OUR THREE MAYORS LOOK AHEAD TO 2025
The River View spoke with Riverview Mayor Andrew LeBlanc, Salisbury Mayor Robert Campbell, and Fundy Albert Mayor Bob Rochon about happenings in 2024 and the look ahead for 2025.
The River View:
Could we start with Bob Rochon. Bob, last year you and your council and a new Chief Administrative Officer spent a lot of time on a strategic plan and on communication across your geographically large, but lightly populated, municipality. How did those efforts go? That was our first ever strategic plan. Communication was identified as one of five core strategic priorities. Not everyone gets their information the same way. Some folks are on social media while some folks do not like
tion in the mail, some folks are not comfortable with electronic forms of
going forward we will need to use a variety of means of communication
coming back to them periodically to follow up.
were obviously central to Salisbury in 2024, and you have to be pleased with how those celebrations went. Looking back, what is your take on the year just past?
Until recently we also did not have a strategic plan in place, which we now have. We have targets and goals towards which we are working. Certainly, Salisbury 250 was very successful and led to other opportunities like the amphitheatre, the year-round washroom and other developments in Highland Park, and the walking trails. Breaking ground of the new,
and volunteers, it will set a high standard while also enhancing our Main Street. That is a game changer for us. And we were named the Most Active Community in New Brunswick again for the third year in a row.
Andrew, last year we talked about the fact that Riverview is growing, and that that represents both challenge and opportunity. Housing is certainly growing – there are new houses and apartment buildings everywhere.
Riverview Mayor Andrew LeBlanc
Salisbury mayor Robert Campbell
Fundy Albert Mayor Bob Rochon
VOLUME 2, ISSUE 2
PUBLISHER: Eric Lawson
SALES MANAGER: Brian Lane
DESIGNER: Rachel Sheldrake
Published the first Thursday of every second month by A View of the Tides Communications
Distributed free in public buildings, retirement residences, convenience stores, and retail and service waiting rooms from Alma to Salisbury.
Welcome
Publisher: Eric Lawson at 506 863 7324 or via viewofthetides@gmail.com
For advertising information, please contact Brian Lane at 506 860 0015 or via lane309@gmail.com
OUR PEOPLE OUR STORIES
JANUARY 4, 2024
MARCH 7, 2024
MAY 2, 2024
JUNE 27, 2024
SEPTEMBER 5, 2024
NOVEMBER 7, 2024
DECEMBER 5, 2024
n this issue we reach out to animal and nature lovers with stories on a new fundraiser for animal welfare, Ca$h 4 Critters; our first readers’ pet photos brought to you by Pet Valu; a look at CARMA (Cat Rescue Maritimes); and a profile of longtime nature educator and sustainable forester Heather Fraser, who also for many years operated a sugar bush in Turtle Creek that is now managed by the Fundy Biosphere Region.
The three mayors of municipalities in our readership area, Andrew Leblanc of Riverview, Bob Rochon of Fundy Albert, and Robert Campbell of Salisbury, review 2024 and look ahead to 2025.
If you are a senior looking for tech help, look no further than Tech Tuesdays, a Town of Riverview project offered in conjunction with Riverview High School and the public library.
We also visit Point Park Petro Canada, get advice on winter fitness activities, and peruse a survey of local authors whose works can be found at local bookstores and the library.
This is our first- ever December issue – we hope you enjoy it. Have a happy holiday season and a wonderful start to the new year - and stay warm! We will now see you again on February 6th.
Thank you.
Eric Lawson Publisher I
Eric Lawson
Brian Lane
Continued from page 1
What did 2024 look like in Riverview?
There is a lot to celebrate in terms of the growth of the municipality. We have grown in population numbers and in terms of the diversity of our population. We have also grown at the program and service level. Coming into 2024 we had completed a Housing Needs Assessment. A lot of the work we did involved implementing those recommendations. We were fortunate to receive some funding from the Housing Accelerator Fund, so we were able to offer grant programs to folks who want to do things like add an in-law suite, which adds to the overall housing supply. We really want to diversify the kinds of housing available in Riverview. As much as young families are moving to Riverview, there are still people who want to downsize to retire here, and there are not enough options for them, so we
want to address that.
We also broke ground on the Recreation Complex in 2024. That will help drive growth in the town. We have the Age-Friendly Community designation, we continue to work on events like Light Up Riverview, we have built on Recognizing Riverview. We want to grow while maintaining that atmosphere of a small town.
Andrew, looking ahead to the Recreation Complex, when is that slated to open? What do you see as the other big opportunities for 2025?
We are looking at the doors opening towards the end of 2026. It also represents a good opportunity for us to steal the Most Active Community title from Salisbury, so buckle up Robert, we are coming for you!
Budget deliberations are ongoing, so I cannot speak to specific spending commitments, but broadly,
we will continue to try to improve the town. We will continue to work on the roads, we will continue to expand our programs, and of course we will stay focused on housing growth. We will continue to stay focused on a collaborative approach. It will be interesting to see what the provincial government does in terms of fiscal reform and how that affects affordability for our residents. Like all municipalities, we can increase the tax base, or we can increase the tax rate. We would prefer to continue to grow the tax base rather than asking people who are already here to pay more money. So, a lot of our efforts in 2025 will be focused on housing growth.
