CoCO was established as a forum by the Trust in March, 2001 to provide an opportunity for networking among residents of communities and community based organizations on the Chebucto Peninsula.   This is accomplished through personal contact and bimonthly meetings.  CoCO meetings, which rotate between sponsoring communities / organizations, provide a forum for sharing information,  discussing ideas and raising issues of an environmental nature.  With this established network we are able to inform the community, the media, and politicians of upcoming events or to gather members for a coalition to address a community issues.  Meeting highlights are posted when they become available.

Meetings

Next Meeting:
      7 p.m. on Wednesday, January 25, 2012

 at the Tantallon Library , Hubley Centre in Upper Tantallon

The host group will be the Safety Minded ATV Club.

COCO meetings provide an excellent forum for discussion of environmental and planning issues in our communities bound by the Highway 3 and Highway 333 loop. Our HRM Councillors Reg Rankin and Peter Lund routinely attend these meetings to hear the concerns of the residents and to provide timely updates on their work .The information sharing has proved invaluable over the ten years of the bi monthly meetings held in January, March, May September and November. The meeting locations rotate to give community groups in the area an opportunity to host meetings and to highlight issues of concern and interest in their area .We learn much from one another. COCO meetings are open to anyone who wishes to attend. Notes about topics discussed at COCO meetings are compiled and are posted on the website of the Five Bridges Wilderness Heritage Trust : www.fivebridgetrust.ca The Trust website is currently undergoing some upgrading. Notes from the September COCO will soon be available on the Trust website.

November 17, 2011

Host, Five Bridges Trust

Highlights

Notes from the COCO Meeting –November 17, 2011

The November meeting was held at the Tantallon Library. Host group was the Five Bridges Wilderness Heritage Trust. The meeting was chaired by Beth McGee.

One of the main topics to be discussed was prompted by questions raised with Staff at the Nova Scotia Environment Protected Areas Branch who asked that we begin to discuss stewardship ideas for the newly created Five Bridge Lakes Wilderness Area(FBLWA)

*Safety Minded ATV/St. Margaret’s Bay Rails to Trails-Mike Marriott outlined where the connector trail will be now that the Five Bridge Lakes Wilderness Area (FBLWA)has been designated. There is an east west  sliver of Crown Land just south of Tantallon Woods that was left out of the Wilderness Area .The connector trail will be built there and begin  on land east of the EHS building on Hwy 3 and exit onto the Joshua Slocum trail on the east .Funding will be applied for in 2011for this trail. The two roads outlined in red in the new FBLWA are the Fire Road and the old St. Margaret’s Bay Road as it passes through  the WA. These roads will be managed under An agreement between the ATV community and NS Environment (NSE).NSE will not contribute $$ to the upkeep of the Fire Road (Joshua Slocum) The OHV Fund will be the major funders here.

There was lively discussion about whether or not Crown Land now in the FBLWA is posted?

Discussed the possibility of having Crown Land for a parking lot at the Joshua Slocum Trail in the Crown Land block just south of the residential area on Joshua Slocum Avenue.

Access points to the Old St Margaret’s Bay Road require signage on the west at Westhaver Road and a second sign several hundred meters to the east to show where the road veers to the north and then goes up a hill. The eastern end of the Old St. Margaret’s Bay Road at the Nine Mile River also needs to be marked to show you are entering the FBLWA, the western side of the FBLWA also requires a sign.

*St. Margaret’s Bay Stewardship Association

We were encouraged to attend a public \meeting on Saturday, November 26 from 2-4 p.m. at St. Luke’s Church to hear plans by Irving to develop their lands at the cross roads (Hwys 3&333).It is rumoured that the plan is to build a Shopper’s Drug Store ,a TD Bank with drive through and a Subway with drive through and with Subway headquarters on a second floor of one of the buildings. Input from residents will be gathered.

Troop Island purchase is stalled.

There are upcoming workshops  sponsored in part by the Stewardship Association.   

                                                                           
Transition Bay St Margarets offers Training For Transition, a two-day workshop January

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28, 29 ,2012 introducing the “Transition Town” model of local response to global challenges. Participants will learn how to: initiate a transition group in the community; build awareness of peak oil, climate change and economic instability; and engage citizens from all walks of life in neighbourhood or community projects. Addressing both the practice and the theory of Transition, participants will leave the session better equipped to offer transition leadership in their own communities.

