Rec director 'dumbfounded' by construction

It appears a few Good Samaritans have put West Hants in a bind.

Kathy Kehoe, the director of recreation, told West Hants council during the committee of the whole meeting Aug. 2 that some community members took it upon themselves to do work on the Avondale Wharf without permits in hand.

The people, whose names were not brought forward at the meeting, installed a slipway near the start of the August long weekend. They did so on their own time, with their own means.

“I'm totally dumbfounded. That's where I'm at with this,” said Kehoe.

The municipality, which owns the Avondale Wharf land, was in the process of securing the necessary permit to do the upgrading to the wharf. They told community members eager to help with the Avondale Wharf repair that nothing could be done without the permit.

Prior to the incident, West Hants had received approval to apply for the permit, Kehoe said, and had the documents signed and ready to be sent. However, they were still awaiting permission from Transport Canada.

“This is a good way to get us in trouble,” said Deputy Warden Gary Cochrane, chair of the committee.

Photographs were circulated at the meeting showing the new slipway at the wharf.

Coun. Shirley Pineo, who has been advocating for the wharf repairs, said she was surprised to see the upgrades when she stopped by the wharf July 31.

“I don't know what to say. I don't, because members of community were certainly made aware over and over that the permit was not received as of yet and we had to wait for the permit,” said Pineo.

The weathered Avondale Wharf was restored in 1991 by a group of volunteers after the federal government threatened to tear it down. While the government was not pressing to have the wharf removed this time around, it was evident to those who enjoy the wharf that it was in dire need of repair.

In December of 2010, Pineo and Kehoe discussed the aging wharf at a committee of the whole meeting. At that time, they were looking for letters of support from community groups and visitors who use the wharf in an attempt to find financial funding.

An engineers report, which was finished in August 2010, estimated the cost to completely repair the site would set the municipality back about $80,000.

Concerned citizens began meeting in Avondale, many eager and willing to offer their services in kind.

Since Kehoe was the main contact on the wharf repair process, council unanimously agreed that she had to let the authorities know what happened.

Kehoe was instructed to contact the Department of Natural Resources as well as Transport Canada immediately to make them aware of the work that was done on land owned by West Hants without the municipality's knowledge.

Coun. Randy Matheson, who made the formal motion, said it was their duty to report the incident.

“I think it's important if there's an infraction of the law, then the law must be informed. We have a responsibility to do that,” said Matheson.

He noted that if someone was dodging taxes or breaking bylaws, the municipality would want people to come forward and alert them to the situation. He said it is their obligation to do the same.

“There's no question... That has to be reported.”

The municipality could be fined for doing work without a permit, especially when it involves a waterway.