In the Spring of 2022, our partners from McGill University will be conducting a survey about energy costs for Bridgewater residents, and we want to hear from you! Visit www.energizebridgewater.ca/news for the latest details including updates on when the survey has launched.

You will be able to participate online, over the phone, or in person. Meanwhile, if you have any questions, contact the research team at 902-930-2561 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

? PROPOSED FORESTRY ACTIVITIES IN OUR WATERSHED
>>> How you can have your say on the harvesting proposal being considered by the Province

The Town of Bridgewater and the Public Service Commission of Bridgewater (PSCB), which oversees water services for our community, have been made aware of the proposal to harvest forest on Crown Lands located within the protected watershed area that serves our community.

A consultation process is now being carried out by the Department of Natural Resources on this proposal. The Town and PSCB have a detailed Source Water Protection Plan for our watershed area and both organizations are committed to ensuring stewardship of the watershed and protecting the quality of our drinking water supply.

Our organizations intend to provide comment on the proposal through the Province's consultation process and we encourage members of the public to take a few minutes to participate in that process as well.

To share your thoughts on the proposed harvesting on Crown Lands within the Town's watershed area, visit https://nsgi.novascotia.ca/hpmv/ and zoom in on the highlighted lands near Minamkeak Lake in Lunenburg County.

Then, click the "envelope/arrow" icon on the left side of the map. You will be prompted to click on the map and select an area to submit a comment. You may wish to do this for each different highlighted parcel in the area of Minamkeak Lake.

The proposals will be open for public comment until April 23, 2022.

For more information on Bridgewater's Source Water Protection Plan, visit www.bridgewater.ca/swp.

We invite you to share this message.

SCHEDULED SEWER CLEANING - SMITH/PINECREST AREA
The public is advised that sewer cleaning is scheduled to take place in the Smith and Pinecrest areas of Bridgewater for a two-week period from Monday, February 28 through March 11, 2022, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily and weather permitting.

WHAT ARE SEWERS?
Sewers are underground pipes that carry wastewater from homes and businesses to the wastewater treatment plants where it is treated and then released to the river. Everything you pour down your drains or flush down your toilet goes into a sewer.

WHY DO YOU CLEAN THE SEWERS?
The cleaning and inspection program keeps the sewer system operating efficiently by:
• Helping prevent blockages and backups.
• Removing built-up debris, such as tree roots, grease, grit and sand.
• Determining the condition of the sewer so we can repair or replace sewers as necessary.

HOW DO YOU CLEAN THE SEWERS?
We use a high-pressure nozzle to flush water down the sewer. The dirt and debris are sucked up through a manhole by a large vacuum truck and taken to the landfill.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO CLEAN SEWERS ON EACH STREET?
It usually takes about one day to clean the sewer on each block. However, some sewers can take longer, depending on their size and condition.

DO I NEED TO DO ANYTHING BEFORE YOU CLEAN THE SEWERS ON MY STREET?
Yes. Occasionally during cleaning and inspection, air pressure in the sewer can cause water to splash out through toilets, sinks and drains.

Take the following precautions to prevent water damage in your home:
• Close the lids on all toilet bowls when not in use.
• Insert drain plugs in all sinks and bathtubs when not in use.
• Remove all floor mats in bathrooms.
• Place an old towel around the base of toilets.
• If you have a float plug in your floor drain or a backwater valve installed in your house, ensure that it is free of debris and operating properly.
• Wrap the cover of your basement floor drains with plastic (i.e., a freezer bag). Place something heavy over the floor drains to keep the plastic-covered floor drain covers in place.

You may put things back as they were when the equipment has moved off your block.

WILL I NOTICE ANYTHING AFTER YOU HAVE CLEANED THE SEWERS ON MY STREET?
Sometimes the sewer cleaning and inspection leaves an odour in the home. If so, run some water down the sink and bathtub drains, flush the toilets, pour a pail of water into each basement floor drain and open the windows. After a short time, the odour should disappear.

