EASTERN HRM –STRATEGIC PLANNING 2014
Supporting Documents
3/31/2014
Smart Business Decisions and Acadia Entrepreneurship Centre
Denise VanWychen and Chris Pelham
Contents
Seacoast Trail Arts Association 4
MacPhee House Proposal 5
Sheet Harbour and Area Heritage Society. 5
Minutes for Tourism Meeting held on Friday January 31st 2014 6
Sheet Harbour and Area Chamber of Commerce and Civic Affairs Survey 2012 8
APPENDIX A – Sheet Harbour Business Case 10
APPENDIX B – Sheet Harbour Waterfront Site Plan: 2008 10
Friends of Taylor Head park presidents report – 2010 10
Bird walks- Taylor Head provincial park-2014 10
Ad Hoc Community Economic Task Force for Eastern HRM Minutes October 24th, 2012 11
An anecdotal overview of various sectors of the Eastern HRM economy 13
Potential Public Sector Investments in Eastern HRM 15
Economic Development Committee, Sheet Harbour - November 21, 2012 16
Economic Forum for Developing the Eastern Shore 17
Developing the Eastern Shore 18
Creating a Nova Scotia Marine Parks Network 25
Association for the Preservation of the Eastern Shore (APES) 26
Aquaculture Briefing for the Eastern HRM Community-driven Strategic Development Plan 28
APPENDIX C – Bay of Islands Destination Area Proposal 29
Lake Charlotte Area Heritage Society 29
APPENDIX D – 2013 Visitor Analysis –Memory Lane Heritage Village 30
The Musquodoboit Harbour and Area Community Association 30
APPENDIX E – Musquodoboit Harbour Final Vision 2007 30
APPENIDX F - Musquodoboit Harbour Approved Action Plan 30
APPENDIX G – Musquodoboit Harbour Survey Responses 30
APPENDIX H – Musquodoboit Harbour April 14th Results 30
The Old School Community Gathering Place - March 2014 30
HRM’s Regional Plan 5 Year review 34
Excerpt from HRM Regional Municipality Planning Strategy 35
APPENDIX I – HRM Regional Municipality Planning Strategy Draft 4, Jan 2014 35
APPENDIX J – 2013 Community Health Plan 35
APPENDIX K – Reaching Out for Mental Health: From a Rural Perspective 35
Musquodoboit Valley Business Plan June 2012 35
Musquodoboit Valley Communication Strategy 2013 41
APPENDIX L - Musquodoboit Valley Planning Accomplishments – February 2104 42
Musquodoboit Valley Micro-Volunteering Plan 2013 42
Musquodoboit Valley Coalition Proposal - December 2013 42
Seacoast Trail Arts Association
The Seacoast Trail Arts Association of the Eastern Shore was founded in 2006 and is registered with the Registry of Joint Stocks. This group was formed from a desire to celebrate, foster and promote the talent from the Eastern Shore of Nova Scotia. This association is unique due to its diversity of crafts and fine art. Examples of members’ arts and crafts include: Dream catchers, Fabric art, Jewellery, Painting – watercolor, oil, acrylic, silk, pastel, scratchboard, Photography, Rug hooking, Stained glass, Quilting – traditional, quilt art, Wood sculpture, bowls, furniture and Wood relief carving and Folk art.
Our main goal is to promote Eastern Shore artists and artisans and support their future development. There have been several groups developed during the past two years, including a painting group and a quilting group. The association also sponsors several workshops during the year. Also, there have been presentations at the end of our regular meetings. There has been an Open House each year to provide an opportunity for the communities to view the artists at work. Each year we hold an art exhibition and sale in Sheet Harbour during the third weekend in August to showcase the talent in our communities. This has been a very successful event.
The STAA supports the development of young artists and provide an annual bursary for a graduating student at Duncan MacMillan High School who will be pursuing a career in Visual arts.
Art Park
One of our goals is the promotion of the local Art Park and to provide funding for projects. The Art Park was conceived as a space to house both community art and sculpture created by individual artists and art collectives, and is part of the Seacoast Trail Art Association (STAA).
