast Trail in the near future.
The provincial government pledged $100,100 to the East Coast Trail Association’s 2025 Trail Enhancement Project in a pre-election spending announcement earlier this month.
The money will be used to enhance Caplin Bay Path between Calvert and Ferryland, and the Beaches Path between Witless Bay and Mobile. It will also focus on "assessment and replacement across the entire trail network," acording to a press release. The project will support 18 seasonal jobs.
It’s estimated the 336-kilometre trail network draws some 15,000 annual visitors.
The provincial government’s contribution leverages $283,822 in funding from the federal government and $46,478 from the East Coast Trail Association, for a total project cost of $440,400
“The East Coast Trail is more than a hiking trail – it’s a living connection to our province’s natural beauty, heritage and community spirit,” said Tourism Minister Fred Hutton in the same press release.
It’s a Southern Shore rematch in Ferryland district
By Mark Squibb
Folks from Petty Harbour to St. Shotts and every town in between may experience a sense of déjà vu when they cast their ballots in this upcoming provincial election.
On the ballot will be incumbent MHA Loyola O’Driscoll, who is a Progressive Conservative, and returning Liberal candidate Cheryl O’ Brien, who previously challenged O’Driscoll in the 2021 election.
“It’s been on my mind ever since,” said O’Brien of the 2021 loss. “Even though I’ve probably joked with myself a few times over the past four years that maybe I wouldn’t run again, I think in my heart of hearts I knew I would because I love this place so much.”
O’Brien said there are major concerns that need to be addressed by the provincial government, including a crushing provincial debt – much of which can be attributed to the Muskrat Falls fiasco – as well as increasing crime, the skyrocketing cost of living, and a need for greater economic development.
O’Brien had good things to say about current Liberal leader and premier John Hogan.
“He’s a good leader,” said O’ Brien. “He listens, he communicates, he stays calm, he delivers well, he seems to have his finger on the pulse of all the issues that matter to me. He’s steady, and I like his middle of the road approach. I think he’s a great leader at a time when we need a great leader.”
O’ Brien had worked as a civil servant for nearly 30 years, but is perhaps better known as the owner of O’Brien’s Clover Farm Supermarket in Cape Broyle.
“I’m very much a people person,” said O’Brien. “And I hate to sound cliché, but anybody who knows me knows that and can verify that. I listen to people, I respond to people. I’m going to be very, very accessible. This is not a job for me – I have a couple of those already.”
The Ferryland district is a conservative stronghold of over 50 years. Voters in Ferryland were last represented by a Liberal in 1971, a year before O’Brien was even born.
She wants to change that trajectory this election.
“I’ve helped a lot of people over the years in countless ways, and I just want to continue to do it on a bigger scale,” said O’ Brien. “I think we live in the best place in the world, but I think we need to see more progress here. We need more supports here, and we need to be better heard and represented… I want to help make this place better, and I want to represent the people. I want to make sure that Ferryland district gets its fair share and that its voice is heard at the table.”
Progressive Conservative incumbent Loyola O’ Driscoll, who was elected during a 2019 by-election, and re-elected in 2021, said he’s running on his record.
“I’ve been in there six years and think I’ve done a good job of answering questions that have been asked,” said O’Driscoll. “I’ve been acting on behalf of my constituents.”
O’Driscoll’s first turn at politics was as a member of Bay Bulls council. Outside of politics he’s best known for donning a Southern Shore Breakers jersey in years past.
O’Driscoll said that affordability, especially as it relates to seniors, remains a major concern, and pointed out the PC party’s promise to increase the seniors benefit by 20 percent.
As to the Churchill Falls memorandum of understanding, which Liberal Leader Hogan has been presenting as the ballot question, O’Driscoll said he’s heard it mentioned at some doors, but health and safety remain the major concerns.
“Our stand on the MOU was, and still is, that you have an independent (panel) review it,” said O’Driscoll. “If they had done this back in January, this could have been resolved, and we could be moved on, and this might not be an issue.”
As to the district’s longstanding loyalty to the party, O’Driscoll chalks it up to good leadership.
“I’m easy to reach,” said O’Driscoll “I pride myself on calling people back and trying to get them answers. They may not always be ‘Yes’ answers, but I will respond.”
Replacing vandalized signs will be an ongoing process, says Carey
By Mark Squibb
The Town of Witless Bay is considering installing security cameras at Town owned facilities following a spate of vandalism over the summer months
“We’ve had some vandalism and so we’re going to try and get a handle on it any way we can,” said councillor Ralph Carey. “Right now, we’re just investigating. We don’t know the cost, we don’t know what’s involved in it. But it’s certainly worth investigating.”
Recent sites vandalised around town include the multi use court, community pantry, and playground.
“Unfortunately, vandalism is ongoing, and we need to address it,” said Carey.
The Town’s concerns regarding vandalism stretch as far back as May, when a number of road signs were damaged. Some signs were torn from signposts and tossed into nearby ditches, while in other cases entire signposts were uprooted. Other signs were spray painted. At the same time, at a meadow near Ragged Beach, the ground was damaged by ATVs, trees were partially cut down, and garbage was strewn around the field. A discarded road sign and smouldering fire were also discovered on site.
Carey said staff are continuing work to replace the signs and sign posts.
“We’re focusing on the ones that need to be replaced as opposed to just going out and replacing all of them,” said Carey. “Over time, we will get them all replaced, but that’s going to be an ongoing process.”
The doctor is (back) in, in Ferryland politics
By Mark Squibb
A former mayor has put his name forward for election in Ferryland.
A retired medical physician who practised for nearly 50 years, Dr. Peter Morry served as mayor of Ferryland some 30-odd years ago.
Now that he’s laid down the black bag and stethoscope, he’s ready to run again, laying out a notepad of priorities including a wharf replacement, review of the town’s emergency preparedness plan, and a promise to exercise fiscal responsibility.
“We have dire needs in our community, and I want to make sure that any money we do get in goes to the right projects, the ones that are most needed,” said Morry. “We also need a way of expanding our tax base somehow, because we are such a small community. We need to make our community more attractive to small businesses.”
Morry suggested council could have a public forum once a week that would allow residents to ask questions or bring forward concerns.
He would like the Town to work harder to develop the community’s tourism potential, suggesting Ferryland and neighbouring councils could work together to make the Loop a more attractive place for tourists.
During his medical career, Morry practised in Ferryland, St. John’s, Bay Bulls, British Columbia, and even Australia.
Born and raised in Ferryland, he served as Branch President of the Royal Canadian Legion and one time donned the jersey of the Ferryland Flyers hockey team.
Morry has also written a book, ‘Becoming,’ as well as a number of songs and poems. He and his wife Josephine have three children and six grandchildren.
“I bring as much experience, if not more, to the table as anyone else presenting themselves to council,” said Morry. “People know me, they know my family… I’m deeply embedded in this community.”
