At the April 14, 2020, regular meeting of Bridgewater Town Council, Council will be receiving and discussing the proposed 2020-21 operating budget. To download the complete draft budget document for 2020-21 as a PDF, you can click here.

Please join us on our Facebook page tonight (www.facebook.com/BridgewaterNS) to view the live stream of tonight's meeting.

IMPORTANT UPDATE ON TRAILS WITHIN TOWN PARKS

The Town of Bridgewater has closed all trails located within parks until further notice. This will allow the Town to ensure it is in compliance with the Provincial Order to close municipal parks.

Unfortunately, this means that the trails located at Woodland Gardens, Glen Allan Park, Riverside Park, and Generations Active Park are now closed to public use. If you choose to use a trail within a Town of Bridgewater park, you could be fined.

The Centennial Trail, Brookside Cemetery, the Michelin Spurline Connector, the Micmac Connector, the Hollingsworth Connector, and the Porter Crescent Connector will remain open at this time. Users must abide by social distancing protocols. For updated information and a map detailing which trails are still open, visit www.explorebridgewater.ca/trails.

Thank you for your understanding as we continue to abide by the rules and directions set out by the Province of Nova Scotia, Premier McNeil, and Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Strang, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

FURTHER PUBLIC SPACES UPDATE
Effective today, March 22, 2020, all Town of Bridgewater playgrounds and parks are closed to the public to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, per Section 14 of the Nova Scotia Emergency Management Act. This closure also includes Bridgewater Skate Park and the South Shore Vet Dog Zone dog park.

FACILITIES
Please also note that Town recreation facilities, such as softball and soccer fields, are considered to be parks and are, therefore, also CLOSED to the public at this time.

TRAILS -- REMAIN OPEN FOR NOW
Following direction from the Province of Nova Scotia, trails such as the Centennial Trail and those found at Woodland Gardens, Riverview Park, Glen Allan Park, Brookside Cemetery, and the track at Kinsmen Athletic Field, will remain open to the public for exercise, but social distancing protocols (six feet of distance from other users) MUST be adhered to by all trail users.

REMINDER
Bridgewater Police Service now has the authority to fine anyone defying social distancing protocols, as announced today by the Province of Nova Scotia.

SOCIAL DISTANCING
While social distancing doesn't mean you have to stay indoors, it does mean that you and your loved ones should make smart choices when going outdoors during the COVID-19 pandemic.

>> As you can appreciate, because of the nature of this situation, new information is being shared with us almost constantly. Please continue to check back here frequently for updates.

There are a number of Remembrance Day events taking place in and around Bridgewater in 2019, like every year. Here's a small sampling of what you can expect to see here in Bridgewater over the next few days:

- On Saturday, November 9, beginning at 10 a.m., you can join local historian Peter Oickle at Brookside Cemetery for a walking tour focused on those who served and their stories. This walk is offered for free.

- Also on Saturday, November 9, the DesBrisay Museum will host an afternoon celebration of our Veterans, beginning at 2 p.m. The event is free and will include a performance by the Bridgewater Fire Department Band Quartet.

- At 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, at St. Paul's Lutheran Church on the corner of Phoenix and Pleasant, a special screening of "A Time to Remember" will take place, featuring historic interviews with local veterans.

- The 9th annual Vigil of Remembrance by the 62 Niobe Royal Canadian Sea Cadets will take place at the Cenotaph from 7 p.m. Sunday, November 10, until 7 a.m. on Monday, November 11. The public is invited to attend a small ceremony Sunday at 7 p.m. This vigil is how the cadets say thank you to past and present Veterans each year.

- On Monday, November 11, the traditional Service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph at Brookside Cemetery (corner of York Street and Victoria Road) will take place. The public is invited to arrive for 10:30 a.m., with the processional to the Cenotaph scheduled for approximately 10:40.

For those unable to attend in person, weather permitting, we will be live-streaming the service at the Cenotaph on the Town's Facebook page.

