Village of Belledune s strategy for sustainable tourism unveiled

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1 The Belledune Messenger The voice of the Village of Belledune Vol.2 No.4 May 2010 Village of Belledune s strategy for sustainable tourism unveiled The Jacquet River campground and salmon barrier are the top priorities of the Village of Belledune s new tourism strategy. Unveiled in late April, the Glenn Group s final report, called Belledune Sustainable Tourism, comes with an estimate of $415,000 of work which could be done on the campground and another $164,000 which could be spent on the salmon barrier. But community development officer Andy Flanagan said it s very unlikely the village will spend anywhere near those amounts. The report s estimates are only examples of what could be done with that much money should it somehow become available. I don t think we d spend more than $150,000 in the campground and that would be shared by the municipality and other government funding, he said. That money would be invested in 11 new camping sites and improvements to a revamped information centre. Both of these measures would help the Village of Belledune earn more money Mayor Duivenvoorden calls for decision on wastewater management project on May 17 Either vote to go ahead with the proposed $7.9-million wastewater management project or vote against it but make up your minds. That was Belledune Mayor Nick Duivenvoorden s message to council at a public meeting in mid-april. The time has come to make a Belledune s tourism strategy envisions a heritage style fishing village for Durham Wharf, improvements to the Jacquet River Campground and the salmon barrier. from campground operations, said new facility to keep the fry. Mr. Flanagan. Work on improvements to the The community development officer campground is expected to start this also said up to $100,000 might be spent autumn and be completed for the 2011 on the salmon barrier for a country-style tourism season. Mr. Flanagan expects cabin and an observation tower and See BELLEDUNE page 4 decision, one that measures the needs of urgency and the value of doing something or nothing, said Mayor Duivenvoorden. So, at our next public meeting of May 17, there will be a motion on our agenda to either move forward with or to cancel this project. There is no point in wasting any more time chasing something we may not catch, he said. On that day, members of council can decide just what kind of heroes they want to be. In a surprise move, the Belledune mayor made a statement on the wastewater management project at the See CENTRALIZED page 3 o Employment Opportunity - Lawn Maintenance for RCMP Houses The RCMP is looking for a someone to perform lawn maintenance for two houses, at 51 Carr Street and 94 Mack Street. Applicants must be 16 years of age or older, possess a social insurance number and be willing to supply all required materials and submit to a criminal record check. References may be sought. For more information or to apply, please phone before May 14 at 4:30 p.m.

2 2 May 2010 BEllEDUNE JoIN ThE 2010 Belledune In Brief BEllEduNE days FEsTIval organizing committee Hello, I m Patsy Talbot. This year, we need volunteers to help us put on another great Belledune Days Festival. So, come on out, meet a few people, share your ideas, and have fun with us. NEXT MEETING: May 3, 6:30 p.m. BEllEduNE REc centre Belledune archer headed to World Cup The generosity of Belledune residents and businesses is making a dream come true for a local archer. On Saturday, May 1, Belledune archer Trevor Firlotte was slated to board a plane for Croatia to take part in the World Cup archery competition. I m ecstatic! he said. I m going. I m shooting for Team Canada. Earlier this year, Mr. Firlotte set out to raise $3,000 to pay for this trip. With the help of the Village of Belledune, local businesses and individuals, he got slightly more than that. The Village of Belledune donated $300 to the archer. We got all the expenses paid and two sets of arrows for the trip, he said. This year, the World Cup archery competition has the first of its four stages in Porec, Croatia. Mr. Firlotte is taking part in that first stage and should be back home May 9. While there, he will be competing with a 2010 Hoyt Contender Elite 60-lb. right-handed compound bow as part of the six-person team representing Canada. Belledune Days budgeting begins The organizers of this year s Belledune Days Festival are sharpening their pencils and getting ready to draw up Terri Colton is the Student of the Month The student of the month for March at Belledune School was Grade 3 student Terri Colton, who was presented with a certificate by her principal, Ellen Lee. Students of the month are chosen by teachers for demonstrating respect, achievement and success. their budget. We are getting to the point of budgeting for each event, says festival chairperson Patsy Talbot. Therefore those hosting events are asked to attend the next meeting. During last month s meeting, festival organizers ironed out the details for several events. The next meeting is May 3 at 6:30 p.m. at the Belledune Recreation and Cultural Centre. Council Meeting Schedule These are the dates and times for the Village of Belledune council meetings for the coming months. May 17 7 p.m. June 21 7 p.m. July 19 7 p.m.

