Blog Archives
Active Roddickton-Bide Arm
The Town of Roddickton-Bide Arm has placed a real focus on recreation and engaging the community in a variety of activities and utilizes assets such as an outdoor swimming pool, arena, playground, network of trails and other social commons. It is important to have a committed group of volunteers in that place focus on recreation. This Town has adapted to share knowledge with the greater community by having a FB Group called “Roddickton-Bide Arm Recreation” which has 177 members. More people are encouraged to join and participate, as recreation and healthy living is for those of all ages.
Recently they have hired a “Get Moving” Coordinator that hosts a series of activities from games day, healthy cooking classes, snowshoeing runs and winter boil-ups. A great mix of exercise, healthy living, education, culture and fun! These initiatives are very progressive and attractive for current and future residents.
In September of 2014, I participated in their first ever Fun Run/Walk of 3 or 5 KM in distance. In high school, I ran on the senior cross-country run team. I found out that day, its been more than a decade since high school and no one should just start with a 5 KM run, without training for it first. I had much fun and placed 6th overall, but certainly had some muscle strains and knee aches for many days after. As a politician, I do a lot of door-to-door visits with constituents and residents across Newfoundland & Labrador, which is great activity, but those who run daily will undoubtedly get better results, as they do not contend with the many cups of tea and sweets offered at the household visit.
Cloud River Academy has an incredibly dedicated and committed physical education teacher that is present at virtually every town or school event that has a recreation focus, from the volleyball tournaments to the figure skating events, hockey tournaments and snowmobile races. The presence certainly means a lot for greater community engagement and promoting active lifestyles for our youth but all residents of the greater community.
Despite chilling temperatures, more than 100 spectators and over 2 dozen participants, competed in the annual Roddickton-Bide Arm snowmobile races to find out who will be “King of the Clouds”?
A small group of volunteers continue to make big things happen in small communities. Those on the recreation committee deserve much praise, they are making it happen! Roddickton-Bide Arm is a picturesque Town, which is the perfect venue if you love the great outdoors. Your experience and adventure awaits!
Live Rural NL –
Christopher Mitchelmore, MHA (The Straits-White Bay North)
@MitchelmoreMHA
Christmas Parades on Great Northern Peninsula Exude Community Spirit
The month of December marks a number of community events from Christmas concerts, annual award nights, church functions, tree lighting, breakfast/brunch, socials, appreciation dinners, Santa visits, dances, hockey tournaments and of course the Christmas parade. On the tip of the Great Northern Peninsula there is so much activity. It shows signs of an active volunteer base, supporting strong, vibrant communities as each place offers something unique to bring together residents to enjoy a sense of community, a sense of involvement and just exudes the spirit of Christmas.
I plan to focus, primarily on parades given they were hosted in St. Anthony, St. Lunaire-Griquet, Flower’s Cove, Conche, Englee, Main Brook, Roddickton, Bide Arm, L’Anse aux Meadows, Hay Cove, Noddy Bay, Straitsview, Savage Cove and Anchor Point.
St. Anthony (December 13th)
St. Lunaire-Griquet (December 13th) – Held on December 20th, 2014
Weather postponed the St. Lunaire-Griquet Christmas parade and the event was held the following Saturday and I was unable to attend. If there are people who have photos this parade and are willing to share, please email mitchelmorec@hotmail.com.
Flower’s Cove (December 13th) – Held on December 14th, 2014 which enabled me to attend.
Conche (December 19th, 2014)
Englee (December 19th, 2014) – Held on December 22nd, 2014
This event was originally scheduled for December 19th, but weather greatly impacted the viability of a successful parade. The event was held on Monday, December 22nd and I was unable to attend. If anyone has a few photos they would like to share, please send to mitchelmorec@hotmail.com.
Main Brook (December 20, 2014)
Roddickton-Bide Arm (December 20, 2014)
L’Anse aux Meadows, Hay Cove, Noddy Bay, Straitsview (December 20th, 2014)
If anyone has photos of this event and would like to share, please send to mitchelmorec@hotmail.com. I had committed to attending the Roddickton-Bide Arm parade several weeks in advance.
Savage Cove Christmas Parade (December 21st, 2014)
Town of Anchor Point Christmas Parade (December 23rd, 2014)
There was much time, organization and volunteer efforts put forward by many community leaders, business and residents to ensure these Christmas parades and a host of other activities were successfully held on the tip of the Great Northern Peninsula, some for 50 years. The people of the Peninsula continue to make big things happen in small communities!
Let’s keep building in 2015!
Live Rural NL –
Christopher Mitchelmore, MHA (The Straits-White Bay North)
Scenic Winter Beauty
The Great Northern Peninsula is incredibly scenic, especially after a blanket of snow. We have beautiful forests, mountains in the backdrop and the sea is all around us. The wonder of living rural!
