Here's some results from some of the many community clean ups around Digby County this spring.
Thanks to everyone who helps make their community that much tidier. Especially those who quietly clean the ditch on their local stretch of highway or street, those who take a garbage bag with them for their daily walk, and especially especially those who put their trash where it belongs in the first place. Thanks to those who believe and act on the rule "If I don't pick this up, who will." April 24 – Fort Point: 350 kg May 14 – Culloden Wharf Road, DRHS students and Waste Check: 1.12 Metric Tons June 2 – final push on Sandy Cove beach: 2.84 MT June 8 – Boar’s Head clean up with NCC and ICS O2 students: 380 kg June 4 – Gulliver’s Cove beach, with Gulliver’s Cove Trails and DRHS students: 2.24 MT June 9 – Pond Cove beach on Brier Island: 2.58 MT June 12 – Marshalltown – Middle Cross Road (4.3km) – 409 kg P.S. Ever heard of plogging? (group jogging events where participants fill trash bags as they go) I wonder where a good plogging run would be most beneficial? let me know if you know of a trail or roadside that could really use a big group of ploggers to give it a go. jriley@municipality.digby.ns.ca
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The public is invited to an information session about the Digby Railbed Trail June 19, 6 to 7:30 p.m. Digby East Fish and Game What do you think of the Municipality fixing up the railbed and making a trail of it?
The former railway runs 41.5 km through the Municipality of the District of Digby from Smith’s Cove to Digby and on to Weymouth. The wide, relatively level and smooth, gravelled surface is well-suited to serving as an active transportation route and multi-use trail connecting Smith’s Cove, Conway, Digby, Marshalltown, Jordantown, Bloomfield, North Range, Plympton Station and Weymouth. But it needs some work – mostly minor grading, ditching and brushing – but also a few culvert repairs, signage and some amenities like benches and picnic tables. The Municipality has a plan and they’d like to hear what the public thinks of that plan before asking the Department of Natural Resources for approval. Basically, the Municipality wants to make the trail a safe and attractive place for residents of Digby County and visitors to enjoy the outdoors, whether on foot, by bicycle, horseback, skiing or riding an ATV. The complete plan is available online at www.digbytrails.ca/railbed.html and the public is invited to an information session June 19 at the Digby East Fish and Game. That meeting is the perfect place to ask any questions you might have about the plan or the railbed trail but you can also get a hold of Jonathan Riley, Trails and Open Space Coordinator with the Municipality, anytime with questions, comments and concerns. Call 902-245-2861 or email jriley@municipality.digby.ns.ca. This is a great time to enjoy the wildflowers in the Nova Scotia woods! There is something blooming along every inch of the Balancing Rock Trail - many of the blossoms are quite small and you'll have to get up close (and/or use a magnifying glass) to really appreciate these intricate little splashes of colour. The trail was very busy with hikers yesterday, especially in the afternoon when the sun came out. Many of the hikers were hurrying out to see the rock and hurrying back to their cars. But one couple from Germany was there in the drizzle with me in the morning and like me they were walking slowly and enjoying the shiny drizzle-washed greenery. "It's like a rain forest, so lush," they said. Their favourite thing about the trail was how it cuts right through the wilderness - how it would be tough slogging without the trail to walk through bog and brush - but with the trail you get to see all the plants without the slogging. It might be a fun game with the family to head out the trail and see how many different flowers or interesting plants you can find... I have put together a slideshow and a printable list of 15 wildflowers and interesting plants i saw at Balancing Rock yesterday. I'd love it if people would share with me what they are seeing out there. (Email: jriley@municipality.digby.ns.ca) For more info and more fun like this, check out iNaturalist. The Gulliver's Cove Trails Association, led by Wanda Van Tassell, is organizing a beach clean up at Gulliver’s Cove for June 4.
A class of Options and Opportunities students from DRHS are coming to help, plus and Wanda and I are hoping a good number of local people can also make it for some of the day. “It’s going to be a big job,” says Van Tassell. “It must be five years since we’ve done a clean up here and this beach, the way it is structured, we’re one of those beaches that gets a lot of debris washing in.” Wanda has seen a day of cleaning makes a big difference in the past. “When it’s cleaned up, it’s pretty nice,” she says. “People come from all over to enjoy the shore here. They come looking for agates, for walks on the trails, they have picnics and lobster boils.” The Gulliver’s Cove clean up is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on June 4 - but as far as that goes, anytime you want to go the beach and start gathering it up, your help would be welcome. Digby Salvage and Disposal is donating a dumpster and the Municipality of the District of Digby has waived the tipped fees. Clean Foundation will be providing gloves and garbage bags and the Municipality is hosting a BBQ to thank and fuel the volunteers.
Public invited to discuss plan for recreation at Haines Lake
Public information session at Digby East Fish and Game about the former DNR base in Hillgrove Thursday, Feb. 8, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
NORTH RANGE, N.S. - The Municipality of the District of Digby is inviting the public to discuss a proposed plan for their new recreation property on Haines Lake.
Municipal staff are hosting a public information session Thursday, Feb. 8 at the Digby East Fish and Game. Staff will be providing information about, and hoping to gather some feedback on, their ideas for the site of the former Natural Resources base in Hillgrove, which is a few hundred metres down the shore from the Fish and Game. The plan for the Haines Lake recreation area is based for the most part part on feedback the municipality received at their open house in September. More than 75 people attended the event Sept. 23, 2017. Staff offered tours of the property, answered questions about the site, listened to suggestions and feedback and collected 27 surveys about how people would like to see the property used. “People at the open house told us clearly they wanted this to be a place for picnicking, enjoying nature, and accessing the water, whether that is swimming, canoeing or kayaking,” says Jimmy MacAlpine, Warden of the Municipality of the District of Digby. “Staff have been looking at ways to make some small improvements at the site to enable and enhance these activities.” FOR MORE INFO: www.digbytrails.ca/haines-lake.html Municipal staff have been looking at options for fixing up the waterfront and the buildings on site including using part of the former DNR offices for use as washrooms, change rooms and activity shelter. The Digby Area Recreation Commission used the site last summer for kayak camps for youth and opened the site three evenings for anyone, young or old, to try kayaking. The plan for 2018 is to continue with the same sort of programming with possible additions of other water-based or nature-oriented programs. “We’re open to partnering with local groups or organizations who want to host or hold outdoor recreation or education programs,” says Bob Powell, recreation manager of DARC. “A public session like this is a great way for us to learn what kind of programming the public wants, and people can contact us anytime with suggestions.” The Municipality bought the 20 acres on Haines Lake from the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for $1,000 in early 2016. The property is about 15 minutes from town on the Ridge Road and has about 120 metres of lakefront. A plan for Haines lake recreation area Date: Thursday, Feb. 8 Time: 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Where: Digby East Fish and Game For more info: www.digbytrails.ca/haines-lake.html For information or questions, concerns or comments, please contact: Jonathan Riley Trails and Open Space Coordinator 902-245-2861 jriley@municipality.digby.ns.ca Bob Powell Recreation Manager 902-245-1884 bobp@ns.aliantzinc.ca Use interactive Google maps for directions to
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Jonathan Riley, trails and open space coordinator with the Municipality of the District of Digby Archives
May 2023
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