SALT by SaltWire.com

salt

THURSDAY, FEB. 20, 2020

BY S A LT W I R E .COM

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SOLVING TRASHY PROBLEMS

WHERE SHOULD YOU TOSS YOUR WASTE ?

WHAT'S IN THE CITY BUDGET I ELLEN PAGE BUYS A WELL I CROSSWORDS

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salt • Thursday, February 20. 2020

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Thursday, February 20, 2020 • salt

AN OPEN INVITATION TO EDIT

ASK YOUR NEIGHBOUR

WHO’S BURIED UNDER THE OLD LIBRARY AT

SPRING GARDEN AND GRAFTON?

You know the one about how Halifax residents are notorious for buying event tickets last-minute? Big names and indie acts come to the city, but legend (and some good internal sources) has it they never know if we the people are going to come until the days and hours leading up to the event.

Learning your Bud the Spud french fries were eaten while sitting over the graves of Haligonians of the past leads to the question — who exactly WAS buried under the lot at the corner of Spring Garden Road and Grafton Street?

PAUPER'S CEMETARY We don’t have their names. Most people buried under Grafton Park and the old library were residents of the poor asylum, originally located near the park, just outside the palisade walls of the original fortified settlement.

“Sadly, very little is known about those who were buried over time in the pauper’s cemetery,” reads a municipal staff report on the property.

PHILIPPE AUBERT-DE-GASPE “But there is one gentleman who has left a lasting memory.”

Philippe Aubert‐de‐Gaspe was a reporter and author who ended up “destitute” in Halifax in 1840 after his father was jailed in Quebec for unpaid debts. He died suddenly in 1841 — at the age of 27 — from a “mysterious illness,” and was buried in Grafton Park.

PIRATES There are also a number of pirates said to be buried there, according to the staff report.

The men were hanged after a mutiny on a ship in rough seas off the coast of Nova Scotia in 1844 and buried in Grafton Park.

HAVE A QUESTION? Every week, SALT staff will try to answer your questions about your neighbourhood. Have a question? Contact us: salt@saltwire.com or Instagram. com/saltwirenetwork Zane Woodford is a Halifax-based reporter for SALT and SaltWire.com

THROWBACK FEBRUARY 22, 1980: Snowcycling pre-dates fat bikes! In this photo, a Thursday with spring-like weather attracted many people outdoors, but there were not too many who decided to go snowcycling, like Henry Sutton and his daughter, Tina. They found it rough going through snow on the Commons.

Recognize anyone? Tell us at: salt@saltwire.com.

— The Chronicle Herald File Photo

You need to be in control and need to be courted and as a team of city-loving H.R.M. devotees, we get it. We know our city and we’re here to hold space for all of you last-minute ticket buyers — you can come to us with feedback and ideas when you’re ready and we’ll be here tinkering away. This week, for example, we’re tinkering with our weekly puzzles - see page 14 - by flipping the solutions and printing them on the same page.

Like it? Loathe it?

You make the call, but you’ve got to let us know. We want your opinions, ideas and grammar checks! What works for you this week? Where can we keep getting better? Bare all and know that we’ll keep asking if you to “buy” what we’re publishing. Feedback (and this weekly) are free, but we hope both are loaded with insights.

Want to know what fellow readers thought? Find more on Page 7.

When you know better, you do better. So we hope you never stop telling us what you want to see more of or less of, how you’d like SALT to be different than or the same as. Lay it on us. You’re officially on the team.

Got a nugget of wisdom for us? How can we make SALT more meaningful for you? Text this code 499-353-377 to the phone number 728-55. You’ll be taken to a feedback tool where you can give us what you’ve got. Prefer snail mail or DMs? Find us @saltwire_network or saltwire.com Message and data rates may apply. You’ll receive responses to any messages you send, and up to 3 messages total to keep you up-to-date with this exchange. Text STOP to opt out or HELP for help. For our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, go to https://terms.thoughtexchange.com

salt • Thursday, February 20, 2020

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THIS WEEK IN HEADLINES

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SCREENING TEST FOR CORONAVIRUS BEING DEVELOPED IN HALIFAX A test to screen for the coronavirus that works like a pregnancy test is being developed by a Halifax company. Sona Nanotech Inc. CEO Darren Rowles says his company will produce and distribute a test for $50 that will give a primary result in five to 10 minutes. One of the biggest challenges in developing any test is sourcing biological material specific to whatever is being tested for, in this case a strain of virus, now named Covid-19, different from previous coronaviruses like SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) and MERS (Middle East respiratory syndrome). The test may be ready in a few months and Sona Nanotech is already getting calls from around the world for pre-orders. For more coverage of Covid-19, scan the code at right.

Source: Bill Spurr, SaltWire’s The Chronicle Herald MYSTERY SHOPPERS NEEDED BY LOTTO CORP Atlantic Lottery Corporation is looking to hire "mystery shoppers" to make sure retailers are not selling tickets to people under the age of 19. According to a Request for Proposals on the provincial procurement website, the ALC is looking for a third-party provider. Greg Weston, spokesman for ALC, said the company regularly checks compliance rates with retailers.

Source: Stuart Peddle, SaltWire’s The Chronicle Herald

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HOUSING HARD TO FIND FOR IMMIGRANTS IN HALIFAX A shortage of affordable rental housing in Halifax is a challenge for newcomers. Last year, Nova Scotia welcomed a record-setting 7,580 new permanent residents, according to numbers released last week, surpassing the previous record of 5,970 in 2018. “It’s hard to find somewhere that’s affordable and accessible as well (for immigrants),” Jennifer Watts, of Immigrant Settlement Association of Nova Scotia, said. She’s working with the city and other organizations to make sure immigrants find suitable homes when they arrive in Canada.

Source: Hana Sabah, SaltWire’s The Chronicle Herald

Thursday, February 20, 2020 • salt

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MORE PLACES TO BUY LEGAL POT The Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation adding 14 more cannabis locations, the provincial government announced Feb. 14, adding to the 12 existing stores. "We have recognized that online sales so far have not addressed areas of the province where there was a gap and it is apparent that new customers want the in-store experience,” Finance and Treasury Board Minister Karen Casey said.”

