Inside look at Kentville’s challenges, future plans

BY JENNIFER HOEGG

Kings County Register

Kentville invited residents to take a peek inside town projects Nov. 30.

The town hosted an afternoon open house and invited the public to hear presentations from senior staff prior to its monthly council meeting.

Just four of the approximately 20 audience members had questions as the presentations were made.

After presentations, Mayor David Corkum thanked the directors and recognized director of finance, Debra Crowell, also present. “All these wonderful ideas on how we can spend dollars: she’s going to be responsible to find them.”

When the meeting concluded, Corkum thanked the audience. “I hope you have a better insight of what’s going on. Please don’t hesitate to call.”

Getting around and green spaces

Recreation director Mark Phillips began by discussing the town’s interest in active transportation and safe routes to school. Phillips pointed out one of the reasons the new Park Street school site was chosen: the potential to connect the school property to downtown via trails. A good deal of residential housing also falls within a kilometre of the school.

Phillips showed how a trail from the Shannex development to the new school, combined with proposed sidewalks, will create a “linear pathway for active transportation.”

Another project concerns the Ducks Unlimited site behind the County of Kings building. The Kentville Miner Marsh will add a new steel bridge in the next year.

Melissa Ritcey questioned the Ducks Unlimited site itself. “I’m wondering if there is a time frame when we will see water stay in the ducks unlimited site,” she said. “Ducks have started to nest in our backyard, and then the raccoons come in. It’s a big disservice done to the ducks”

Phillips conceded, “there are problems with water retention in that area,“ but progress is being made. “Water retention is being handled by the Ducks Unlimited folks.” “It’s not passing the buck,” Corkum added,” but that is up to Ducks Unlimited. That’s their specialty to figure that out; we don’t have the expertise.”

Future roads and flood prevention

Public works director Greg Kehoe followed with an outline of road projects: a connector road between the industrial park and Chester Avenue and a future extension of West Main as far as Harrington Crossing. The latter is the old Highway 1, abandoned because of flooding, so the roadbed would need to be raised. Kehoe noted these projects are long-term and will proceed “when it makes sense.”

Public works’ preparation for the new school is also proceeding. Reconstruction of West Main is underway, Kehoe said, and work on the connector road to Park Street is planned for next summer. Funding for Main Street paving, curbs and sidewalk came from the Building Canada fund.

Traffic at West Main, Main and Park streets was a concern for resident Bill Connell. “At eight o’clock in the morning, it is a nightmare to get out. Is there any potential for a street light with the school coming in? Bus traffic will make it even worse.” “It’s a challenging intersection,” Kehoe replied. Alignment is a problem and a variety of solutions are being looked at.

Kehoe also talked about flood control measures and new dyke construction, built over the last year along the Cornwallis River; a water level a monitoring station at the bridge, two new pumps and new storm water lines with one-way valves. Negotiations with Great Valley Juices are underway to obtain land there to complete the dyke; the town has access in case of flooding.

Eventually, a road along the dyke on the Cornwallis could lead to a second bridge, as well as a road connecting the bridge to Park Street.

Flood prevention was a hot topic for West Main Street residents Jocelyn Nicholson and Connell. Nicholson said news of new pumps was “heartening, as we have been waiting and waiting. “Is there any possibility during construction of putting culvert in the ditch next to the problem?”

The ditch closer to houses is a little lower than the other, Kehoe responded. “Either way, the water is going to end up in the ditch behind the houses. We thought the more prudent thing to do was make sure the pumps are there.”

He offered to walk around the area with residents; Nicholson invited him to visit during the spring, when water is high.

Encouraging residential growth

Planning director Beverley Gentleman outlined residential development, mentioning a town initiative to encourage developers by alleviating roadwork costs. “Back in the early 2000s, there was a bit of a lull in residential developments.”

Developers must put in roads, sewer and electricity in new subdivisions. Kentville, once the appropriate sub-base of gravel for new roads is in place, Gentleman said, “will go in at a certain point and pave the roads and put curb and gutter in.” Those costs go back to adjacent property owner through betterment charges. Since the change, increased residential development has seen an average of 30 new residential dwellings a year.

Gentleman said part of the former CP railroad lands are for sale; a future road along the Cornwallis could “provide potential frontage for development.” A second expropriated parcel of land for dyke construction could potentially house municipal projects.

Resident Gary Cleveland asked if development would follow a 60/40 split of commercial and residential development.

Corkum replied that guideline is “the ideal mix,” and the town would take it into consideration. Chief administrative officer Keith Robicheau pointed to Shannex’s current and planned development on part of the land. “That didn’t really answer my question,” Cleveland replied. “If I was to buy the piece and put a nursing home there, that’s not commercial; then, there is no land left.” “We’re pushing the three-and-a-half acres as commercial,” Corkum said. “At the end of the day, you can’t pull these businesses out of the sky to come in there. We’re lucky with wonderful Shannex. Otherwise, we just have contaminated weeds.”