Hi folks,
I hope that you had a good weekend and you are enjoying the calm before the storm. It sounds like tonight and tomorrow are going to be pretty wet and windy.
Regional Council is not meeting this week, but there will be a Budget Committee Meeting on Wednesday to discuss the Parks and Recreation Budget. Last week we spent a day and a half on the Transportation and Public Works Budget. I am attaching a link below to the Agenda for the Budget Committee and I encourage you to either speak to the meeting or contact me if you have ideas or concerns.
During the Public Works Budget Committee Meeting last week, a majority of Council decided to CONSIDER reducing blue bag collection to every two weeks. Further a majority supported POTENTIALLY not collecting green bin waste weekly over the summer. You may recall that last summer weekly service was suspended due to budget cuts in response to the pandemic. I did NOT support the green bin collection being reduced to bi-weekly over the upcoming summer months. If you have concerns, you can send them via email to Council at clerks@halifax.ca. A final decision has not yet been made!
https://www.halifax.ca/city-hall/regional-council/march-31-2021-special-budget-committee-meeting
Announcement from HRM regarding Lake Testing by Helicopter
Public Service Announcement
Helicopter to collect water quality samples at municipal lakes
Friday, March 26, 2021 – 52 lakes within the Halifax Regional Municipality will be tested for water quality on Wednesday, March 31, weather pending. These water quality samples will be collected by helicopter and by boat. Residents should be advised that the helicopter will be travelling at low altitude to obtain these samples.
Testing in this method is conducted every 10 years to test for nutrients, chlorophyll a and heavy metals. This work is separate from the supervised beach water quality testing program, which is completed weekly in July and August at all municipally-supervised beaches.
Announcement about Summer Recreation Programs
Public Service Announcement
Summer registration for recreation programming
Friday, March 26, 2021 (Halifax, NS) – The Halifax Regional Municipality is advising residents that summer recreation programs have once again been planned in accordance with public health guidelines.
Currently public health is allowing for multiple cohorts of 15 children in day camps and camp activities can be provided in both an indoor and outdoor setting while maintaining physical distancing protocols. Both full-day and half-day camps are planned to be offered for this summer. If there are changes to COVID-19 guidelines, staff will work with public health to assess and adjust programs as needed to balance the safety of all participants and staff.
Registration is currently scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. each of the following days for all ages:
Day camps and dryland programs
Wednesday, May 5 – July programs
Wednesday, June 2 – August programs
Indoor/outdoor pool and beach programs
Thursday, June 3 – July programs
Wednesday, July 14 – August programs
Detailed information on registration and programs will be viewable online as of Thursday, April 22 on halifax.ca/myREC.
Participants are encouraged to register by phone at (902)-490-6666, online or in-person at their local recreation centre. If registering for programs at municipal partner recreation facilities, please contact those facilities directly.
Residents are reminded they may continue to use REC at Home which offers a variety of activities that you can enjoy with your family – from arts and crafts, to at-home fitness workouts.
For more information on recreation programming, visit halifax.ca/myREC.
Best regards!
Tim