Recent NSLC research showed that one of the reasons customers are buying from the illicit market is because there is no cannabis store in their area. New outlets will open between fall 2020 and spring 2021 in: Annapolis Royal, Baddeck, Barrington Passage, Berwick, Elmsdale, Glace Bay, Liverpool, Mahone Bay, Bedford (Mill Cove), Port Hawkesbury, Sydney Mines, Dartmouth (Tacoma Drive), Tantallon and Tatamagouche.

Source: Ian Fairclough, SaltWire’s The Chronicle Herald WILL THE CAT COME BACK? Premier Stephen McNeil told an audience in Yarmouth last weekend he’s optimistic the nova Scotia to Maine ferry service will return this summer. The Cat ferry sat idle in 2019 instead of sailing between Yarmouth and Bar Harbor because of renovations and upgrades needed for a terminal in Bar Harbor, the ferry’s new U.S. port.

“I can tell you the one that I know as a son of southwestern Nova Scotia — when it’s not running, we feel it economically,” McNeil said. Bay Ferries has not yet posted its 2020 schedule on its website, but tells visits to “check back for 2020 schedule updates.”

Source: Tina Comeau, SaltWire’s Tri-County Vanguard PEOPLE ACROSS CANADA FOR WET’SUWET’EN A group gathered last weekend on the Prince Edward Island side of the Confederation Bridge to show solidarity with Wet'suwet'en hereditary chiefs in British Columbia who oppose a pipeline through their territory. The group, mostly comprised of residents from L’nui Mnikuk First Nation, peacefully protested in Borden-Carleton on Saturday, planning to stay on site for 24 hours.

Protester Chance Banks said the location was chosen to raise awareness of the issue and not to shut down the bridge.

“Our protest is to open peoples' eyes about the pipeline. For me to be here, being a drumkeeper, I have a responsibility to respect the land, people, and everything around us. Even respect our ‘rule of law,'” he said. Banks said the group is “appreciative of the P.E.I. RCMP helping to control traffic and keep the event peaceful.”

Source: Desiree Antsey, SaltWire’s Journal Pioneer

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salt • Thursday, February 20, 2020

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5

THINGS YOU’LL FIND IN THE

CITY’S NEW

budget STORY BY

}

BOOKS

ZACK WOODFORD

Halifax Regional Municipality’s budget for the year ahead is basically a done deal after Halifax councillors chose from the items in the “parking lot” of options Feb. 12.

The tax rate will drop slightly in the year ahead, but the average residential property owner will pay a little extra on next year’s tax bill due to rising property values: $27.39 on the average tax bill, equal to 1.4 per cent.

After the budget parking lot meeting Feb. 12, the 2020-2021 operating and capital budget numbers are all but locked in.

Council is scheduled to rubber stamp the budget in March, ahead of the start of the fiscal year on April 1.

HERE’S A LOOK AT SOME HIGHLIGHTS: STEEPER PARKING TICKETS

It’s going to cost more to park illegally starting April 1.

Councillors agreed to hike the fines for parking tickets from $25 to $35 in a bid to save $175,000 per year.

SCHOOL ZONE SPEED BUMPS

An extra $150,000 in the transportation and public works budget will be used to install traffic-calming measures — in this case, speed bumps — on 10 streets in school zones. The streets will be selected based on their priority on a list of eligible streets, typically where speeding has been identified as an issue.

Councillors added $250,000 to the budget to boost Halifax Public Libraries’ collection — books and e-books. That means there will be more books in the collection next year, and waitlists could get shorter.

Council also agreed to spend $2 million to spruce up the Keshen Goodman Library in Clayton Park.

MENSTRUAL PRODUCTS

After originally being excluded from the budget, menstrual products -- like pads and tampons -- will MORE be available for free in CASH municipal facilities starting FOR COPS this year — and at a much Halifax Regional Police didn’t lower cost. Councillors get as much as Chief Dan were surprised to see Kinsella originally asked for, the exclusion last month but council approved an extra and sent staff back to the $157,500 for the force. Kinsella drawing board. They revised originally wanted an extra the cost estimate, down to $887,000 to create eight new about a tenth of the original sergeant positions, but council $369,000, and included the felt that was too much. money in an existing budget.

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Thursday, February 20, 2020 • salt

mission hired planner Thomas Adams, who then recruited architect George Ross of Ross and Macdonald of Montreal.

One of their tasks was straight forward:

THE WORD (feedback from the internet)

Don’t put content in those fine-lined boxes We agree! Boxes removed.

The “hydrostone” blocks were made in Eastern Passage, which used sand from a nearby beach and sent completed blocks across the harbour on a barge. By 1920, just two years after the plan started and three years after the explosion, 350 people had moved into the area.

The Hydrostone neighbourhood was designed to be a classic. — Ryan Taplin, SaltWire

What's special about the } Hydrostone?

STORY BY

At 100 years old, Halifax’s Hydrostone neighbourhood looks good for its age, with its Tudor-like row houses nestled on either side of grassy boulevards that are only a short walk from its quaint, bustling market.

The Hydrostone was built to last.

According to the book Historic Eastern Passage, following the Halifax Explosion of 1917, 750 homes in the former Richmond area were destroyed, either by the blast itself or by fires caused by overturned stoves. Across the city, 25,000 people were homeless/. “(The explosion) was a tragedy of course, and yes, it gets first billing when talking about what happened,” says Peter Henry, an architect who lives and works in the Hydrostone neighbourhood.

SaltWire Network

“Second billing is the beauty and the efficiency of the rebuilding; not even just rebuilding, but the reclaiming and building of a new community; it changed the nature of Halifax in many, many ways.”

Today, says Henry, there would be consultations and feedback sessions, but back then, the Halifax Relief Commission was given free reign of the area.