The park is located beside West River Falls in the village of Sheet Harbour on the Eastern Shore of Nova Scotia. The park stretches along the river and into a mixed wood forest. It is open year round and is not fenced. The park is host to many items including carved benches, fairy doors, a shelter hut and several carved sculptures. In 2007, the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia, the Honourable MayAnn E. Francis visited the Art Park and signed a shingle on the Shelter Hut. She wrote “Barriers are meant to cross over, not to stop you.”
The Shelter Hut
The SEA sponsored Julie Adamson Miller’s shelter hut project. The shelter was created to showcase the individuals that make up the community surrounding and including Sheet Harbour through the mediums of art and architecture.Built by more than 450 community members, the shelter acts as a welcome to those who visit and live in the villages on the Eastern Shore. Each decorated shingle allows a glimpse into the spirit of the individuals that make up our community.
Chain Saw Sculpture
The Seaside Exhibition of the Arts commissioned Arthur Turner to create a sculpture in the park. He chose to represent the logging industry of the Eastern Shore. He has dedicated his 16 foot chain saw sculpture in memory of Mike McInnis, who was a scaler who measured the wood brought in by truckers for Scott’s Pulp Mill.
Benches
Three benches have been added to the permanent collection of the Art Park. Carvers Anne Keddy and John Nickerson helped students from various schools create these benches.
Clothes pin sculpture
This wooden sculpture was made by George Child and commemorates the once successful clothes pin factory in Lewiston Lake, near Sheet Harbour.
There are also fairy doors hidden in the trees, and decorated fish signs along the paths. The Art Park is open year round and is not fenced.
For more information about the Seacoast Trail Arts Association go to their website at www.seacoasttrailartsassoc.com.
MacPhee House Proposal
In addition to the initiatives of the Arts and Heritage groups, the community Visitor Information Centre would like to make the MacPhee House a hub of cultural activity for the communities along the Eastern Shore and for visitors to our communities. As of now, the MacPhee House is open from May to October. It is hoped that this could be expanded to year-round.
Activities already planned and future considerations include craft sales, special events (i.e. Canada Day and Seaside Festival week-long activities), outdoor concerts, jam sessions, theatre presentations, historical presentations and traditional skills workshops (e.g. quilting, fly tying). Two aboriginal pow wows are being scheduled- one in July and one in August.
The MacPhee House has three areas of focus. There is a museum, a future art gallery and the Visitor Information Centre. There are public washrooms with both inside and outside access. A family room has been established in one of the kiosks. The grounds have been beautified, intensifying the magic of the West River Falls and Harbour vistas.
Much of the work comes from the volunteer sector. Heritage, Arts and Tourism committees associated with the Sheet Harbour and Area Chamber of Commerce as well as the general membership have put many hours into creating a meaningful facility. Federal grants, an AESTA grant and a training partnership have created minimal employment.
We believe that working with HRM, we will be able to maintain and expand the sharing of the culture of this area with community and beyond.
The STAA group would like to use the MacPhee House and surrounding buildings for the following activities:
1. Artist of the Week program – This has been a successful event in the past.
2. Community Art Projects – There have been several community art projects in the last 4 years and it is always difficult to find a space that is large enough and is cost effective. This type of project will continue to occur.
3. Artist Cooperative – In the near future or next year, the artists’ group would like to sell their arts and crafts from the MacPhee House or one of the kiosks. Two craft and gift shops have closed in the last two years.
4. Art Centre for teaching workshops, using it for meetings, and having a space for artisans to work and participate in group activities such as painting, quilting etc.
5. Centre for Demonstrations – it is important to show the community especially the youth, what the artists and crafters do. At this time, this interaction does not happen.
Sheet Harbour and Area Heritage Society.
Formed in 2007, the Heritage Society’s interest is to preserve and record the history and heritage of the local area. A major on-going project is the collection of oral history, the stories of senior residents. We hold events from time to time, such as “Ghostly Tales” at Halloween, and the Christmas Reception at MacPhee House with period decorations.
