Thursday, September 10, 2009

Pink Shirt Day

Students across the province are wearing pink today (September 10th) as they mark the second annual Stand Up Against Bullying Day. Education Minister Marilyn More says that bullying is unacceptable and she wants any student who is being bullied or knows of someone being bullied to tell a parent, teacher,counsellor, vice-principal or principal. Stand Up Against Bullying Day is marked on the second Thursday in September. Schools across the province hold anti-bullying events and students wear pink. The inspiration came from the actions of two Grade 12 students from Central Kings Rural High School in Kings County. Travis Price and David Shepherd rallied behind a new student to the school who was being bullied simply for wearing a pink shirt. They brought pink shirts to school and handed them out to classmates to wear in solidarity with the new student. Their efforts sparked similar initiatives around the world, and wear pink has become the symbol and slogan of the anti-bullying movement.

New Chambers?

It's not in the near future but Lunenburg Municipal Council will explore options for a budget timeline and financing for the construction of a new administration building. Mayor Don Downe says they're looking at putting money aside if they decide to move forward. Downe says a study shows staff have outgrown the current administration building at 210 Aberdeen Road. Former C-A-O Doug Quinn brought the issue to council's attention in his 2004 annual report. At that time he said the three decade old building was overcrowded . Council did set aside over $100 thousand dollars in that year's budget for repairs and renovations.

Youden Holding

It was first proposed back in May of 2007, now a housing development for Mahone Bay is on indefinate hold. Mayor Joe Feeney says Council is discussing a letter of intent to continue persuing the development with developer Bob Youden. However, Feeney says indicators are the development is not going to go ahead in the near future because of the economic environment. Youden's proposal for a 24 million dollar housing development on the Old School Lands, and the loss of a soccer field and nearby woods became the centre of a controversy that rocked the town. A Group of residents filed an appeal with the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board over Council's decision refusing to rezone the property from residential to recreational use.

Former Jail Idle

The former jail in Centre still sets idle eight years after it was closed for good. The last inmates left the facility in May 2001 and the building reverted to the Municipality of the District of Lunenburg. Mayor Don Downe says a recent proposal for the property was not supported by Council and there's nothing concrete in the works. The Lunenburg County Correctional Centre better known as the Centre Jail first opened in 1950.