3 BEllEDUNE May Continued from page 1 Centralized system will be cheaper for Belledune residents April 19 meeting of council. In that statement, the mayor outlined the history of this project since his involvement in municipal politics, going back to When council, with the exception of Councillor Mario lapointe huddled to establish its first-ever strategic plan for growth and development, there was unanimous support for the insertion of wastewater management for Belledune West on the to-do list for , said the mayor. When the entire plan was brought before council for approval, again it was unanimously adopted. When Roy Consultants provided council with a whole host of options, once again Kelly Galloway members unanimously agreed with a single plan. And finally, yet again by unanimous support of council, a request was submitted to the province for an environmental impact assessment of the proposal. Then, the wastewater management proposal went to the public and consensus quickly fell apart. While I have no problem with public officials bowing to public pressure, I think they should have the courage to admit that rather than venture onto a path of trying to tear apart the very thing they had helped put together, said Mayor Duivenvoorden. At a public meeting later last month, Kelly Galloway, president of Engineering Technologies Canada, went through her report which had recommended a centralized wastewater management project. During that meeting at the Belledune Recreation and Cultural Centre, several of the residents questioned the precision of the data in Ms. Galloway s report. But the consultant explained that any omissions of data or other such fine-tuning of the assumptions and estimates in that engineering report would not change the final conclusion. I understand that there are lots with one house on two lots and there are lots that are going to take the data one way and others that will make it go the other way, said Ms. Galloway. When you look into things in micro-detail, you reach a point of diminishing returns. Although there may be relatively few problems with sewage in groundwater now, the engineering consultant concluded that the current method of dealing with sewage with septic tanks and fields in Belledune West is not sustainable. We re predicting that sooner or later, there will be some problems, she said. The consultant explained why the proposed system is the least expensive way to deal with sewage when homes are on lots too small to effectively sustain a septic system. A great place to live! Live here and enjoy: Delicious meals prepared by hotel chefs from 7 am -10 pm Meals served in your room, the restaurant or the bistro 24 hours, 7 days front desk service and security Guest laundromat and maid services Room maid service daily, free cable, free local calls Free wireless internet Easy walking distance to downtown services A great location to welcome and entertain friends and family! VIP Suites at the Best Western Manoir Adelaide Call today!

4 4 May 2010 BEllEDUNE Man walking from Moncton to Balmoral this summer to raise money for hospital equipment A Balmoral man is going to walk from Moncton back to his hometown in early September to raise money to buy a piece of equipment to detect breast cancer at the Campbellton hospital. Mikael Bernard lost his mother, Mona Arseneault-Bernard, to breast cancer on Dec. 24, Now, he s planning to honour her memory by walking the distance she had to travel to get cancer treatments in Moncton. With his walk, the Friends of Healthcare Foundation is hoping to raise $50,000 for a $650,000 digital mammography unit. To be able to stay in Campbellton and save a few hours each day, hours which can then be spent with one s family, that can make a big difference for a cancer patient, said Mr. Bernard. In this region alone, roughly 2,700 women get mammographs every year. This new machine will make it easier to detect cancer and cut wait times. Officials at the Friends of Healthcare Foundation are calling this the Mona... An Angel s Will to Cure walk and are pledging a total of $100,000 towards the cost of the mammography unit. Continued from page 1 Mayor Nick Duivenvoorden is going to walk with Mikael Bernard during the Belledune stretch of his fundraiser for medical equipment to detect breast cancer. Regional Health Authority A is expected to cover the rest of the costs. In early April, Belledune Mayor Nick Duivenvoorden was at the Campbellton Regional Hospital