Perry visits Harbour Breton MHA meets with Mayor Skinner and enhancement workers CLAYTON HUNT The Coaster

Jennifer Price photos

Fortune Bay-Cape LA Hune MHA Tracey Perry was in Harbour Breton on November 10 to meet with Mayor Eric Skinner to discuss, and review, important enhancement projects happening in the community.

Ms. Perry said, "I wanted to meet with Mayor Skinner today to talk about the different initiatives that are underway for council and projects that are in the planning stages for Harbour Breton.

"I also wanted to view the great work that council and the workers are doing on the various community enhancement project underway.

Some of the projects ongoing in Harbour Breton include the hospital boardwalk and the Mildred Baxter Theatre project at the Elliott Premises. These two initiatives, to a large degree, fall under the Fisheries Community Enhancement Employment Program (CEEP). The projects are valued at $115,706.

The Target Initiative for Older Workers (TIOW) project ongoing at the Elliott Premises is valued at $190,000.

In addition to these projects, $15,000 has been approved for council to purchase exercise equipment for the IMP building that will open as a fitness center in the New Year. This money was allocated under the Community Capital recreation Grant from the provincial Department of Tourism.

Ms. Perry also noted that the recent video inspection completed on the water lines in Harbour Breton came in at a cost of $114,695.

The MHA also said that the design work on an aquaculture inflow wharf for Harbour Breton is currently underway, and the project should start in 2010. This wharf, which will be cost-shared between the provincial and federal governments, will cost approximately $2 million.

According to Mayor Skinner, the wharf will be located in Push Cove (across from the plant and around the point). He noted that the tender for the road leading to the site from the back-arm area closed at 2 pm on November 10.

Mayor Skinner said, "On behalf of council and the residents of Harbour Breton, I want to thank Ms. Perry for going to bat for us with concerns to these projects. There are a lot of good things happening in this community now, and our MHA has played an important role in the initiation of the activities."

Ms. Perry said, "Government likes to see the kind of activities happening in Harbour Breton right now - projects that are meaningful and will benefit communities for the long-term.

Mayor Skinner added that while the projects are important for the short-term, his council's main objective over the next few years will be the long-term operation of the plant.

"The plant is the life-line of the community," Mr. Skinner said, "and long-term employment will be the long-term goal of my council."