Additional public parking to be
accessible on Commercial Street
TRURO – Motorists will soon have more places to park on a downtown Truro street.
Coun. Charles Cox asked staff to cover the signs on Commercial Street where parking is reserved for the Truro Welcome Centre. Mayor Bill Mills said business owners on the north end of the street would like two of the signs removed.
“I suppose the perfect solution would be a sign that said welcome centre visitor parking from June to the end of October,” Cox said.
“Since we can’t replace those signs immediately maybe just bagging them for the winter months would be a solution.”
The issue was raised in September by Prince Street business owner Ray Merriam.
Cox said the signs are in affect when the centre is open during the tourism season.

Councillor lobbies for more
disabled parking spaces
TRURO – More parking spaces for the disabled are needed in Truro’s business district, a town councillor said he has been told.
“There is no designated areas for the disabled,” Raymond Tynes said people have told him. “The issue was raised to me by citizens and I think it’s something that the traffic authority should take a look at.”
The main issue appears to be on the town’s main businesses streets, primarily Prince Street and Inglis Place. The town’s director of public works, who is also the town’s traffic authority, will look into the situation and report back to council next month.

Flashing traffic lights at
night under consideration
TRURO – The late-night wait to get through town might become shorter.
Truro Coun. Raymond Tynes asked the town’s traffic authority to investigate having traffic lights on a flashing sequence at slow times during the night. He said larger areas, including Halifax, have such system and it appears to work well as opposed to motorists waiting at red lights with no traffic coming in any direction.

Victoria Park parking concerns may be addressed before torch arrives
TRURO – The town is working to address parking concerns in advance of the Olympic torch relay celebrations in Victoria Park.
In September, Coun. Sharron Byers raised concerns with the number of tickets issued when the town hosts special events in the park. She raised concerns again Monday with the torch relay celebration coming up on Nov. 17.
“I’d hate to see everybody ticketed,” Byers said.
Mayor Bill Mills said there is an “extensive review” of parking underway and signs will
be posted to identify parking areas. Information will also be in the media prior to the
celebration.
Parks, recreation and culture staff said in a report to council they feel town-owned property on the north side of Brunswick Street should be developed to handle overflow parking. The project will be included for considerations during the 2010-11 budget deliberations.

Department staff seeking input
for New Year’s eve celebrations
TRURO – Ideas for ringing in 2010 are welcome by Truro’s department of parks, recreation and culture, says its chairman.
“Last year our New Year’s eve celebration ... was one of the most beautiful nights, it was like a post card for living in Canada,” said deputy mayor Greg MacArthur.
He said if people have ideas the demartment wants to know about them. “We want to make this something that is going to grow in the Town of Truro.”

CoRDA’s new online video
promoting town, county
TRURO – A new online video shows what the Truro and Colchester County region have to offer when it comes to recreation.
The video is online at www.corda.ca, Truro’s deputy mayor Greg MacArthur said yesterday.
The three-minute video is narrated by CoRDA’s director of marketing and communication Alan Johnson, a former journalist with experience in both radio and TV.
“I even say a few words,” MacArthur said.
“I am looking for royalties,” the deputy mayor joked.

Town spending more than
$18,000 on bike racks, signs
TRURO – Bike racks are coming to Truro.
The town is using $11,600 from its parks, recreation and culture reserve account to match the funds it is receiving through the Ecology Action Centre’s green mobility grant.
“These funds will be primarily used to purchase approximately 20 bike racks, which will be placed in a strategic location throughout town,” director of parks, recreation and culture Doug MacKenzie said in a letter to council.
About 20 share the road signs will also be purchased and erected.
The racks will cost about $18,000 and the signs about $3,390, plus installation.
“It’s great to get a grant to help support this endeavour. We have a lot of bikers in town, a lot of walkers, and I think we need to facilitate their use as much as possible,” said Diane Bennett-Cook. Under the program, municipalities, band councils or community groups can apply for up to $25,000 towards capital costs of a project. The goal is to have the racks in place for the spring.