and heard about Mr. Bernard s walk, which is scheduled to be held from Sept It will take him through Belledune on Highway 11. The mayor offered to walk with Mr. Bernard for that stretch of road. It s an excellent idea, said the mayor. When people take initiatives like this it speaks exceptionally well of the greater community. I ll even walk with him. Mr. Bernard s itinerary will see him walking roughly 30 km per day for 10 days. It s a gruelling schedule. But he shrugs it off. It s just walking, he said. It s nothing compared to having cancer. Belledune - Glacial Valleys and Ocean Sands work at the salmon barrier to start in the fall of In the Glenn Group s report, six areas are identified for major tourism and conservation improvements, including the Jacquet River estuary, Roherty Point, the NB Power head pond and the Jacquet River Gorge protected natural area. Within the report s pages is also a detailed new marketing approach which would brand the Village of Belledune with highway, street, and campsite signage, natural colours and even a style of architecture for tourism-related buildings. The village s new logo comes with a new slogan: Belledune Glacial Valleys and Ocean Sands. With that new slogan, Belledune will be highlighting its natural beauty and the immense geological forces which shaped it millions of years ago. As you drive through Belledune, there are all these brooks but never any flat land. It s the Armstrong Brook alluvial fan, said Mr. Flanagan. You can see 400 million years of time [in the rocks in Belledune]. The village s shoreline also features 23 km of beaches which Mr. Flanagan said are greatly under-utilized. The perception is that it s solid industry here but that s not the truth, he said. Only one per cent of the land is used by industry. Since Belledune s new tourism strategy was developed in consultation with other groups in the community, it s already generating interest which promises to lead to tourism enhancements. At the edge of the Jacquet River Gorge, for example, the Super Village Trailblazers snowmobile club is already interested in building cabins on its 200 acres of land. These would overlook the gorge and could be rented out. The strategy also suggests clearing up trails and improving access to the NB Power head pond and the Jacquet River estuary, a parking area for Roherty Point and the creation of a heritage-style village at Durham Wharf. There are several businesses that could be started: fishing and boat tours; a fish market; a seasonal restaurant, said Mr. Flanagan. The most important part of this sustainable tourism plan is that it conserves what s here for the future, he said. If this sustainable tourism plan is followed we could come back 100 years from now to see the conservation areas preserved. Roherty Point, the Jacquet River gorge and estuary as well as the head pond should look exactly as they do today.

5 May 2010 BEllEDUNE 5 James Messenger Hey, you! Call your mother and say thanks Every May, I take my daughters out a few days before Mother s Day and we buy presents, flowers and cards. Then, on the big day, my wife pretends to be surprised by all the fuss. later, she grabs the phone, sneaks off to the quietest part of the house and calls her own mother. Unfortunately, it s not that way for everyone. Years ago, I worked for a while in one of those big office buildings with each department divided up into cubicles. It s a work environment guaranteed to encourage eavesdropping. And so it wasn t too surprising that I overheard a young man speaking to a few of our colleagues about Mother s Day. His attitude blew my mind. In addition to giving him birth and raising him by herself, this woman had helped put him through university and furnished the down payment for his trendy new condo. He should have been thanking almighty God for having such a wonderful mother. But he wasn t. He was wondering why he should be bothered to go out and buy her a card for this artificial holiday. Apparently, he thought it was too much to spend a couple of bucks on his mom. So, today, let me just say to all the mothers out there: Thank you. Everything you ve done, everything you ve sacrificed for us, every tear you dried, every cold you ve helped nurse, it was all appreciated. You laughed with us, cried with us, and stood by us. We love you. Happy Mother s Day! Emergency Measures Organization coordinator Lorenzo Grant is inviting all residents to come and ask questions