Ask the Mayor

Hi Mary!

Thank you for reaching out!

When we had the opportunity to rebuild Highland Avenue, so we had the ability to develop this section of our active transportation network in the best possible way. This includes multi-directional paths for bikes, mobility devices and pedestrians, all off the roadway.

The roadway itself was also narrowed to reduce the speed of traffic and to create more off-road space for rolling and strolling.  We will also be adding traffic calming to this street once we have made  final decision on what products to use.

We have also left the wide sidewalk on the west side of Highland that may be a more comfortable option for pedestrians or for folks with dogs.

In all cases, wheels must to yield to pedestrians, and we are waiting on signage that will help communicate this.

In situations where we cannot re-build an entire street, we have tried to develop the best options with the existing infrastructure. Because of this, different sections of our active transportation network will look and feel different, and signage and symbols will be made available to help folks navigate these new pathways.

Active transportation routes are taking many different designs, and we are hopeful to provide safe and enjoyable spaces for all ages and abilities everywhere we can.

Further to this, we are also doing an education piece and will be distributing bicycle bells.  We hope that through many venues of communications, we can have everyone moving with respect.

Best Regards,

Jodi

Hi Lis and thank you for reaching out!

When speaking with staff we can confirm that we are having issues with the mics. Sadly, this is a recurring issue, and our previous “fixes” are no longer working.

As a result, we are going to review some potential upgrades and have some information coming from some colleagues who have done better with this issue than we have.

Between now and when we have an upgrade in place, we will do our best to offer the best audio possible and staff apologise for this ongoing issue. It’s frustrating for all of us, especially when it impacts such an important meeting.  

I will ask all Council members to use their mics and ask anyone who is answering a question to come up to a mic so we can ensure we do the best with what we have until a fix is complete.

Best Regards,

Jodi

Hi Marsha,

Gaspereau Avenue is scheduled for major work within three years. For some of the rougher patches, a mill and pave treatment is planned for this summer. 

Your concerns have been passed to our manager of public works for his awareness.

Thanks for getting in touch.

Hi Kelly,

A staff report is now being drafted that focuses on the use and the cost of the compost collection program. This report will come to Committee of the Whole in February and will then inform our budget process. 

You can also click here to get more details on what can be added to your green bin for curbside pick-up all year round.

Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts on this program.

Sincerely,

Mayor Wendy Donovan

Thanks for visiting Wolfville!

There are chargers at Acadia University and more are on the way in the months and years ahead as we make room for them in our capital budget process.

Some of our local and regional businesses also provide this important service.

Good Morning Elizabeth Ann;

As you will not have received the Town’s tax bill yet I am assuming that you are looking at your assessment, which comes from the Provincial Assessment Agency. On the assumption that you have not recently bought your property then your taxable assessment is under the CAP’d assessment and will have increased about 7 ½ %. Your actual market assessment however (you are not taxed on this) could very well have gone up 30%.

For example (and just using easy numbers to illustrate): If last year your cap’d assessment was $100,000 then this year it would be $107,500 (approx.) and you would be taxed on that amount. At the same time you would see on your provincial assessment that the market assessment might be $200,000. That would be there estimate of what you might get for your property if you sold it. You are not taxed on the market assessment. However, if you sold your property – for say $200,000 then the new owners would for the next year be “off the cap” and pay taxes on the amount they paid for the property. They would then be cap’d until they sold the property – or the cap comes off. 

So my guess is that you looked at the assessed value of your property and not the cap’d assessment, on which we will base your taxes this year.

This is much more complicated than can easily be put in an email and the whole CAP situation is problematic for many – for example the “new” owners of your property should you sell it, in the example above, would be taxed twice as much as you are and they would not receive any different or more services than you did, or than their neighbours continue to receive. However, the CAP is a provincial initiative and while we have asked for years that it be removed we have gotten no where. If the CAP was removed we would be able to lower our tax rate and receive the same amount of revenue – and be fair to all residents new and existing.

Thanks for your question and thanks for staying connected to Council and the work we do.

On our website, www.wolfville.ca, you can find what you're looking for in two different places.

All Council meetings are listed as events so take a look here: https://wolfville.ca/events

For minutes and agendas, we have a section called “minutes, agendas and records,” that can be found under the Town Council heading, which is under the Town Hall heading.

Here's the link: https://wolfville.ca/town-hall/town-council/minutes-agendas-and-records

Hope this helps.

Sincerely, Mayor Wendy Donovan

Thank You for this question. 

One of my favourite sights on a bright winter day is watching skaters on the big pond at reservoir park.

It is a volunteer initiative of a local family, friends and neighbours who clear the ice and measure its thickness. 

I know many are grateful for their efforts. That said,  It is important to note that skating in Reservoir Park is not currently supported by the Town. Those who choose to use the Reservoir for skating do so at their own risk. In our changeable winter weather ice thickness can change quickly.

Town Council has provided direction for staff to undertake a full parks planning process in the upcoming budget. This will look at opportunities throughout the year for outdoor recreation, sport and enjoyment and protection of our open spaces. 

We look forward to seeing what the possibilities may be in terms of providing additional facilitated outdoor winter recreational opportunities.

Sincerely, 

Mayor Wendy Donovan

Thank You for this important and timely question. 

While the Town is not positioned to provide this service – if it was a town service we would need the resources to vet would-be snow shovelers –we could certainly put information on our website, or Councillors' social media, of such services. 

I believe that the Horton Highschool Interact Club is providing this service as a fundraiser. Interact is the high school version of Rotary Clubs. I have reached out to the Interact President and once I have heard back from her we can certainly provide that information for residents. 

I will also reach out to the Acadia Student Union to see if they or any of Acadia’s Clubs or students are interested in providing this service.

Sincerely,

Mayor Wendy Donovan

Thank you so much for this question. 

I am very familiar with the issues you mention having often walked in that area with a dog in tow. When the park is full of activities - soccer, tennis, kids at the playground, it is even more difficult for walkers and the street itself is in need of much repair. Victoria Avenue is slated for renewal within a three to five year window. 

During the upcoming budget season, that begins with a full day council session on November 25th (which is open to the public via Zoom and will be live streamed on the Town’s FaceBook page) Council will begin the annual process of juggling and balancing priorities and available resources. As we move through this process that will continue through to mid March 2022 the timing of projects will be clarified at which time you would see a more specific timeline for this project.

 Thank you again,

Mayor Wendy Donovan