Development authority to prepare report

The development authority’s annual three-part series of consultation meetings was held last month over two weekends in three counties.

The first of the sessions was held at the Barrington Lions Club.

Sessions followed in Yarmouth, at the Burridge Campus of the Nova Scotia Community College, and in Little Brook at the Clare Social Club.

The Clare and Shelburne County sessions drew about 40 participants each, basically on par with a year ago, while the Yarmouth turnout was down, this time consisting of around 60 people.

Referring to the Yarmouth session, Warner said it was still a good gathering, even if the participants were not as numerous as last year.

He notes that the session each year tends to draw a mix of people who are keen on having a good discussion.

The consultation sessions are part of an annual process the development authority goes through to hear what people have to say with regard to priorities for the region – issues to be addressed or projects to be pursued.

Warner said the authority also was hoping to hear from municipal units.

One of 13 regional development authorities in Nova Scotia, the South West Shore Development Authority used to confine its consultation process to Yarmouth and Shelburne counties, but the geographical scope was broadened with the addition of the Municipality of Clare, which joined SWSDA in 2005.

Previously, Clare had been affiliated with a development authority that covered the western Annapolis Valley region.