The other big thing we will see next year will be the approval of our Municipal Plan. That document sets the tone for the next ten years.
Bob, what do you see as the big challenges and
Season’s Greetings,
the big opportunities in 2025 for Fundy Albert?
In 2024 we were able to procure a new fire truck for one of our volunteer fire departments. We are not experiencing that exponential growth in housing, but our costs continue to go up – our policing costs, our fire protection costs. We too are looking to talk to the government about what the province may be able to do to help us with those fiscal challenges. New Premier Susan Holt has made a commitment to look at helping smaller municipalities. As it stands right now, the majority of what we can do fiscally relies on the traditional combination of tax base and tax rates. If, for example, we were able to receive a percentage of the provincial sales tax, it would reduce the pressure on our homeowners and business owners.
While water is still a challenge in Alma, in 2023 for the first time we were able to use the Fundy Na-
from your friends at Parkland Riverview
- Alison Baxter
tional Park water supply to supplement the water supply in Alma, where there was a boil water advisory in place all summer. This year we were able to connect to the Fundy National Park water supply again, and with added experience from 2023 we were able to get through the tourist season in 2024 without a boil water advisory. Next year we will see the beginning of construction of the new Alma water supply, which we are very much looking forward to. That will bring stability and predictability to that system.
Robert, what is ahead for Salisbury?
We look forward to repeating as New Brunswick’s most active community!
I will echo Mayor Rochon’s comments about the fiscal challenges facing smaller municipalities. We are hoping to keep rates flat. We have never had a water source
for our community, so we hope to push that forward and look for some funding opportunities. There are some developments coming that I cannot announce yet, but there will be institutional construction and commercial construction near the highway in the Big Stop area. We look forward to the new elementary school project going forward in 2025. I mentioned the fire hall – the ribbon cutting for that will be very significant for us. One end of Main Street is down to one lane, and we will have that reopened in the spring, and of course the ongoing work in Highland Park and walking trails. And, of course, housing development. We have been having discussions around turning Salisbury into the gateway to the Fundy Gateway. I attended an event with Mayor Rochon in Sussex recently, and we see the opportunity to be the Masstown Market area of New Brunswick.
A FOREST IN THE TOWN
Heather Fraser connects her community to nature
Can we have enough flowers, ferns, shrubs, and trees in our populated areas to make them feel like urban forests? Can we stay connected to nature in an increasingly urban world?
Heather Fraser thinks so.
Fraser retired from the City of Moncton two years ago and, determined to keep busy, pursue her passion, and contribute to the community, established Explore Nature’s Bounty.
Fraser conducted outdoor education for forty years prior to retiring, so the outdoors was always going to feature in her next endeavour. “My background is forestry, environmental studies, fish and wildlife, that sort of grassroots type of science, so I really wanted to continue with that.
“It was taking the curriculum that is currently in place, to complement what the teachers are doing in the classroom, and what could I do to give kids that hands-on piece of learning, in the outdoors.
“And the other piece is promoting natural health and wellness. Particularly after COVID, people wanted to get outdoors, so I also hope to make that bridge between young and old.”
Her educational programs are offered in locations like the historic Tankville one-room schoolhouse in Irishtown, and in schools themselves.
Fraser founded, and ran for twenty-five years, a maple sugar camp in Turtle Creek. That camp was dormant for two years following Fraser’s retirement, which coincided with COVID. It is now operated on a contract by the Fundy
Biosphere Reserve and known as Fundy Maple.
Through Exploring Nature’s Bounty, says Fraser, “I particularly enjoy exploring the changes in the seasons. As each season changes, there is always something to do and to learn in nature.”
Autumn, for example, featured a workshop on creating a homemade elderberry cordial “for the health and wellness piece.”
The owner for thirty-two years of a forestry company that takes her across Atlantic Canada managing forests for sustainability, Fraser also values bringing nature to the town and the village. Nature walks can take place in parks and on nature trails, she notes, but also be a source of surprise and joy just walking around your neighbourhood.
“What I find is really interesting is with all the neighbourhood walks I do, especially with seniors and youth, they tell me, ‘we walk this way every day, but after seeing it with you we never see it the same way. Now we are looking for the Serviceberry, we are looking for the native flowers.’
“So, when people are walking those streets and those trails, they will notice, by season, for example, ‘in four weeks I am going to be able to pick and eat those berries when I am out with my dog.’
“I love to share that knowledge. If someone can share that knowledge again with their grandchild or their neighbour, why not?”
Street trees are as valuable as forest trees, she says. “I have taken groups from Youth Quest to the
park and those kids love to just lie and look up at the trees. The takeaway is that someone will learn to see and hear and even smell what is around them and understand it in a way they did not before they had that knowledge.”
Fraser’s commitment to nature, including the urban forest, has not gone unremarked.
In October in Winnipeg, she received the Tree Canada Award of Distinction for 2024, recognizing Excellence in Leadership and Significant Contributions to Canadian Urban Forestry.
