Locke says City still taking feedback on new Municipal Plan

By Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Tyler Waugh

The latest step in Mount Pearl's long journey to finalize its municipal plan requires public input on amendments to the overarching St. John's Urban Region Regional Plan (SJURRP).

The proposed amendments seek to ensure the work Mount Pearl is proposing in its municipal plan and future land use framework aligns with the Province's regional plan.

"As you know, we've been working on a comprehensive review of the City of Mount Pearl's municipal plan and development regulations,” said Deputy Mayor Jim Locke. “As we know, this is to establish the policy and regulatory framework that's essentially going to guide development and growth in our city over the next decade."

The amendment – No. 110-2025 – was prepared by the provincial Department of Municipal Affairs working in consultation with the City's staff and its contractor, Tract Consulting Inc.

Locke said the proposed amendment includes updates to regional land use designations that reflect the latest provincial flood risk mapping as well as consideration of the T'Railway corridor, environmental protection areas, industrial lands and future residential development within Mount Pearl.

"This provides our residents, interest holders, regional municipal partners with an opportunity to review the proposed changes that we are suggesting and, of course, to provide feedback," Locke said.

More than 1,700 residents participated in surveys, public open houses, town halls, and other consultation work on the plan.

"The next steps, once the consultation period is ended, we'll review any feedback and an update will be provided at our public meeting on August 18,”Locke said. “And this update will summarize any and all feedback received and will provide an overview with the anticipated next step in this municipal plan review process.

All submissions received during the consultation period will be forwarded to the Province's Land Use Planning Division and will form part of the public record as part of the review process.

Funding boost will allow City to plant more trees

By Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Tyler Waugh

Mount Pearl will get to double down on its urban forestry efforts this year thanks to a grant from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities that upped the budget to $400,000.

FCM contributed $200,000 through its Growing Canada’s Community Canopies program and the City matched that amount for a $400,000 total budget for Phase IV of the Urban Forestry Plan.

“This is something we’ve been working on for a number of years,” said Councillor Isabelle Fry as council prepared to award the tender for Phase IV.

The City received two proposals when the tender closed June 15, and administration recommended awarding the contract to the lowest qualified bidder, O’Neill’s Gardenland Ltd., at a cost of $272,549, including tax. And since tender submissions came in under the $400,000 budget, the public works department requested and received permission from the FCM to expand the project.

“This will be executed by tree number or site number increases, remaining within the original grant amount,” said Fry. “FCM encourages the planting of additional trees. All changes made will be reflected in the FCM reporting documents and casefile.”

Public Works director Glen Dollimount told council most of the work in Phase IV will take place on Sagona Avenue and roll into Old Placentia Road down toward Richard Nolan Drive. The work will entail the planting of trees and shrubs in 2026 and into 2027.

The Mount Pearl Urban Forestry Plan, called Setting Roots & Growing Forward, was developed with the guiding principles of maintaining and fostering growth amongst the city’s existing trees and promoting projects and policies that grow the city’s overall tree canopy.

At the time, it was estimated the city’s canopy coverage was about 20 per cent. By the year 2035, the City hopes to have grown the canopy coverage to 45 per cent by planting a diverse collection of tree species year over year, and planting a minimum of 1,000 trees annually, depending on budget.

“I’m delighted to see this here. It was sort of timely in that having a chat with residents they expressed concern about all the trees we’ve been removing up on the Kenmount Road area with Avalon Ford and developments up there,” said Deputy Mayor Jim Locke, adding that he informed the residents of the municipal urban forestry plan and its goals. “They were delighted to know that council had taken this initiative and staff have implemented this so that trees we remove we will return. Our goal is to return trees we’ve been removing – they may not be in the same area – but we’ll certainly increase our tree canopy.”

Murray’s Landscape Services provided the other tender proposal for Phase IV  with a bid of $338,838, including tax.

Aker not pleased at bid hike attempt following close of tender

By Local Journalism Reporter Initiative Tyler Waugh

Mount Pearl City Council had to revisit the purchase of a half-ton pickup truck after the successful bidder reneged on its bid price, drawing the ire of Mayor Dave Aker at the July 21 public council meeting.

Council had awarded the tender for a half-ton regular cab 4x4 truck to Avalon Ford during its June 23 public meeting. Avalon was the lowest qualified bidder at a price of $68,300, plus HST, but notified the City afterward there was an error in the incentive pricing and the new quote was $6,000 more.

