MHACCCA

It's time to turn visions into realities

Musquodoboit Harbour Transportation andInfrastructure Community Engagement Survey

The Musquodoboit Harbour Chamber of Commerce and Civic Affairs has partnered with the College of Sustainability at Dalhousie University to investigate active transportation (walking and cycling) In the Musquodoboit Harbour village. Four students are working on this project and are conducting a survey about our needs and practices here in the Harbour. As a first step, they have put together a few questions for our community. Your participation is key in obtaining information to move this important issue forward to Government for action.

“How do you move around the village now, how would you wish to, and what are the barriers to moving around safely?”

The survey launches today, and we sincerely hope that you will take a moment to fill it out, either online at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PVKFSVX  or using the paper form in today’s Eastern Shore Cooperator. (Paper surveys may be dropped off at the Musquodoboit Harbour Public Library)

Please take a few minutes to have your perspective captured and included.

From One East to Another

It’s hard to believe it’s been 3 years since I last visited Heritage village with my family. Being a tradition that had been stopped due to scheduling conflicts with university, it was nice to relive the experience once more. Being from the Eastern Passage, my Aunt and Grandmother never truly get the chance to marvel at the sights the Eastern Shore offers.

 

Arriving at Heritage Village immediately transported us back to the 1940’s. Walking through the main building, my Nanny began having memories flooding back from her youth. After working up an appetite from the car ride, without haste, we made our way to the Cookhouse. We got our food, and our homemade iced tea and lemonade. My Nanny told us a story of preparing a dinner with Grandpa, and dropping the roast causing it to slide across the kitchen floor. Grandpa had picked up the roast, and proceeded to wash it off under the tap and place it back in the oven to finish heating. My grandparents served the roast that evening to my Aunt, Uncle, and Father, and until this very day…NONE of them had known this had happened. It was my grandparents well kept secret until now.

 

In the Schoolhouse, my aunt showed me how small dictionaries used to be and informed me on how the strap was used on misbehaving children. Ouch! We met a 5-year-old boy, who was very social for his age, and proceeded to teach him how to write his name in cursive on the chalk board. He loved it! I, unfortunately still cannot write…cursive or handwritten. HAHA, the young boy had better penmanship than me.

 

“Take me to church” I told my family. We walked through the main entrance and ran back into the 5-year-old boy performing a show on the organ for the tourists who entered the church. We gave him a standing ovation, which made his day. I decided to utilize my piano background and perform as well. Let me tell you, the foot pumps for the organ certainly give your legs a workout.

 

 

Entering the Family Barn, we met a kitten sleeping on a tractor, and I thought it was the perfect opportunity for a photo shoot. I have been told my family and I are very photogenic, I think this picture proves correct. (PS the kitten slept through the entire calendar shoot)

 

My Nanny told us what literally every gadget in the house was used for. There was an old razor, which to me looked like a can of tuna. But she taught me how it was supposed to be used. I was mesmerized, as well as highly confused, as to how I am supposed to shave with this “Tuna Can” of a razor.

 

I thought we had lost my Nanny. When we looked back to where she sat down…she was gone. Suddenly we heard her gleefully yelling “Hello Family!” She said, “I knew a man would pick me up here!” There was a worker giving rides in one of the old vehicles, and he picked up my Nanny for a ride. She was giddy and having a grand time!

 

My Aunt, Mom, Dad, and I decided to take a ride once Nanny finished. We found out later the driver was one of the guitarists that performed at Trunk 7! Talk about small world.

 

My father is a hydro-geologist, therefore inevitably when we got to the gold mine, he let ALL the jokes start flying. He showed me how to find fools gold, and taught me about gold blasting/salting. He also told me geology jokes from when he was younger like “Geologists can make the bedrock, and that they should not be taken for Granite!”

 

During this beautiful picture, my Aunt conversed with the goats. Whenever she would “Bahh”, so would the goats. I tried petting a goat while walking along the trail, but the goat was too startled by this encounter that he ran away “Bahh-ing” at the top of his lungs. We also talked to the roosters, who seemed less than impressed by our lack of rooster-to-human communication skills. Turning their backs and trotting away every time I clucked. I guess I forgot to take that language course in university.

 

My father and I raced each other with the push-mowers, and patrons stopped to watch us make fools of ourselves. Once we finished failing to properly mow the lawn, a guest walked up to us and said we were using the mowers wrong the entire time. We were holding the mowers backwards. He proceeded to teach us how to properly mow the lawn, and left us feeling dumb.

 

Peaking into the clam factory, we saw a beautiful set-up, which we later found out was for a wedding. My aunt, father, and I snuck in the building for a closer look. There were lights and tables decorated to the nines. Whoever was getting married would certainly have a special time to remember.

As was our time at Heritage Village, it truly lived up to its name as Memory Lane. My family told me stories of their youth that brought us closer together. The trip down Memory Lane brought out the child in each of us that day. This is the definitive proof…

 

Piling in the car, with full bellies, we departed for home. We passed a house with a large rock Inuksuk on its property by the water. We passed by too fast to get a picture. Although contemplating turning back to get a picture with the inuksuk, we all felt the quick glimpse and the memories were fair enough. The entire day was made of new and old memories intertwining, and the wonderful photos and conversations will be forever cherished.