“There were no authorities that had jurisdiction,” he says, adding that while the commission could do what it wanted, it had to do so both quickly and efficiently.

“Some people were living in tents on the Common,” says Henry. “So yes, there was a need for speed.”

Work started almost immediately, in February 1918, when the Relief Com-

I find myself more interested in "everyday people” stories rather than those of activists/ advocates. something needed to replace the housing lost in the former Richmond area.

They came up with The Hydrostone, modelled after the garden city movement, a type of self-contained community. For them, this was row houses, boulevards and service lanes located behind houses and used for garbage collection and other services. There is also a row of shops located along Young Street.

Given that so many buildings were destroyed, Adams and Ross also needed to choose a material that would make residents feel safe. Wood was too risky, so they chose hydrostone, a fireproof material made of gravel, crushed stone, sand, cement and water that’s moulded using 150,000 pounds of pressure.

“This pressure forces the excess moisture to the services at all points and aggregates so closely that a perfect bond is insured giving maximum density and strength,” said an October 1918 issue of Construction: A Journal for the Architectural, Engineering and Contracting Interests of Canada.

We’re pleased to share that SALT will feature a diverse range of shift-disturbers. Know one?

Salt@saltwire.com

This article is condensed from work by Halifax-based freelance writer Katie Ingram originally appeared in SaltWire’s Chronicle Herald Feb. 3, 2020.

We caught the gaffe too late, which reminded us of two things: 1) every word counts 2) the reader sees all

(I want less) complaining from the (King’s Wharf) public hearing and (more about) what it will be like in the end.

Although we don’t totally agree with the assessment, SALT is committed to dot-connecting and creating a platform for all sides of an issue.

Did you catch how in your rush to get issue No. 1 on the presses, the poorly-named crossword “Man Up!” was published next to Colin Hodd’s feature on the Mussels, Halifax’s LGBTQ+ hockey team?

salt • Thursday, February 20, 2020

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Taxi Rules

STORY BY

The municipality’s taxi bylaw states that the municipality “must cancel” a taxi owner’s licence “if it is confirmed that the vehicle is no longer insured.” *What's a roof light? A taxi owner’s licence.

WHAT HAPPENED OCTOBER Tesfamariam was notified of the issue in midOctober and asked to provide proof of insurance.

A Halifax-area taxi driver has had his owner’s licence cancelled because of an interruption in insurance coverage, and he was denied the opportunity to appeal the decision at a committee meeting last week.

But Fekadu Tesfamariam will still be allowed to drive under a different roof light.* The municipality’s licensing authority cancelled Tesfamariam’s tax owner's licence in November 2019 after learning that the insurance on the vehicle linked to the licence had been cancelled at the beginning of October.

NOVEMBER 5 On Nov. 5, the driver provided proof of insurance effective that day. The next day, municipal staff told him he’d need to prove he was insured from Oct. 2 to NOVEMBER 15 He couldn’t, so on Nov. 15 the municipality notified Tesfamariam that his licence was cancelled.

DECEMBER In a letter to the city applying to appeal the decision, Tesfamariam explained that he had been renting the roof light to another driver while driving his own cab under a rented roof light in the Halifax zone.

}

Zane Woodford

After council decided last year to do away with zones, Tesfamariam decided to stop renting his roof light to another driver and use it himself. When he told the driver renting his light, that driver cancelled the insurance. Tesfamariam says he didn’t know.

It’s unclear whether the roof light was used during the time the insurance was interrupted.

NO APPEAL AFTER ALL Tesfamariam’s appeal was scheduled to be heard at council’s appeals standing committee meeting Feb. 13, but at the start of the meeting, city lawyer Karen MacDonald told councillors they couldn’t hear the appeal, and that it “shouldn’t have come to this point.”

Tesfamariam now has no owner’s licence, but he still has a provincial driver’s licence and a taxi driver’s licence. He can rent an owner’s licence from another driver and drive a cab, and he’s eligible to be on the waitlist to get a new owner’s licence.

Zane Woodford is a Halifax-based reporter with SaltWire.com

NOVA SCOTIA KNOWS ITS BEER. NOVA SCOTIA

The rest of Canada agrees!

Nova Scotia’s top selling craft beer, Nine KNOWS ITS BEER.

Locks Dirty Blonde, is something special. We’re proud to have brought

The rest the of Canada agrees!

Nova Scotia’s top selling beer, Nine home bronze medal in the Wheat Beer, craft North American Style Locks Dirty Blonde, is something special. We’re proud to have brought category from the Canadian Brewers Awards & Conference. Cheers home the bronze medal in the Wheat Beer, North American Style to everyone who’s supported usAwards during&these amazing first four years. category from the Canadian Brewers Conference.

Cheers to everyone who’s supported us during these amazing first four years.

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Thursday, February 20, 2020 • salt

Inspiring young women to explore science, engineering, tech, trades Nova Scotia’s Techsploration program expands across Canada

BY HEATHER LAURA CLARKE

SPONSORED BY

TECHSPLORATION Nova Scotia’s award-winning Techsploration program has officially expanded into Ontario, empowering even more young women to explore careers in science, engineering, trades and technology.

Margaret Davidson, Techsploration’s program coordinator here in Halifax, says it was an emotional experience to attend the launch in Hamilton, Ont. and talk about her experience with the program.

Davidson is in the unique position of having started with the program as a student back when it launched in 1998, and now she’s on staff. She’s been involved with Techsploration since Day 1, and says the program has had a tremendously positive impact on her life.

“Techsploration pushed me out of my comfort zone, which encouraged me to take risks when I normally wouldn’t,” Davidson told the crowd gathered at Mohawk College in Hamilton. “It’s been the voice in the back of my head telling me to do something I’m passionate about.”

Techsploration provides young women from Grades 9-12 with opportunities to explore science, trades and technology occupations. It also helps them understand the significance of high school math and science for their future careers.

The program has been so successful that Dale Crawford, vice president of Techsploration’s board of directors, says they’ve had multiple requests to expand their programming into other provinces — and now it’s finally happening.

