In brief
Camp Courage application deadline approaching
The deadline is fast approaching for teen girls aged 15-19 to apply for acceptance into this summer’s first-responder mentoring camp, Camp Courage.
Camp Courage is an eight-day all-girls camp that brings females curious about a career as a first-responder together with professionals from the world of firefighting, paramedicine, and policing.
The camp is held every second year and shows impressionable teens that they too can excel in these male-dominated professions. While the camp shows girls what it takes to have a career as a first-responder, the ultimate goal is for the young women to leave with a sense of empowerment and the confidence to believe they can achieve any goal, career, or dream they desire.
Interested girls have until March 31 at 6 p.m. to submit an application. Registration for the camp is free, but there’s a catch: Applicants are required to write an essay describing what they would do to better their community and improve someone’s life.
In the eight years since this unique camp started, more than 30 young women have embarked on careers as a first-responder — some of the women were trailblazers in their community.
For more information on the camp and how to apply, visit the camp website at www.campcourage.ca.
Pothole repairs ramping up across the Halifax region
With spring right around the corner, repairs are already underway to get ahead of the potholes that are starting to appear on streets across the Halifax region.
Pothole patching is a year-round effort to ensure municipal streets are safe for all users. Since Jan. 1, crews have repaired approximately 750 potholes throughout the municipality. Repairs began to ramp up late last week and efforts will continue to increase in the coming weeks as Road Operations workers switch their focus from snow and ice removal to potholes and other street repairs.
The municipality’s current objective is to patch approximately 400 potholes a week, depending on the weather conditions. Road Operations has a minimum of six crews repairing potholes; there are two crews operating Durapatcher mobile trailers for hot patching and as part of our proactive efforts to better address ongoing challenges with potholes, there are now four crews using the new repair material, Aquaphalt.
Aquaphalt is a revolutionary permanent asphalt and concrete repair material that is laid directly from its container, with no need to mobilize large crews or equipment. The pre-mixed material is eco-friendly, hardens with only water and is a permanent, one-time fix, minimizing traffic disruptions and reducing costs.
The money spent year over year on pothole repair directly relates to the severity of the winter, in particular, the freeze-thaw cycles and the volume and frequency of snow. Last year the municipality saw significant rain, freezing and thawing that occurred earlier and more frequently than in previous years. The result was more potholes earlier in the season.
That has been less of a problem so far this season, due to the extended periods of deep freeze temperatures, as well as the additional work completed last season to improve the overall condition of the streets.
Now that the ground is beginning to thaw out, potholes are appearing on the main arterial routes, which is where crews are focusing repairs in this early portion of the season. The municipality has also been monitoring residential side streets and will continue to do so to get a better idea of the extent of the potholes across the region.
Potholes are identified during regular staff road patrols, as well as reports from residents. To report a pothole, residents can submit an online service request at https://apps.halifax.ca/311. This information is regularly added to the rolling list of priorities for pothole repairs.
For more information on potholes and the service standards for pothole repairs, please visit http://www.halifax.ca/municipalops/potholes/index.php.
