The Bedford Community Council Association - Residents for Bedford Council - is a grass-roots, non-partisan, apolitical, group of concerned residents wishing to have more say in their community. It is felt that the Municipality would function more effectively if Regional Council could deal with "regional" issues, such as Fire, Police, Water, Wastewater, etc., and that Community or District Councils could deal with the day to day community centric issues such as parks, recreation, street lights, etc.
Twelve years have passed since Amalgamation was forced on the four municipal units (City of Halifax, City of Dartmouth, County of Halifax and Bedford). Unfortunately, there was no provision in the Amalgamation Legislation to ensure that an evaluation would be undertaken to determine whether Amalgamation was working. The members of the Association feel that amalgamation isn't working for Bedford or most of the other areas.
It's time to reevaluate and determine if there is a better governance model. Other areas throughout Canada have already undertaken this review and determined that changes were required. We, therefore, don't have to "reinvent the wheel". It's time to move forward!
From 1979 to 1996 several initiatives occurred:
- Commencement of Range Park
- Construction of the Lawn Bowling Club
- Sackville River Walkway Commenced
- Basinview Community School
- Lion's Playground Pool
- New Fire/Police Station
- Expansion of LeBrun Centre
- Moir's Power Centre
- Scott Manor House Museum
- Various Community Parks & Playgrounds
- Commenced the development of the Waterfront and DeWolf Park
Since Amalgamation, Bedford has seen little reinvestment into the community even though the population and tax base have increased substantially.
The formation of this Group is not a reflection of current or past representation of Bedford at the Municipal level, but of the governance structure itself. As it presently exists, there will always be community pitted against community for the few available tax dollars and for competing amenities. This does not work!
An improvement to the existing governance structure should not be seen as a "Bedford" issue or a political issue. It is generally agreed that a change needs to be made. The Province now has to come up with the appropriate model. Whether it is agreed that the governance model that we are suggesting is the appropriate model or not is now in the Province's hand. The Provincial and Municipal politicians need to hear from you!
Please help make this a great place to live by contacting your local MLA and Councilor and letting them know that you care!
DID YOU KNOW
- In 1982 the Bedford Town Police took over policing in Bedford and became the first to implement the 911 Emergency System in Nova Scotia.
- In 1995, the Town of Bedford won an Award of Excellence for Touch-Tone Voting at the Canadian Information Productivity Awards.
- Having a pothole filled can take upwards of three weeks after calling the 490-4000 line. Normal response time in the past was approximately two days!
