City splits pool chemicals tender among three companies

By Alexandra Brothers
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
August 11, 2023 Edition

A motion to award the tender for the supply and delivery of chemicals for the Summit Centre pool to three different companies was passed during the public council meeting held Tuesday.

There are 23 chemicals required for the safe maintenance of the pool. Of these, 21 are for direct use in the pool, and the other two are types of glycols used in the mechanical system. Bidders were asked to bid on each of these chemicals separately so that the tender could be awarded to the lowest bidder per product. This split in the award of the tender ensured that the chemicals could be purchased at the lowest possible cost to the City. Since all vendors met the specifications on the products, the tender was awarded based on the pricing the vendors offered on each chemical.

Eastchem won the bids at a total cost of $33,645 annually to supply Chlorine, Ethylene Glycol, and Propylene Glycol. Rockwater got the contract for $32,577 annually to provide Perlite, Acid, Calcium, Soda Ash, and Reagents 1-12; Clearwater will be paid $16,920 annually to supply Chlorine, Sodium, PH Minus, and Sodium Thiosulphate. The contracts will be applicable for the next three years and there will be an option for two-year extensions.

“Many of these chemicals are more for the testing side as opposed to water quality,” said Mayor Dave Aker.

Those that are used for water quality, he added, are necessary for the safety of the pool’s patrons and “have stood the test of time and are all within the Health Canada guidelines.”

Director Jason Collins agreed with this comment, noting the City follows provincial guidelines to maintain balanced pool chemistry in order to eliminate harmful bacteria and ensure the safe use of the pool.

The motion to award the contracts passed unanimously.

Mount Pearl Soccer Association Girls U12 team

A little rain couldn’t wash away the smiles of the Mount Pearl Soccer Association Girls U12 team that claimed the Senior Girls U12 2023 championship banner at the 2023 SunSplash tournament in Paradise two weekends back. The same team went undefeated in last year’s SunSplash U11 Girls division. From left to right are team manager Lindsay Turpin, manager Bella Norman, Avery Stowe, Lauren Thistle, Brielle Haye, Cassie Pennell, Jorja Wadman, Cleo Roberts, Madison LeGrow, Lily Molloy, Lily Gosse, Kate Tuff, Alexa King, Ella Smyth, Marissa Gushue, Georgia Power, coach Phil Molloy, and assistant coach Mike Smyth. Mount Pearl Soccer Association Photo

City hoping to prevent traffic jams during ball hockey event

By Alexandra Brothers
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
August 4, 2023 Edition

“We don’t want a jam on the street,” said Mayor Dave Aker with regards to traffic during the upcoming Street Jam road hockey tournament in August.

Mount Pearl city councillors discussed the possibility of traffic interference during the hockey festival at the council meeting Tuesday. The planning, engineering and development (PED) committee brought forward a proposal to resurface Olympic Drive. This project would occur throughout the remainder of the summer and into the fall.  

Mayor Aker raised the concern that this could possibly interfere with Street Jam this year—more specifically with the traffic that will be diverged due to the tourney. Olympic Drive is typically the road used as a bypass for Old Placentia Road traffic during the festival.

Director of recreation and community safety, Jason Collins, acknowledged that the resurfacing has the potential to interfere with Street Jam, but noted the PED Committee and the community services and public works committee have been trying to coordinate and work through the issue.

Director of planning, engineering and development, Gerry Antle agreed with Collins, adding the resurfacing of Olympic Drive should be manageable. “Most of the work with the resurfacing of Olympic Drive is not serious excavation... so we should be able to keep traffic flowing there fairly well,” said Antle. He too acknowledged that there could be some traffic interruption on certain days, but that it should be possible for the City to accommodate it.

The contract for the Olympic Drive resurfacing tender was awarded to the lowest qualified bidder, Farrell’s Excavating Ltd., in the amount of $798,933 (HST included) in a motion moved by councillor Isabelle Fry and seconded by councillor Mark Rice. The motion was carried unanimously.

Major upgrades at play for Mount Pearl Field

By Alexandra Brothers
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
August 4, 2023 Edition

The City of Mount Pearl has approved a plan to submit a request for gas tax funding to make upgrades to the Canada Games baseball field.

At last week’s public council meeting, the co-chairperson of the recreation and community safety committee recommended submitting a capital investment plan to the provincial government for gas tax funding in the amount of $490,712 (HST included) for upgrades to the baseball field to be made in time for the Summer 2025 Canada Games.