about Belledune s emergency plan. EMO holds open house May 8 Ice storms, major power outages and forest fires, oil spills, train derailments and even shipping accidents: they may be unlikely, but they could all happen right here in Belledune, says lorenzo Grant, coordinator of the Emergency Measures Organization for the Village of Belledune. That s why each community in New Brunswick is obliged to have an emergency plan. And it s also why the local Emergency Measures Organization is going to hold an open house for Belledune residents from 2 5 p.m. on May 8. We want to do an open house for the people in the village so that they can meet with me, the representative of the EMO in the province, and the police and is published by ACI Media Group Inc. and is distributed free-of-charge, thanks to our sponsors and advertisers. Any reproduction of The Belledune Messenger, in whole or in part using any means without prior written authorization, is strictly prohibited. Publisher: James Risdon fire department and, if they have any questions about our emergency plan, they can ask us, said Mr. Grant. In the event of a major disaster, emergency personnel in Belledune would set up their command post in the council chambers and use dedicated, emergency phone lines to communicate with organizations outside the community and emergency personnel. In Mr. Grant s home, there is an extra supply of water and food, a propane fireplace and a generator with a ready supply of fuel in case of a major outage or ice storm. Now the emergency measures coordinator wants to make sure others in the community also know what to do in an emergency smith street Bathurst, New Brunswick E2a 3v2 (506) acimediagroup@nb.aibn.com

6 6 May 2010 BEllEDUNE Heritage Players wow crowd with an Evening with Michael Whelan production First dinner theatre here raises $3,410 for Belledune s Relay for life A Miramichi troupe came to Belledune and made local theatrical history last month by providing the first-ever dinner theatre in this community. The local production of An Evening with Michael Whelan: The Poet from Renous, drew a crowd of about 160 spectators to the Belledune Recreation and Cultural Centre and raised $3,410 with the help of corporate sponsorships. It was absolutely incredible, said Flo Guitard, chairperson of the Belledune Relay for life. It really went over well. During this evening of dinner theatre in Belledune, patrons dined on lasagna with Caesar salad, Italian bread, dessert and tea or coffee and got to take in a four-part performance featuring 27 actors and singers. The highlight was seeing everyone on the stage at the end, said Ms. Guitard. They got audience members up and dancing around. Michael Whelan, who passed away in 1937, was a self-published poet most famous in New Brunswick for his tale of a murdered cook from the Dungarvon River, which flows into the Renous River, who would whoop to call workers to camp. It s one of the most famous ghost The dinner theatre production An Evening with Michael Whelan in Belledune last month was a fundraiser for the Belledune Relay for Life. stories of the Miramichi River, said Bernie Colepaugh, the troupe s president. The Belledune Relay for life committee has a fundraising goal of $20,000. In mid-april, roughly half of that had already been raised. Other fundraisers coming up include a bingo during the afternoon of May 2 at the Belledune Recreation and Cultural Centre, in memory of Cathy Duivenvoorden. There will also be a barbecue at 11 a.m. on May 14 at the RCMP detachment in Jacquet River and a breakfast brunch is tentatively planned for St. Gabriel s parish hall. Call Ms. Guitard for more information about these events at: How To Pray The Rosary The purpose of the rosary is to help to remember certain principal events or mysteries in the history of our salvation, and thank and praise God for them. There are twenty mysteries reflected upon in the rosary, these are divided into the five joyful mysteries, the five luminous mysteries, the five sorrowful mysteries, and the five glorious mysteries. 1) Make the Sign of the Cross and say the Apostles Creed. 2) Say the Our Father. 3) Say three Hail Marys. 4) Say the Glory be to the Father. 5) Announce the first mystery; then say the Our Father. 6) Say ten Hail Marys. 7) Say the Glory to be to the Father. 8) Announce the second mystery; then say the Our Father. Repeat 6 and 7 and continue with third, fourth and fifth mysteries in the same manner.

