Second Witless Bay councillor tenders resignation

Mark Squibb / August 4, 2023

Witless Bay councillor Nancy Burke tendered her resignation from council this week, citing acceptance of a full-time permanent teaching position that will require her to relocate.

“While I am excited about the move forward in my teaching career, I do regret having to leave council before accomplishing the things that I came here to do,” Burke wrote in a social media post. “As a result of my 6-month leave of absence and the significant staffing challenges that we faced as Witless Bay Town Council, it was difficult to make traction and get things done the way that all of us were hoping to. However, I do believe that we have accomplished a lot since coming on board. I feel that our community has come together beautifully and we are moving in a positive direction!”

Burke’s resignation came just two days ahead of a nomination day, held yesterday, to fill the seat of Alex Troake, who quit council back in April. That means the by-election will be used to plug two holes in the seven-person chamber.

Burke was elected to council in September 2021. Of the 13 residents who put their names forward for election, Burke earned the third most votes, coming in at 468. Burke chaired the recreation committee and served as the Town’s liaison with the Bay Bulls to Bauline Athletic Association (BBBAA). She was one of only three councillors, along with Ralph Carey and Jacob Hayden, who supported funding increases that had been requested by the BBBAA. Those increases were voted down by the rest of council, who have yet to sign a new MOU with the organization, the former MOU having expired at the close of 2022.

Burke, who was not available for an interview as she was busy packing and preparing for the new job, encouraged folks to put themselves forward for nomination.

The Irish Loop Post reached out to several residents and former candidates ahead of nomination day but could not confirm whether anyone would be putting their name forward.

Auditor advises Witless Bay to consolidate its bank accounts

By Mark Squibb / August 4, 2023

Witless Bay council last week voted to close a number of the Town’s active bank accounts.

“The Town currently has multiple active bank accounts, including an active operating bank account, payroll account, chequing account, savings account, a high interest savings account, and gas tax account,” explained councillor Nancy Burke. “To minimize financial risk and on the advice of our financial auditor, the Town should only have two bank accounts.”

Burke moved the town close a number of the accounts, and council unanimously voted to close all of them except the main account and gas tax account.

Funds from the closed accounts will be moved into a single operating account.

Cape Broyle celebrates purchase of church with festive weekend

By Mark Squibb / August 4, 2023

After a year of fundraising, the Cape Broyle Church Commmitee is proud to say the Immaculate Conception church now belongs to the community.

“It’s a relief that we’ve managed to keep that church a part of the community,” said committee member Andrea O’Brien. “We certainly didn’t want to see that building become a warehouse or a vacant building. So, we were very, very relieved when the deal went through. We were a full year fundraising, and so we were very, very appreciative of the people who supported us along the way. We wanted to save the church for the entire community, and so now that building is available for community use, and we’re delighted.”

The church was one of dozens of properties put on the market last year to as part of a court-ordered settlement in which the Roman Catholic Church had to raise money for sexual and physical abuse victims of Mount Cashel Orphanage.

O’Brien would not divulge the exact price the committee paid for the building but said that they did get it below the asking price, which hovered somewhere around $140,000 to $150,000.

This past weekend the committee hosted the ‘Come All Ye’ weekend both as a celebration of the purchase and a commemoration of a year’s worth of fundraising efforts.

“We were approaching on the first-year anniversary of trying to buy back our church in Cape Broyle, and as a committee we decided we would like to host a weekend of events to commemorate the anniversary,” said O’Brien. “And also, at that point, we were just waiting for the legal documents saying that the community owned the church. So, it was planned as a celebration weekend.”

Events included a cornhole competition, dance, quilt display at the church, and cold plate supper.

“We had a great turn out for the events we had planned, and received lots of positive comments,” said O’Brien. “Lots of people said, ‘We hope you do this again next year, only bigger and better.’ Everything was put together pretty quickly — it was only a matter of a couple of weeks that we decided to do it and began advertising. So, given the very short time period, we were delighted with the number of people who attended the events.”

Everyone and anyone are welcome to participate in the festivities — as the name suggested.