Upgrades to Mount Pearl’s baseball field “will be another jewel in our hat” said councillor Bill Antle.

“Some (of the upgrades) are required, and some are upgrades to attract future tournaments outside of the Canada Games” noted director Jason Collins.

The changes include a switch from sand to clay in the infield, a remodeling of the bullpen to include two pitcher’s mounds on each side for warmups, and the addition of a second batting cage to meet tournament requirements. Upgrades will also be made to increase the field’s accessibility, facilitating easier entry to the site.

Mayor Dave Aker raised the concern of spending nearly half a million dollars on a single event. He asked director Collins whether the $490,712 required for the field upgrades would be solely for the 2025 Canada Games.

“It’s much more than that,” said Collins. In addition to the Canada Games, the field will likely be the home for other national tournaments in 2024. “This gives us the ability to attract other larger scale, high-demand tournaments, junior nationals, senior nationals as well as other minor baseball tournaments,” he said.

Aker agreed with that assessment. “It’s a wonderful way to promote our city, both internally in the province, and on a national scale,” he said.

The motion to submit a capital investment plan for the baseball field upgrades was carried unanimously.

Street artists give Ruth Avenue tunnel a makeover

By Alexandra Brothers
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
August 4, 2023 Edition

Mount Pearl’s first ever street art competition brought some of the city’s hidden artistic talent to light. The contest was designed to promote local artists by giving them an outlet to showcase a form of art that is often frowned upon. As a bonus, the project also helped revamp a somewhat neglected part of the city. The Ruth Avenue underpass by O’Donel High School has never looked better.

The contest took place on July 15th and 16th. Those who had submitted a design to the City in advance had two days to complete their pieces before they were evaluated by a panel of judges.

Contest winner Matthew Austin is relatively new to this form of art, having only started doing street art and spray painting within the past year. Austin, 40, grew up in St. John’s and Mount Pearl and now works for the federal government. Although he has always been drawn to art, it was never something he pursued publicly — until recently.

“The street art contest was the first time I did anything of that size, so it was a huge jump for me,” said Austin. His girlfriend and boys are a continuous source of motivation for him, and it was thanks to their support that he pushed himself to take his artistic interests to the next level. His advice to other aspiring artists is to “have fun and don’t be afraid to put yourself out there.”

Austin draws much of his artistic inspiration from space and nature as well as the bold and colourful style of comic books. These inspirations are reflected in his winning painting which features a view of Earth from space coupled with a fantasy-inspired Viking ship sailing over the planet.

Taylor Piercy took home second place with a painting entitled “The Dog Days of Summer.” The painting features bright colours, cheerful nature scenery and, fittingly, adorable dogs.

Pattian Bradbury’s third place winning piece depicts the silhouettes of birds against a sunset sky with the inspirational message, “Learn to F.L.Y.—First Love Yourself.”

Bradbury, 54, is a Mount Pearl resident and is mother to a nine-year-old son with Autism. Bradbury’s interest in art developed in 2010 and she turned it into a career in 2013 by pursuing nail art professionally. Like Austin, Bradbury is new to street art. In fact, the competition was the first time she ever tried this kind of art.

Bradbury’s art is driven by positivity. “The world can get ugly sometimes. Especially for teens and youth,” she said. That’s why she appreciated the chance to have her work displayed outside of a school. She hopes that her art can shed some positivity on those who see it.

While street art may be seen as an unconventional form of art, the artists who competed in the contest see it as a medium with great potential for public engagement. “Street art is very raw, it’s very real,” said Austin. He spoke of the spectacle involved with making large-scale art in a public setting, adding that what sets street art apart from other art forms is that “it's really just a lot of fun.”

Bradbury pointed to the accessibility of street art. “It’s art that you don’t have to go to an exhibit to view. It’s there for the public to see and enjoy,” she said.

Both artists commended the City for its efforts in organizing this competition. “I think the street art contest was a great program, I think it was something that Mount Pearl did really well. I’d love to see them do more of it and maybe even incorporate some of the high schools and some of the students,” said Austin. “Giving people an outlet to actually put art up in the city like that is just fantastic. I think that’s what a lot of artists really aspire to, is just to have something out there...that people can see and appreciate.”

The tunnel under Ruth Avenue outside of O’Donel High School has been given a makeover. The tunnel was the sight of Mount Pearl’s first Street Art Contest where local artists had the chance to showcase their artwork on a large scale. Right: Matthew Austin’s space-inspired piece took home first place. Photo Alexandra Brothers

City makes council chambers more accessible

By Alexandra Brothers
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
July 28, 2023 Edition

Visitors to Mount Pearl City Hall may be surprised to find the council chambers look a bit different.

