Hi folks,
I hope you are staying well and doing your best to follow the rules and guidelines put in place by N.S. Public Health. I realize this is hard on everyone, but it will pass.
Council Meeting & Budget
Regional Council will be meeting this Tuesday and I have included a link below to the full agenda for the meeting. The 2021/22 Operating and Capital Budget is also scheduled to receive final approval on Tuesday.
Highlights of Public Service Announcements from HRM.
I have also included the updates from me last week on Social Media.
Emergency Preparedness Week 2021
As part of Emergency Preparedness Week beginning Sunday, May 2, Halifax Regional Fire & Emergency’s (HRFE’s) Emergency Management Division is encouraging all residents to ‘be ready for anything’.
The past year has highlighted the importance of emergency preparedness with the current situation surrounding COVID-19.
The Emergency Management Division is focused on ensuring the safety and security of residents, their properties, and the environment by providing a prompt and coordinated response to an emergency situation.
Residents also have a big role to play when it comes to ensuring their own safety.
Being ‘ready for anything’ requires three key steps:
- Know the risks
- Make a plan
- Get an emergency kit
All residents should be prepared to be self-sufficient in their home for 72 hours.
HRFE’s Emergency Management Division is running a contest to bring better awareness and thought to being ‘ready for anything.
Residents have the opportunity to win one of 10 emergency kits (approx. retail value $30). To participate in the contest, take the emergency preparedness quiz. Entrants who answer all questions correctly will be eligible for the draw.
To stay informed about emergencies and operations updates, residents are encouraged to register for hfxALERT, the municipality’s mass notification system. Subscribers will receive urgent and non-urgent notifications by phone, email, and/or text message.
For more information on being prepared for an emergency, visit the HRFE Emergency Management web page.
Residents are encouraged to follow the @hfxgov for regular updates and information during an emergency.
Update from HRM Parks & Recreation
Summer registration for programs in municipally-operated facilities scheduled for Wednesday, May 5 is postponed due to current COVID-19 restrictions.
A new registration date is expected to be announced later in May following updates from public health. As with all aspects of COVID-19, timelines are subject to change.
DeWolf Park Repairs & Upgrades
Those of you who frequent our beautiful DeWolf Park, using appropriate social distancing, will notice that some projects are ongoing.
I am sending a big shout-out to HRM Parks staff for their work on the new pedestrian bridge on the path to Shore Dr, and also the two concrete pads for the upcoming new benches!
Response to COVID-19: Halifax Transit Update
The Halifax Regional Municipality continues to monitor and respond to the rapidly evolving effects of COVID-19.
Based on current staff availability, Halifax Transit anticipates that conventional bus service may be impacted over the coming days.
Before heading out on your trip, all riders are encouraged to check for possible delays and/or cancellations. Halifax Transit will make every effort to share route disruptions as timely as possible via our website and @hfxtransit on Twitter.
Ferry service is expected to continue as scheduled.
Mandatory Masks
In keeping with the public health order, masks continue to be mandatory on all Halifax Transit buses, ferries and terminals.
Please note: children under two and those with a medical reason for not wearing a mask are exempt.
Transit riders are responsible for bringing their own masks.
A number of safety measures are being taken to help reduce the spread of disease, including an increased frequency in wipe-downs of high-touch surfaces.
Halifax Transit has been designated by the Province of Nova Scotia an essential service under the current provincial state of emergency. The two-metre physical distancing and physical gathering limits do not apply to Halifax Transit as stated in the provincial order.
Those who are feeling ill should not use any transit service until their health returns to normal.
For more information on municipal services during the COVID-19 pandemic, visit Halifax.ca/coronavirus.
Update on Emerald Ash Borer in DeWolf Park & HRM
I received this update from HRM’s Chief Arborist, in response to a question from a resident.
“At the outset of the infestation on Waterfront Dr./DeWolf Park, our strategy was to remove the known infected trees in an attempt to reduce the amount of beetles and try to reduce the spread; knowing that preventing the spread would be impossible. Since this time, through active monitoring, we have identified that the infestation is larger and has moved faster than originally thought. As a result, our management strategy has shifted to one of removing trees as the infestation progresses, or the trees become unsafe, and schedule replacements with alternate species.
The trees removed on the North end of Waterfront Drive last year are on the list for replanting this year. We will continue to monitor all of the trees on Waterfront Dr and DeWolf Park and remove them as they succumb. While we have no specific plans to remove trees as of yet, I predict that the likelihood of additional removals this year is high based on known patterns of infestation form other parts of the country”.
Have a good week. Stay home if you can, but if not please remember to wear a mask, social distance, get tested, and then get vaccinated as soon as you eligible.
Sandra and I were vaccinated this past week. It was quick, easy and painless!
Tim