Techsploration received funding from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) to deliver its mentorled programming to eight schools in the Hamilton region and eight schools in Ottawa this spring.

“Tuesday’s event was the momentous kick-off to what is not only the beginning

Margaret Davidson (right), Techsploration alumnus and now program coordinator

of an epic Canadian adventure for our organization, but the start of truly collaborative, community-led initiative,” says Crawford.

The Techsploration launch at Mohawk College brought together key industry stakeholders and partner organizations to learn more about the program delivery model in Hamilton and opportunities for industry participation and collaboration.

Kathy Lerette, senior vice president of business transformation for Alectra Utilities, provided an inspiring keynote address that highlighted the positive impact increased gender diversity has on Hamilton’s workforce.

As part of the national expansion pilot, Techsploration will also be launching an online mentorship program for its alumnae and will expand its popular “Power in Possibilities” online video series.

Techsploration is now considered a national best-practice model for the attraction of young women to careers in science, engineering, trades, and technology, and the program continues to grow here in Nova Scotia.

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Thursday, February 20, 2020 • salt

Louise Delisle speaks with Ellen Page in a photo promoting the release of the documentary, There’s Something in the Water.

— Contributed

Nova Scotia town takes

Ellen Page up on offer to drill community well } STORY BY

SaltWire

Shelburne will accept Halifax-born actress Ellen Page's offer to drill a community well in the town's south end.

Page made the offer last fall to South End Environmental Injustice Society (SEED) founder Louise Delisle after the two worked together on the documentary There’s Something in the Water.

Co-directed by Page and New York producer, filmmaker, writer and curator Ian Daniel, and written by fellow Nova Scotian Ingrid R. G. Waldron, the doc premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2019, shining a spotlight on environmental racism in N.S. From 1949 to 1990, a town landfill operated in the predominantly Black community. SEED members felt the dump contributing to high cancer rates and other health issues among people living near it.

Delisle said Page had stepped up further by offering to pay for a drilled well in the community that people can use to access clean water.

On Feb. 10, Shelburne town council voted to accept Page’s offer of up to $25,000 for construction of a drilled well in the area of the Roger Grovestine Complex, as well as up to $5,000 annually for maintenance to help with water security issues for residents, provided the donation covers the entire cost.

The motion is also dependent on Shelburne's chief administrative officer reaching an appropriate legal agreement with the donor.

Founded in 2016, SEED seeks to address environmental concerns in the African Nova Scotian community in the south end of Shelburne. SEED is one of the partners in a two-year, applied research project started in 2018 on water quality issues in the community, led by the Nova Scotia Community College, Acadia University, Dalhousie University through ENRICH (Environmental

Noxiousness, Racial Inequities & Community Health) and Rural Water Watch.

Read SALT next week for more on the issue and on Waldron's work.

Adapted from an article by Kathy Johnson published Feb. 14 at SaltWire.com.

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salt • Thursday, February 20, 2020

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WHERE DOES ALL T A curious coffee consumer questions just how big the problem is

I KEEP A CUP OF COFFEE ON HAND. WHETHER IT'S FROM A LOCAL SHOP OR AN INTERNATIONAL SUPER-CHAIN, IT'S A RELIABLE CAFFEINATED CONSTANT IN MY LIFE. I'VE HEARD MANY RUMOURS CONCERNING THE RECYCLABILITY (OR LACK THEREOF) OF DISPOSABLE COFFEE CUPS. I decided I had enough of the guessing games and went to work doing a little digging about this everyday item—leading me deep into the world of waste management in the Halifax Regional Municipality.

HOW ARE WE DOING? "The vast majority of jurisdictions in the world are nowhere near where Nova Scotia is; with regards to diversion, recycling, recycling infrastructure and capacity on a per capita basis," Bob Kenney, N.S. recycling development officer, says. "Nova Scotia has the lowest disposal rate in the country by far—it's about 45 percent lower than the Canadian average."

It turns out Nova Scotia is also one of the few places in the world that collects organic waste to create compost, including some types of soiled paper.

But what about my coffee cup? It looks like its made of paper, which would be compostable, but appearances are deceiving.

"The challenge is that coffee cups, in particular hot disposable cups, contain a plastic liner between the two paper liners," says Kenney.

"It's going to add plastic to the compost and that's a contaminant. So, the vast majority of jurisdictions in Nova Scotia and other areas do not collect disposable cups in their composting stream or the recycling stream."

Large companies continue to research disposable cups, he said, but, for now, they're

better off in the garbage.

If you do partake in in “paper” coffee cups, make sure to toss them in the right bin, especially at home, or we run the risk of going to jail. Just kidding, but fines are a possibility.

"In Nova Scotia, it's been law for over 21 years that you have to sort your waste, recycling, organics, and so on," says Andrew Garrett, who runs communications for Valley Waste out of Kentville. "You can't send it to landfills."

Garrett says there has been a slight reduction in the plastics his organization, which handles waste for most of the Annapolis Valley, manages and says most people are aware of the rules.

HOW CAN WE GET BETTER? Shannon Betts, HRM diversion policy coordinator, says the municipality works to help residents understand waste disposal, including workshops and presentations and there’s online ways to educate us, like HRM's website halifax.ca/recycle.

"We have a really handy mobile app called Halifax Recycles," adds Betts. "You can set up reminders to let you know when your garbage, recycling or green cart go out for collection, but there's also a tool that allows you to search for items that it'll tell you what the proper method of disposal is."

One app reviewer dubs Halifax Recycles the "best trash app ever," but, even with such useful info at our fingertips, Betts says we can do better.

"Reduce, reuse, recycle; they're in that order for a reason. We call that the 'waste hierarchy,'" says Betts. "Reduce is always the first step, then we have reuse, then recycling is the last step we want to take. It's always important to focus on the first two before we look at recycling."