The chambers have been renovated over the past two weeks to make them more accessible to people with mobility challenges.

“We’ve spaced things so anyone with a mobility aid can move freely around, and we’ve made changes to our washroom in the lobby,” said chief administrative officer, Dana Spurrell at Tuesday’s council meeting. “We had two weeks between public meetings to do this, so the scramble was on, but the team did a great job and put a lot of focus into it.”

Mayor Dave Aker said council had been looking forward to the changes for a while. “I think the chamber is just as functional as it’s ever been,” he allowed.

The City paired with InclusionNL for the renovations. “They came in and did a little bit of an audit for us,” Spurrell explained. “We have a great working relationship with them. InclusionNL tells us that we have really grand scores for accessibility, but we’re always looking for ways that we can improve.”

The changes to City Hall are not the only accessibility improvements in the works. Aker said more are coming.

“We wanted to focus on (City Hall),” said Spurrell, “particularly since we receive so many guests and members of the public here in our chambers. But we’re looking across the city (…) to do a larger audit, city-wide, to ensure that our facilities and our city events are more accessible.”

Spurrell said the City hopes to find room in its budget do another audit soon, “so we can continue to improve across the city.”

Festival goers get a taste of the world at Mount Pearl’s multicultural market

Chioma Osisiogu, left, works the Signage Clothing & Crafts booth at the Multicultural Community Market at the Ruth Avenue Sportsplex last Sunday. The market was held as part of City Days. Alexandra Brothers photo.

By Alexandra Brothers
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
July 28, 2023 Edition

Mount Pearl residents were offered a taste of international flavours Sunday as the City hosted a Multicultural Community Market at the Ruth Avenue Sportsplex.

The event was part of the annual City Days summer festival. Residents had the opportunity to shop and enjoy international street food and listen to local musicians from a variety of cultural backgrounds.

The first Community Market was held in 2019. The COVID-19 pandemic made it impossible to keep up with this initiative the past three years, but “now it’s back,” said Rosie Stead, the community events coordinator for the City of Mount Pearl.

According to Stead, the event originated “because (the City) wanted to add a little bit more of a multicultural aspect to City Days.”

Mount Pearl received multicultural funding from the federal government to provide vendors with a space where they could showcase their merchandise without charging them rent.

 “I think it's really important,” said Stead of the importance of the event to the community. “It's reaching out to a lot of different cultures to get people out here who are trying to make a living.”

The object of bringing together multicultural vendors and entertainers, said Stead, was “to broaden Mount Pearl's cultural experience.”

With over 15 vendors and four amazing entertainers from a variety of cultural backgrounds, the market did just that.

One of the participants was Amal Osama, the owner of Stalactites Designs, who is originally from Egypt and has been living in Newfoundland since 2015. She started her handmade décor company in 2020. Osama makes all her macrame products by hand using recycled materials. Although she spoke of some of the ups and downs of running a small business, she expressed her love for meeting people and hearing positive reactions to her products at the markets she attends.

Also working the market were owner Lori Gosse and her employee Kaitlin Hoskins with the jewelry company, Lori & Co.

Gosse, a St. John’s resident, began her company in 2016, when she was in university. In spite of setbacks caused by the pandemic, the company quickly evolved from online sales and appearances at farmers markets to a small pop-up store and on to several storefronts which the company likewise outgrew. The store has since settled at its current location on Hamlyn Road.

Festival goers also had a chance to sample the wares of Signage Clothing & Crafts, a company that may be familiar to those who frequent the St. John’s Farmers Market. It offers a wide variety of vibrant products all made from beautiful Nigerian fabrics.

Chioma Osisiogu, an employee of Signage Clothing & Crafts, said the company has grown a lot since she began working there with the owner, Winifred Ohwoka, in 2020.

“When I started working for her,” said Osisiogu, “it was still a small business, but right now it’s really big —she has a lot of customers now.”      
Matryoshka Design Co., a family-run arts and craft company, incorporates Russian and Ukrainian heritage into its designs. Married couple Serg and Alicia Sizov started experimenting with resin designs during the pandemic as a way to pass the time but soon found their company taking off as many people began to express interest in their products. Serg moved to Newfoundland 23 years ago from Chicago, but he was originally born in Russia while his family is Ukrainian. His wife, Alicia, grew up in Mount Pearl and St. John’s.

