Holyrood cements lineup for Beach Party

Plans are coming together for the annual Holyrood Squidfest, which will end with a big lineup of prominent Newfoundland acts playing for a beach party on July 15.

Council’s chairperson of recreation and community events, Sadie King, said the summer festival will run for about 10 days ending July 16.

King said the lineup for the Beach Party includes Shannyganock, the Ennis Sisters, Celtic Connection, bluesman Nick Earle & The Restless Hearts, and Rock Revival.

Early bird tickets for the Beach Party went on sale this week.

“It should be an interesting night and an interesting week-and-a-half,” King said. 

“There’s no question with the lineup there will be guaranteed crowds,” allowed Mayor Gary Goobie. “It’s one of those events that we want to keep our fingers and toes crossed that we have good weather, warm weather.”

King’s co-chairman, councillor Curtis Buckle, seconded that thought.

“The Squidfest is one of the big events in our town in the summer,” Buckle said. “Hopefully, the weather will be on our side. A lot of people make their holidays around the Squidfest and come home with their families. It’s a good lineup, and there’s always a good turnout, and hopefully this year will be no different.”

Deputy Mayor Michelle Woodford said staff have received several inquiries from quarry operators about the new rules the Town is developing to govern their activities.

“Our plan is to identify areas within the town for quarry use,” said Woodford, whose business development and marketing committee is spearheading work on the policy. “They’ve asked for a meeting, so our plan is when we get that done we will reach back out to them and see if they want to come in and discuss any concerns that they have with regards to quarry use.”

Rescue Vehicle

Public safety committee chairman Bruce King said Holyrood will resubmit its application for provincial government funding to help with the cost of buying a new rescue vehicle.

King noted the recent Provincial budget earmarked $3.8 million for firefighting equipment for towns across the island and Labrador. 

“We have another year to really enforce the point of why Holyrood needs a new rescue vehicle,” he said. “It’s the fact that the rescue vehicle does not serve just the people of Holyrood. Anybody who travels on the TransCanada Highway between St. John’s and the rest of the province, or anybody who goes down the Witless Bay Line, there is a very good chance that if something happens to you the first people on the scene is going to be the Holyrood Fire Department.”

King added it’s getting into the season for moose and vehicle collisions. “We know that between Salmonier Line and Butterpot Park is a prime area, if you talk with the RCMP, with regards to moose vehicle collisions,” King said. “So, we need the vehicle… There’s a waiting list now of up to two years to get any kind of a rescue vehicle… I think this time we really need to reinforce why we need the rescue vehicle.”

Park Contracts

Council has approved $52,147 worth of park work.

Councillor Bruce King said one contract, worth some $25,530, will go to Apex Construction Specialities to provide fencing for the park while the contract to supply basketball nets and benches will go to Total Sports Solutions for $26,617.

“These amounts reflect the lowest bids submitted,” King said.

Small Towns Rep

And finally, councillor Bruce King will serve as Holyrood’s representative on Municipalities Newfoundland and Labrador’s Small Towns Advisory Committee. 

“This is an external committee established by Municipalities NL, which represents those municipalities with a population of less than 3,000,” said Deputy Mayor Woodford, who made the motion to appoint King. “The mandate of the committee is to provide a venue for the discussion of and to advise the Small Towns Director on issues of common concern to rural communities.”

Councillor Steve Winsor said King is the right person for the job. “You’re a champion for Holyrood and open to new ideas and outside the box thinking,” he added. “I think that’s what that sort of committee needs, and I think it’s a really good choice, and you’re a really good person for that to move things forward.”

Mayor Gary Goobie said he concurred totally. “And I can tell you, I know he won’t be shy at the meetings, and he’ll certainly get his points across on our behalf,” Goobie said.