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Thursday, February 20, 2020 • salt

THE GARBAGE GO? STORY BY

}

Brandon Young

We are in a time of crisis, and I think more people are waking up to that, and this is just one way that people can cut down on waste and contribute to the environment.” — Kate Pepler

THE SITUATION

21 9 87

%

%

%

How much waste in Nova Scotia is plastics.

of plastics in Canada are recycled.

of plastics in Canada end up in landfills.

Sources: Ecology Action Centre, Environment and Climate Change Canada

BRING YOUR OWN For zero-waste advocates like Kate Pepler, owner of The Tare Shop — a package-free coffee shop and bulk store in Halifax — managing waste is easy as she doesn't create any.

"We are seeing customers who are coming in saying how excited they are that they are starting to reduce their waste, and they can't wait to continue on this journey.”

Her business serves drinks in mugs and sells reusable travel mugs. Her guess is she has prevented 14,000 coffee cups and 73,000 plastic from hitting the trash.

"We really need to just reduce the amount of plastics entering the waste stream," says Pepler. "We are in a time of crisis, and I think more people are waking up to that, and this is just one way that people can cut down on waste and contribute to the environment."

As for what the future holds for people using those disposable cups? If “extended producer responsibility” becomes law in Nova Scotia, companies that make packaging would be responsible for the entire lifecycle of their products — not taxpayers.

"The industry that makes packaging has already incorporated the end-of-life cost of managing packaging into the price of the product," says Garrett. "But in Nova Scotia, all that cost is put on

the taxpayer. So even though the cost of managing the product is already in the price of the product, you're paying for it twice."

Garrett says the federal government has announced it wants to see EPR across Canada. In the meantime, education, proper disposal of waste and reducing reliance on disposable products like coffee cups will help ensure Nova Scotia stays on the up and up when it comes to our waste.

"I think it's just a very complex issue," says Pepler.

"So, I think the best thing that everybody can do is just reduce the amount of waste that is created."

Brandon Young is a Halifax-based freelance writer.

Photos, including cover, by Zane Woodford RESOURCES Luminate Co.: luminateco.ca Halifax Recycles app: halifax.ca/home-property/garbagerecycling-green-cart/collection-schedules Halifax website: halifax.ca/home-property/garbagerecycling-green-cart The Tare Shop: thetareshop.com

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A SKELETON IN THE CROSSWORD

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65

Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the numbers 1 through 9 only once.

Each 3x3 box is outlined with a darker line. You already have a few numbers to get you started. Remember: you must not repeat the numbers 1 through 9 in the same line, column or 3x3 box.

SOLUTION

Wife of Bath offering 35 Huffy mood 37 Gain (from), as pleasure 38 ___ mission (determined) 41 For the French, this means war 42 Beast named for a tribe of hairy women 43 Basket toter’s Easter event 45 “Ri-i-i-ght” 46 “Jake and the ___” (William Conrad show) 47 Grows less sensitive (to) 51 Expel, as sweat 52 Italian “sixth” 54 Worker who’s civil, maybe: Abbr.

64

HOW TO PLAY:

DOWN 1 Stand in for 2 Michael of “Educating Rita” 3 Preserve on “Six Feet Under” 4 Earthquake-related 5 “Give ___ rest!”

6 Animated character 7 “___ and Son” (‘70s sitcom) 8 For now, in Latin 9 Eye part with rods and cones 10 Elicit an “I’m stuffed” 11 Arching pitch 12 “Big Daddy” Amin 13 Red Rose product 16 Shape drawn with a compass 18 Fix up with gear 22 Setting for a swami 25 Bubbly bar from Nestlé 26 Rip to shreds, say 27 Sold as ___ (with all parts) 29 Some syllables in “Deck the Halls” 30 Hispanic female 33 “Baroness von Sketch Show” bit 34

T C

PUZZLE NO. 753

56 Elephantine 57 Prof’s talks about the breastbone?

61 Crucial to the whole 62 ___ Ed’s (famous discount store) 63 Commuter syst. to the CN Tower 64 “General Hospital” actress Sofer 65 Decides one will

T

about an ear bone?

31 Opposite of “froid” 32 Hawk’s high home 33 Hallowed fellows: Abbr.

36 Q-U connection 37 Freckle on a cartoon face, say 39 Kapuskasing’s prov.

40 Milne marsupial mom 42 Canadian film award, pre-2012 44 Tangerine-coloured hipbone?48 “Chapeau” holder 49 Dancer-spy Mata 50 Fonda film “___ of God” 53 Word that surprisingly means unrelaxed

63

ACROSS 1 Nails the exam 7 Planting seasons: Abbr.

11 Set ablaze 14 Awoke, post-op 15 604 for Vancouver or 416 for Toronto 17 Hamlet’s query on finding what might be a leg bone?

19 Santa ___ (California winds) 20 More peachy 21 “The Simpsons” chainsmoker 23 Hart’s “Entertainment Tonight” cohost 24 “Fame” name 28 Sue Grafton book

by Barbara Olson © ClassiCanadian Crosswords

15

Thursday, February 20, 2020 • salt

WHAT’S GOING ON Feb 22

Feb 22

Feb 23

Feb 25

Feb 26-29

SATURDAY Matt Wright at Good Robot Catch Newfoundland's own Matt Wright for a barrage of hilarious jokes. Shows at 7 and 10 p.m. at at Good Robot Brewing Company, 2736 Robie St. Halifax. Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door.

SATURDAY Speaking My Home: A Community Celebration of Languages The Halifax Immigrant Partnership (HIP) has invited local cultural organizations promoting heritage languages in Halifax to share who they are and what they do, especially in the area of language instruction. Language Fair at 12:30 p.m. International Mother Language Day festivities from 3 to 5 at Paul O’Regan Hall, Halifax Central Library, 5440 Spring Garden Rd., Halifax. Free.

SUNDAY African Heritage Festival: FAME All are welcome to attend the 4th Annual African Heritage Festival 2020: FAME – Fashion. Art. Music. Eat. Enjoy live music, art, food tastings and a fashion show to celebrate African Heritage month. From 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the Captain William Spry Public Library, 16 Sussex St., Spryfield. All ages.