Fraser inaugurated the Atlantic Urban Forest Collective in the early 2000s, alongside her lifetime of commitment to the outdoors and to preserving tree cover, both in populated centres and in the wild, throughout her life and career.
“Tree Canada wanted to have representatives across the country, first in larger centres and then smaller communities, to find out what was being done for urban forest management. I stayed with the Atlantic Urban Forest Collective until I retired in 2022.”
Fraser is an evangelist both for extensive tree planting in urban (including suburban) environments, and the use of native species to do so. She notes that native species are hardy and more disease-resistant, hardwoods and softwoods alike, and when mature create arching canopies that provide shade and beautify neighbourhoods.
“We are even seeing Butternuts and Walnuts being re-established, those
nut species that we used to have and that we had largely lost.”
Native species are also long-lived, adding livability to neighbourhoods over many decades and even centuries. She believes that new neighbourhoods can be developed with at least some of the natural forest cover left intact.
“Those neighbourhoods will be desirable. Let us work around the trees whenever possible, and also plant trees in parks, along streets, and around homes. People seek out those kinds of communities.”
On Behalf of Rob Weir, Riverview MLA:
An example of a suburban tree canopy, providing shade and beauty – this one in central Riverview.
Heather Fraser, centre, received the Tree Canada Award of Distinction for 2024 at a ceremony in Winnipeg in October. Presenting the award were Ardina Bardekjian and Nicole Hurtubise.
EVELYN’S KITCHEN
This month’s recipe is for
Christmas Cookie Decorating Party
Ingredients :
Cookies
• 1 cup butter softened
• 1 cup maple sugar (or 1 cup white sugar)
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 3 cups flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
Icing
• 1/2 cup butter softened
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3 cups icing sugar
• 4 tbsp milk
• food colouring as desired
Invite friends over for a cookie decorating get together. Prepare the cookies, icing, and chocolate frosting ahead of time. Prepare chocolate ganache 20 minutes before decorating. Have other decorating items on hand.
Chocolate ganache for dipping
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 4 tbsp milk
Chocolate frosting for pipetting
• 2 cup chocolate chips
• 4 tbsp milk
Options For Decorating
• Maple Sugar Shaker
• Coloured sugar
• Sprinkles
• Smarties or M&M candies
• Chocolate Kisses
• Cookie cutters of different sizes and shapes
• Pipette with different tips
• Sandwich bags to fill with icing and use to pipette your different icing colours.
Instructions:
Cookies
1. Cream the softened butter and sugar. Add vanilla and mix well. Whisk in the eggs and mix well.
2. Combine the flour and baking powder in a second bowl, mix well and add to the butter mixture 1 cup at a time. Cover and chill for 3 hours.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Roll out the dough and cut into shapes with cookie cutters. Place the cookies on the cookie sheet and bake ten to fifteen minutes (depending on the size of the cookies) until cookies are beginning to brown on the edges.
4. Remove cookies and let cool completely on rack.
Icing
1. Cream 1/2 cup of softened butter. Add vanilla, 2 tbsp milk, and 1 cup icing sugar. Mix until smooth. Add 1 tbsp milk and 1 cup icing sugar and again mix until smooth. Add remaining milk and sugar and stir until smooth. Mix in a little more icing sugar or milk for desired consistency. Icing needs to be soft to pipette.
2. (I coloured 1/3 of the icing with red food colouring although it
turned pink, 1/3 with green food colouring and kept 1/3 in the original white colour).
Chocolate frosting
1. Stir 4 tbsp milk into 2 cups chocolate chips. Microwave for 30 seconds, remove and stir well. Repeat until the chocolate mixture is just melted and soft enough to pipette once cool. (Or heat mixture in a small saucepan on medium low heat stirring frequently.) You can add more chocolate chips or milk to reach the desired consistency.
Chocolate Ganache for dipping cookies
1. Stir 4 tbsp milk into 1 cup chocolate chips. Microwave for 15 seconds and then stir well. Repeat until the chocolate mixture is smooth and runny. (Or heat mixture in a small saucepan on medium low heat stirring frequently.) Let cool for 10 minutes and stir well just before dipping cookies. Once you dip a cookie remove the chocolate from the bottom of the cookie with a flat knife and put cookie on a baking rack. You can sprinkle maple sugar or sprinkles on the ganache. Let set for 1 hour.
2. Have fun decorating!!
Evelyn with her sister Mary and niece Claire.
Are you, shall we say, generationally challenged when it comes to technology?
The Town of Riverview’s Parks and Recreation Department, in conjunction with Riverview High School and the public library, is here to help.
Students from Riverview High volunteer each week on Tech Tuesdays, offering older adults tech help with laptops, smart phones, iPads, and software.
Jennifer Colpitts, a Community Recreation Worker who supervises the program for the town, says that an average of two to five adults request help in a typical week. Appointments are made by phone with the Parks and Recreation office and Colpitts then schedules the appropriate number of student volunteers.
Sessions are held between four and five p.m. on Tuesdays, at the public library.
“These teenagers from Riverview High are just so open to giving their time, it is really fantastic. So long
Help is on the way for the technologically challenged
as the older adults and the youth are both available, we will keep running the program. There is always something new, new software, new devices, so we will always have questions the students can help answer.”
