Redevelopment for New Aberdeen

Written by Bobby Nock. Posted in Local News

Cape Breton Regional Council plans to redevelop the New Aberdeen area of Glace Bay with the help of provincial and federal housing programs.

Acting CAO Marie Walsh says the problem of rundown and abandoned buildings is the worst in New Aberdeen and, as a result, that neighbourhood will be the first to get attention.

 Regional Council has voted to form a steering committee to get the funding necessary for the New Aberdeen project.

Walsh says Victoria Road in Whitney Pier is another neighbourhood high on the list for redevelopment.

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Future of Small Business Centre in Question

Written by Bobby Nock. Posted in Local News

The future of the Cape Breton Small Business Development Centre is in doubt.

The Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and Enterprise Cape Breton Corp. took over the contract for the Centre from Cape Breton University, last March.

The funding arrangement provided $487,000 in operating expenditures from June to the end of this fiscal year on March 31.

 Centre CEO Eileen Lannon Oldford says the centre proposed a three-year program with ACOA and ECBC.

However, the centre has only been granted an extension of its contract by three months, meaning it could close by the end of June.

Lannon Oldford told Cape Breton Regional Council at yesterday’s meeting she doesn’t know why they were only granted a three-month extension.

Oldford adds the centre is projected to have helped establish 23 businesses and create 66 jobs by the end of this month.

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MV Miner Tenders Finalized By Week’s End

Written by Bobby Nock. Posted in Local News

Transportation Minister Geoff MacLellan says the request for proposals to remove the MV Miner should be finalized by the end of the week.

 

The bulk carrier has been washed up on Scaterie Island since the fall of 2011 when its tow line broke.

 

MacLellan adds the province has taken the time to make sure it has all the environmental and safety components in place before putting out the tenders.

 

He says bidding on the work will last for 30 days, once the tenders are finalized.

 

 The hope was to have the cleanup finished before the start of fishing season in May but MacLellan says the harsh winter has caused delays in getting to the wreck to carry out assessments.

 

The new target date for the cleanup is by the summer unless it interferes with the fishing season

 

MacLellan is still hoping that Ottawa will cost-share the salvage effort.

 

 

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Motion to Remove “Royal” from Gaelic College Name

Written by Bobby Nock. Posted in Local News

The Foundation of the Gaelic College in St. Ann’s has passed a motion asking its board of governors to remove the word “Royal” from its name.

 

Late last year, the college announced it had received a designation from the Queen allowing it to use royal as a prefix in its name.

 

The moved sparked a debate among members of the Gaelic community with many citing historical examples of the British Crown trying to eliminate Gaelic language and culture.

 

A yesterday’s meeting, Foundation members voted 45-23 to have the name change reversed.

 

Meanwhile, the acting chair of the Gaelic College Board of Governors, Kirk MacRae, says while the board is under no legal obligation to follow the foundation’s wishes, it will consider the motion that was passed during the meeting.

 

He adds the board will meet soon but no date has been set.

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Stabbing After Confrontation With Potential Car Thief

Written by Bobby Nock. Posted in Local News

A 20-year-old Sydney man is due in court today after Cape Breton Regional Police say another man was stabbed while trying to stop someone getting into his locked car.

Police say they got the call to Columbia Street in Sydney at around twenty to ten on Saturday night.

They add the 60-year-old homeowner noticed a man trying to get into his car and confronted him.

Police say an altercation took place and the man was assaulted and stabbed by the suspect.

They add patrol officers found the man still in possession of the knife used in the attack when he was later arrested a short distance away.

He was remanded to the Cape Breton Correctional Centre and faces a number of charges including assault with a weapon and assault causing bodily harm as well as trespassing at night.

The victim in the attack was treated at the Regional Hospital for stab wounds and a cut to his face and later released.

Police are reminding people to call them if they notice suspicious people around their vehicles and properties.

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