MARYSTOWN, N.L. – Tourism and special event committee chair Deputy Mayor Gary Myles gave a detailed breakdown of the schedule of events for the newly reinstated Marystown Shining Seas Festival during council’s meeting on June 19.
The festival will kick off on Aug. 6 with Marystown Day and continue until Sunday, Aug. 12.
Marystown Day will start with a mayor’s breakfast event featuring councillors cooking and serving the most important meal of the day for the public.
There will be a parade in the afternoon as well as kids and family activities at the track and field. Sky High Amusements will be on hand with games and attractions. An open mic at the track and field is scheduled for the evening with fireworks at dusk.
A pig roast at St. Gabriel’s Hall, a variety concert, family night at the Merge, a special needs party at the Lions Centre, a flea market, a selfie scanvenger hunt, two free shows with magician/hypnotist Gary Summers at Kaetlyn Osmond Arena sponsored by Peter Kiewit and a car show hosted by the Southern Classics Antique Car Club are just some of the other events scheduled throughout the week.
Different community groups and organizations are sponsoring a breakfast each morning throughout the festival.
Tthe Big Splash concert is taking place on Saturday, Aug. 11 with John Boy and Racquel, the Coastals and headliners the Fables. Fifty-fifty tickets will be sold during the week with the draw being held at the concert.
“I think that’s a pretty good schedule and if we can pull it off it should be pretty successful,” Myles said after listing all the events.
Volunteers with the tourism and special events committee are working hard to put the festival together, as are many groups in the community, Myles said.
“There’s a heavy involvement from everyone around town,” he acknowledged.
Myles noted there are still a few kinks being ironed out and said an official printed schedule will be available soon.
In-store flyer ban discussed
The protections to persons and property committee discussed the possibility of banning in-store paper flyers during its recent meeting.
A decision was made during the council meeting to defer a motion on including such a ban in the town’s anti-litter regulations until further discussion and consultation can be conducted.
Coun. Mike Brennan indicated the flyers are a big part of the litter problem in Marystown.
People pick them up in the store, put them in their shopping carts and they end up blowing away when they put the groceries in their vehicle, he said.
“I’m telling you now, it’s atrocious. We have not even taken five per cent of the flyers that are in the woods and in the shrubs over by the old mall,” he said.
Brennan insisted a ban is something that needs to be considered.
Brennan also defended comments he made during the June 4 council meeting calling people who litter “pigs.” He acknowledged some were offended by his remarks.
“Let me reiterate to them, I don’t know what else you could call them. If they’re young, we could probably call them piglets, but if you’re mature and you’re throwing garbage around the way we’ve seen it, I think you call them pigs,” Brennan said.
Meanwhile, a motion was approved to send a letter supporting Muncipalities Newfoundland and Labrador’s (MNL) call for a province-wide ban on plastic bags during the committee’s report.
Funding request
A motion was passed to submit an application to the Department of Municipal Affairs and Environment for funding under its special assistance program.
The town is looking for $80,000 to help with the replacement of the condenser at Kaetlyn Osmond Arena.
Rec NL position for Warr
Recreation director Rob Warr has a new position on Recreational Newfoundland and Labrador’s board of directors.
Recreation committee chair Coun. Loretta Lewis congratulated Warr on becoming the recreation practitioners/facilities representative on the board.
Lewis said Warr will be scheduling meetings with three companies in the province that provide service for arena refrigeration.
Draft audited statements approved
Council approved the draft audited statements for the year ending Dec. 31, 2017 as received from BDO Canada.
Approval was also given for Mayor Sam Synard and chief administrative officer Dennis Kelly to sign the finalized statement if there are no changes.
Finance committee chair Coun. Andy Edwards pointed out it will be the first time in several years the audited statements are submitted to the provincial government before the June 30 deadline.
Synard acknowledged the town has struggled to meet the deadline in the past four or five years.
Planning and development report
Planning and development committee chair Coun. Mike Brennan said work is continuing on the project to revitalize Queen Street.
The committee is in the process of applying to the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) for funding to complete conceptual designs, he said.
The committee also discussed the awful condition of the road adjacent to the Subway and Tim Hortons restaurants just off Columbia Drive.
Brennan said they are trying to come up with ideas to create “some sort of bondship” between the two businesses to get them together to fix the area.
“So, we’re working diligently now, trying to make something happen there,” he said.