CAN I USE THE TOILETS AND MY WATER WHILE YOU ARE CLEANING ON MY BLOCK?
Yes. However, be careful as air pressure in the sewer during the cleaning and inspection can sometimes cause water to splash out through toilets, sinks and drains. Remember to close the lids on all toilet bowls when not in use and insert drain plugs in all sinks and bathtubs when not in use.

HOW WILL I KNOW WHEN YOU ARE CLEANING THE SEWERS ON MY STREET?
In most cases, we will put a notice in your mailbox before we clean the sewers on your street. If we need to clean the sewer quickly because of a blockage, we won't have time to let you know in advance.

WHEN DO YOU CLEAN AND INSPECT SEWERS?
We have two types of programs:
1. A sewer cleaning program only: We move around the Town all year cleaning areas where there are persistent problems and doing emergency work to clear blockages.
2. A sewer cleaning and inspection program: We clean and inspect sewers in selected areas of the town each year, usually from November to April, Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. We realize that the equipment is very noisy and may disturb residents. Sometimes this cannot be avoided and we appreciate your patience.

? CAPITAL BUDGET MEETING THIS WEEK
On Wednesday, January 19, 2022, Bridgewater Town Council will meet for its first public budget discussion on the 2022-2023 Capital Budget.

This meeting will be held virtually and will be livestreamed publicly on the Town of Bridgewater's Facebook page. Even if you are not a Facebook user, you will still be able to watch the meeting live at https://www.facebook.com/BridgewaterNS/live. A recording of the meeting will also subsequently posted to the Town's YouTube channel.

❓ WHAT IS THE CAPITAL BUDGET
The Town's budget is divided into two sections: the Operating Budget and the Capital Budget.

The Operating Budget is the normal day-to-day budget that provides services to the town's residents and businesses.

The Capital Budget is the part of the budget that focuses on long-term investments and includes things like roads, sewers, and water infrastructure improvements as well as improvements to facilities.

? YOUR INPUT
Each year as part of its budget process, the Town of Bridgewater invites input from the public prior to approval. Budget approval is tentatively scheduled for April 11, 2022. An additional Capital Budget meeting may take place on Monday, January 24, 2022, if required. The Operating Budget meetings are scheduled for Monday, March 28, and Monday, April 4, 2022, with additional meetings taking place as may be required. All budget meetings will be livestreamed and made available to the public online.

As the budget process unfolds, there will be several opportunities for you to provide feedback. At any time, you can submit your comments and suggestions for the 2022-2023 budget to the Director of Finance at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. You can also keep an eye out for our annual online budget feedback form, which will be launched in the coming weeks and promoted on the Town's social media. Finally, you can also talk directly with your members of Town Council about what you would like to see in the budget or ask questions about Council's priorities. For contact information for members of Town Council, visit www.bridgewater.ca/council.

WASTE COLLECTION NOTICE -- MILLER DRIVE AREA

The Lunenburg Regional Community Recycling Centre has advised that some residents in the Miller Drive area of Bridgewater did not have their waste collected as usual yesterday, Monday, January 3, 2022.

For those residents who were missed, your waste will be collected today (Tuesday, January 4, 2022) instead. Please ensure it is placed curbside if it's not already there.

If you have questions, please call 1-855-530-3324.

? HOLIDAY WASTE COLLECTION NOTES

Our friends at the Lunenburg Regional Community Recycling Centre wish to share the following updates on collection and Recycling Centre hours over the next two weeks:

December 24: Regular waste collection in Municipality of Lunenburg and Town of Bridgewater. Community Recycling Centre open 8 a.m. - 12 noon.

December 25: Recycling Centre closed.

December 27: Regular waste collection in Municipality of Lunenburg and Bridgewater. Recycling Centre open 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Office closed.

December 28: Regular waste collection in Municipality of Lunenburg and Bridgewater. Recycling Centre open 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Office closed.

December 31: Regular waste collection in Municipality of Lunenburg and Bridgewater. Recycling Centre open 8 a.m. - 12 noon.

January 1: Recycling Centre closed.

January 3: Regular waste collection in Municipality of Lunenburg and Bridgewater. Recycling Centre open 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Office closed.

