I'll find water for you my pretty! And your little dog too!

Hi again. I've been in summer vacation mode so this blog has been lacking of late.
In fact, I started this one back on July 19th or 20th but I'm only getting back to it now.
The story is still relevant though.
Do you like the "Wizard of Oz" reference in the title? You'll see how well it fits when you read this.

This story is amusing.
Before you read the newspaper article below let me tell you what happened.

It involves the Village's ongoing search for good capacity wells to maintain the supply for the residents currently on the Village system and possibly consider new development.
We are also reviewing the possibility of adding more of the existing homes in New Maryland onto the system who presently have their own wells.

Last year the Village purchased a piece of property known by many folks as the "Forbes property" on account of the name of the previous owners.

There is a well sitting on the property which was drilled years ago but not brought on-line since it is not potable without proper treatment.
We haven't ruled out the possibility of treating it as needed and using it.

However, Council (on the recommendation of the Water and Wastewater Committee, which I am still a member of) decided to drill to seek other wells on the Forbes property.

The Village has a consulting company who are experts in water exploration.
They examine and review land features and available data to determine where they believe the best spot to hit a gusher will be.

This can't be an easy job. If they had x-ray vision I'm sure they could nail it every time but they don't.
In all honesty no-one knows exactly what's down there and exactly where the water is.
We're talking about millions of years of rock formation and water aquifers forcing their way through the path of least resistance making their winding way through thousands of miles of weaving trails underground.

In my opinion this is not an exact science. It's as close as it can be with what we can determine.

Anyhow, a little while ago this company reviewed the Forbes property and looked at all that they could and told the drilling company where to do their thing.

The result was disappointing and we were not successful in finding a decent flowing spot.

The Village Public Works Supervisor reported the result to the members of the Water and Wastewater committee at our last meeting.

This is where I come into this and it gets interesting.

A long while back I was having a chat with a local guy about the water situation in New Maryland.
He casually mentioned to me that he has a slight knack for being able to get the lay of the land and having pretty good feelings where water may be.
I found that interesting and remarked that we may call him up to have a look at the Forbes property one day.

I mentioned this to the Committee and said that we should buy him a coffee and take him out for a stroll and ask his thoughts.
No pressure, just a stroll to compare his feelings with those of the consultant.
It couldn't hurt could it?
It would most certainly be cheaper.

From what I understand the Public Works Supervisor met our lad out there and walked around the property.

I don't believe the Public Works Supervisor had much faith in what he was told.
I'm not sure why that is.

Oh well, at least he went out there and told us his thoughts and it didn't cost us anything. Right?
No harm, no foul as they say.

Well, this stuff was brought up at the next Council meeting during discussions.
The next thing I know people were asking why we used that guy when there are other guys around who are known for their divining at "witching stick" abilities.
Then it was decided that the Village is going to contact one of these guys and have them look around for water.

I'll let you read the rest of the story here as it appeared in the Gleaner under the heading:

Village turns to water witchery

Published Saturday July 18th, 2009

New Maryland has no luck using conventional methods to find water source for development.

