WINDSOR JUNCTION: The LWF Ratepayers Association (LWFRA) is proceeding forward as if they can continue to support worthwhile community initiatives, all the while waiting for a report from HRM dealing with area rates such as theirs.
In an early May interview, President Marni Tuttle spoke about what lies ahead.
“We have been reaching out to our partners at HRM, in the finance department and each time we’ve been told not to worry somethings coming,” said Tuttle. “Normally we would have submitted our business plan to HRM at the end of March, but they haven’t made that request, but they also have not notified us of any changes.
“We’re hopeful the report will be a positive one.”
Tuttle said the group has had no contact from their HRM Councillor Steve Streatch to inform them otherwise.
“We started the year like we were sitting on the fence, and as the area rate has been collected again on the latest tax bills we’re anticipating HRM understands this isn’t something that can be cut in a single blow, and that it will have major ramifications across pour community if they make that choice,” she said.
She said the AGM is the LWFRA’s opportunity to report back to the community on how they have invested the area rate money all residents pay on their taxes.
Some of the highlights from this past year include: the ongoing support of the WJCC; and because of that support they are the largest employer of youth in the community, providing lifeguards; summer camps; and swimming lessons.
“That’s important to us because it provides a service to our community that we need,” she said. :”It also gives youth that live here a chance to do skill building in their own community. We feel that’s a way we build intergenerational relationships across Fall River, Windsor Junction, and Lakeview.”
The LWFRA continues to partner with the Lakeview Homeowners Association in assisting them to offer their summer program at HRM’s park in Lakeview; infrastructure to make the camp better, and improve their HRM park for continued public use; and Keloose.
“We specifically worked on improvements or replacement of community resources in 2018. That included improvements to the WJCC entrance; seed funding for a new LWF Baseball canteen; and fencing at the WJCC,” said Tuttle. “What the community calls the canteen provides a great deal of the infrastructure they need to provide baseball programming across the region.
“It’s more than just a place we let our kids get an ice cream at the end of a baseball game.”
The local Scouting group came to the LWFRA for funding for their facility to make it more usable; SWEPS Trails, to help inter-connectivity as part of active transportation between neighbouring communities.
“We have been able to support all of these projects to the best of our ability after an evaluation of their impact on our community,” said Tuttle. “We know there are requests coming for 2019-2020, and have heard from the WJCC and Lakeview, and anticipating a request from Keloose.”
