Deer management, recreation upgrades goals for 2022 in Truro
This message comes to wish you a Happy New Year with the hope 2022 will be a year with lots of patience, peace, rest and good will granted unto you.
We can all use some continued good will on Earth and double for frontline workers!
I am pleased to give a bit of a review of the past year. It was a year of challenges for us all. Our staff and council at town hall have been busy with many construction projects, struggling with supply chain issues causing road construction delays, but we eventually got the parts for water laterals and other requirements and work was completed.
The planning department has been flooded with applications for apartment construction. It was expected by the end of December the value of construction was above $21 million after a $20-million year in 2020. The reasons for demand are best explained by Alison Grant, the Town of Truro’s manager of economic development.
“The Housing Needs Study will provide the Town of Truro with a better understanding of the local housing market and provide quantifiable data needed to inform policy and decision making. Officially, this study is intended to provide a comprehensive assessment of housing with a view to providing recommendations on affordable housing solutions that contribute to long-term community sustainability,” said Grant.
“The Housing Needs Study confirms what Truro town councillors are hearing from residents. Both renter and owner-occupied housing is becoming more difficult to find in Truro. The report also notes that housing is becoming more expensive, generally outstripping growth in local incomes. The report also states that rents have increased nine per cent over recent years and sale prices are up 19 per cent.
“The report notes that rental vacancy is exceptionally low at 1.5 per cent.
This information coincides with the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s Rental Market Report from October 2020 which stated Truro’s vacancy for rental properties was 1.6 per cent and average rents had increased 6.25 per cent in one year. For context, a healthy market vacancy falls between three and five per cent.
“The Town of Truro is currently working with a number of private developers with approved development agreements to assist in their efforts to seek affordable housing programs through the provincial and federal governments. The town is also seeing unprecedent development agreement proposals to help supply the local market with new multi-unit residential developments.
“Since 2015, the town has approved 769 multi-unit new residential units. At present, a number of these developments are under construction, or nearing construction and some will incorporate affordable housing units. There is also an additional 253 units currently under application for a development agreement.
“This is one step of many needed to help to balance the housing supply in the local area and to help stabilize housing prices,” said Grant.
In other news, the deer issue is causing a tremendous amount of frustration for citizens, council and staff but we are poised to start dealing with it as soon as possible. A tremendous amount of work has been done.
Services of a highly trained bow hunter have been acquired. Bait has been secured and Feed Nova Scotia will receive venison we have secured as Millbrook First Nations will be supplied with the hide, etc. for traditional uses. Safety measures will be priority.
Areas for a controlled deer cull are clear of residential or commercial inhabitants and details should be available on the Town of Truro website.
Recreation-wise, more than $70,000 has been raised to help offset the cost of Victoria Park pool repairs and renovations. The pool is scheduled for re-opening in July. We continue to look for government funding and have received a significant amount.
Also, the splash pad next to the playground is complete and ready for a summer opening. COVID had prevented workers coming from out of province, which delayed the project.
On a personal note, Truro town council, the Federation of Nova Scotia Municipalities and MLA Dave Ritcey presented me with certificates for 35 years of service in municipal government during a recent town council meeting. It was appreciated!
In closing, my former town clerk Dave Gilroy always encouraged me on bad days with this: “Billy, remember it could be a 100 times better or a million times worse!”
My wish for you is that
2022 will be a million times better. Please enjoy your family as we know things change so quickly. Be generous with hugs and expressions of appreciation in a COVID-safe way and within your personal bubbles.