 “Getting to be creative and having people be receptive to an idea that you put out there and to see someone really connect with a piece you’ve made is really fulfilling as a creative person,” said Alicia.

“It’s also nice to have a bit of our (Ukrainian) culture introduced into Newfoundland,” said Serg. “It’s just nice to kind of see that happening and growing in Newfoundland.”

They both applauded the City for organizing this kind of event.

“It’s awesome to get the opportunity to see and support other local vendors,” said Alicia.

The market also offered fabulous entertainment by a variety of musicians from different cultural backgrounds, who serenaded the customers as they shopped.

Singer/songwriter Cristina Hernandez kicked off the entertainment with lively Mexican folk singing. She was followed by Cuban guitarist, Hierrito Onelvis Hernandez, multilingual francophone singer/songwriter Liz Fagan and Peruvian folk musician, Maia Mckewon.

“We are hoping that this will be an annual thing,” said Stead.

More big upgrades in the works for Farrell Drive

By Alexandra Brothers
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
July 28, 2023

Several major upgrades are soon to be underway in the City of Mount Pearl. Councillors discussed the numerous improvements proposed for Farrell Drive and Wyatt Boulevard at City Hall on Tuesday.

A full replacement of water, sanitary and storm sewers, asphalt, curb and sidewalk was proposed for Farrell Drive in the section between Topsail Road and Evans Place, as well as to Wyatt Boulevard.

Additionally, the planning, engineering and development (PED) committee proposed upgrades to the Farrell Drive pumphouse and recommended the lift station on Wyatt Boulevard be removed and replaced. The PED committee likewise proposed the addition of a new water transmission line from the intersection of Wyatt and Tavenor to the existing water tower location as well as the addition of a second water tower in the area. The additions are recommended in order to “increase the water capacity to allow future land development.”

The committee recommended the contract to design the engineering plans for the upgrades be awarded to the lowest compliant bidder, CBCL Limited, for the bid amount of $1,447,004 (HST included).

Councillor Bill Antle asked about the timeframe of the work.

“I wouldn’t necessarily call this long-term" said director of planning, engineering and development, Gerry Antle.

Although the scope of the work is significant, director Antle said the expectation is to have the work designed through 2023 with construction beginning in the season of 2024. The schedule, he said, will depend on what projects are in place at the time.

Councillor Antle also asked for clarification on the total cost of the project regarding the price of the new water tower.

The director replied the estimated $1,447,004 does not include the price of erecting the tower but covers the “design, contract administration, tender preparation, (and) engineering work that’s required to complete the projects.”

Mayor Dave Aker then asked for a rough estimate of the construction costs.

“Some of these projects are funded already,” said director Antle, “so, some of this is already budgeted.” The expected construction cost, he said, is “somewhere in the range of $10 million to $12 million.”

The motion to award the contract to CBCL Limited was moved by councillor Mark Rice, seconded by councillor Isabelle Fry, and passed unanimously.

On a related note, due to the increased volume of upgrades underway in the city, the committee likewise proposed an increase in on-site resources.

The committee recommended the addition of full-time inspection services from its project management consultant, WSP E&I Canada Limited (WSP), on both the Multi-streets and Farrell Drive projects. WSP provided a quote of $93,178 (HST included) for this increase in work. This motion was likewise passed unanimously.

“I’m excited to see this coming through here,” said councillor Jim Locke of the upcoming upgrades. “It’s certainly a big scope of work here. I’m excited to see the upgrades to our pumphouse, our lift station, as well as the second water tower to increase our capacity in the area. This is part of our long-term planning.”

Lots of dual winners at Best of Mount Pearl awards

Longtime Lions Club member Gerald Coombs received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the City of Mount Pearl last week during the Best of Mount Pearl Awards. On hand for the ceremony were, from left: Councillor Mark Rice, Gerald Coombs, Mayor Dave Aker, and Councillor Chelsea Lane. Alexandra Brothers photo.

By Alexandra Brothers
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
July 28, 2023 Edition

The old Reid Community Centre Gymnasium was transformed into a banquet hall Thursday night in order to pay tribute to some of the most exceptional members of the community of Mount Pearl.

As part of the annual City Days weekend, the Best in Mount Pearl Awards ceremony honored several groups and individuals who have made a positive impact on the community this past year. This is the third Best in Mount Pearl Awards Ceremony to date. The first ceremony was held in 2019 and this year marks the return to an in-person ceremony as the event had to be held virtually during the pandemic.