Questions? Call (902) 543-2991 or visit www.communityrecycling.ca.

Bridgewater's Heritage Advisory Committee is seeking suggestions from the residents of Bridgewater for a new name for Cornwallis Street.

In June, Bridgewater Town Council voted to rename Cornwallis Street so that the street name is not assumed to be commemorative of an individual associated with the colonial actions of the British government against the Mi'kmaq people or other Indigenous peoples.

Our community's Street Naming and Renaming Policy will guide the selection of the new name for Cornwallis Street. This recently revised policy prohibits the future use of any names that are commemorative of an individual or group of individuals for the naming of a street, so we kindly ask that at this time that no names of individuals or groups of individuals are suggested.

To participate in the survey, please click here: https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/b01f206a2f8945c882e3917551c5040d. The survey will remain open until January 7, 2022.

After the survey closes the Heritage Advisory Committee and Community Development Department staff members will evaluate the names based on historical significance, cultural significance, and originality.

Based on these criteria the Heritage Advisory Committee will determine one name and two alternatives to recommend to Town Council for the replacement of Cornwallis.

Per the policy, Council will have the final say on the selection of the replacement name.

If you have any questions about this survey or would like to know more about the renaming process please contact the Town of Bridgewater's Development Officer at (902) 541-4369 or by e-mail at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

DETAILS ON PRE-OLYMPIC PARA HOCKEY NEXT WEEK AT THE LCLC

The Canadian Men's Para Hockey team has a full slate of exciting pre-Olympic action in store for Bridgewater and all of Lunenburg County to enjoy at the LCLC next week!

Starting on Sunday, November 14, 2021, Team Canada and Team South Korea will face off at 3 p.m. They'll meet again on Thursday, November 18, at 1:30 p.m. in another exciting afternoon special. Then, in prime time, Game 3 of the miniseries will take place on Friday, November 19, beginning at 6 p.m.

Admission for the Sunday and Thursday games is by donation at the door -- just give what you can, with proceeds going to support para hockey initiatives. For Friday's game, tickets can be purchased at the door for $7 each.

SERVICE OF REMEMBRANCE -- NOVEMBER 11
The annual Remembrance Day service will take place at the Cenotaph at Brookside Cemetery on Thursday, November 11, 2021, beginning shortly before 11 a.m. local time.

This year's event will be slightly modified - there will be no procession to the Cenotaph, however the Bridgewater Fire Department Band will be on site and part of the ceremony. Wreaths will be laid as part of the ceremony as well.

Please note and respect that while proof of vaccination is not required to attend this event, the organizers are encouraging attendees to wear a mask to provide an extra barrier of protection and to maintain physical distance where possible.

For those who wish to watch from home, the Service of Remembrance will be livestreamed on the Town of Bridgewater's Facebook page.

WASTE COLLECTION
There will be no waste collection in Bridgewater on November 11. Those whose garbage is usually collected on Thursday can, instead, put items out for pick up on Saturday, November 13.

TRANSIT
There will be no regular transit service on November 11.

NOTICES OF WATER DISRUPTION
>>> KING, BIRCH, BROOK & SMITH (WEEK OF NOVEMBER 8, 2021)

THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION OF BRIDGEWATER will shut off the water for approximately four (4) hours for fire hydrant replacement in the area of:

KING ST., from Old Bridge St. to 673 King St., on Monday, November 8, between 7:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION OF BRIDGEWATER may shut off the water for approximately four (4) hours for thrust block removal in the area of:

BIRCH DR., from Smith Ave. to Dublin Ave./Linden Ave. on Tuesday, November 9, between 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION OF BRIDGEWATER may shut off the water for approximately four (4) hours for thrust block removal in the area of:

BROOK STREET (from Pine to Jubilee) AND SMITH AVENUE (from 53 Smith to Brook) on Tuesday, November 9, between 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

After work is complete and water pressure resumes to normal, we ask customers to flush water taps for 5 to 10 minutes should they experience any air or discoloured water. We regret any inconvenience this may cause our customers.

