GLACE BAY, N.S. — There are signs of more beautification to come for Glace Bay.
Bayitforward vice-president Dave MacKeigan said they are in the planning stages for a project in conjunction with the Cape Breton Regional Municipality for a new "Welcome to Glace Bay" sign at the entrance to the community on Reserve Street.
MacKeigan said the existing sign received significant damage from tropical storm Dorian in September.
“We’re going to be working with the CBRM in the spring,” he said. “Bayitforward is going to go after funding for the sign.”
Part of the concern is the shape of the sign in such a high travelled area of residents and tourists. There were complaints about the condition of the sign from residents.
MacKeigan said plans are to put up a nicer sign than what’s there and there’s even the possibility of two signs.
Recent projects by Bayitfoward included having the light standards along the sidewalks on Commercial Street moved. The posts were on the edge of the sidewalks and have since been moved away from the road.
In a story in the Cape Breton Post in March 2018, Dist. 9 Coun. George MacDonald expressed concern the posts were too close to the road and being damaged by the cars and trucks parking as well as the snowplow.
MacKeigan said the cost to move the posts was significant, however, the savings from damage will also be significant.
The relocation funding came from the Streetscape program.
The $50,000 streetscape project, funded 50/50 between the municipality and the provincial government, included the installation and relocation of the light standards and installation of banners on Commercial Street in Glace Bay and Commercial Street in Dominion. The project also included the installation of a welcome sign in downtown Glace Bay and some landscape improvements in the downtown area.
A total of 35 banners were purchased to beautify downtown after the municipality cut the annual flower baskets initiative from the budget.
Money left over from the program was used to purchase 15 banners for Dominion and another 15 for Reserve Mines. The communities designed their own banners. Reserve’s banners welcome people to the community and Dominion opted to use them to highlight Seaside Daze.
Bayitforward is still also continuing to work on a project for a bandshell in downtown Glace Bay. The bandshell in Queen Elizabeth Park was destroyed by arson in August 2014. The bandshell will be built at the South Street Ball Park.
Bayitforward is a community development organization which focuses on building partnerships to promote and advance economic, cultural and social growth in the community of Glace Bay.
The past-president of the group is Mike Kelloway who stepped down after he was elected MP for Cape Breton-Canso in October. Kelloway was replaced by Jess McNeil.
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