STRAIT AREA - The new episode of TELILE 24/7 deals with three recent issues from the Richmond Municipal Council table, while examining how COVID-19 and its accompanying social distancing protocols have impacted special events and daily life within the Town of Port Hawkesbury. 

The onset of Phase Five of Nova Scotia's official re-opening strategy has brought about changes to Port Hawkesbury's municipal operations, including the various wings of its largest piece of infrastructure, the Port Hawkesbury Civic Centre. While proof of vaccination is not required for ratepayers conducting business such as payment of tax bills within the town offices on the second floor, it is necessary for the Civic Centre's performance spaces, Veteran's Memorial Arena and the Body 'N' Soul Fitness Centre. 

One of the town's most prominent public spaces, the Granville Green band shell, was the site of a recent memorial service for volunteer fire fighters that was scuttled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the provincial gathering limits put in place at the time. As a result, this year's service, which took place on October 3, honoured 36 members of the Strait Area Mutual Aid Association (SAMAA) that have passed away over the past two years. 

Also featured on this week's edition of TELILE 24/7 are three segments of the recent regular meeting of Richmond Municipal Council, which was held virtually on September 27. The featured portions of this meeting include a request from the Cape Breton Partnership for the municipality to contribute $5,000 towards the cost of an independent study on the Strait of Canso Causeway Gateway Strategy, a pitch from the Coastal Riders All-Terrain Vehicles (ATV) Association to develop a new trail system between the communities of Lynch's River and Salmon River Road in northeastern Richmond County, and a variety of municipal grant requests from community organizations inside and outside of the county that came up during September's meeting of council's Committee of the Whole.