Fire destroys Digby residence
Project to include community engagement sessions Two cats perished, occupants lost all belongings
A spokesperson for a regional housing survey says the participation rate for a couple of specialized questionnaires – part of an examination of the housing situation in a major portion of western Nova Scotia – was pretty good.
One of the surveys was for service providers and community volunteers, the other for stakeholders, contractors, landlords, realtors, developers etc.
An initial survey conducted last fall was for the general public.
“I think in general the (response) rates have been pretty good for the other two surveys,” said Denise Vacon, health promoter with Public Health Services.
In terms of statistical significance, she said, they didn’t need the same participation numbers with the more specialized surveys as they had sought with the public one.
The public survey got off to a slow start last autumn, but it picked up momentum. Eventually, response targets basically were met in all but one of the areas in the survey zone.
An initiative involving housing coalitions and other groups in partnership with Public Health, the project is looking at the housing picture in Shelburne, Yarmouth, Digby, Annapolis and Kings counties, as well as West Hants.
The Acadia Entrepreneurship Centre in Wolfville was contracted for survey digitization, data collection and analysis.
Still to come as part of the project are community engagement sessions, but dates for these have yet to be set.
Contacted Jan. 3, Vacon said, “The conversations on those (sessions) continue as we fine-tune the details. It’ll be a couple of weeks yet before we have a solid footing on what it will look like.”
According to the project website – www.daashgroup.com – the target release date for a comprehensive report on the project’s findings is April.
A house fire on Shore Road in Bayview, Digby County, resulted in the loss of two cats and the worldly goods of two young people who were renting the residence from its British Columbiabased owner.
Digby Fire Chief Robert Mor- gan said the home was fully engulfed upon their arrival shortly after 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 3.
“It was a total loss,” Morgan said, adding that four stations responded to the initial call – with additional units from Smith’s Cove, Bear River and Brighton/ Barton – but there was nothing they could do.
Morgan said he’s pretty confident the fire started around the wood stove and the cause is not being further investigated.
Morgan also said they responded two more times for possible flare-ups – one just before 8 p.m. when there was an actual flare- up and again at almost 11:30 p.m. after a neighbour had reported seeing smoke.
A friend of the pair who lost everything has set up a Go Fund Me page.
“Cassidy and Katie will be completely rebuilding their lives in the next upcoming months and every donation, big or small, is greatly appreciated and will help them throughout this very difficult time,” the page states.
For more details on the fundraiser, visit: www. gofundme. com/lost-everything-2-two-catsin-fire.