Free.

TUESDAY 26th annual Halifax Pancake Tuesday Supper Come out and properly mark Shrove Tuesday with a good, old-fashioned pancake supper in support of the Halifax Beavers, Cubs and Scouts from 5 to 7 p.m. at St. Agnes Church Hall, 6903 Mumford Rd., Halifax. Tickets are $8 for adults and $4 for kids at the door.

WEDNESDAY TO SATURDAY Forest Town - The Unnatural disaster Theatre Company An imaginative fusion of genre, movement, music and history, Forest Town is a surprising and innovative trove of stories that explores historical and continued mistreatment of women. Shows at 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $15.

Park Place Theatre, 5480 Point Pleasant Dr., Halifax.

Info: halifax.bibliocommons.com/ events/

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salt • Thursday, February 20, 2020

16

NEW TRICKS

WORKSHOP OF THE WEEK Croissant class Saturday, Feb. 22, 1 to 5 p.m. @ The Old Apothecary, 1496 Lower Water St., Halifax Jump into a four-hour croissant class that will have you laminating dough, shaping butter and chocolate croissants, and baking from fresh and frozen. Leave the class with a pack of croissants and a fresh baked pastry for good measure. Other dates available. Tickets: $150 each.

Info: theoldapothecary.com or eventbrite.ca

WHAT’S GOING ON FORTNIGHT

4

FEB 28

FEB 29

Stars of the Crave series LETTERKENNY are bringing “LETTERKENNY LIVE!” to the Dal Arts Centre, with nine of the cast members and never-beforeseen sketches. 6:30 p.m.

Tickets start at $45; Info: dal. ca/dept/arts-centre or (902) 494-3820

Mini Pop Kids Live! Throwback Saturday? Yes, the they’re still a thing and they’re touring to support Mini Pop Kids 17.

The Bright Lights Tour brings family-friendly versions of the year’s biggest hits to the Dal Arts Centre. 2 p.m.

Tickets start at $28.35; Info: dal.ca/dept/arts-centre or (902) 494-3820

PUT THESE IN YOUR PHONE CALENDAR NOW SO YOU DON’T MISS OUT

MARCH 7-8

FEB 29

Network for the Empowerment of Women celebrates International Women's Day 2020 at the Halifax Marriott Harbourfront Hotel. Exhibit your business, build cross-cultural and business relationships, and learn from leading experts on how to make a meaningful impact in business and leadership.

Tickets start at $125; Info: eventbrite.com

HaliQueer Formal 2020: A Leap Through the Century by DalOUT. Second annual event celebrate the leaps the LGBTQIA2S+ have made through the last century and hope for the future. Tickets: Start at $20; Info: eventbrite.com

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17

Thursday, February 20, 2020 • salt

Africville church bell to come home

A TREASURE’S RETURN WAS PROMISED TO AFRICVILLE ON HERITAGE DAY. WHEN THE CITY OF HALIFAX RAZED THE HISTORIC AFRICAN-NOVA SCOTIAN COMMUNITY’S CHURCH, ITS BELL SURVIVED AND WAS SPIRITED AWAY FOR SAFEKEEPING. In a few months, it will come home.

The church was among the buildings destroyed when the city demolished Africville in the name of urban renewal in 1967. This year’s Heritage Day commemorated Africville.

“One of the things that former residents often talk about when they talk about the experience of the community being demolished, is the tearing down of the church in the middle of the night,” said Juanita Peters, executive director of the Africville Museum.

“It signifies the loss of power, the loss of community and the fact that somebody has that much power over you.”

“We don’t know how or when, but that bell was taken by Rev. W.P Oliver and it was put in the Beechville Baptist Church, never with any intention of it ever coming back here, because there was no idea

that we would ever have anything here again,” Peters said.

“So, the fact that Beechville Baptist Church is shepherding that bell back to Africville is so powerful, and I just feel so blessed that there are former residents and descendants who are still alive to see that happen.”

The museum that’s a replica of the church, which opened in 2012, hosted a standing-room-only crowd Feb. 17 to hear Rev. Lloyd Grant of Beechville Baptist Church give the good word. The crowd included about a dozen former residents of Africville.

Engineers are working on how to remove the bell from its current position in Beechville and how to transport it to the hill overlooking Bedford Basin, where Africville residents were baptized long ago.

The site that will hold the church bell that will be returned to Africville in the spring.

— Bill Spurr, The Chronicle Herald

“That bell will rest on the property," Peters said. "It will not be going up in the bell tower. It will go on the property where you see the sign Coming Soon, and it will be there as a monument to tell the story of the bell that continued to ring against all odds.

“We will be giving (Beechville) our bell out of this bell tower ... so they still have a bell to ring.”

This article is condensed from work by Bill Spurr that appeared on SaltWire.com Feb. 17.

Rev. Lloyd Grant speaks at the Africville Museum in Halifax Feb. 17.

— Bill Spurr, The Chronicle Herald

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WHAT ARE THE BARRIERS? Halifax Regional Municipality is hoping to recruit more people to boards and committees.

Applications for the newly-established women’s advisory committee closed Feb. 10, with monthly meetings set for the second Wednesday of the month from 4 to 6 p.m.

A few residents took to Twitter to comment that that it was inconvenient for many people’s jobs and prime time for supper and parenting duties.

Coun. Lorelei Nicoll replied in a Tweet: "Once the committee is established, these options can be explored."

FUN? Aside from giving back, in volunteering your time on a board, you can expect to gain — and bring — skills related to local policy and planning, while building a network of engaged people who want to make a difference and share similar interests and goals as you.

“A huge benefit for me is getting the opportunity to be involved in personal interests in a way that I can see the direct impact. For example, by joining the Halifax Cycling Coalition board I can help advocate for safer infrastructure in our city and more inclusive riding,” says Emily Miller, Planning & Design Centre board member, North End Halifax resident and former member of HRM active transportation advisory committee.

You are opening yourself up to conversation on topics that excite you.