“Growing up, I often heard my grandparents, and my parents say that if someone had a party that was not by invitation, they had a ‘come all ye’ party,” explained O’Brien. “So, a ‘come all ye,’ was an open house, a party that everyone was invited to.”

Although the committee hasn’t made any commitments yet to host events again next summer, there is some interest in reviving the old-fashioned community garden parties of yesteryear.

“We had one for Come Home Year, but there hasn’t been an annual one here in Cape Broyle for some time,” said O’Brien. “We have been talking about having something once a year in the summertime and having that community celebration. And some people who came to events this weekend said that same thing, that it would be great to have the old-style garden party back.”

Witless Bay sets by-election date

By Mark Squibb / July 28, 2023

Mark your calendars, August 29 is by-election day in Witless Bay.

Council approved the date during this week’s public meeting. Council also set next Thursday, August 3, as Nomination Day.

The by-election is being called to fill a seat left vacant by Alex Troake, who resigned from council in April.

As per the Municipalities Act, a by-election must be held within 90 days of a seat being vacated.

Council had to request an extension from Municipal Affairs as it missed the 90-day deadline.

“We requested an extension for the by-election because at the time we had no staff, and we had no returning officer, and so we couldn’t hold an election,” said Deputy Mayor Lorna Yard.

That request had since been approved, allowing council to set the August 29 election date.

New chief administrative officer Jennifer Aspell will serve as returning officer.

Witless Bay Days kicks off

By Mark Squibb / July 28, 2023

The first ever Witless Bay Days festival kicked into gear Thursday and the festivities continue into Sunday afternoon.

The festival grew out of last year’s Come Home Year celebrations and is being organized by the Come Home Year committee and the Witless Bay Kin Club, in cooperation with the Town.

Activities include a softball tournament, Witless Bay Idol competition, community breakfast, Fire Hall Open House, family fun day, bobber race, concerts, and more.

Council extended its thanks on Wednesday to the many volunteers working to make the festival a reality.

Southern Shore Minor Hockey to maintain alliance with Goulds Minor

By Mark Squibb / July 28, 2023

With several heat warnings declared this week, hockey season may seem a long way off yet. Board members of the Southern Shore Minor Hockey Association (SSMHA) however, are already gearing up for a great year.

The group held its annual general meeting (AGM) this June, and were able to fill a number of board positions up for nomination.

“We’re happy that individuals stepped up to fill those roles,” said SSMHA President Mark Sullivan. “We’re excited for this next season.”

The AGM also gives the board a chance to review the past season discipline by discipline.

“Everyone gives an update on how the season went, what some of the successes were, and what can be learned or what opportunities for improvement there are next season,” said Sullivan.

The association will also continue its long-standing relationship with Goulds Minor Hockey.

“It’s not an official merger, more like a quasi-merger,” said Sullivan. “We pool teams in many of our divisions, all of our divisions really, with the exception of U7 and U9. And the reason is to be competitive against the much larger metro associations.”

Both associations remain separate entities with their own boards of directors.

Consultant to scope out potential bridge site

By Mark Squibb / July 21, 2023

Bay Bulls council last week voted to award a contract valued at $5,405 plus HST to consulting firm GeoMaterials NL as part of Phase 2 of the Long Pond Walking Trail project.

Deputy Mayor Jason O’Brien explained the purpose of the contract is to investigate the potential placement of a new pedestrian bridge.

In a follow up e-mail, Town Manager Ashley Wakeham said the bridge is being proposed for the south end of the pond.

The motion was approved unanimously, excepting that councillor Shannon O’Driscoll was absent and thus did not vote.

Wakeham steps up in Bay Bulls Town Hall

By Mark Squibb / July 21, 2023

Bay Bulls council wasted no time filling the position of Town Manager recently vacated by former manager Jennifer Aspell, who just last week finished her first week as the new Chief Administrative Officer of Witless Bay, choosing an internal hire with six years of experience at the town hall.

In fact, Bay Bulls council appointed former Town Clerk Ashley Wakeham to the new position even before Witless Bay council announced publicly that it had hired Aspell.