By JENNIFER DUNVILLE
Canadaeast News Service
NEW MARYLAND - The village of New Maryland may try witchery to find a water source on one of its properties.
Mayor Frank Dunn said it might sound silly, but dowsing to find water has been in practice since ancient times and some people put a lot of faith in it. "This all started after we dug for water and were unsuccessful on the old Forbes property we own right on Highway 101," Dunn said.
"A council member made the suggestion that we hire a dowser. It was said in jest, but we figured it might be worth a try. "Dowsing, which is also known as water witchery or divining, is used to locate something underground, including oil, metals or water. A dowser walks with a Y-shaped stick or rod, which points down abruptly when over the right spot.
Some dowsers also use a pendulum or two rods, which cross when over water. There are many skeptics of dowsing because there is no scientific evidence the process works, and Dunn admits he has no idea if it will help, but he said the village has nothing to lose by trying it.
"We have a guy in mind who does dowsing, so we figured we'll contact him and at least give it a chance if he's willing to do it," Dunn said. "In order to continue development in New Maryland in the future, we'll need to find more wells, and so far on this particular property, we haven't been successful in more conventional ways of searching for a water source. "The village is in the process of building a new water tower to improve water distribution, water storage capacity, system operating reliability and firefighting capabilities. Tenders for the elevated reservoir system are expected to be awarded this month, with construction beginning in the fall.
One-third of the village's residents are hooked to the municipal water system, while the rest have wells, and Dunn said the point of finding additional water sources is to have the option of hooking more people to the new system in the future.
"We've been searching for water sources for two years and have been successful in finding three wells, which are currently capped. When we have the funding, those wells will be tied into the new tower in the future," Dunn said.
"We have sufficient water for now. We're just planning ahead for future development." Dunn said a core sample has already been extracted from one area on the property, but it didn't turn up any water. He said two more digs are planned.
"That's the way it is; every time you do a core sample you take a risk that it'll be unsuccessful," Dunn said. "We'll probably drill in two more areas at least, but in the meantime may try contacting a dowser that we have in mind, and give that a try."
Dunn said he won't disclose the name of the dowser the village may use until he's had a chance to talk to him about it.

"Village turns to water witchery"??? What???
Come on. Really...

There's a story about the topic of witchery which I will have to tell you one day.
Let's just say that it isn't a very good word to throw around lightly.

As for the article content it's me that he refers to in the beginning of the article.
But for the record, I did NOT make the suggestion to hire a dowser. I mentioned my pal going for a stroll. That's all.

Nor did I make the suggestion in jest.
I was very serious about getting an opinion, at no cost, to compare with that of the "experts".

Now you know.

Stay well,
Tim

Sent on the TELUS Mobility network with BlackBerry

This is a change!

I was contacted by CTV to do an TV interview this afternoon.
I know what you're thinking.

A) It's about the York Street Station
B) Tim's about to stir it up again in New Maryland Council

You would be wrong on both counts.
Surprisingly, this is about a letter to the editor in the Gleaner last Thursday.
I shall push my luck again and copy it here. You need to see it to feel the full emotion that I felt.

Re: Cemetery thieves

I lost my 10-year-old daughter at the first of this year to a courageous battle with cancer.

She was the bravest person I ever knew. I will forever miss that sparkle in her eyes and that beautiful smile she left in so many hearts.

With every day having its own set of struggles and heartaches, I have realized life is a journey and some of us are chosen to take on some of the toughest obstacles of all. But we get through it.

A sweet girl once said, "It's not 'goodbye,' it's just that I haven't arrived yet."

Since it was January and the ground was frozen, her burial wasn't until the end of May. I found it hard during those months not having a place where I felt I could go sit and have some one-on-one time with her.

Now I'm find myself each morning with my coffee beside her grave. It is well decorated with all the things that made her unique. Each gift has its own meaning, given by friends and family who knew her best - sunflowers, dragonflies and a solar butterfly that keeps a statue of an angel lit at night.

But this morning was a devastating one. When I arrived I discovered some cruel, heartless coward had stolen all of those beautiful gifts.

Feeling sick to my stomach, angry and short of breathe, I left quickly, pulling myself together the best I could, but knowing I would have to explain this to my two boys.

The next chance they had to visit, they would ask why Sissy was missing all her gifts. Just how am I to explain why anyone would commit such a shameful act?

Obviously they don't understand the loss of someone special. As frustrating as it is for me, it's you, the coward, I feel sorry for, because it's you that will have to answer for that someday. May God bless you when that time comes.

Amy Jo Phillips

Fredericton

As you can guess this really saddened me and ticked me off.

So me being me sent in my own letter to the editor to try and do something to help.
It was printed on Saturday July 11th.

.

Re: Letter from Amy Jo Phillips published July 9, called Why would anyone steal from a 10-year-old's grave?

Unless we are in the situation ourselves it's difficult to fully understand the depth of sadness.

Personally, if I was in poor Amy's shoes, I would be at the grave every day for years, let alone six months. No amount of grief counselling can heal the loss of a child.

Amy, I feel horrible for your loss and subsequent indignity. If you read this, please contact me. I'm in the book in New Maryland.