 

Grant Walker

Administrative Coordinator

Summer Student, MHACCCA

T: (902) 266-9780 | [email protected]

 

 

 

 

 

 

Homegrown Talent: Rachel Monk

Hard-working, dedicated, determined, and well-rounded. Few of the words that best describe my friend Rachel Monk. Going through a year at Dalhousie University with her, I have seen her academic and athletic progress pay off.

Rachel, twenty years old, has been playing hockey since she was just ten. In grade twelve Rachel had been emailing Dalhousie University’s hockey coach and, after tryouts, was picked and put on the roster for the year. Having to decide between hockey and academics, Rachel only stopped playing full time Hockey at age nineteen to focus fully on her academic career.

Rachel initially played ringette when she was younger. She loved being on the ice with her friends and being part of a team. Her parents decided to put Rachel in a more competitive and aggressive sport…Hockey. Rachel’s parents saw her competitive edge early on, and wanted to help that skill blossom. Realising hockey’s similarity to ringette, except more aggressive, Rachel jumped on board with the idea of the sport. She loved it. Hockey quickly became a passion and a defining factor of who she is.

When just a Peewee, Rachel was scouted for preparatory school in Pennsylvania. With her tuition to SEM Prep fully funded, nothing was holding her back. Rachel attended SEM prep for two years. Within the two years, Rachel was awarded the “Most Offensive Player”, appointed captain of the SEM Hockey team, and was a named athlete on the Deans List. Rachel also played on Team Nova Scotia for four years, making them Atlantic Champion Gold Medalists four years in a row. As well, Rachel went through many rigorous tryouts and was picked from approximately twenty girls to represent the Atlantic Province.

Rachel was accepted into Dalhousie’s Kinesiology program while in grade twelve at Eastern Shore District High. I had the pleasure of working along side Rachel for a year, before switching to Commerce, as we were both in Kinesiology. I realized Rachel has a time management technique, and study talent like nobody else I know. The skills Rachel learned from Hockey and SEM Preparatory school gave her the edge needed to be a very successful student. Rachel has achieved a high standing GPA in her first two years of University and thanks her past academic, and athletic experiences for this honour.

Rachel has taken a step back from hockey, however athletics are still a high priority in her life. Rachel goes to the gym, no matter how busy, every day for at least two or three hours. With the goal to maintain the athletic progress and ability she gained over the years. Rachel states that “Getting regular exercise, a few hours a day, is good for helping with study and memorization”. When Rachel gets stressed with University work, instead of calling it quits and going to bed, she goes to the gym and works out. At the end of a workout, Rachel says she feels clarity and a new sense of focus that puts her back on track to finishing her daily studies.

Rachel aspires to go to med school. “Basically, I want to get into med school, and make a professional image for myself through as much volunteering, community involvement, and doctor shadowing as possible”. Rachel volunteered this past summer on a ten-day commission trip in Honduras, gaining valuable experience and helpful medical knowledge that most students did not take advantage of.

Rachel is currently studying upwards of 90 pages per night for the MCAT Test, with the end goal of entering Med School. Aside from the MCAT prep, and her University courses, Rachel’s been taking summer courses to give her that competitive advantage she deserves.

Rachel gives credit to her hockey career for solidifying her organizational techniques, time management, focus, and confidence. “Having a dual schedule between sport and school forced me to prioritize my time. I had to learn to wake up early in the morning, and make the most out of each day. I also learned to schedule time for my workouts, family, friends, my job, and my studies.” Regarding time management Rachel said, “Having to make the decision between going out with friends or getting that extra hour of study time, can be a hard choice for many people my age. But those are the sacrifices I had to make constantly as a varsity athlete. Don’t get me wrong, the decisions can be tough at times, but they need to be made.”

What was your biggest challenge since getting to Dalhousie, and how have you been working to overcome it? “Stress. The heavy course load, brought on heavy stress. I had stress management skills already in my life. However, the desire to show my skills to the best of my ability to my professors, brought on a whole new level of stress I had never experienced before. Having my parents to help talk me through my stress, and going to the gym have been great tension relievers. Also having a set sleep schedule and going to bed early helped me focus better.”

Rachel’s Comments on the Eastern Shore: “I’ve grown up in the Eastern Shore my entire life, making friends whom I consider to be brothers and sisters. Which is why when I moved away to go to prep school, I HAD to come back for my final year so I could graduate with my friends, and have my entire family able to see me walk across the stage. The Eastern Shore is such a family atmosphere, and that was the only place I could picture my final year. Although I was in Pennsylvania for two years, my heart lied in The Shore. My friendships back home didn’t sever, and with everyone begging for me to come back and graduate with them, it warmed my heart. It is such a great feeling when you are living in a small friendly community that is the Eastern Shore, when you cannot picture your final high school year anywhere else in the world but home. Coming back to Eastern Shore District High, I didn’t know too many people, but the teachers and students were so welcoming.”

Rachel’s favorite thing about the Eastern Shore: “I easily have to recommend the Musquodoboit Harbour Trail. I run that trail three out of seven days a week. I know it inside and out. I love the trail because it’s relaxing, and you really get to see the beauty of the community you are in. The trail sights I see down the shore are much more amazing then the sights I see running in town.”

At the end of the day, no matter if Rachel was going to Dalhousie University or playing hockey in Halifax, going to SEM Preparatory school in Pennsylvania, or volunteering in Honduras, her heart lies with the Eastern Shore. As the saying goes, home is where the heart is.

 

Grant Walker

Administrative Coordinator

Summer Student, MHACCCA

T: (902) 266-9780 | [email protected]