A small group of CUPE members protested outside Mount Pearl City Hall Tuesday morning, the sixth morning of a city-wide strike. The striking workers would not share their names with The Pearl.
Mount Pearl approves $128,000 in greenery
By Mark Squibb/July 15, 2022
The City of Mount Pearl has approved $128,000 worth of shrubbery and trees as part of a long-term greenery plan.
“The City is proud to have an Urban Forestry Plan that outlines the long-term investment of the City enhancing our landscapes,” said Deputy Mayor Nicole Kieley during council’s July 12 meeting. “We all are very aware of the environmental, mental health, and community impacts that these sorts of plans can have.”
The work approved is just phase one of that long-term plan, and includes the planting of lilacs, shrubs, and roses between Smallwood Drive and Richard Nolan Drive, as well as deciduous trees on Mount Carson Avenue.
The tender, which Kieley explained was issued in the spring, was awarded to sole bidder O’Neil Landscape in the amount of $127,954, HST included.
Kieley reminded council the planting of these trees and shrubs is just the beginning.
“With that being said this is one component of a longer-term plan that we’ve been, pardon the pun, planting the seeds for so many years,” said Kieley.
Councillor Jim Locke, who was not in attendance at that moment, was cited by Kieley for his involvement in the planning.
“Councillor Locke has been excited and a proponent of this throughout the years… so I just want to identify a lot of the work that he has done, along with many of the councillors here,” said Kieley. “This is nothing new, but we’re getting to a point where we’re seeing its fruition.”
The motion was passed with little discussion, although councillor Isabelle Fry did raise a question.
“First of all, I’m really glad to see this, this makes me very happy,” said Fry. “And I’m looking forward to especially lilacs, and more shrubbery. My question is, when is this anticipated to start? Is it this summer, or next season?”
Director of Public Works Glen Dollimount said the anticipated start date would be in the fall.
The motion passed unanimously.
Daisy Ball, age two-and-a-half, wasn’t shy about stepping ‘er down with her mom Kelly Ball to the rousing tunes of The Navigators before a huge crowd at St. David’s Field in Mount Pearl on Canada Day. Arthur O’Brien and the crew had the audience in a buoyant mood as they seamlessly rocked through Irish Newfoundland staples and into the likes of Pink Floyd and back again. Craig Westcott photo
City strike leaves Marlins, other community groups high and dry
By Mark Squibb/July 8, 2022
The Marlins Swim Club have registered over 200 swimmers for over eight summer swim camps, but now a city-wide strike, which has shuttered the Summit Centre and other community facilities, has left them without a pool to swim in.
“As of right now, those camps are being moved to a location without a pool, so they are no longer ‘swim camps,’ they are just programs providing activities,” said head coach Duffy Earle, who, Thursday morning, said the club is still in the process of scouting out those locations. “We are doing our best to still offer programming. I think it is a fantastic program to be a part of, so hopefully they stick with us during this time period and manage to hang in there until we get back to regular programming.”
Refunds are available to those who choose to back out of the program.
The swim camps, said Earle, double as recruiting grounds for the September swim program.
“We also have kids training for Canada Games, and those kids are now searching for pool time at other pools, so that as well is a big impact,” she added.
Having heard rumblings that strike action may be forthcoming, the Club had secured pool times at other pools for higher level competitive swimmers. “Though it’s certainly not the same as training in our home facility,” said Earle.
The Club had hired on 12 staff to work over the summer, many of them students preparing for university. That staff has, for the time being, been reduced to just four due to the impacts of the strike action on club activities.
“We have eight people that have lost eight weeks of summer employment,” said Earle. “This will affect their ability to save and pay for university in the fall, so there’s quite a broad impact on a lot of families and a lot of people in different ways.”
How long the club members will have to wait until they’re back in Summit Centre waters depends on negotiations between the City and Members of (CUPE) Local 2099, who declared the strike Thursday morning.
“We’re in limbo now, the same as everybody else, hoping to hear that negotiations go well and hopefully move quickly and they reach an agreement, so we can get back in there as soon as possible,” said Earle.
CUPE 2099 represents over 200 municipal workers who work in recreation services, administration, taxation and finance, road maintenance, water and sewage, facilities maintenance, landscape maintenance, engineering, planning, and more.
“We don’t want to be on strike, but our employer refuses to bargain a fair collect agreement,” said Ken Turner, CUPE 2099 president, in a press release. “One of the main issues is they want to set-up a two-tier system with inferior benefits for new hires. We won’t accept a contract that doesn’t provide the same rights and benefits for ‘all’ workers.”
CUPE says that members have been in collective bargaining with the city since March.
Thursday morning’s strike comes just two weeks prior to Mount Pearl’s inaugural City Days celebrations.
The Best in Mount Pearl Awards show and a Seniors Tea were scheduled to take place at the Reid Centre, while a free Aquafit class was to take place at the Summit Centre — both currently closed due to the strike.