Beginning on October 27, the Town of Bridgewater will be coordinating some additional pavement improvement projects over the next week, including planing and paving on:

- King Street (Starr St. to Fancy Rd.)

- Dufferin Street (Town Line to High St.)

- King Street (Jubilee Rd. to Pine St.)

- St. Phillips Street (Hanley Dr. to Franks Ln.)

- Glen Allan Drive (Etna Dr. to HB Studios Sports Centre)

- King Street (Brown St. to Park View School)

Work is weather dependent. Each street will take anywhere from a few hours to a few days to complete. Traffic delays, dust, noise and heavy equipment are common elements of planing and paving. We are committed to providing a work site that is safe and orderly.

Working hours are generally 6:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. It should be anticipated that the contractor might choose to work longer hours and weekends to complete the work, on schedule.

Individuals with special needs who may be uniquely impacted by this project should contact the Project Manager as soon as possible to make them aware of your situation. We will work with you in an attempt to minimize your inconvenience as much as possible. If you have any questions or would like to discuss this further, please contact Project Manager Sandi Larkin at 902-541-4370.

To see planned paving locations on a map of Bridegwater, as well as other ongoing construction projects, please visit www.bridgewater.ca/roads.

SUMMARY

- Lunenburg County Lifestyle Centre (LCLC) to welcome Canadian Women's National Para Hockey Team this October

- Event will include three national team practices and two exhibition games that will be free for the public to attend

DETAILS
The Lunenburg County Lifestyle Centre is going to play host in October to a major Canadian National Women's Para Hockey initiative with support from the Hockey Canada Foundation, the event is designed to grow the game of sledge hockey and encourage women of all ages to embrace the sport and empower themselves.

The TrailblazeHER Project will see Canada's Women's National Para Hockey Team spend Thanksgiving weekend in the Bridgewater area, promoting inclusion and coaching education, supporting female mentorship, engaging fans, and offering anyone interested in the sledge game the chance to give it a try.

As part of the TrailblazeHER Project, the Canadian Women's National Para Hockey Team will be hosting three practices and compete in two exhibition games against an Atlantic Canadian sledge hockey team - events that will be open to the public and free to attend.

"I'm thrilled that Women's National Para Hockey team is bringing this exciting event to the LCLC and to Lunenburg County," said Carolyn Bolivar-Getson, mayor of the Municipality of the District of Lunenburg. "This event is a wonderful opportunity for all sledge hockey fans, but especially for young women, to meet the players from the 2019-2020 Women's National team and hear their inspiring stories."

"This is just another example of the wonderful relationship that Bridgewater and Lunenburg County have with Hockey Canada and supporting events," added Bridgewater's mayor David Mitchell. "We're proud to be able to partner with them on national and international-level events, and it's an added bonus when those events help to empower women to further develop leadership and athletic skills."

The Female Mentorship Session will focus on Atlantic Canadian female players who are invited to participate in an on-ice session led by members of the national team.

The Sledge Hockey Coaching Clinic will require registration with Hockey Nova Scotia - for more information on the Coaching Clinic, phone 902-521-5945.

SCHEDULE

Thursday, October 10
10 to 11:20 a.m. - National Team Practice (public and FREE to attend)

Friday, October 11
3 to 4:20 p.m. - National Team Practice (public and FREE to attend)
6:30 to 7:50 p.m. - Female Mentorship Session, led by members of Team Canada

Saturday, October 12
10:30 to 11:20 a.m. - National Team Practice (public and FREE to attend)
12 noon to 4 p.m. - Sledge Hockey Coaching Clinic (Classroom)
4 to 4:50 p.m. - Sledge Hockey Coaching Clinic (Ice)
5 to 5:40 p.m. - Try It - drop in Session - Open to the public, hosted by SS Para Lumberjacks
5:50 to 7:20 p.m. - GAME 1: Team Canada vs Team Atlantic Canada (public and FREE to attend)