“Another way I’ve benefitted is through the friendships I’ve made. I have made lifelong friends from the volunteer work I’ve been a part of,” says Miller.

Join a board and you won’t be bored STORY BY

}

“Sitting on a board is the most selfish un-selfish thing you can do,” Anna Marenick, director of people and strategy at Develop Nova Scotia says.

INCLUSION Miller said she believes boards should seek diversity of age, gender, socio-economic status and, most importantly, diversity of experience and thought in their memberships.

“Having a diverse set of perspectives on any board is essential. Not only does it allow for the organization to be able to tap into a variety of networks, it also brings new thinking, ideas and experiences,” Miller said.

By working to eliminate barriers for community committees, boards and citizens - all are able to benefit from having as many voices at the table as possible.

WHAT CAN YOU DO? Visit halifax.ca/city-hall/boards-committees-commissions for info on the opportunities.

SaltWire

Alfred Burgesson and Grant Ruffinengo are members of HFX Collective, a youthled enterprise providing employment and engagement opportunities for young people.

Having a diverse set of perspectives on any board is essential."

WHY MAKE THE EFFORT? Sitting on a board can open your eyes and ears to interesting conversation and is a great way to get involved with organizations in your community.

- Emily Miller

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salt • Thursday, February 20, 2020

20

CONNECT TO WORK

JOB INTEL

FREELANCE AND MOBILE WORKERS JOIN UP THROUGH MEETUP.COM STORY BY

}

Will Young

5 TIPS TO NOT LOSE YOUR MIND (OR YOUR JOB) WHILE WORKING REMOTELY CONNECT: Freelance work can be isolating, so having a social connection with other freelancers is important to keeping sane and finding new opportunities.

BE PROFESSIONAL ONLINE: Be it a website or social media account, having a professional “outward face” is key to presenting to potential employers.

Dylan Smibert

Being your own boss is a popular dream, but it can be hard to know how to make the most out of being self-employed.

James Sutton — a freelancer — and Dylan Smibert — a consultant and PhD student because they found there was a need to connect people within the freelancer mobile workspace. The co-founders of the Mobile Workers Association (MWA) set out to create a community of support. Two years ago, they also started the group “Halifax Freelancer, Self Employed, and Mobile Workers: The MWA” on the website Meetup.com as an extension of their organization.

The group hosts regular events for Haligonian freelancers to attend, both to meet new people and to create a sense of working together, including a monthly get-together at The Local pub. Smibert says the event enjoys a consistent flow of new people attending — along with a group of regulars — as well as “field trips” where freelancers travel to different cafés and workspaces in HRM to work remotely together.

Group members have responded well to the more informal style of meetings, which Smibert calls “organic networking,w” and to the sense of community found at the events.

CHANGE IT UP: Don’t let your routine become your prison: use your flexibility to change work locations and give your mind a break to avoid burnout CALCULATE COST: Despite being a good change of pace, working from a café or restaurant can take a financial toll thanks to coffee and snacks. Keep track of your expenses!

Maintain good relationships: Don’t burn your bridges: be professional and keep to your deadlines.

Good interactions with clients and managers are important to securing future work.

3 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT MEETUP.COM

JOB JUNCTION Job Junction’s website says to think of it as a full-service rental car to take you on your journey; you have to steer it and apply the gas, but they supply the vehicle, maps and any roadside assistance you might need along the way. Offers career counselling, office supplies to help print your resumes and worskshops.

902-455-9675 jobjunction.ca HALIFAX NOISE JOBS While Instagram is great for seeing your favourite influential clones, it can be a useful tool for benefitting your job search.

Halifax Noise’s dedicated job-focused account might not be a full-fledged career hunting site, but coming across local employers during a scrolling marathon is well worth the follow. instagram.com/halifaxnoisejobs YMCA EMPLOYMENT CENTRER It’s fun to get employed at the Y-MC-A! You might be singing the praises of YMCA’s Employment Services Centre after you step out with a clearer career trajectory. A one-stop employment service for job seekers, it provides services like computer courses, employment readiness workshops, as well as access to career practitioners and job developers to help match you with potential employers.

(902) 461-2513 ymcansworks.ca

A global online resource for organizing groups and events locally.

Sign up for free on the website, enter your location and areas of interest and then the site will generate group suggestions.

For a monthly fee, you can subscribe to Meetup to organize and promote more than one group. meetup.com/Halifax-Freelancers-Remote-WorkMeetup/

IMMIGRANT SERVICES ASSOCIATION OF NOVA SCOTIA Beginning new to the country is hard enough without the job market seeming foreign. Make an appointment with an employment specialist who will help you create a plan of action for your goals, needs, and situation and provide you with ongoing employment counselling.

Will Young is a Halifax-based freelance writer.

902-423-3607 www.isans.ca

21

Thursday, February 20, 2020 • salt

Places that pay-it-forward Looking to extend Random Acts of Kindness Week (Feb. 16 to 23) into a habit? These businesses have a #MakeKindnesTheNorm pitch for you.

VANDAL DONUTS MONTHLY

NOOK TOKEN PROGRAM

CHARITY NUT

SOMETHING DIFFERENT CIDERS

The Nook saw Haligonians going hungry and decided to take action. Here’s how it works: tokens are available for purchase at The Nook’s Gottingen Street location and can be distributed at will! The purchase of a $2 token provides a coffee and a bagel; a $5 token provides a meal. In addition to a full stomach, you’ll be giving someone access to a clean washroom and a warm, welcoming place to relax.

Nestled on Wolfville’s Main Street, Annapolis Cider has been crafting locally inspired ciders since 2017. In addition to showcasing the diversity of the Valley, $0.50 from each bottle of their rotating “Something Different” cider is donated in support of a local charity. You’ll find their staple ciders in NSLCs across HRM but, for the Something Different — you’ll just have to make a trip of it!

thenookhfx.ca 2118 Gottingen St., Halifax

drinkannapolis.ca 388 Main St., Wolfville

Just in case you need another excuse to treat yourself this week, Vandal Doughnuts offers a monthly “charity nut” and part of the sales are donated to a local charity. These treats are well worth the calories.