Mayor Dave Aker addressed residents via a social media video early Thursday morning. He assured residents that Summer Day Camps would continue, and the City would be ‘doing their best’ to maintain soccer, rugby, and baseball fields — though made no mention of City Days.
Garbage collection will continue on a reduced, bi-weekly basis, although recycling collection has been suspended for the time being.
Last Thursday, members of CUPE 2099 met outside City Hall to protest while council held its regularly scheduled public meeting inside.
Mount Pearl rejects motorcycle training school
By Mark Squibb/July 8, 2022
The City of Mount Pearl has rejected an application from a business hoping to host a motorcycle training school on the rear parking lot of Mount Pearl Square due to noise concerns.
The parking lot boarders nearby Harlequin Crescent and Goldeneye Place, and councillor Mark Rice was concerned about those residents dealing with the sound of loud motorcycles.
“My main concern is the residents up in that area,” said Rice. “I certainly would support (the business) if they could have it in a different location.”
Rice added he was concerned about the hours of operation, noting the school would be running early in the morning and late at night Saturdays and Sundays.
Councillor Bill Antle noted the parking lot is currently closed off, and wondered if it would be opened again and possibly used for other purposes.
Director Gerry Antle said it would depend on the type of business that wished to use the lot, and that it would have to come to council for consideration.
“But it is a parking lot,” said councillor Isabelle Fry. “It’s meant to park cars, not to operate a business, correct?”
Antle said that that is indeed its use, but depending on the commercial use permit that has been provided, certain operations can be approved.
“But right now, it’s designated as a parking lot,” said Antle.
The application from Two Guys Training was indeed a change of use application.
Fry echoed concerns that Rice had raised earlier in the meeting regarding the close proximity to residents.
“Motorcycles from 7 a.m. until 5 p.m. is a little bit invasive to those residents,” said Fry.
Maisonneuve Drive and Commonwealth Avenue out; Topsail Road in
The City of Mount Pearl has rejigged it’s 2022 Gas Tax application, favouring storm sewer repairs on Topsail Road over new asphalt for Maisonneuve Drive and Commonwealth Avenue.
The original application, approved during the June 14 meeting, included seven streets to be fit for new asphalt. Those streets were Mount Carson Avenue, Commonwealth Avenue, Richard Nolan Drive, Maisonneuve Drive, Worrall Crescent, Talon Place and Benson Place.
A new version of the Gas Tax Application, revised to address the Topsail Road sinkhole, was presented to council a few weeks later on June 28. Topsail Road Storm Sewer Repairs have been added to the list, and Maisonneuve Drive and Commonwealth Avenue have been switched out
The motion was made with no discussion.
City staff explained to The Pearl that during the current Topsail Road storm sewer repair work, additional deteriorated pipe was discovered.
City hires Telelink to take calls after hours
By Mark Squibb/July 8, 2022
Folks will now be able to get in touch with Mount Pearl City Hall after hours as the City has contracted Telelink for after hours phone answering services.
Deputy Mayor Nicole Kieley brough forward the recommendation from the Corporate Services and Public Works Committee during last week’s public council meeting.
The service will cost the City some $21,390, HST included, annually, and it is anticipated that council will budget for the service in future years. Telelink was the lowest qualified bidder.
“This is a key way for residents and those within the city to contact us at any point,” said Kieley.
The motion was carried unanimously.
After hours would be considered hours outside regular City Hall operating times, such as weekends and holidays, and 4 p.m. to 8 a.m. weekdays.
St. Peter’s Junior High recognised students’ athletic accomplishments last week during the annual Python Athletics Celebration. From left to right are Athletes of the Year Brandon Philpott, Ben O’Brien, Leah Wicks and Kylie Sooley.
Construction resumes, expect delays, advises Rice
By Mark Squibb/June 30, 2022
It’s construction season across the province, and folks in Mount Pearl, like anywhere else, should expect delays as they move about this summer.
During this week’s public council meeting, councillor Mark Rice gave a construction update and outlined a number of projects the City will be undertaking this summer.
Repairs to the Old Placentia Road Pedestrian Underpass, for one, will resume during July through to August. Traffic will be reduced to a single lane in each direction during construction. Further communication will be issued through the City’s website and onsite signage.
Asphalt Renewal on Smallwood Drive between Commonwealth Avenue and Old Placentia Road will start next week. Construction is expected to last about six weeks, and periodic lane closures and traffic interruption is expected.
Asphalt repairs along Park Avenue are also underway, with approximately another week or so left to go. Repair and asphalt replacement for Commonwealth and Park Avenue (to Dunn’s Corner) bridges will follow completion of the Park Avenue asphalt repairs.
Rice noted that construction will be coordinated so that only one bridge will be shut down at a time.
“While traffic disruption will occur periodically at these locations, it will be minimized at peak early morning traffic time,” said Rice.
Work on each bridge is expected to last up to two weeks.
Crack sealing is also underway for the next couple of weeks.
Mount Pearl Junior Blades captain Jack Keough is up for the Male Athlete of the Year Award.