Participants, she says, are always appreciative. “They say things like, ‘I appreciate the time, you are so patient, this has been bothering for weeks and now I know how to resolve it.’”
For the students, she
says, many end up volunteering with other aspects of the town’s programming or apply for summer jobs with the town. “It’s a great way to get your foot in the door.”
That said, Colpitts also acknowledges that securing enough volunteers is sometimes a challenge and she is always on the lookout for students who have an interest and can find time to help.
“Every fall we do an ask
on social media to ask if students would like to come in and volunteer their time once a week. Students do not have to commit to coming every week; they can come when they can give us the time.”
Anh Huynh, who is in Grade Eleven, plans to
study Electrical Engineering, or possibly Computer Programming, at university after graduation, and sees a connection between his career goals and helping older adults with their tech.
“I have really loved having an opportunity to do something revolving
around that subject, to sharpen my skills while I am in high school. One of my math teachers told me there was an opportunity at the library to help others with technology.
“I thought it was a good way to bridge the gap between my schoolwork
Anh Huynh, a Grade Eleven student at Riverview High School, works with Sheldon MacLeod of Riverview on a technology issue.
Jennifer Colpitts organizes Tech Tuesdays on behalf of the Town of Riverview.
and technology, which I will be using a lot in my university studies and my career.”
Anh has been a Tech Tuesdays volunteer for a year.
“Meeting people and helping them is a big part of what I enjoy. I could do other, more technical things, but doing this helps me improve my communication skills so it is a learning opportunity for me too. I like to work through a problem with the person I am helping, so it helps me expand my knowledge with them.”
The most common requests, he says, are “organizing their device and deleting apps that are not needed. Almost every session, we do that.
“As the program is becoming better known, though, we are also getting more detailed questions that require more research. A month ago, someone was looking for advice on cyber security, especially for her bank accounts. I did learn about that at school, but I also had to do additional research for her because it is such an important matter.”
too sees a connection between volunteering for Tech Tuesdays and her study and career plans.
“I see this as a great chance to share my knowledge with people. That is a big part of why I started volunteering. I chose Computer Programming as my major, but I did not really have a specific vision of what I would do with that, so I find that using my knowledge to help other people is really rewarding.
“People seem genuinely happy when we can solve a problem for them.”
Anh notes that technology is developing so rapidly that even for his generation, which has grown up on screens and with computers as an ordinary part of everyday life, technology can be challenging.
“It can be really hard to keep up with all the advances technology is making. I think it is a good thing, though. I think the dystopian future that we see depicted in movies is not going to happen in any time near ours. Artificial intelligence and technology will not control us
override us.
“There is always the human. But we should not give up on understanding technology.”
Sooa concurs. “I plan to specialize in AI. AI has helped our lives, and I want to help make technology work for people.
The speed of the development of technology is accelerating. I think in the near future we will not just use AI but live with AI in our everyday lives.”
Anh attributes the growing popularity of Tech Tuesdays to “positive word of mouth. We help someone, they feel good about it, they recommend it to their friends, who recommend it to their friends, and their families. Technology is integrated into our lives, and we help people understand that technology.”
Anh acknowledges that volunteering and keeping up with his schoolwork can be challenging, especially during exam season, but adds that he will continue to volunteer as much as possible, particularly by helping other volunteers become comfortable with the
“WE RESCUE CATS”
CARMA, for Cat Rescue Maritimes, has been in place since 2005 and a registered charity since 2007.
CARMA’s work, which is entirely volunteer based, can be put into a few simple words, says co-chair Amber MacDonald: “we rescue cats.” The charity has branches in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, including in Moncton and Riverside-Albert.
MacDonald says that the most common situation CARMA encounters is cat colonies – groups of cats living together in feral and semi-feral situations, typically in the countryside.
“If the cats are fully feral and cannot be domesticated back to a domestic setting, we will humanely live trap them, spay or neuter them, and return them to the colony. That program is called TNR, for Trap – Neuter – Return.
“Through that process each cat has a caregiver who provides food, shelter, and water.
“For social cats, we bring them into home care and get them adopted through our adoption program. We do not return kittens to the colonies – kittens always enter care.”
MacDonald has volunteered for the past nine years. She is an educational assistant by profession, which means she has summers free, which is an advantage as that is a busy time for cat rescue.
CARMA may spay and neuter as many as 400 cats in a typical year. “There is a greater need than anybody will really understand,” says MacDonald. Cats that are free to roam and have not been neutered produce litters, and the population of cats not living in family homes will continue to grow.
Tragically, unwanted pets are sometimes dumped on roadsides as well, increasing wild and semi-wild cat populations.
“We sometimes get a call for an injured animal. We send the trapper and trap the cat.
We have one foster home where the lady is quite knowledgeable about medical situations. She will take a look, or maybe the trapper will know right off the bat that the cat is injured, and it goes to the vet immediately.”
MacDonald says that in 2025 CARMA will focus more on education, particularly on the importance of getting cats spayed and neutered quickly, in an effort to reduce the need for rescue in the first place.
MacDonald stresses that CARMA does not operate shelters. Fostering is done in volunteers’ homes. She estimates that CARMA has approximately twenty-five foster homes in Greater Moncton.
