Coombs hints at Harbour Grace surprise

By Chad Feehan/December 20, 2023

Harbour Grace Mayor Don Coombs looks back on 2023 with satisfaction, and toward the challenges of 2024 in a positive light.
“People are choosing Harbour Grace to do business now,” he said in a year-end interview. “Homes are selling quite well.”
Like all municipalities, the pandemic was a financial struggle for the community, but he celebrates the financial stability Harbour Grace has gained for itself in the past year.
Aside from this, Coombs has his council to thank for knocking a number of items off their 10-year plan. Water, sewer, and paving along Harvey Street are among them, along with work on Lemarchant Street and the new Riverhead pumping station.
“That’s going to allow us to do further development in the Riverhead/Southside area of the town which we see as a major contributor with land development,” he said.
Coombs is also pleased with progress on the town’s roads, the harbour, and the tourism sector.
Though the future looks good, derelict buildings in the community have been and continue to be a thorn in Coombs’ side. Ideally, he would like the ability to place a lien on properties that the Town is forced to clean up.
“Taxpayers are paying for a cleanup to do up somebody’s assets, and that’s frustrating to me,” he said.
Coombs was mums on details, but he hinted at several upcoming announcements in the new year that he is enthusiastic about.
“People are going to be so pleased,” he said. “People are going to come from near and far. If you build it they will come.”
Reflecting on the year gone by, Coombs thanked his fellow councillors, their families, and the citizens of Harbour Grace for a successful year.
“Overall I was pleased with 2023 and I’m excited about what’s going to happen in 2024,” said the mayor.