Members of Bay Bulls council unanimously voted to appoint Wakeham during a private meeting held June 29, about a week before Witless Bay council moved to hire Aspell during a special Friday night meeting of council held on July 7.

Members of Bay Bulls council then ratified the decision to appoint Wakeham during its next public meeting on July 13.

Following the vote, various members congratulated Wakeham on the new role.

“It’s well deserved and she’s more than qualified, so we’re pretty happy to have her,” said councillor Corey Ronayne.

Wakeham will continue fulfilling the duties of Town Clerk, but council hopes to hire a new office assistant, and soon. Following the appointment of Wakeham to the new position, council formed a hiring committee, comprised of Mayor Keith O’Driscoll, Deputy Mayor Jason O’Brien, and Wakeham, to oversee the hiring of a new assistant Town Clerk.

Along with the appointment, council moved to grant Wakeham the authority to sign Town cheques and appointed her as the town’s ATIPP Coordinator.

Masterless Men know how to put the festive in Shamrock Festival

The Masterless Men bandmembers include, starting from left: Mock Greene on bass, Wilf Curran on guitar and lead vocals, John Curran on guitar and lead vocals, Greg Walsh on fiddle, and Dave Lush on banjo. Greg and Dave also sing backup and harmony vocals. Masterless Men photo.

By Mark Squibb / July 21, 2023

Brothers John and Wilf Curran of the Masterless Men have played in many a festival in their time, but there’s nothing quite like playing the Shamrock Festival in their hometown of Ferryland.

“For myself and John, we’re playing at home, and we don’t often get the opportunity to play at home,” said Curran. “And I think with the exception of a couple of weekends we may have missed because the band was booked somewhere else, we’ve played almost every single festival. And you’re playing before your hometown and seeing your friends and people you haven’t seen in a while, and so it’s nice to be able to perform for them. And sometimes you do different songs, songs that you probably didn’t do at the festival the weekend before, because you’re home and you know some of the guys there like these certain songs. It’s really special.”

The band has been a festival mainstay from the very beginning.

“The Masterless Men have been involved with the Shamrock Folk Festival since the Masterless Men were formed, which was 32 years January past,” said Curran. “Even before the band was formed, my brother John and I performed in the festival in its early days.”

And while much has changed since the festival’s inception in 1986, such as the inclusion of family friendly sessions complete with bouncy castles and laser tag, much has stayed the same.

“The Southern Shore flair, the Irish flair, hasn’t changed at all,” said Curran. “I see some of the same faces I used to see way, way back in the early days… the people who go because they love music and they love to get outdoors.”

Curran added the Southern Shore Folk Arts Council building is the perfect venue for a night of singing and dancing.

“The Saturday afternoon session is on the deck, so you’re right out on the water,” said Curran. “And then the building itself, the way they’ve maintained the building’s structure and kept all the old wood is phenomenal. I go to a number of events at the Folk Arts Centre and I’m in awe of the old wood and the rafters and the way they’ve renovated it. It’s just a beautiful place to spend an evening.”

The Masterless Men (not so named, it turns out, because the men don’t have wives, but in a nod to a group of legendary late 18th century and early 19th century runaway seamen and workers who escaped servitude from early Newfoundland plantations to live as free men away from the coast) will be playing Saturday evening, along with the Dolly Kits and Karla Pilgrim and the Mayflowers.

“It’ll be a fun night, because they know how to have fun on the Southern Shore,” said Curran.

The Southern Shore Crush Orange U11 girls team goes undefeated

The Southern Shore Crush Orange U11 girls team went undefeated at this year’s Const. Moss Memorial softball tournament. It’s the second year in a row the team has won the tournament. In the back row from left to right, are coach Nicole Martin, Kennedi Pardy, Kayleigh Dalton, Bree Joyce, Rhea Doyle, Abbi Sullivan, and coach Audrey Dalton. In the front row, from left to right, are Italia Costello, Lauren Johnson, Emilee Martin, Grace Boland and Jenna Keough. Missing from the photo are Leah Legge and coach Laura Doyle. Photo by Anne Windsor