Pet Valu in Riverview also serves as CARMA foster home.
been the
for
If you would like to submit a photo of a pet, you can do so via email at viewofthetides@gmail.com ; just let us know your pet’s name and your name and community. We can’t promise to feature all the photos we receive, but we will do our best!
Pet Valu in Riverview fosters cats for CARMA. Here, Cindy Green checks in with Yennifer and Ciri, named after characters in the television series The Witcher.
Jethro has
much-loved companion of Ruth MacLean of Riverview
the past ten-and-a-half years.
Chico, cherished companion of Michael LeBlanc of Riverview.
Evelyn Bates irrepressible friend Scamp prefers a garden setting
This adorable fellow is Ranger, best friend of Courtney Book of Gunningsville.
Pet Valu also collected donations for CARMA rescues.
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90 FULL COLOUR PHOTOS OF THE COVERED BRIDGES IN NEW BRUNSWICK STILL STANDING IN 2018. Photos by Local Photographer Ray Boucher
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JANE CHRYSOSTOM
Jane West Chrysostom of Alma is the 2024 recipient of the Molly Kool Award. She has been active in the community for twenty-five years, operating Cleveland Place with her husband Stephen and serving as the driving force behind a range of community events and activities, including Fleet Launch and the Molly Kool Centre itself.
The River View: You have been involved in many community activities in Alma and Albert County. What are some of the activities that brought you this recognition as the 2024 recipient of the Molly Kool Award?
Jane: Gee, in one sense I did not qualify because one of the qualifications is humility, reflecting Molly’s humble nature, considering what she accomplished and the legacy she left for future generations. I am not humble! I am fully selfaware of how not humble I am! But I have worked with some really fantastic teams over the years and that is what makes stuff happen. I was gobsmacked that I had been nominated then chosen as the recipient. I was truly speechless. I showed the email to my husband, and I did not know what to do with myself. It was a real surprise and a humbling moment – of which I do not have many!
You have been involved in so many things, so let us just pick one to start. You are the President of the Board of Directors of Harvey Hall. What can you tell us about that project? (Harvey Hall is an historic performance space in Harvey, which has been undergoing a renovation project over the past several years).
Jane: For me, that is a new endeavour. The hall
had been closed for almost six years for safety reasons. A core group of grassroots individuals who had lived in the area or had ties there put a business plan together, with some goals and strategies. The more that was learned the more it became clear what the value of that facility is to the community. (Stephen and I) had gone to events there and were disappointed when it closed. My initial outreach was along the lines of, ‘how about a Facebook page about the team’s efforts and fundraising?’ They did not have anyone to do that, so I said, ‘I do the Alma Village Friends page, so I will do that for Harvey Hall as well.’ That generated interest, and then I reached out to CBC and CTV, and we got some media coverage. I was invited to join the board and ultimately to stand for President of the Board of Directors.
It is a monumental project. The first big thing was getting a new roof. We had a deficit to start with and thought, “how are we ever going to do this?” But we initiated some innovative projects that involved social media and press coverage and special events. It all worked out and we got the new roof. That was the tipping point where we thought, ‘we can do this.’
The efforts of our community advisor, who has dedicated thousands of
volunteer hours, allowed us to buy, for one dollar, the adjacent land to the Hall. The long term plan is to move the building to the larger plot of land so that we can put a basement in which will help us keep the building open all year long. That is the next huge task, and we are working on the funding.
How long have you lived in Alma?
Jane: I am originally from Sussex. We have been here for twenty-five years. We took over (Cleveland Place) from my folks who had been here since the mid-1970s. Cleveland Place is named after Judson Cleveland who was the owner of the sawmill on the Salmon River until the 1940s or 1950s. When Fundy National Park was established and many families moved into Alma when their properties were expropriated, the Clevelands sold, and another family ran the home as dormitory housing for the new park. The church that was next door is now the Holy Whale and Buddha Bear, so we lived next door to a church for forty years, and now it is a pub! My parents bought it from family who had lived here beginning in the 1970s, and turned it into a proper Bed and Breakfast, the first in the area, in the 1980s. My husband and I
took over in 2002 and we ran it as a Bed and Breakfast until COVID. Now, we are both retired.
Tell us about the many other community projects here you have been involved in.
Jane: For a number of years my husband Stephen and I were involved in Town Celebration Days, which used to be called Jubilee. I was President for a number of years of the Alma Business Association and that involved a lot of activities to support local business and tourism and brought a lot of programming in. When the Molly Kool Centre was first being established, that was part of a time when we wanted to bring people into experiences that were unique to the Maritimes and the Molly Kool Centre was a showcase for that. We worked on that and on what was then called the Fundy Guild, which became
Friends of Fundy, which became responsible for the Molly Kool Centre. It is a wonderful facility.
What do you see for the future for this part of New Brunswick?
Jane: Limitless! Even though we have a small permanent population, the tourism season is expanding. The thing I most like to brag about right now is the Alma Fleet Launch Celebration (held each autumn). That is something I created almost fifteen years ago that has helped extend the reason people come to Alma in the late summer and fall season. One year we had a group from Korea in October, not just for the fleet launch, but for that introduction to the Maritime way of life. That event has just grown and grown and grown. We have a fairly new Alma Cultural Centre where eventually there will be something going on every
week – we want to get to that point. There is admittedly not much happening in the winter – so that is the next challenge!