February’s partner charity is the Dream Take Flight Halifax Initiative, which gives Disney World getaways to kids from all over Atlantic Canada. vandaldoughnuts.com 2150 Gottingen St., Halifax 77 King St. Dartmouth

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February Feelgoods

THE NOOK ON GOTTINGEN ANNAPOLIS CIDER

salt • Thursday, February 20, 2020

22

Bread and yoga rising STORY BY

}

Sheryl Dubois

She measured each ingredient, kneaded as instructed, steadfastly took the temperature of the dough, and — for the prescribed number of minutes — allowed it to rise. All without an ounce of luck.

“I was failing horribly,” Thurlow said in a recent telephone interview, “but I kept at it. I’m stubborn that way.”

Thurlow is a modo (hot) yoga practitioner, teacher and co-founder of Modo Yoga Halifax, one of four locations in Atlantic Canada.

MINDING YOGA

Yoga is about movement and breathing, says Thurlow, but also about mindfulness, the art of “paying attention with all your senses” and “trusting your gut.” Thurlow says she encourages her students to “live yoga” by minding the lessons in all aspects of their lives.

Thinking of breadmaking, Thurlow says it occurred to her that one area in which she did not “live yoga” was while making — or attempting to make — bread. With the revelation and new mindset, she tried again and found success.

“It was the first good loaf of bread I made,” she laughs, “it seemed yoga and bread were a good pairing.”

Thurlow, an entrepreneur for almost 14 years by this time, decided to add a bread and yoga retreat to the list of services offered by Modo Yoga.

TIME TO LEARN

The first Bread and Yoga with Joanna Thurlow is scheduled for Feb. 28 to March 1 at Windhorse Farm, in New Germany. Thurlow and guests will stay at Juniper Lodge, a large building with guest suites, large kitchen, sauna, spaces for relaxation, of course, a clearing for yoga mats.

“Yoga gives people a break” from their “busy” and often “over stimulated” lives, says Thurlow, noting her students consistently tell her they “feel more relaxed and less stressed” after yoga.

Joanne Thurlow is offering a three-day breadmaking and yoga retreat at Windhorse farm this month and another in November. Photo by Cooked Photography

OPEN TO ALL

Thurlow also wants to dispel some myths around yoga.

“The myth is that you have to be flexible to do yoga. You do not.” Nor do you need to wear lululemon nor be a certain body size, adds Thurlow.

“Everyone can do yoga. You do not have to be ‘in shape’ to do yoga.” For Thurlow, a measure of her success is the diversity she sees in her classes.

People of all ages, shapes and sizes participate.

GIVE BACK Modo Yoga Halifax has fundraiser on Sunday evenings. Take a yoga class for a minimum donation of $5. All money goes to a local nonprofit. So far, Thurlow has been able to donate more than $100,000 to help her local community rise. Thurlow suggests any one interested in yoga and modo (hot) yoga classes may drop by any studio to speak with an instructor. This month’s Bread & Yoga session is sold out so plan ahead if you want to attend Nov. 13 to 15.

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Thursday, February 20, 2020 • salt

What’s next for Halifax’s old library?

STORY BY

}

Zane Woodford Halifax Memorial Library in 1951, before it opened. — File

WHAT’S NEXT? In 2018, council voted to direct staff to work with Dalhousie University on a development concept to turn the old library into classrooms

WHAT ARE THE LIMITS ON FUTURE DEVELOPMENT? The new heritage designation could limit what a buyer could do on the property, making it subject to a heritage hearing

and council approval.

Mason’s not sure whether the Dal proposal from 2018, would be allowed, but the larger issue in developing the site is what’s underneath: “How comfortable are we with disturbing the graves?”

The inside of the building often sends prospectors packing too.

“The problem is that the building is designed to be a very small library and it’s not easy to convert it to any other use,” Mason said.

None of this is an issue for Walt, and she’d like to see it available for public use.

“I just feel like it’s one of our last public spaces, and it would really be great if it could go to something like the arts,” she said.

WHAT YOU CAN DO Watch SALT for updates on the process. In the meantime, check out the site’s history at hmhps.ca/sites/ halifax-memorial-library-and-graftonpark Zane Woodford is a Halifax-based reporter for SaltWire.com

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The site at the corner of Spring Garden Road and Grafton Street was used as a burial ground for the nearby poor asylum between 1760 and 1869.

Up to 4,500 people are buried there.

From 1870 to 1949, the site was the public Grafton Park.

The library opened in 1951 and closed when the Halifax Central Library opened in 2014.

Since then, the park has been well used, but the building has sat empty, costing the municipality money in upkeep —$27,000+ this fiscal year alone.

Halifax regional council recently voted to designate the whole site as a heritage property.

for the university’s planning and architecture schools and offices for the city’s planning and development department.

An update on the plan is expected to come soon.

Coun. Waye Mason, whose district includes the old library site, said he’s hoping to meet with Dal in the next few weeks and try to get the plans to a yes or no decision at council.

“If they say no, if it’s just too much money or too much hassle, then the next thing would be to go to a community process,” he said.

Peggy Walt will be one of the first in line to submit a proposal if it gets to a community process. Walt works with arts groups, mostly musicians, and would like to see the old library turned into a music hub — with performance, rehearsal and studio space.

Walt got a tour of the building in 2018 with a group of musicians.

“They all just freaked out. They thought it was amazing acoustically and that there was so much potential there because it’s a very big space.”

FUTURE PLANS FOR THE FORMER HALIFAX MEMORIAL LIBRARY PROPERTY NOW HAVE TO CONTEND WITH A HERITAGE DESIGNATION, ALONG WITH MASS GRAVES. FOR ONE PERSON WHO WANTS TO MAKE IT A MUSIC HUB, THAT WON’T BE AN ISSUE.

salt • Thursday, February 20, 2020

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