7 BEllEDUNE May Birthday corner All Birthday Corner greetings should include the first and last names of the well-wisher and the person having the birthday, the type of relationship between them (mother, father, husband, wife, friend, etc.), and the age of the birthday boy or girl (or man or woman). your FREE birthday wishes to: Town hall: bell001@nbnet.nb.ca clerk/treasurer: Brenda Cormier Fax: arena ice rentals: acimediagroup@nb.aibn.com. The Guitard family would like to invite you to an open house for their mother, Mary Guitard, who will be celebrating her 80th birthday. Please feel free to drop in at her home on Saturday, May 15, between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. at 168 Mitchell Road. Best wishes only. James Risdon wishes a happy birthday to Clint Eastwood. The Dirty Harry star turns 80 on May 31. village of Belledune Mayor: Nick Duivenvoorden deputy Mayor: Emmie Flanagan councillors: Elaine Levesque-Godin, Paul Daley, Jerry Guitard, Mario Lapointe chief administrative officer david hughes davidhughes@nb.aibn.com cdo andy Flanagan belledunedevelopment@nb.aibn.com Belledune community Resources Messenger classifieds The Belledune Messenger Classifieds are FREE for the first three lines for Belledune residents, businesses and non-profit organizations when sent by to acimediagroup@nb.aibn.com That s about 113 characters and spaces of text. Bold or italic text, black-andwhite photographs, and exta lines are available for only $2 each. Classifieds must be paid prior to publication. Classified ads which are mailed in will be priced at $20 due to the extra workload. Classified ads from outside Belledune will billed at $25 per ad. FREE Classifieds in The Belledune Messenger are a great way to get your message out to the community. Send yours in before the 15th of each month! Clothing Two pairs of Harbor Bay loose-fit jeans, 56 waist, 34 leg, never worn. Reg. $45 apiece, now only $30 each. Call: The Belledune Messenger is pleased to provide the following list of important commmunity resources. Should there be others you would like to see added, please acimediagroup@nb.aibn.com Belledune District Planning Commission Belledune Public Library Emergency 911 Environment New Brunswick Emergencies , afterhours Mla Roland haché - Nigadoo chaleur Riding , during business hours Mp Tilly o Neill-Gordon - Miramichi Riding NB Power - Outages - Streetlights RcMp 911 For emergencies Non-emergency Blue Bin Recycling Program , ask for sarah Restigouche county - spca - animal control emergency Roman catholic churches - st. Gabriel The archangel & st. John the Evangelist Royal canadian legion durham - Jacquet River village of Belledune Municipal office chief administrative officer - david hughes community development officer - andy Flanagan administrative assistant - Nicole carrier

8 8 May 2010 BEllEDUNE Belledune School closing in June Belledune School will be closing its doors forever at the end of June. Every year, we ve struggled to keep the school open but there comes a time when enrolment drops to the point where you have to close it, said John Mclaughlin, superintendent of School District 15. Built to accommodate more than 100 students, enrolment at the kindergarten to Grade 5 school dropped to 20 this year and was projected to slip to 19 next year. With the closure of this school, they will now attend other schools in the region. Most of those students will be zoned for Jacquet River School but some may be zoned for Parkwood Heights [in Bathurst], said Mr. Mclaughlin. Certainly, there is plenty of room for new students at Jacquet River School. Seven years ago, there were 303 students there. Since then, enrolment has dropped to 168 and Department of Education officials expect enrolment to continue to decline. For many, the school s closure of Belledune School is much more than just the loss of a building. In a small community, a school isn t just a school, said Mr. Mclaughlin. It s a place where the community comes together. This is the end of an era. Belledune Relay for Life Grocery and Prize Bingo! Everyone welcome! Sunday May 2 at the Belledune Rec Centre 1-4 p.m. This is an old fashioned bingo. Bring your own bingo markers or pennies. No dabbers! All proceeds to Cancer Relay for Life Advertise in The Belledune Messenger The Belledune Messenger goes to EVERY SINGLE HOME in the village of Belledune every month, guaranteeing that your advertising message gets the maximum possible exposure in Belledune. It s affordable and it works. Here s what electrical contractor Novolux s Kim David says about us: James helped us get our message out to the right prospects. The results were IMMEDIATE and our technicians met great people from the Belledune area, who are now Home Protection Plan members and customers for life! The Belledune Messenger, working for you to reach new customers in Belledune and grow your business. Affordable. Effective. And easy. Call The Belledune Messenger today at: or us at: acimediagroup@nb.aibn.com. We re here to help you grow your business!