Tell us about the award presentation event itself. What was that like?
Jane: It was lovely. I am so pleased that they returned it to the Molly Kool Centre. I was one of the initiators of the award. Brenda Orr was the first recipient, and she was just as surprised then as I was when I was named this year’s recipient! It was a lovely afternoon. I had a captive audience! We have done a lot in that building over the years, it is almost a second living room to us, so it is a special milestone to have been there for that ceremony. It was during the day and during the activities of Fleet Launch, so it gave me a very warm sense of belonging and purpose.
Jane Chrysostom
NOT-FOR-PROFITS ARE THE SOUL OF OUR REGION
By John Wishart
Not-for-profit and community organizations play a crucial role in the health of any community. A friend in the not-for-profit sector likes to pose this question: ‘What would happen if all not-for-profit and charitable organizations went on strike for one day?’
The answer is simple: life in our communities would come to a halt. That is never more evident than the lead-up to the holiday season, when charities redouble their efforts to ensure that vulnerable families and individuals have what they need to enjoy the season. The many notfor-profits that line the banks of the Petitcodiac River are great examples of this legacy of giving.
In these days of unaffordability, whether it is housing or food, the pressure is even more intense on these agencies to do more. We know that rents in our region have increased by an average of 40 per cent in the past five years. The Agri-Food Analytics Lab
at Dalhousie University in Halifax did research that showed the average family spent $974 per month on food in 2019. This year, that average monthly food bill is $1,227.
I have done some work in community and social development for the Southeast Regional Service Commission for the past six months. That part of the Service Commission’s mandate covers things like poverty, food security and affordable housing.
As part of the Commission’s work, it has started a comprehensive asset mapping survey of all 300 not-for-profit organizations in the Southeast – from Alma to Petitcodiac, Strait Shores to Grand Digue.
The goal of the survey is to learn more about what each community organization does, how it fares financially, how well it does attracting and keeping volunteers, and what challenges it faces as needs increase.
Armed with this data, the Southeast RSC hopes to create a map of community assets and servi-
& More.
ces across the region. It should help tell us what services are lacking in which communities, and how government can (and should) act to help fill those gaps.
It may help us truly answer that theoretical question on what would happen if our not-forprofits ever went on strike. That will never happen, but at this time of year, it’s important that we remember those volunteer contributions
Jenna, Emma and Maddie are three young entrepreneurs and the co-owners of JEM Beauty Salon. Together they have a passion for the industry and for making people feel beautiful in their own skin. JEM is a small local business located in Riverview, that opened in September 2023. The mission here at JEM is to make everyone feel welcome and comfortable, so that they leave glowing. We Can’t wait to see you!
John Wishart retired as CEO of the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Moncton earlier this year. His column appears in each edition of River View.
Good Holiday Reading in Albert County
Reading enriches the holiday season. To cozy up with a good book or magazine is a great way to wind down after extra visits or visitors.
Albert County is fortunate to have three book stores and two public libraries to encourage and fulfill most reading wishes.
Cover to Cover Books is located in Findlay Plaza, on Pinewood Road in Riverview. The bookstore is in its 19th year serving customers of all ages. At the time of this writing, the bookstore has a copy of An Orange from Portugal- Christmas Stories from the Maritimes and Newfoundland, edited by Anne Simpson. “At night, the snow angels gossip” Lynn Davies writes in her work titled Composing Winter. The anthology includes many celebrated authors, including Michael Crummy and Sir Charles G. D. Roberts.
Another light read is Shock and Paw by Cate
Conte. Maddie James needs to find the person that is trying to sell “expensive designer cats as holiday gifts”… and a murderer.
Reads Riverview Book Café at 620 Coverdale Road is another world of reading to explore on a wintery day.
Their amazing selection of magazines covers most every interest. What a great gift idea. The periodicals include Rolling Stone, People magazine, Home Trends and all things Taylor Swift. Put a Reader’s Digest or puzzle book in those festive hanging stockings. Cleveland Place Books, on Main Street in Alma has been an inviting spot to browse books since the 1980s. Their local author section includes an edition of Allan Cooper’s book of poetry Bending the Branch. The ‘Poem about Light’ starts “You first came to me as light across fields”.
For elementary school kids there is the “richly
illustrated” edition of The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg. Check the shop’s face book (Meta) page for the store hours. You may need to “holler at the kitchen door” to visit the book shop on a snowy day.
The public libraries have a wealth of good reading. The Riverview Public Library is in the
municipal building at 34 Honour House Court. Many of their Christmas books will be on display. One great read is Acadian Christmas Traditions by Georges Arsenault, translated by Sally Ross. The traditional and newer Acadian traditions include a ‘réveillon’ that started as a snack after
midnight mass. Lesser known is a ‘naulet’ or bread that is in the shape of an infant.
It always warms the heart to revisit Christmas with Maude Lewis by Lance Woolaver. Her folk art illustrations show the joy that she was determined to express.