Sunday, October 13
1 to 2:20 p.m. - GAME 2: Team Canada vs Team Atlantic Canada (public and FREE to attend)

TRAFFIC AND PUBLIC NOTICE -- VETERANS MEMORIAL BRIDGE WATERMAIN CROSSING

SUMMARY

- Work will begin in approximately two weeks on a major underground infrastructure project at the intersection of Victoria Road, King Street, and Veterans Memorial Bridge.
- The primary focus of the project is to upgrade watermains, which provide drinking water to our residents and businesses, and fire flow protection for our community.
- The work will cause traffic delays in the downtown and motorists should plan their commute accordingly.
- The work is expected to take three months to complete.

PROJECT OVERVIEW
The Public Service Commission of Bridgewater (PSCB) is starting construction of a new watermain in the intersection of King Street and Victoria Road that will include the suspension of a new watermain on the south side of the Veterans Memorial Bridge. The work is expected to begin during the week of September 23 to 27.

The purpose of the work is to upgrade undersized infrastructure as well as to satisfy recommended upgrades to the transmission main connectivity of the existing water reservoirs on both sides of the LaHave River.

The work will include traffic control measures in both intersections (LaHave St. & King St.) as well as on the bridge structure itself. Every effort will be made to minimize the disruption to residents and businesses for the duration of the project.

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. That being said, traffic delays in the vicinity of Veterans Memorial Bridge are anticipated.

WORKING HOURS
Working hours are generally 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 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 Project 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 -- Larry Hood, GET Project Manager This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

GARBAGE COLLECTION
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 regret any inconvenience caused to residents and businesses during this important and necessary work.

PAVEMENT RENEWAL IS COMING
Planing and paving starts throughout Bridgewater on August 25

The Town of Bridgewater will be coordinating pavement management improvement projects over the next several weeks including planing and paving on:

- Aberdeen Road (Miller Dr. to Chapel Hill Rd.)
- Aberdeen Road (Hirtle Dr. to Davison Dr.)
- Alexandra Avenue (Cornwallis St. to Park St.)
- Christie Street (Walnut St. to Parkdale Ave.),
- Dufferin Street (Exhibition Dr. to Plaza Entrance)
- Exhibition Drive (Jubilee Rd. Intersection)
- Jubilee Road (Duke St. to Marlboro Ave.)
- King Street (Eisenhauer Lane to Starr St.)
- King Street between (Oickles Ln. and Fresh Cuts)
- LaHave Street (Near Most Wanted Pawn Shop)
- LaHave Street (Elm St. to Silvers Hill)
- Starr Street (Civic #91 to above King St.)
- High Street (Civic #170 to #209)
- Glen Allan Drive (Sweeny Ln. to Hollingsworth and across from LaHave Ball Field)
- Nafthal Drive (Civic #4 to #22)
- Pine Street (Medway St. to Marie Ave.)
- York Street (near Lighthouse Publishing).

Dexter Construction Ltd. is tentatively scheduled to begin the work on Sunday, August 25, with a three-week completion date, weather dependent. Each street will take anywhere from a few hours to a few days to complete.

THE PROJECT
The purpose of our annual pavement renewal work is to upgrade the condition of the road and provide a better drive for our community's motorists.

The work will include traffic being controlled with Traffic Control Personnel. Every effort will be made to
minimize the disruption to residents in order to complete the work, however you should expect some traffic delays.

WHAT TO EXPECT
Traffic delays, dust, noise, and heavy equipment are common elements of planing and paving. We are committed to providing a work site that is safe and orderly.

WORK HOURS
Working hours are generally 6:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. It should be anticipated that the contractor might choose to work longer hours and weekends to complete the work on schedule.