PUMP STATION #11 REPLACEMENT AND KING STREET SEWER UPGRADE

Work area >>> Between 210 King St. and Jubilee Rd.

Construction Overview
The Town of Bridgewater is beginning the reconstruction of Pump Station #11, located at Shipyards Landing (210 King St.). This work will primarily take place between the existing boat launch and 144 King St. The project will upgrade the existing Pump Station and include a new underground chamber, a new building, and the pump station site will be raised approximately 2m from its current elevation to prevent flood risks. The work may temporarily impact access to Shipyards Landing and is tentatively scheduled to begin during the week of November 1, 2021.

In addition the Town of Bridgewater will be reconstructing the sanitary sewer main along King St. between 210 King St. and Jubilee Road. The work is tentatively scheduled to begin in spring 2022. The purpose of the work is to replace aging infrastructure and connect it into the new pump station #11 infrastructure located at 210 King St.

The work will include street closures and restricted driveway access in the areas of construction. Every effort will be made to minimize the disruption to residents in order to complete the works.

What to Expect
Dust, noise, and heavy equipment are common elements of construction. We are committed to providing a work site that is safe and orderly. Temporary disruptions to services should be minimal and we will work with adjacent property owners to minimize any inconvenience.

For properties that require landscape reinstatement as a result of construction impact, the Town will reinstate all areas with topsoil and seed and will water the area upon installation only. All other watering and general maintenance of new landscaped area will be the responsibility of the property owner.

Work Hours
Typical Working Hours are Monday - Friday 7:00 a.m to 5:00 p.m. It should be anticipated that the contractor might choose to work longer hours and weekends to complete the work.

Special Needs
Individuals with special needs who may be uniquely impacted by this project should contact the Environmental Services Manager as soon as possible to make them aware of your situation. We will work with you in attempt to minimize your inconvenience as much as possible.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss this further, please feel free to contact one of the persons listed below.

Town of Bridgewater
Office Phone:  (902) 541-4370 Office Fax:  (902) 543-0421
Audrey Buchanan, P. Eng. -- Environmental Services Manager
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Regularly scheduled Solid Waste Collection will continue. Residents are reminded to have items to the curb prior to 8:00 a.m.  Collection calendars are available from the Engineering Department and on the Town's website:  www.bridgewater.ca

The Town of Bridgewater and the Public Service Commission of Bridgewater regrets any inconvenience caused to residents and businesses.

CHRISTMAS ON THE LAHAVE 2021 UPDATE
A message from Bridgewater's Christmas on the LaHave Committee: >>>

It is with heavy hearts and after a great deal of thought and many conversations that we announce today that we will not be hosting our parade again in 2021.

Our volunteer committee has been excitedly planning for the return of the annual Christmas on the LaHave parade and fireworks for several months now in the hope that we could safely and confidently proceed. COVID-19, however, is still very much a reality here in Nova Scotia and throughout the world and, as such, we need to think carefully about the health and safety of our whole community.

As each of you know, our parade and fireworks traditionally attract between 7,000 and 10,000 people into Bridgewater's downtown core. Having that many people standing shoulder to shoulder in a small area is a risk that we are not comfortable with carrying right now - especially knowing that so many children attend the parade and that COVID-19 vaccines have not yet been made available to children under the age of 12. We are also mindful of our senior community who remain particularly susceptible to COVID-19.

We know that this news is disappointing, and we ask you to understand that we are disappointed too. This was not a decision that we came to lightly.

We appreciate the continued support of the Town of Bridgewater, Bridgewater Police Service, and Bridgewater Fire Department, as well the support we have received from the local business community including the Bridgewater and Area Chamber of Commerce.

To that end, we are excited to announce that while there will be no parade and fireworks this November, we are working on lots of other initiatives that our community will be able to enjoy as individuals, as families, or with small groups of friends this holiday season.

In the coming weeks we'll be announcing details on home and business decorating contests, scavenger hunts, lighting installations, the arrival of our Town's Christmas tree and iconic Tire Snowmen, and much more. Stay tuned for more information on all that will be happening!