The helpful library staff can send to other libraries for author Kelly Cooper’s books. Some of Kelly’s books reflect life in Albert County.
The children’s book, If a Horse Had Words, shows the seasons through the animal senses. Midnight & Moon depicts a girl and horse that find a friend in each other.
The Hillsborough Public Library is located at 2849 Main Street in the community.
The library’s holiday display of books may include The Boy Who Moved Christmas by Eric Walters. This true story describes how sevenyear-old Evan motivated a whole town to celebrate
Christmas in the month of October, so he did not miss the holiday season.
Younger children will enjoy Minerva Louise on Christmas Eve by Janet Morgan Stoeke. In this cheerful book, Minerva the chicken experiences Santa Claus.
The public libraries offer a digital service that makes the following books available on your computer, phone and other devices.
For kids there is a digital copy of Hockey morning, noon and night by Doretta Groenendyk. Little ones will love curling up in a comfy spot to be read the book One Wild Christmas. Many children are familiar with Nicholas Oldland’s book series with lovable Bear, Moose and Beaver.
In the coming of age book, Everything Little Thing She Does is Magic, the main character is Kitten Love. She believes her family is cursed. For adults The Christmas Train by David Balda-
cci reveals a mystery unfolding, as a disillusioned journalist takes a physical and inner journey.
Crow, by Amy Spurway, shows the protagonist Crow or Stacey as she tries to contend with her off-beat Cape Breton family, friends and her illness.
In Frances Itani’s novel, The Company We Keep, a conversation group learn that new beginnings can happen at any age.
The true story, The Art Thief, by Michael Finkel reveals the motivation of a serial criminal. He loves art and steals it to savor the works, not sell.
No time to read over the holiday season? A good book or magazine is just the thing at bedtime when thoughts of the day’s excitement and tomorrow’s plans persist. Reading can be a gateway to other worlds, or when needed, a gateway to sleep.
WINTER WARRIORS:
Staying healthy, active and safe this season
In our little corner of the world, winter brings 4-5 months of harsh weather. That’s far too long to put your health and fitness on hold. Staying active throughout the colder months isn’t just possible, it’s essential. By planning ahead and adjusting your routine, you can maintain your physical and mental well-being all year long. First, make it a habit to get outside for some sunshine or fresh air each day, even if it’s just a short walk after dinner. The exposure to natural light, even on cloudy days, can do wonders for your energy levels and mood.
Getting outside, even during the colder months; offers incredible
benefits for both your body and mind. Fresh air, sunshine, and a brisk walk can do wonders, but safety and preparation are key. Here are some tips to help you stay active outdoors:
1. Dress in Layers: Wear layers that you can remove as you warm up to stay comfortable and avoid overheating.
2. Use Safety Equipment: Walking poles and ice grips for your shoes can provide stability on icy paths, reducing your risk of slips and falls.
3. Strengthen Your Core: A strong core improves your balance and reduces the
chance of injuries while navigating winter terrain.
4. Build Accountability: Struggling with motivation?
Book regular walking dates with friends. You’ll find that the combination of fresh air, sunshine, and good company can completely transform your mood. When the weather makes outdoor activities unsafe, finding an indoor alternative is a great way to stay consistent. You don’t need a fancy setup to maintain your fitness routine. Many apartment buildings have small gyms that can be perfect for walking on a treadmill or doing core exercises.
Even a short workout can make a big difference in your strength and energy levels. From exercise videos to fitness apps, the options for exercising at home are nearly endless. Just make sure to choose workouts that match your current fitness level to avoid injury.
For those battling loneliness during the dark winter months, joining a gym or studio can be a game-changer. Even solo activities like walking on a treadmill can feel less isolating when you’re surrounded by familiar, friendly faces. The sense of community can brighten your mood and keep you coming back
Remaining active during the winter takes
a little extra planning and effort, but the rewards are worth it. Schedule your workouts at the same time every day to build consistency and make fitness part of your lifestyle. Remember, maintaining a strong core and staying active in any form, whether it’s a walk outside or an indoor yoga session, will help you stay healthy and prevent injuries. Winter may be long and cold, but it doesn’t have to freeze your fitness goals. Embrace the challenge, and you’ll come out of the season stronger, healthier, and ready for spring
Julie Solbak, BscKin, CKA Owner, Just Fit Fitness
So much more than a service station
Tank up at Point Park Petrocan, but don’t forget our many other services!
Good food, including:
• U-Bake Lasagna, Fresh Pizza, & U-Bake Pizza from Vito’s
• Fresh subs made daily
• Hot dogs Tuesdays and Thursdays
• Even fresh-baked cookies
• Along with popular snacks and drinks
And, our friendly staff will even have a treat for your pup!
We also have available: air for your vehicle’s tires & an RV dumping station
Point Park Petro-Canada
Mark and Irene Knowles, Owners/Operators
An old-fashioned country store, in a modern service station
Remember the atmosphere of the country general store – friendly staff, lots of selection, and you could even bring your dog in with you?
Mark and Irene Knowles aim for that same feeling when you enter Point Park Petro-Canada on Hillsborough Road in Riverview.