Mayor Dave Aker was in attendance along with MHAs Paul Lane and Lucy Stoyles and City councillors Bill Antle, Isabell Fry, Chelsea Lane, Jim Locke, and Mark Rice. OZ FM's Hugh Campbell emceed the event and local musician Dave White provided entertainment throughout the evening.

Mayor Aker emphasized the event’s community spirit by pointing out that most of those in attendance were already acquainted, and his goal for the evening was to personally get to know everyone he had not met yet.

The first award, called the Impact in Music, Arts and Culture Award, recognizes individuals who have made strides in promoting artistry in Mount Pearl. The judging committee could not limit the award to just one recipient this year, so both Jake Thompson and Alexander Taylor took home a trophy each.

Thompson is the creator of the NTV series “NL Now” and volunteers his time performing puppetry for primary and elementary school students. Taylor is a musician and songwriter who gives back to the community by playing at local seniors’ homes. He also established the annual “Merry and Bright” Christmas fundraising concert which showcases local talent.

The Community Group of the Year Award was awarded to both a newly formed group and a long-standing organization for their respective services to the city and its residents. Exceptional Connections NL, a group established in January, was recognized for its efforts in fostering a safe and unrestricted community for neurodiverse and disabled individuals in Mount Pearl. The Kinette Club of Mount Pearl was likewise recognized for its continued support to the community through its various fundraising initiatives and community outreach.

The Environment Award was accorded to Scotia Recycling Limited for all the work the Green Depot does in reducing the need for the production of new materials as well as for the innovative and efficient technologies the facility uses.

The Citizen of the Year Award, named in honor of the late Richard Levandier, recognizes individuals who have made meaningful contributions to the city through volunteerism and exemplary engagement with the community. The award was presented by Levandier’s wife, Deidre, and his daughter Chantelle along with a distinguished member of the Kinsmen Club.

As with some of the previous awards, the judging committee could not settle on just one recipient, so both Scott Hillyer and Con Milmore were awarded the honor.

Hillyer is the organizer of Community Suppers in Mount Pearl, an initiative which has provided approximately 20,800 meals a year to people in need. Milmore is an active member of several volunteer organizations including the Father J.B. Kent Knights of Columbus, St. Vincent de Paul, the Royal Canadian Legion and Community Meals.

Last, but certainly not least, the Lifetime Achievement award was presented to Gerald Coombs.

Coombs has been involved with the Mount Pearl Lions Club for over 50 years serving as treasurer, secretary, and president. He has been involved with numerous community initiatives such as the Used Eyeglass Collection Program, the Mount Pearl Youth Opportunity Fund Program, the Mount Pearl Lions Club Santa Clause Parade, and the Frosty Festival, just to name a few.

Coombs’ volunteerism has impacted people far beyond Mount Pearl as his efforts with various outreach programs have aided people in Haiti, Uganda, Syria, Ukraine and other countries.

Rosie Stead, the community events coordinator for the City of Mount Pearl, said the awards foster community spirit, when oftentimes people’s contributions in areas such as arts and culture and volunteerism go widely unnoticed.

“It gives the City the opportunity to showcase people in the city who are doing really good things,” Stead said. “It’s really nice to give them the recognition they deserve.”

Stead is hoping the awards show will continue for years to come.

“I would like for people to continue to nominate deserving people … so that the awards and the ceremony can keep going,” she said.

Mount Pearl - Southlands MHA Paul Lane summed up why the awards are important. “We have so much to love in this community, so much to be proud of,” he said, adding that when it comes to great community-minded people, “we have them in spades in Mount Pearl.”

Mount Pearl department head Texas bound

By Mark Squibb
July 21, 2023 Edition

They say everything is bigger in Texas, and Mount Pearl Director of Planning, Engineering, and Development Gerry Antle will soon have a chance to find out whether that’s true.

Antle will be heading to Texas for the American Society of Civil Engineers’ 2023 Texas Civil Engineering Conference in San Marcos.

The conference will run from September 20 to 22.

Councillor Jim Locke brought forward the motion to send Antle to the show, which was seconded by councillor Bill Antle during last week’s public council meeting,

The costs associated with individual professional development trips are not made public, however monies for such trips are drawn from the $304,750 allocated for professional development in Budget 2023.

That budget also covers staff training and employee engagement.

The motion passed unanimously.