SPECIAL NEEDS
Individuals with special needs who may be uniquely impacted by this project should contact the Project Manager as soon as possible to make them aware of your situation. We will work with you in an 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 the following:

Sandi Larkin, Project Manager, Town of Bridgewater - Engineering Department
Office Phone: (902) 541-4370 E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

­­WASTE COLLECTION
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 at www.bridgewater.ca

The Town of Bridgewater regrets any inconvenience caused to residents and businesses, during this work. Please be patient and allow for extra travel time getting around Bridgewater during work.

Volunteer Opportunity:

Joint Accessibility Advisory Committee

Are you looking for a volunteer opportunity to make a difference in your community? Why not consider serving as a member of the newly formed Joint Accessibility Advisory Committee for Lunenburg County.

The Joint Accessibility Advisory Committee provides advice to the municipal councils in Lunenburg County on identifying, preventing and eliminating barriers to people with disabilities in municipal programs, services, initiatives and facilities.  The committee plays a pivotal role in helping the municipalities to become barrier-free communities that complies with Nova Scotia's Accessibility Act (2017).

At least one half of the members of the advisory committee must have a disability or represent an organization that represents people with disabilities. 

Disability includes a physical, mental, intellectual, learning, or sensory impairment--including an episodic disability--that, in interaction with a barrier, hinders an individual's full and effective participation in society.

Applications are available each of the Municipalities websites or can be picked up at the District of Chester, District of Lunenburg, Town of Bridgewater, Town of Mahone Bay and the Town of Lunenburg's offices.  The deadline for applications is June 28, 2019.   Your completed application may be submitted by mail, in person, or by email to:

Address:              Municipality of the District of Lunenburg, ATTN:  Trudy Payne, 210 Aberdeen Road, Bridgewater NS B4V 4G8              

E-mail:                 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Subject line:       Joint Accessibility Advisory Committee Volunteer

For more information about the Joint Accessibility Advisory Committee, refer to the Terms of Reference posted on each Municipalities website; or contact Trudy Payne at 902-541-1333; or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Bridgewater approves 2019-20 budget; no tax rate increase, more money for paving renewal, and funding for permanent Transit among key items

BRIDGEWATER - The Town of Bridgewater concluded the 2019-20 budget process on Monday night by officially approving the budget document and setting the tax rate for the coming fiscal year, which will remain the same.

The residential rate is set at $1.65 per $100 of assessment for an eighth-straight year, while the commercial tax rate will remain at $3.97 per $100 of assessment. The only changes in both the residential and commercial tax rates since 2010-11 have been decreases.

The Town will spend approximately $20.3 million next year on operations and $4.3 million on capital projects, making many key investments to further enable growth and improved quality of life in the community.

"Despite the pressures of a growing town, increased downloading of costs, and infrastructure challenges, the only changes to the Town of Bridgewater's residential and commercial tax rates during the last nine years have been decreases," said Mayor David Mitchell.

"This year, Town Council also added public transit as a core, permanent service to Bridgewater and increased our pavement renewal budget by approximately 50%, and yet, despite all this, we were once again able to produce and pass a budget with no tax rate increase to our residents and businesses," he explained. "This is a testament to the hard work of our staff and the direction Council is taking our community."

Town Council, he added, will continue to advocate for changes to the funding models that see Bridgewater's taxpayers saddled with an artificially high tax rate resulting from subsidization of roads and policing services outside the community.

"We strive to seek a fair balance across Nova Scotia that will benefit the province as a whole," he said. "We will continue to push for changes in how funds from other levels of government are allocated to ensure fair and equitable funding, and a realization that our taxpayers are artificially subsidizing lower tax rates outside towns and cities in Nova Scotia."

***

BUDGET 2019-20 HIGHLIGHTS

• • No tax rate increase - the residential rate will remain, for an eighth-straight year, at $1.65 per $100 of assessment. Meanwhile, the commercial tax rate will remain at $3.97 per $100 of assessment, and that rate has only decreased since 2010-11.