Councillor Isabelle Fry pointed out that since the City is unable to accept increases in prices after a tender closes, the purchase will need to be cancelled. Council voted to instead award the contract to the second-lowest qualified bidder, Hickman Motors at a cost of $77,741, plus HST.

Aker asked if there had been any security sought as part of the tender process and if Avalon relinquished that security as penalty, something he thought was common practice in a bidding process as a prequalification.

“Typically, when we buy something there is security laid down,” Aker said.

Public Works director Glen Dollimount told council that security was not sought on this tender but said security is sought for any tenders for heavy duty equipment.

“Whether that’s loaders, or trucks or garbage trucks or recycling trucks we always have a bonus and penalty, based on the tender, to be able to provide said equipment in a certain amount of time,” Dollimount said. “We haven’t had that same issue with light-duty vehicles; therefore we never had it on this particular tender.”

Aker suspected the practice of not requiring security on light-duty vehicle tenders may have stemmed from the COVID pandemic, when it was harder to get vehicles and bids.

“Normally you wouldn’t just get away with just withdrawing your lowest bid and saying, ‘I have to re-price it.’ That’s on Avalon Ford, that’s not on you, that’s not on us, but on the other hand we have to be wise to it, I guess, moving forward, in case it happens again,” Aker said, asking chief administrative officer Cassie Rideout to follow up with a review.

The irony is that Avalon’s revised quote would still have placed it as the lowest bidder by an estimated $3,400 before HST. The other two bids for the tender came from Capital Ford at $79,430, plus HST and Terra Nova Motors at $83,373 plus HST.

In that same original June 23 motion, Avalon had also been awarded the contract for the supply of a pair of three-quarter ton crew cab 4x4 trucks at a total cost of $154,968, plus HST. The pricing on that tender was not changed by Avalon and the contract remains in place.

Mount Pearl awards ‘atrocious’ tandem truck tender

By Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Tyler Waugh

The City of Mount Pearl is buying six new tandem trucks at a cost of nearly $2.5 million plus tax.

Council approved the purchase order at its July 21 public meeting.

The tender was awarded to Royal Freightliner Inc., the lowest qualified bidder in the amount of $409,574, plus tax, per truck. The tender met all requested specifications and will include mounted salt bodies, front snow blades, wings and 50-ton pintle hitches.

"The cost is atrocious, but it is what it is," said Mayor Dave Aker.

The City had five bids when the tender closed June 10, with the other cost per truck proposals weighing in at $423,000 from Harvey & Company Ltd., $468,410 from Western Star Trucks Newfoundland Limited, $475,000 from ENCO Inc., and $481,900 from Nova Enterprises Ltd.

No funding is currently allocated for the purchase, so the expenditure will be budgeted through future capital funding when the vehicles are delivered within the next couple of years.

"To order any large equipment now is 18-24 months (to deliver), so it’s good to get on this early,” said councillor Isabelle Fry in presenting the item to council.

Councillors approve raises for themselves and managers

Mount Pearl council has approved a 4.5 per cent increase in pay for its members and senior management.

The increase is retroactive to July 1. The hike mirrors the raise negotiated by the unionized workforce in its most recent round of negotiations for the 2026-2030 collective agreement and will impact 54 management positions at an extra cost of $124,000 this year. The council increases come at a cost of $7,000 for this year.

“The City reviews changes to cost of living on an annual basis when determining economic increases. Increases over the last number of years have not kept up pace with inflation and cost of living,” said Kerri Hodder, communications advisor for the City of Mount Pearl in response to questions from The Pearl News, adding the increase will be reviewed again as part of the 2027 budget process.
Annual Council remuneration is paid out quarterly.  Councillors must attend at least half of their meetings to be eligible for their quarterly pay.

The new collective agreement for 2026 – 2030 has been ratified by both the City and CUPE Local 2099 but has not been formally signed.

“As a result, we have not released the details of the agreement publicly at this time. Once the agreement has been signed, the information will be made available in accordance with our usual process,” said Hodder.

The previous collective agreement ran from July 1, 2022 through to June 30, 2026 and included a nine per cent total wage increase that broke down into four percent in 2022, three percent in 2023 and one percent in both 2024 and 2025. That agreement also included a reduction in sick-leave days from 21 to 18 days, the introduction of two personal leave days, an increased meal allowance from $15 to $17 and an increase from four to six employees scheduled for weekend maintenance and snow clearing during the winter season.