Says Mark, “we were in the right place at the right time and were able to buy this location. Riverview is a great place to grow, and the people have been excellent.
“We appreciate everyone who comes through the door.”
Mark and Irene appreciate their customers’ four legged companions too. Dogs are welcome and will even receive a treat from the Knowles’ amicable staff.
“As for the animals, we just have a love for them. There are a lot of people who have pets. As long as the pets are sociable, we definitely give them a treat and whatever loving they want too.
“Irene sometimes knows the dogs’ names before she knows the customers’ names.”
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Mark and Irene select staff carefully, ensuring not only that they know the work but also that everyone hired exemplifies the welcoming culture.
The store’s eclectic stock stems, say the Knowles, “from customer requests.”
While the station’s location in a residential area of Riverview means that there are few workplaces nearby, customers still appreciate a lunch selection that includes pizza and subs along with tea and coffee. When there is nearby construction, Point Park Petro-Canada can serve workers with that same lunch selection.
“We try to be that little corner store where everyone is comfortable coming in and leaves with more than what they came in for”. We appreciate all who have been very supportive of us as we struggled through COVID, road construction for 2 summers in a row, the frequent com-
puter crashes, and the cyber attack that affected all Petro Canada locations across Canada. We would not have survived if it were not for our loyal regular customers.”
The staff at Point Park Petro Canada – Arshdeep, Gurleen, Jessica, and Nicole - and one of the store’s many much-loved mascots, Finn.
Proprietors Mark and Irene Knowles.
From left: Andy
Local band High Tide performed on October 28th at Five Bridges in Riverview at the first Ca$h 4 Critters dance and fundraiser. The event raised $4,284.00 according to organizer Kelly Fisher of Riverview. Each of three animal wellness and rescue organizations - People for Animal Welfare (PAW), Whispurring Whiskers, and Kent County Animal Rescue, two which use the emergency services of Riverview Animal Hospital and Coverdale Animal Hospital - received one third of the proceeds. Fisher credits a generous community and the many contributors to the event – Five Bridges, High Tide, and local businesses who contributed to a silent auction – Shopper’s Drug Mart Riverview, Dogma Dog Training, Pharmasave Elsipitog First Nation Reserve, Global Pet Foods, Guardian Pharmacy Riverview, Just Fit Fitness Centre, artist Kait Dunnet, Five Bridges, High Tide singer David Elliott, Irving Tissue, and a number of private donors – for the success of the inaugural fundraiser. “We all just have a soft spot,” says Fisher. “We all just love animals.” Ca$h 4 Critters is slated to become an annual event.
Scotiabank Riverview Branch Manager, Suzy Read, presented a cheque to Everett Bourque of the Riverview Blues Hockey Team for $1,000.00 to help cover expenses for the team.
Leprieur, David Elliott, Dave Schofield, Mike Fougere
Continued from page 17
New Year’s
Enjoy music, light refreshments, and good cheer alongside Riverview Town Council and your friends and neighbours.
January 1, 2025
1 - 2:30 p.m. Riverview Town Hall
Chandra Smith and Ruth Anne Robinson, members of Hillsborough Women’s Institute, recently attended the FWIC (Federated Women’s Institute of Canada) convention In Truro, Nova Scotia. They enjoyed speakers on topics of interest to both rural and urban women. Resolutions concerning human trafficking and safety for jail guards were passed. During the summer, tickets were sold across Canada for a draw for a quilt sewn by a Saskatchewan member. The draw was held at the convention and the winner was Shawna Geldart of Hillsborough. To learn more about Women’s Institutes, contact them at nbwi@nb.aibn.com
A little bit about your new MLA A little bit about your new MLA
PERSONAL BACKGROUND:
Sherry Wilson and her 8 siblings grew up on a dairy farm in rural New Brunswick She went on to attend business college in Campbellton, before working in hospital administration In 1984 s she bought her own business in Riverview, which she operated for 26 years
PUBLIC SERVICE - MUNICIPAL:
Before entering municipal politics, Sherry worked with the RCMP as a Victim Services Coordinator and was also president of the Downtown Riverview Business Association In 2004, she was elected to Riverview Town Council, where she twice became Deputy Mayor Sherry also served with the Codiac Regional Policing Authority, Drug Abuse Resistance Education, and the Immigration Board.
PUBLIC SERVICE - PROVINCIAL:
In 2010, Sherry was elected as the MLA for Petitcodiac When that riding was abolished through redistricting in 2014, Sherry then earned the confidence of the new riding of “Moncton Southwest ” In 2018, and again in 2020, voters showed their trust in Sherry Wilson by reelecting her to represent them During her time in government, Sherry has held several ministerial roles including: Service New Brunswick, Women’s Equality and, most recently, Minister for Addictions and Mental Health Services
SERVING ALBERT-RIVERVIEW:
Sherry has deep roots of experience in both the rural and municipal components of the new riding of Albert-Riverview She understands the needs and concerns of this diverse riding, because she has lived them Sherry is a proven advocate for those whom she represents! Her vision is to give every citizen of Albert-Riverview the support they need to live a safe, productive and prosperous life
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
506-233-0781
Nickdunfield@kw.com @realtormoncton
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