I would like to personally begin replacing the stolen gifts with new ones. We can't let the cowards feel that they have won.

If they steal them again, we will replace them again. I can go on longer than they can and will help you do so too.

Take care.

Tim Scammell

New Maryland, N.B.

I'm not trying to get television interviews. I don't care about media exposure for this.

All I want is to help Amy Phillips feel a little less sad about something after losing her little girl.

It will not take a lot on my part or on anyone else's if they also choose to help.

I'll go on CTV today.

And hope that Amy calls me.

Take Care,
Tim

Let's do some math shall we?

Here's a nifty address to an interesting blog about the York Street Station and some costs that may be associated with its repairs.

Thanks to Mr./Mrs./Ms./Miss (?) Lamespotting for sending it to me. For some reason I can't seem to insert links into my blogs so please just copy and paste the address to go to it. Sorry about that.

http://lamespotting.com/2009/06/22/frederictons-train-station-some-numbers/

Doesn't look very good, does it?

However, today's Gleaner has the following article by my pal Shawn Berry.
It appears that the Legion is going to stick to their dream of saving the station.
(I wish they had thought about this a couple of years ago... Ah well, better late than never as they say.)

I did meet with the Manager at the Legion just over a week ago to provide them with what I have in the way of photos and information.

I told him that I will personally go out and swing a hammer with anyone when (if?) the time comes to begin repairs.
I'm serious too!
In fact, I'll bring my wife and kids and anyone that gets within my grabbing reach to come out and help too!

Here's today's article.
Once again, thanks to Shawn Berry for digging in and biting onto this like a pit bull.

Legion members formally looking at train station


By SHAWN BERRY
berry.shawn@dailygleaner.com

Members of Branch 4 of the Royal Canadian Legion have given their executive the go-ahead to further explore the potential of turning the York Street train station into their new home.

There was no opposition to the motion at last week's general meeting attended by about 50 legion members.

"They all approved that we look into it further," said branch president Jean-Guy Perreault.

The general meeting in June is the last one until September, so it was important to get the support of members before summer.

The legion is one of at least three groups interested in taking over the deteriorating historic train station.

NB Liquor has had discussions about leasing the station from the owners, J.D. Irving Ltd. And while speculation ran rampant recently that the Crown corporation was days away from inking a deal, an official has said that wasn't the case.

Perreault said his members want to see what would be involved in having the legion buy and revitalize the 86-year-old building.

Past-president Ardith Armstrong said legion members will be looking at the cost of acquiring the train station and what funding might be available to them to repair it in accordance with its historic designation. The price of the refurbishment has been pegged at up to $2 million.

Armstrong said legion members have been told nothing is set in stone.

"We asked their permission to continue with the discovery while assuring them we would commit to nothing without the blessing of the general membership."

Legion members were told recently that members of the executive have been in contact with Mayor Brad Woodside and other civic leaders to support their efforts.

Woodside recently reiterated his call for the building owners to repair it soon or tear it down.

J.D. Irving has said securing a commercial venture for the site is the most viable option to support the $2 million revitalization cost.

Legion members hope to secure funding for a refurbishment before submitting any plan to their membership for approval.

Oh yes, before I forget!
I drove by the station the other day and met a talented chap named Calvin Thompson who was doing a painting of the building.
I took this picture of Calvin at work.
Quite good, isn't he?




All righty then folks.
My hammer is ready. But NOT for tearing anything down. Only for rebuilding.
Any takers?

Stay well,
Tim

For crying out loud...

I'm trying to get my head focused on a blog when another important topic comes flying along needing my immediate attention.