Ace’s high after council approves development permit

By Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Tyler Waugh

A Mount Pearl business received council approval during a special meeting July 15 for a landscaping variance and building on Thomas Byrne Drive.

Ace Locksmithing proposed the construction of a new two-storey building with a footprint of 1,357 m² to accommodate a combined office and warehouse, as well as a new 186 m² accessory building at the rear of the lot. The application also includes the consolidation of parcels 9 and 11 Thomas Byrne Drive, along with associated site work, as well as a request for a 10 per cent reduction to the minimum front landscaping requirement, from 10 m to 9 m.

“Administration supported the application as it is compatible with surrounding land use areas, advances the development of a currently unplanned parcel of land and is expected to have minimal impact on existing landscaping while meeting the intent of city development standards,” said Deputy Mayor Jim Locke.

There were no public submissions to an invitation to comment on the application by the noon deadline of July 3. There were also no expressions of interest in attending a public briefing, so the session was cancelled.

A development agreement will be required as part of the approval and must be signed and registered on the property title to ensure the site remains as two buildings on one lot. Any future sale or subdivision will require prior written approval from the City.

Locked moved that council approve the proposed landscaping variance and the planned building construction, enter into a development agreement with the property owner and require its registration on the property title, and authorize the issuance of a development permit subject to all applicable standards and conditions.

Council had no questions with regards to the motion and voted to approve it.

“It’s gone through a fairly thorough vetting in terms of the discretionary use (application),” said Mayor Dave Aker.

Soccer stars of yesteryear recognized at Hall of Fame induction

Greg Noble

Leah O’Grady Blackburn

Malorie Harris

The Mount Pearl Sports Alliance inducted three individuals and one team at the 31st Sports Hall of Fame and Annual Athletic Awards during a ceremony at the Reid Centre.

Greg Noble (rugby/builder), Malorie Harris (soccer), Leah O’Grady Blackburn (soccer) and the O’Donel High School Patriots female soccer team (2009-2014) were all called to the hall during the June 24 ceremony.

“Tonight we should reflect on the hundreds of volunteers who continue to help, for without them, there would be no awards and no competitions,” said Roy Locke, chairman of the Mount Pearl Sports Alliance (MPSA), which hosted the event. “So on your way to your success, do not ever fail to say thanks to the people around you.”

Noble was inducted posthumously for rugby and as a builder after more than four decades of work in different roles.

“Widely respected for his leadership, he helped shape the infrastructure and volunteer culture that continue to support local sport today,” read the nomination form for Noble. “From the earliest days of the Sport Alliance, Greg played a central role in the success of major fundraising events.”

Noble volunteered for 43 consecutive weeks on one of the Alliance’s final fundraisers, netting $175,000 for local sports. He is also credited with a lasting impact on rugby in Newfoundland and Labrador, serving as president for 17 years after being elected in 2009.

“Greg will be remembered for his steady leadership, attention to detail, and unwavering commitment to community sport. His contributions have helped ensure that local clubs remain strong, accessible, and sustainable, and his legacy continues to benefit future generations,” the nomination decision read.

Noble passed away on March 16 of this year.

Harris enjoyed an exceptional soccer career that started in Mount Pearl Minor Soccer. She was named a second team all-Canadian in 2007 by Canada Interuniversity Sport for her play with the Memorial University Seahawks women’s team. Her university career also included a second team all-star honour from Atlantic University Sport in her freshman year in 2005, and first-team honours in each of the following four seasons.

Harris cemented her legacy at a national level as the all-time Golden Boot leader in goals scored at Canada’s National Jubilee Trophy tournaments. She competed at the senior level with the Mount Pearl Soccer Association Jubilees in 2004, 2005 and 2007 and scored a memorable overtime goal to secure the team a championship title.

She earned junior player of the year honours in 2005 from the Newfoundland and Labrador Soccer Association and was also a member of the Mount Pearl Summer U13 girls team.

She was inducted into the Mount Pearl Soccer Association Hall of Fame in 2022.

Leah O’Grady Blackburn also enjoyed a decorated soccer career, including rookie of the year honours in 2004 and offensive player of the year honours from 2004-2007 as a member of Bethel College. She also represented Canada on the international stage as a member of the U17 squad in 2001 and was the youngest member of the Newfoundland and Labrador Canada Games squad at only 15 years old.

She was named the Newfoundland and Labrador Soccer Association (NLSA) Junior Female Player of the Year in 2002, and the NLSA Female Player of the Year and Gold Boot Award winner in 2003. She added the Breen’s Golden Boot Award and the Jubilee Trophy MVP in 2004.