The Society also maintains the collection at the MacPhee House Community Museum. This collection was begun in 1984 as a result of the Sheet Harbour Bi-Centennial of the 1784 settlement on the East River. Re-organized in 1996 and 2000, it is hoped to move the museum downstairs in MacPhee House and include inter-active digital displays. Originally a private residence on the present site of part of Gammon’s Bros. Ltd., it was expanded into to a rooming house by John and Florence MacPhee when they acquired ownership. The rooming house extension was removed, and the house turned 180º, when it was moved to the West River location in 1989.
The Society is all volunteer, has an important task; and would appreciate the participation of anyone interested in keeping memories of the past alive for the benefit of future generations.
General Meetings are every month on the second Tuesday 7:00.pm. at the General Purpose Room of the Hospital. We’ve recently begun a “Story Teller” program at the end of our meeting where local memories are recounted. Fascinating stuff, and all are welcome to attend.
Society President Judy Smiley (654 2068) would welcome your call.
The Society has responsibility for the MacPhee House Community Museum
· The Collection, its research; preparation; maintenance; interpretation and display
· Cataloguing and photographing the artifacts, photographs and documents and making the collection available to the larger public through the Canadian Heritage Information Network and the Virtual Museum of Canada through the Passage Project of ANSM
The Society is responsible for establishing the authenticity of sites proposed for marking, for marking historic sites, preparing interpretive signage, and arranging appropriate public access. The site of the ground-wood pulp mill at the West River adjacent to MacPhee House is the primary concern in that regard.
· The Society also has an interest in the gathering of oral histories from local residents before these are no longer available.
· The Society has limited genealogical resources, but offers what assistance and suggestions it can to individual researchers.
· The Society, while Registered, operates within the context of the Chamber of Commerce, since historically the MacPhee House Community Museum has been a concern of the Chamber, along with MacPhee House itself and the VIC housed there.
Minutes for Tourism Meeting held on Friday January 31st 2014
Senator Tom McInnis – President of Chamber of Commerce
We need to decide what product we are selling and market that idea. Creating a national park which includes Liscombe Game Sanctuary and the Bay of Islands would provide jobs for many years.
Karen Wenaus – President of DEANS, Manager of Liscombe Lodge
Karen discussed the role of DEANS, and also spoke about the importance of networking.
Hollie Quick –Marketing and Communications Officer of DEANS – Destination Eastern and Northumberland Shores.
Hollie discussed how DEANS obtained their funding as a non- profit organization. She discussed several of their marketing strategies which included their website, Guide, Map and the Saltscapes Expo.
*HRM does not fund DEANS even though the Eastern Shore is part of their district.
David Hendsbee – Municipal Councillor
David discussed several items such as improving road signage and signage for businesses, cleaning up obsolete signage in the HRM, developing a blue route for bicycling, and more trail development. He also mentioned that grants are available and to check that out on their website. His response to Sandy’s question about funding MacPhee House, was that we will have to wait for the budget to be announced.
Shannon Chambers – ACOA
Shannon explained some of the programs for businesses and mentioned that they can call her to discuss any future plans. 902-426-6792.
Discussion # 1 What do you consider a great day on the Eastern Shore to be like?
· Get on the water, boat tours, kayaking, boating
· Eat seafood - lobster, mussels, clam bake etc. - be messy
· Go for a hike with binoculars and camera
· Get yourself on an island
· Spend sunrise until sunset at the beach - any beach!
· Stargaze
· Church suppers
· Fishing for trout
· Go diving for scallops
· Relaxing with beer on the deck
· historic tours
· photography
· biking
· social gatherings with friends and neighbors
Discussion # 2 - Discuss ways you could develop an experience for a tourist with your business and/or other businesses.
· Meryl - packed lunch to picnic on an island and then stay at a local inn overnight.
· Robert - Guided photography tour - photography weekend at a local accommodation.
· Woodlot demonstrations - promote sustainable harvesting - showing other options besides clearcutting.
· Ladies weekends - spa, massage, estheticians - gather local services to offer a package.
· Sea Kayaking.
· Camping experiences such a star gazing/astrology, winter camping with snow shoe tours etc. possibly in conjunction with Taylors Head.
· Guided or theme walking tours at Taylors Head (bird watching, flowers/fauna etc).
· Oyster farm tours, partner with complimentary business for package experiences.
· Aqua Culture Festival with tours or mussel boil.