The MCA has approached HRM about "applying" for an area rate for the Mineville area.  We will be asking for $20 per household per year ($1.66 per month.)  We have raised our money in the past through fundraising which requires a lot of work by a few people (ie. auction, bottle drives, etc.)  This would give us approximately $7000 per year to work with and that would grow as more lots in the area are developed.  Here is what this money would be used for:
1. Build a foot bridge connecting the 2 Candy Mountain Islands.
2. Build a playground in the Two Rivers Area.
3. There are 2 parcels of park land (1 small & 1 large) with the new development behind Candy Mountain Road.  Once these parcels are available, the MCA Parks & Trails committee will need to come up with a plan as to what to do with them.
4.   All parks will need maintaining/additions    in the future.

Are we worth $20 per year?  We would like to hear your opinion.  Our general meeting (see below) will be a chance for residents to either show their support (or lack of.)    In 1.5 years, the MCA has brought in over $200,000 worth of funding into the community.  Without the MCA, Mineville would have received "nothing."  Here is a reminder of what we have accomplished:
1. Lobbied for the purchase of the Candy Mountain Islands.  This was a $50,000 purchase on our behalf.
2. Developed Bennett Park which includes a trail, a grassy field, a basketball court, fitness stations and a small community building.  Over $80,000 was received from various government agencies and corporations for this project.
3. Established 4 annual community events: Shanghai Willy's Summer Fair, Halloween party, Christmas Bon Fire/Decorating Contest and an Easter Egg

Hunt.  These events have been self-sustaining (ie. they've paid for themselves.)
4. Created 11 jobs over the past 2 summers dedicated to improving and protecting our local environment.  These projects included constructing and installing 132 bird/bat nesting boxes & platforms and cleaning up over 7 tons of garbage along Frog Lake Road.  Value of salaries and materials from a variety of sources was approximately $45,000.
5. Established agreements with the Department of Transportation and Public Works to ensure that the Old Mineville Road and Frog Lake Road remain public access trails.  These trails are popular with hikers, ATVers, bicyclists, X-country skiers, etc.
6. Arranged for bulk rate discounts for oil, septic pumping, water testing and insurance.  Anybody who took advantage of the septic pumping saved about $60 (it's too bad I already pumped mine last year.)  The oil savings were even more significant (5 cents per litre.)
7. Formed a walking club.  Residents logging over 1000 km's of walking and/or jogging get a free 1000 KM walking club T-shirt ($1000 of funding from Southeastern Healthboard.)
8. . Received 4000 trees and recently $2000 of funding from Tree Canada.
9. Signage: Put up and maintain the message board, the Welcome to Mineville signs and soon there will be park signage.
10.  We are working  towards protecting the crown land on the other side of Lake Echo.

We should also add that this is "not" a tax.  Every penny goes back into the community and will be used to apply for funding programs to bring tax dollars back into the community (like we've already been doing.)

Our next general meeting will be held on November 15th at the Lake Echo Fellowship Baptist Church (Peter Court across from Bennett Park.)  Doors will open at 7:00 and the meeting will start at 7:30.  There will be a Neighbourhood Watch update, a MCA year in review and area rate discussions.   The vote to put in

an area rate will not be that night.  This meeting will be used to get a feel for whether the MCA should proceed with this or not.  The process to put in an area rate will also be explained.  This is an opportunity for you to voice your opinion. (Note for Survivor fans: we'll have you out by 9:00.)

Tree Canada through Home Depot awarded us $2000 to supply a variety of trees & shrubs for planting at Bennett Park.  The trees and shrubs were purchased from John Rogers of Candy Mountain Farms (at wholesale prices) and they were  planted on Sunday, October 14^th.  Thanks to the approximate 30 employees from Home Depot Halifax and 20 local residents who showed up to plant them and for those who

helped transfer the trees to the park.  The 46 trees & shrubs selected for planting were primarily ones favoured by native birds and wildlife (Oak, Chestnut, Walnut, Dogwood, Ash, Peashrub, Cranberry, Red Leaf Rose, etc.)  This ties in well to our bird nesting project.  Our wood chips were used as mulch and we purchased good, healthy garden soil to plant them in.   
Thanks to both Tree Canada and Home Depot for their support.