O’Grady Blackburn was inducted into the MPSA Soccer Hall of Fame in November 2022.

The O’Donel High School Patriots female scorer team established itself as one of the premier teams in provincial high school sports from 2009 - 2014.

During that time, the Patriots captured 4A Provincial championships in 2011, 2012 and 2014, and also earned a silver medal in 2010.

“Their back-to-back provincial titles in 2011 and 2012 were especially notable, as both seasons were completed undefeated, an outstanding achievement at the highest level of female high school soccer in the province,” read the nomination. “Their sustained excellence, combined with their positive impact off the field, secured the O’Donel Patriots Female High School Soccer Team a lasting place among the most accomplished programs in provincial school sport history.”

The Annual Sports Awards were also handed out, with Helena Gorina earning Official of the Year in part due to her longstanding commitment to the growth and development of the sport of gymnastics. Her dedication and impact were also recognized with the Campia Gymnastics Official of the Year Award in 2025.

Jira Hiscock (gymnastics) was named female Athlete of the Year after emerging as one of the province’s top young gymnasts. She placed 9th among 26 competitors in the inaugural Open High Performance category at the 2025 Canadian Championships in Alberta in 2025. She also finished 8th on balance beam and ninth on vault.

The Hall of Fame selection committee included chairman Harold Stapleton, Barb Predham, Jim Bulger, Pat O’Keefe Sr., and Darren Windsor.

Admiralty House prepping for exhibit upgrades this fall

By Tyler Waugh / Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

All looks to be operating as usual at the Admiralty House Communications Museum in Mount Pearl, calm like a duck on water.

Staff are helping visitors as they come through the door. There are summer camps taking place and tours being conducted. But similar to a duck’s frantic paddling below the water surface, there’s a lot of action behind the scenes this summer as staff prepare to implement big changes this fall.

The museum will be closed from September to sometime in December as staff overhaul the exhibits for the first time in decades, ushering in new technology and interactive displays to freshen up what’s offered to visitors. It’s the implementation of a strategic vision that was adopted by the board in 2022.

“People can expect more accessible interpretive panels, as well as a variety of different artefacts that will be on display,” said museum manager Megan Webb, who has been in place as manager since 2023, and also spent the summer of 2021 as collections manager. “We’ll have some items rotated out from our current display and some of the items that have been living in our collections room viewable to the public, and many more interactive opportunities. We will have some tablets throughout that people can choose the option to learn more if they so desire.”

The museum is housed in an historic building constructed in 1915 by the Marconi Telegraph Company as a top-secret HM Wireless Station for the British Royal Navy. The station, now the last standing of 11 identical stations built around the world, was meant to intercept secret naval transmissions, track icebergs and ships in distress. Mount Pearl was chosen as a site because, at the time, it was fairly remote and away from the water.

“It definitely became less top secret in time because the large towers kind of gave it away,” said Emily Mills, programming and rental officer for Admiralty House.

The building’s future was in question near the turn of the century and Mount Pearl council decided in a 5-4 vote to keep it based on the historical significance. The City launched an initiative in 1997 to turn it into a museum and Prince Philip himself was on hand to open the Admiralty House Communications Museum.

The museum currently showcases the history of Mount Pearl, the tragedy of the S.S. Florizel and the history of wireless communication highlighting the contributions of Roger Morse, Alexander Graham Bell, Guglielmo Marconi and… actress Hedy Lamar?

“We like to highlight that one, for sure. It’s a name and face people wouldn’t anticipate, but she was an innovator and an inventor,” said Mills, adding she co-invented a radio guidance system for torpedoes in partnership with George Antheil.

The Lamarr-Antheil patent expired, but the principles of their work were used for secure wireless networking.

Another showcase for the museum is highlighting the history of the building and men who served on site in the Newfoundland Royal Naval Reserve, including the commanding officer’s sitting room. That feature will continue with the exhibit refresh, but it will see a considerable overhaul from a look but don’t touch exhibit to something interactive.

“People right now can view it but not touch it, it’s been roped off for almost 30 years. That’s a common theme in museums is that, you can look, but don’t touch, but people love to touch things,” said Webb. “When we re-open, visitors can actually go in and they can sit down at the writing desk, they can type out something on the typewriter. People love to engage with things, touch them, and that’s something we are planning for looking ahead.”