These photos were taken on Route 434 (Conche Road) on a visit to the Northern Peninsula East. A friend and I took a number of photos in Bide Arm, Roddickton and Conche during the winter of 2011. We captured snowmobiles, sheds, boats, mountains of snow, wharves, ice pans and of course shared many moments of laughter. It is nice to explore what is in your own backyard, one never knows where that turn in the road will take you.
Today, I will be travelling to Main Brook and Conche, as part of my duties as the Member of the House of Assembly. It is only a matter of time and winter beauty will surround the tip of the Great Northern Peninsula.
Enjoy the great outdoors and experience the Great Northern Peninsula!
Live Rural NL –
Christopher Mitchelmore, MHA The Straits-White Bay North
Forest Industry on Great Northern Peninsula Forgotten by Government: Mitchelmore
For Immediate Release:
November 7, 2013
Forest Industry on Great Northern Peninsula Forgotten by Government: Mitchelmore
Independent Member Christopher Mitchelmore (MHA, The Straits-White Bay North) says Government inaction has led to the loss of forestry jobs and economic opportunity on the Great Northern Peninsula.
For years the forest industry has been on life support with the downturn in demand for newsprint, shedding hundreds of jobs on the Peninsula. The current shutdown of Holson Forest Products has made matters worse, as local workers, business and Town of Roddickton-Bide Arm and surrounding communities suffer from economic instability.
“Millions of public dollars was invested under the Forestry Diversification Program to re-build the sawmill, establish a kiln and a 60,000 MT pellet plant in Roddickton’, says Mitchelmore. ‘It is evident from months of unproductivity; there are barriers that must be overcome to provide a product that is in demand to market. It’s time for Government to ensure that public money is protected and work with the company to become fully-operational.”
“This business model is ideal to maintain rural jobs and build sustainable rural economies. Government should not forget the value of the forest industry on the Great Northern Peninsula. It is time to get serious about developing this important industry.”
During a meeting of the Public Accounts in October, Department of Forestry and Agrifood officials stated they were committed on having a fully-functioning pellet plant in Roddickton-Bide Arm. The Minister should re-affirm the words of his officials with an action plan to have pellet production begin at Holson Forest Products within six months.
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Christopher Mitchelmore, MHAThe Straits-White Bay North Tel: 1-888-729-6091 Email: cmitchelmore@gov.nl.ca
Have you been to Bide Arm?
Bide Arm was the only new community created under the Resettlement Act in 1969. Residents from Hooping Harbour, Williamsport, Little Harbour Deep, Englee, and Fox Harbour relocated to the new community (Source: roddickton.bidearm.ca)
My former co-worker during 2008, Tony was a resident of Bide Arm. He would talk about his beautiful community with much pride and one could hear the excitement 2009 would bring with Come Home Year. I felt the same sense of excitement as my hometown, Green Island Cove would also be celebrating Come Home Year in 2009.
The Come Home Year would ensure resettlement was a focal point, with a replica of Ashton House being towed and many other homes depicting a sign, saying “The Family Name and I was towed…”
This summer, I visited the community on the day LG Health sent an advisory concerning air quality as forest fires raged in Labrador. One could certainly see the haze, but the beauty of this magical place remained.
I would encourage residents and visitors to the Great Northern Peninsula to add this place to your experience – there is the Armistice Park (which highlights the rich history of boat building (http://roddickton.bidearm.ca/armistice/), walking trails, Ashton House, Scenic Pursuit Boat Tour (http://www.scenicpursuit.com/), playground, family owned small businesses, Apostolic Faith Church and a photo waiting to be snapped around every corner.
There is a scenic view from the doorstep of serene water, groves of trees and hills surrounding the arm. In July 2011, I drove with my friend, Riley from British Columbia as the Municipal roads were being paved for the very first time (See photos in post: https://liveruralnl.com/2011/07/26/offer-more-grants-to-towns-less-grants-to-big-business/). However, there is still needed infrastructure when it comes to road repairs to Route 432 and Route 433 to help drive passenger traffic to this community, as well as addition of high-speed Internet. I encourage you to sign petitions by clicking here. Let’s do this together!
Bide Arm is certainly beautiful beyond the summer months. As recent as this past week one could see the bright leaves as they have changed colour and the peaceful surroundings of a small Town that has so much to offer. If you have been to Bide Arm, share your experience. If not, please add it to your places to go…
Live Rural NL –
Christopher Mitchelmore, MHA The Straits-White Bay North Recommended Reads: Scenic Pursuit Boat Tours- Tourism at its Finest.Underground Salmon Pool, Roddickton-Bide Arm, NL
Winter road to Roddickton-Bide Arm
Roddickton Come Home Year Exudes Community Spirit
It’s All About Regional Marketing
