A New Year's message from Yarmouth Mayor Pam Mood

Happy New Year and decade! We’ve hit 2020 and a new year encourages both reflection and an excitement about the possibilities that will ensure this next year is even better than the last one.

I’m excited for what’s ahead in our forward-thinking region!

As Mayor of Yarmouth, my hope is always for the wellbeing of this entire community. Every day the goal is to provide “better” for us all and I remain connected and working on those things that matter most to each you. This includes doctors, housing, poverty, business growth and, yes, even our famous potholes.

The 100 Meals initiative ensures access to a hot meal each day and is has grown into a community that loves to serve. Bump-outs with benches allow seniors to enjoy the downtown while resting along the way. We are in a purchase-and-sale agreement for 55 units at the former high school building for desperately needed housing. Transit continues to grow. We are putting more money into paving projects, including more sidewalks. Our doctor recruitment is in full swing and we are seeing results.

I’m thankful for such a strong, cohesive council that gets excited about creating opportunities. We’ve ramped up communications to ensure you are fully informed and are always seeking ways to partner with our neighbours to provide services more efficiently.

The town continues to be in excellent fiscal condition, allowing us to provide top-notch services to our own residents and the entire region as your service centre. We are leading with optimism and perhaps just a bit of impatience, knowing you too, want things to move more quickly.

We continue to connect Yarmouth fountain-to-fountain via trails and have added trees, benches and more through our community asset donation program. Both Pride and mental health benches were added to Frost Park, sending the strong message of inclusion and a safe, welcoming community. The Candy Cane Lane Festival brought a still-grieving community together, helped us remember a beautiful soul and provided a way for us to celebrate the season.

Last fall we found ourselves on the world stage through the Communities in Bloom Symposium. From Hungary to Italy, France to the U.S., Slovenia to Germany and many more, the world was treated to an amazing southwest Nova buffet that included Cape Forchu, Le Village, Dark Skies, a vibrant downtown, a fun waterfront and more.

This past September Armenia, Greece and others came to celebrate local hero and savior of thousands of children – our very own Sara Corning. It’s a reminder that there is nothing “small” about our thinking here; we do great things when we pull together.

Economically we continue to grow and town Council is having fun with our red-tapecutting scissors. Together with our regional economic engine, the WREN (Western Regional Enterprise Network) we are ensuring an environment where businesses not only survive, but thrive, creating more jobs. Immigration is key and we have welcomed many newcomers. We truly are open for business.

All was not smooth though. We are still weathering the impact of the Cat ferry not running, while readying ourselves for a prosperous upcoming season with work being done on both sides. We’ll be ready.

Web.com’s announcement in December of its pending closure hit us hard and yet there is a formidable team working towards a solution. The fact is, our resilience as a region means we come together in tough times and weather the storms. It’s who we are. It’s our history. It’s something we can all be proud of.

Upcoming? The list is long with major projects on the go. We are working together as a county on the Mariners Centre expansion, knowing it’ll take all levels of government and an entire region pulling together to make this happen. Extra effort will be put into the Yarmouth International Airport, and

I’m on a mission to get muchneeded funding for the Town of Yarmouth wharves that support our mainstay, the fishery.

The upper level of the Yarmouth firehall will get a $1.25-million overhaul, creating space for community, volunteer firefighters and the auxiliary. We’ll be working on accessibility (have you checked out the Mariners Centre’s sliding doors and our playground equipment?) and will be digging into our waterfront action plan.

We’re too small a region for any municipal unit to do it alone, but together great things can happen. Our base is a quality of life that is enviable the world over, a rich, diverse people and history and our propensity to simply get things done. This is us.

I love a new year filled with wonderful possibilities, but more than that, I love your excitement as you share your stories about how the changes have affected you and those you love, together with your “how can I help” attitudes.

There’s more to come as the town and our neighbours work together on those things that matter to us all.

Wishing a happy, healthy, prosperous new year to each of you. I’m thankful we can all call what I always refer to as “the best piece of real estate on earth” home.