The Admiralty House is one of the few community museums that is open year round, thanks to continued funding from the City, as well as other grants. The province’s Cultural Economic Development Program just awarded it $11,335, and Webb said it was a small increase from last year that helps offset heat and power costs for the facility.

Webb and Mills work full-time all year, and various grants help them employ a few other people through the summer.

Michener Avenue to see four phases of traffic calming

By Tyler Waugh / Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Mount Pearl residents can expect short-term lane interruptions on Michener Avenue as the first phase of a four-phase traffic calming project kicked off July 9.

The project looks to address concerns about speeding and improve safety for residents, pedestrians, cyclists and students. The first phase will see the installation of traffic cushions to reduce vehicle speeds while allowing emergency vehicles to continue through the area.

The City said there are no definitive timelines for completion of this phase, or the project as a whole.

“The public works department will provide us with updates as they progress and we will inform the public before each new phase starts,” said Kerri Hodder, communications advisor for the City of Mount Pearl.

The second phase will see installation of radar speed signs in key locations near Toope Place, Paddon Place, Sauve Street and Nelder Drive to increase driver awareness and encourage motorists to reduce their speed.

The third phase will see a new crosswalk and pedestrian activated signal installed near the intersection of Michener and Nelder Drive and a redesign of the crossing area between Sauve Street and Darby Place, and across from Moores Drive.

The proposed redesign includes moving the crosswalks, adding pedestrian-activated flashing beacons, new accessible curb ramps and new sidewalk connections.

As part of the project, two of the three existing trail connections between Sauve Street and Darby Place will be removed and one of the two existing trail connections across from Moores Drive will be removed. The remaining trail connections will lead directly to the new crosswalk locations, according to the City.

The fourth and final phase of the project will see a new four-way stop installed at Michener Avenue, McGrath Crescent and the rear access road to Mount Pearl Intermediate.

“Traffic studies show that about 75 per cent of vehicles exiting the school’s rear access road turn left despite existing right-turn-only signage,” stated a report prepared for council. “The new four-way stop is intended to improve site access and enhance safety for drivers, students, and pedestrians.”

The City’s traffic calming policy outlines how it assesses and responds to concerns about speeding, high traffic volumes, and road safety in residential areas.

Designed with guidance from the Transportation Association of Canada (TAC), the policy gives residents, business owners and commuters tools to get involved and make a difference in their neighbourhoods.

Crime Prevention committee promoting safety after trail robbery

By Tyler Waugh / Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary (RNC) continue the search for a suspect in a June 26 robbery on a trail in Mount Pearl, but in the meantime a community safety group is promoting a new program that can maybe help deter future incidents.

The Mount Pearl Citizens Crime Prevention Committee kicked off its inaugural safety whistle assist program (SWAP) in late spring, with the goal of handing out 1,000 whistles to residents.

“There are situations in parking lots and on the trails, like the one that just happened, where people don’t feel safe. This whistle is a tool that can be used to let people nearby know that you need help, or scares off somebody,” said Rosalind Pratt, chair of the MPCCPC, adding that the committee doesn’t have many whistles remaining.

The incident in question took place a little after 9:30 am in the Carroll Drive area of Mount Pearl, where a female reported she was approached by a man on the Admiralty walking trail. The suspect, described as a tall, thin Caucasian wearing a black hoodie and black pants, presented a weapon and attempted to take her belongings before fleeing the area in the direction of Richard Nolan Drive.

“Operational Patrol Services responded to the call, and immediately engaged Police Dog Services, a drone operator, officers on all-terrain vehicles, as well as Mount Pearl Municipal Enforcement, to assist in the search of the man responsible,” stated a release from the RNC.

The female was treated by paramedics for minor injuries. It is believed the pair were unknown to one another.

The City of Mount Pearl released a statement stating that violence of any kind has no place in the community.

“This incident is understandably concerning. We remain committed to maintaining a safe environment for all residents through ongoing investments in lighting and trail upgrades, ensuring our network continues to be a safe, accessible, and valued community asset,” read the statement from Mount Pearl. “The safety and well-being of our community remains our top priority, and we encourage residents to follow any direction provided by police as the investigation continues.”

The Major Crime Unit continues to investigate the matter and is encouraging anyone who was in the area between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. and who may have information to contact police by calling 709-729-8000.

To provide anonymous information on criminal activity, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), or visit www.nlcrimestoppers.com.

Residents looking to contact the crime prevention committee about SWAP, or any of its other initiatives, can email mtpccpc@gmail.com.