This workshop is for anyone interested in strengthening a community-wide response to fossil fuel dependence, climate change and/or economic instability.

*CouncillorPeter Lund reported on the delays in getting the rezoning passed..

He reminded us of the Open House  sponsored by Genivar to discuss ideas for the Irving lands as already noted above.

Discussed land ownership and land uses for Irving and the Superstore.

The review of the HRM Plan was detailed. Peter will be designated person from the Environmental Goals and  Sustainability Committee. This will be a twelve month review. Public meetings will be held at the St. Margaret Centre and the Prospect Community Centre. Two committees have been merged to look at the Regional  Plan.

Concerns are being expressed about what will happen to Bowater lands once the new connector road between Highways 103 and 3 south of Exit 5 .  Councillor Rankin could see that these lands could be connected to Westwood Hills.

A large tract of Bowater land could be sold to Raymar or several other companies.

As of right developments will cease when new HRM Plan is put in place.

Moratorium on building lots still exist for Hammonds Plains Road.

Question was raised could Bowater/Westwood Hills expand?

*Wooden’s River Watershed Environmental Organization (WRWEO)

The Bluff Trail is finished and is now in maintenance mode.

WRWEO is turning its attention tom other matters. Water Quality is an issue. To take on such a large project in the Wooden’s River Watershed would require a collaborative effort.  Suggestion came that collaboration could occur under a single umbrella. Because attention needs to be paid to both fresh water and salt water issues St. Margaret’s Bay Stewardship Association might be approached by WRWEO. Funding and dissemination of volunteer efforts were also seen an issue requiring addressing.

Could Peter Lund be of help here?

HRM may co-ordinate existing water quality data.

It was noted that the Nine Mile River Watershed is an orphan.

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Beechville Lakeside Timberlea Rails to Trails(BLT R2T)-

Baseline Data is being collected for Brunello Estates by HRM Water who came on the BLT R2T to bore holes in order to determine the feasibility of a sewer upgrade by constructing a trunk waste water system from  Beechville Lakeside Timberlea area into Halifax.

Discussion held about moped drivers who do not have to be licensed ,  or carry insurance.

Canoe Kayak NS(CKNS)

Dusan Soudek reported about a siltation situation on the Nine Mile River where silt was coming in to the river from Kingswood. NSE was called and they investigated a construction site.

The members of CKNS have been involved in clean up of portages and camp sites in the Chebucto Peninsula and other areas.

Councillor Reg Rankin

Councillor Rankin announced that application forms will soon be available for a Western Common Advisory group to govern the Western Common It is hoped that persons from the communities around the Western Common will express an interest. Expect to hear more about this in January 2012.

Five Bridges Wilderness  Heritage Trust (FBWHT)

Jill Pulisfer  Co-Chair at FBWHT spoke about some of the stewardship ideas we need to address. Access points noted by NSE need to be addressed as signage is required , parking lots need to be looked at. FBWHT has already approached DoT about a parking lot on Westhaver Road for travelers using the Old St.Margaret’s Bay . During the consultation for the FBLWA , 21 access points were noted.

The need for a collaboration on Water Quality issues was also addressed.

John Cascadden reported his representation for  Five Bridges Wilderness Heritage Trust on the NS water Caucus, Groundswell, NS No Frac Committee, Steering Committee for Dartmouth Advisory Watershed Network (DAWN)

 He outlined how the DAWN group is devising a template for use by water advisory groups around the province.

There is a meeting on .December 3 sponsored by the NS No Frac.

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 McDonald Lake Residents Association

The McDonald Lake Community Park has had some further work done with need for multiple culverts to carry off storm water in the big storms. Access to the wilderness area via the old St. Margaret’s Bay Road will get addressed.

Councillor Peter Lund had additional things to report on. Lot grading By Law –storm water and Rural road standards are being looked at.

NST&IR is working with NSE to amend and revise erosion control guidelines.

The NS Coastal Strategy is available for consultation.

Thanks to all for attending the meeting!!

The January COCO Meeting will be held at 7 p.m. on January 25,2012  at the Tantallon Library. Safety Minded ATV will be the host group.

Sept 21, 2011
Chair: Barb Allen, PRCC
Highlights ()

May 25, 2011
Chair: Safety Minded ATV Club
Highlights ()

March 23, 2011
Chair: BLT Rails to Trails
Highlights ()

February 7, 2011
Chair: St. Margaret