I hope the Gleaner doesn't mind me posting this here. I'm in it so maybe that will help.
By the way, you recall that when I got on New Maryland Council I stepped down as President of the Fredericton Friends of the Railway?
My reasoning was that if I was to be involved in a working relationship with our neighbouring Council in Fredericton I did not want to be prodding them from the other side as the president of the group.
That's when Steve Boyko stepped up.
I don't know if I have said anything yet but on April 1st Steve send me a message that he and his family are moving to Winnipeg sometime in the near future.
I thought he was joking! Who says something like that on April Fool's Day and is serious??
Steve was serious. He's still here. I don't know for how long but he's leaving.
That makes me very sad but the pressing issue is that the group needs another President.
I'm back.
But guess what? Fredericton Mayor Brad Woodside and I have become great friends over the last couple of years. I really like him. I wish every Mayor could be like him. (I'm just saying).
We are both on the exact same side of this.
You'll see in the article that Brad talks tough. And rightly so. He's tired of watching the York Street Station die a slow painful death before the world's eyes as much as I am.
When I read this article I fully agreed with Brad.
Coincidentally, yesterday afternoon Brad Twittered me saying that he liked my comments as well.
Regardless of how it appears, he and I are working together at this to try and finally get something done!
There are very few people that I would stand beside for anything but I am proud to stand beside Brad.

This was in yesterday's Daily Gleaner.

Train station blues | City tired of waiting

By SHAWN BERRY, HEATHER MCLAUGHLIN
news@dailygleaner.com

Negotiations between J.D. Irving and the NB Liquor Corp. are percolating, but Mayor Brad Woodside says it's time to fish or cut bait.

Woodside, who suggested he'd be just as happy as any Frederictonian to see the shabby York Street property fixed up, said if no deal can be reached, he's ready to head to Ottawa to convince the federal government to allow the structure to be demolished.

The Daily Gleaner has learned that discussions with the liquor corporation - which the newspaper reported on in mid-March - have reached a critical juncture.

NB Liquor officials were coy about the talks last spring and there was no update from the agency late Tuesday.

Train station owner J.D. Irving was equally disinclined to talk publicly about negotiations.

"Once again, we continue to pursue opportunities for a commercial development," said J.D. Irving communications spokesman Geoff Britt. "For confidentiality reasons, we are not able to comment on negotiations."

"It's something we'd be prepared to look at if it fit into our plan," Nora Lacey, communications manager for NB Liquor told the newspaper in mid-March about its interest in the train station.

"It seems to me that right now there are negotiations going on that are very close, and I am hopeful that this matter can be resolved," the mayor said Tuesday.

"Failing that, I am prepared to seek a legal opinion as to what the municipality can do to deal with this, and I am prepared to go to Ottawa and to present the city's case to the bureaucracy there because I don't feel that this city should have to tolerate this anymore.''

Built in 1923, the train station is considered an historic structure and is protected under federal heritage legislation. Buildings with such a designation can be torn down, but only with federal government approval.

Supporters of the train station were dubious that the building's roof, propped up by two-by-fours, would last another winter.

The roof is beginning to collapse. The derelict building has become a local eyesore and even some of the staunchest heritage buffs are ready to throw their hands up in despair.

Peter Pacey, past president of Fredericton Heritage Trust, has said if the station isn't fixed up soon, it should be torn down.

"I'm very upset nothing has gone on and it's just at a standstill,'' said Tim Scammell, New Maryland village councillor and a long-time member of the Friends of Fredericton Railway Inc. lobby group, on Tuesday.

"Unless something is going on behind the scenes and they've kept it quiet, I'm very disappointed. I thought the idea of moving the bus station there was a great idea. I liked the idea of moving a liquor store there.''

The Fredericton chapter of the Conservation Council of New Brunswick has suggested the train station would make a good home for Acadien Coach Lines, which has to relocate from the downtown.

Woodside has voiced his displeasure with the deteriorating state of the train station at various times and in varying degrees, but he said it's time to sort it out once and for all.

"I will not let go until this matter is resolved," the mayor said. "The public is fed up and so is the city. Inaction and the status quo is not acceptable."

The liquor corporation was deluged with opposition when it closed its King Street liquor store in January 2008.

This article was good but guess what appeared today?
I heard it on the radio first and was then contacted by Allison Melanson from Global News to meet for an interview about it and what I thought.
Wow!! If this can happen it would be amazing!!

Here, read it for yourself (Thanks Shawn and Heather):

Legion needs home; station needs TLC

By SHAWN BERRY and HEATHER McLAUGHLIN
news@dailygleaner.com

Published Thursday June 11th, 2009

For many Second World War soldiers, the York Street train station was their last glimpse of home before they headed overseas.