• • More investments are being made in wastewater treatment infrastructure and the Town's paving budget. In 2019-20, more than $1 million will be invested in pavement renewal and street maintenance projects in Bridgewater, supporting our community's continued growth. At the same time, an additional $1 million will be invested in updating and upgrading our community's wastewater treatment system, a positive step forward in efficiency and protecting our environment.

• • Council has committed $50,000 in new money to the Downtown Façade Improvement Program, a funding pot that is designed to support commercial building owners and businesses on King Street looking to make exterior façade renovations. Since being established in 2016, the program has already provided approximately $50,000 in funds to support façade improvement projects in the downtown.

• • Council has also committed to additional improvements in Downtown Bridgewater, earmarking money for deck and railing improvements to the North Parkade and the hiring of a dedicated Events Coordinator to oversee and develop programming to draw visitors to the downtown.

• • As was previously announced by Town Council, Bridgewater Transit has been made a permanent and core Town service. It is expected that Transit will cost $241,761 to operate in 2019-20. A capital reserve of $150,000, established in 18-19, continues to be in place to assist with future Transit-related purchases.

• • Bridgewater's contribution to the LCLC's operating budget has decreased by approximately $20,000 compared to last year.
  
  

FOR MORE INFORMATION

David Mitchell
Mayor, Town of Bridgewater
902-541-4364

Tammy (Crowder) Wilson
CAO, Town of Bridgewater

902-541-4363

During the months of March and April, the Town of Bridgewater will be upgrading the elevator that serves visitors and staff at Town Hall. This work will prohibit access to certain floors of the building for those with mobility challenges.

In order to ensure Town Council meetings remain accessible to all members of the public during this time, discussion sessions and regular meetings of Town Council scheduled for March and April will be relocated to the DesBrisay Museum, beginning on March 11.

If you serve on a Town committee, you may wish to check in with the committee chairperson to see if the location of your meeting during this time period has changed to ensure accessibility.

Visitors requiring assistance on site when at Town Hall are encouraged to check in with staff at the front counter entrance at 60 Pleasant Street, or phone ahead with questions by calling 902-543-4651.

After 17 months serving the Town of Bridgewater's residents and business community as a pilot and demonstration project, on Monday night Bridgewater Town Council moved to declare Bridgewater Transit a core and permanent service in the community.

"This is big news for our residents and for the riders who have come to rely on transit to get around Bridgewater," said Mayor David Mitchell. "Our residents and businesses have told Council emphatically that, yes, we need a permanent bus service in our growing community and I'm very pleased to say tonight that's now become a reality."

Since Bridgewater began its transit program in September of 2017, more than 37,000 riders have used the service to travel the on-the-hour 16-kilometre loop within the community.

The original consultant's report on the feasibility of transit in Bridgewater concluded that the service would have to reach a target of 16,000 riders during its first year of operation to be considered successful - Bridgewater Transit achieved that in just eight months.

"We have heard time and time again how transit has had a profoundly positive impact on the quality of life of our residents," Mayor Mitchell said. "And the numbers back that up - ridership has wildly exceeded the expectations detailed in the original consultant's report."

Residents have been been using the bus to shop, attend medical appointments, visit with loved ones, explore the range of services and parks that Bridgewater has to offer, and much more.

During the 2018-19 demonstration phase, Bridgewater Transit was budgeted to operate at a cost of about $13 per rider. The actual cost, however, was closer to $6 per rider thanks to strong ridership, advertising revenue, and program efficiencies.

"Now that Bridgewater Transit has been made a core service, staff projections show that the cost per rider may rise slightly because of the end of subsidies and future capital costs - that means that Council will have to choose wisely when it comes to making capital improvements to the bus service and search out other sources of funding to minimize the impact on our taxpayers where we can," Mayor Mitchell said.

"It's a task that both Council and staff are prepared to tackle," he added, "because we know it's for the good of our community.