Thanks to Lawrence McKay, Martin Tanner, Rick Giffin & John Rogers for installing the insulation and vapour barrier at the new community building.   Also, thanks to Dollard Boisjoli and Terry Webb for hanging the drywall.  The interior paint is being do

nated by MacKinnon and Olding Limited.  Scott MacKinnon and Lori Mitchell have volunteered to paint the building once the taping is complete.

There is fair amount of construction garbage left around the building at Bennett Park.  This is our park, so we're asking that residents take a garbage bag (or two) and fill it up for the next

general garbage pickup.  If a few homes do this before the next pickup, we can get our park looking nice and tidy.

We raised over $541 on September 13th.  This was our best bottle drive yet.
Thanks for your support.

If we missed you and you wanted to donate your bottles, you can deliver them directly to the East Preston Bottle Exchange and put them on our account.

The topsoil for the grassy field at Bennett Park was spread for us by HRM (for free.)  The fill alongside the basketball court was also spread at the same time. 
Elmsdale Landscaping donated the hydroseeding of the field to

us (about a $1500 value.) 
Please keep off this area for the next few weeks until the grass has a chance to root.

URL: http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/CommunitySupport/Mineville/
For 2001, you can rent the sign ($10) for messages by calling Karen Webb at 829-2983 (24 Deerwood Drive.)
The web site contains contact information for executive and committee members.

Our e-mail distribution list is now up to 149 names.  If you want to be kept up to date with what is happening in your community please send an e-mail to:                                grant.macdonald@compaq.com.

Bennett Park will be getting a couple of new spot lights.  One will point towards the basketball court so people can play after dusk and the other will point towards the parking lot so it

is better lit during the evenings.  HRM will also be covering the cost of the lighting for this area.  Thanks to Councilor Keith Colwell for his support.

The organizers (Clare O'Brien & Karen Webb) wish to thank everyone for their assistance in making the Halloween Party another great family event.  They wish to thank for the following volunteers:

1. Al Shields: set-up/ghost making.
   
2. Yvonne MacDonald: set-up.
   
3. Lisa Myatt: set-up/greeter witch.
   
4. Cindy McKay: decorating.
   
5. Terry Webb: set-up/clean-up.
   
6. Doug Colson: clean-up.
   
7. Guido Schneider: posters.
   
8. Murray Mason: Shanghai Willy.
   
9. Melody Jones: decorations/set-up.
   
10. Gregory Hiltz: set-up.
    
11. Frances Webber: set-up/provided tables.
    
12. Grant MacDonald: conehead ring toss/clean-up.
    
13. Karen Cook: set-up/path clearing.
    
14. Shawn O'Brien: MC/clean-up.
    

Candy Donations
Came from many individuals and families.  Some of them: Kennedy, Mason, Louden, Sullivan, Webb, Lachowiez, Hodder, Reese-Evans, Veinot, Webber, Hurst-Swift, Johnson and many others.  Thank you!  There was some left over candy and it was donated to Phoenix House Centre for Youth.
Entertainers
Back by popular demand, the Mineville Playhouse presented "The Mystery of the Flying Orange Pumpkin."  It starred Jacob & Dylan Kaiser, Brittany Sullivan, Jacob & Alex Brown, Kimberly Bocking, Tyler & Kelsey Van der Rijt, Liam Cook.  Director: Karen Cook.  Stagehand: Tabi Taylor.
Ten Timid Ghosts
Read by Crystal, with the help of Renee White.
Witch, Witch
Poem recited by Colin & Craig Colson, Emma O'Brien, Hannah MacDonald, Jessica & Morgan White.
It was a beautiful, warm October night.  This set the scene for a great turnout.  Thank you to all who participated. (The Jack-o-Lanterns were amazing, as were the costumes!!!)
Happy Halloween!