Jean-Guy Perreault, president of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 4 in Fredericton, says the branch is inquiring about taking over the York Street train station to keep the landmark and its past alive. Now, Branch 4 of the Royal Canadian Legion hopes the derelict train station can be given a new lease on life as the local legion's headquarters.

Legion president Jean-Guy Perreault said the branch has had preliminary discussions with J.D. Irving Ltd. about acquiring the train station.

He said they're far from formal negotiations, but the idea is capturing people's attention.

"A lot of our vets boarded there to go to war," he said Wednesday. "They have very strong memories of the station.

"We've talked to a lot of veterans, and a lot of them would like to take the front of it, finish it, put an old train there with 25 feet of rail, and at the back of it we would put the legion. That's our plan right now, and I think we could have quite a good thing."

Perreault said the idea is still in its early stages and there's been no decision as to what the legion might do, or how a deal might be worked out. That will be up to the legion's membership.

Perreault plans to meet with Mayor Brad Woodside on Tuesday to discuss the station's future.

On Tuesday, a frustrated Woodside said if a deal isn't worked out soon, he's ready to press Ottawa to grant approval for the station's demolition.

Under the Heritage Railways Stations Protection Act, the owner of the historic train station isn't obliged to fix it up, but must get a ministerial order from the federal Environment Department to alter the structure or demolish it.

J.D. Irving, which owns the train station and a chunk of the former railway lands surrounding it, has said it would try to salvage the heritage property, but it would need to redevelop it in the context of a larger business venture.

The last cost estimate on repairing the building was up to $2 million.

Several years ago, the possibility of a major call centre tenant had the company contemplating the construction of an office building that would generate the income to include the train station as a component of the development project.

The legion hopes J.D. Irving might part with the building for the symbolic sum of $1 because it made a similar offer to a local non-profit group.

"I think if they would sell it for $1 and we'd go from there," Perreault said.

The owner continue to pursue opportunities.

"We have offered the train station property to a non-profit organization in the past and that option remains a possibility. But we have always maintained that the site needs a commercial development to complete the estimated $2 million restoration costs," said J.D. Irving spokesman Geoff Britt.

The legion is located at the intersection of Queen and Westmorland streets.

Past president Ardith Armstrong said the legion executive began scouting new locations after the 2008 flood.

"We're in a 50-year-old building and its getting pricey to maintain," she said.

The train station caught the legion's attention, though.

"That is a heritage site. The fact that our troops left for service from there would tie in very nicely."

The Daily Gleaner first reported in March that NB Liquor is negotiating for the site.

A spokeswoman for the Crown corporation confirmed this week that it's discussing lease options with J.D. Irving.

The Daily Gleaner has learned that the legion and NB Liquor aren't the only ones in talks with the owners. An individual with knowledge of NB Liquor's negotiations said a third group has also expressed interest in the site.

Woodside said he's received support for his comments calling for either renovation or demolition.

"I think a lot of people are getting tired of the situation."

He said any group that wants to get involved should be ready for the financial burden of refurbishment.

"I hope they have some deep pockets, there's a good chunk of change involved."

It's nice to be back.
My mind needs to get into something like this again to clear out some cobwebs.

This thing isn't getting any better, only worse.

I think I'm up for it again. I hope I am.
With Big Brad along I feel pretty good.

Wish us luck.

Stay well,
Tim

While I Was Out...

It's sort of funny really.
Since I was elected onto Village Council I didn't get much media coverage.
This was understandable.
I haven't had too much of interest going on to warrant coverage so I understood.
This morning Cheryl emailed me that I made the front page of the Gleaner.

http://dailygleaner.canadaeast.com/front/article/525358

When I read the article I was surprised and couldn't believe that someone outside of my friends and family was really looking at my blog!
Then I realized that it was because my pal Charles mentioned it in his blog.

http://charlesotherpersonality.blogspot.com/2008/12/new-maryland-councilor-tim-scammell.html

At least I know that Charles is taking care of business while I am here in Ontario.

Tim

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