Watch this amazing drone footage of Outer Battery (drone video: Jeremy Healey) Thanks Jeremy!


And catch this closeup peep at the seagull chicks on Jack's twinestore roof. Peep peep! (video: Darla Secor). Thanks Darla!

Congratulations to Charlie Pearcey, provincial tradition bearer

Okay, so we all know Charlie Pearcey, and the beautiful little red twinestore on Outer Battery that he keeps like a personal inshore fishery museum. Last Wednesday, Charlie was officially recognised as a tradition bearer by the Province. He was honoured as a keeper of inshore fishery knowledge, for the collection of fishery artifacts in the twinestore, and for his efforts to preserve this knowledge and share it with the many visitors he welcomes to his Outer Batterty "museum".  He is one of three provincial tradition bearers currently so honoured.

Please join us in congratulating Charlie - drop in and say so when you see his door open. It is rumoured that there may be a bit of a celebration bash at the twinestore on the 13th of December, so if you happen to be near there that evening you might get a glimpse of the spiffy plaque that they presented to him. Now if he can only find any room to put it on the wall of the place...
Here's the website:
http://commemorations.ca/charles-pearcey/
He was a guest on the CBC Fisheries Broadcast on Dec 4th: 

New April available for OBNA Calendar!

 Click here to get your copy to glue on over the old April.  New April

Oh No!  There's a mistake in the Calendar!

 
A sharp-eyed purchaser has brought to our attention that there's a mistake in the calendar.  If you look at the month of April, you'll notice that the dates are the same as the month of March.  This fact escaped all of us.  We used a computer template to produce the calendar, and assumed it would be accurate.

Please accept our abject apologies.  Even though April often mimics March in st. Johns,  we  honestly didn't intend to play an April Fool's joke on everyone!  As soon as the calendar producer returns from holidays, we will make available on this site a corrected April calendar page with the proper fonts, which can be printed and glued over the existing one. 
Our organization is small, we spend funds on projects like local oral histories and benches for visitors,  and we can't afford to have the calendars reprinted and replaced.  We hope you will bear with us,  and appreciate the calendar as being even more unique.  If you would like to return the calendar for a refund, please contact us  through this site and we'll arrange to meet you. 

Outer Battery 2014 Calendar is now available at Blue Moon Pottery and Belbin's Grocery, or from Board Members.     This year's edition features thirteen stunning and unique photographs taken by Outer Battery residents.  $15.00 each or two for $25.00 - they make great presents!

Developer keeps pushing for Battery Rd hotel

Or perhaps it's not a hotel, just a really really big B&B?

In today's Telegram:

Barbeque rescheduled for August 25

Outer Battery Neighbourhood bbq will happen Sunday August 25th from 1-4pm
We'd always planned to celebrate with Food, Fun, Music and Friends. Now we can celebrate neighbour Ches Sweetapple's survival!

Food, Fun, Music & Friends!
Meal $5 (hamburger/hot dog/chips/drink)
In the parking lot

Ches is found

Ches Sweetapple has been found alive today.

BBQ postponed

Due to an unfortunate and unforeseen personal family crisis for one of our neighbours, and with respect to the sensitive and emotional well being of his family at this time, the Outer Battery Neighbourhood Association has decided to postpone the August 4th BBQ Party until further notice. We appreciate your patience and will be announcing a new date as soon as it becomes more fitting and appropriate.

Beauty, eh?

As discussed at the AGM, it looks like the City isn't going to spruce up the boardwalk thingamajig. So.... OBNA volunteers to the rescue!

Angie & Charlie - at work

Angie & Charlie - finished!

Thanks also to Isabella for the flowers. Walkers have been spotted trying out the benches already!

4th Annual Outer Battery BBQ!

Sunday July 28, 1-4pm
Food, Fun, Music & Friends!
Meal $5 (hamburger/hot dog/chips/drink)
In the parking lot
Rain Date: Sunday August 4th.

OBNA AGM

The OBNA annual general meeting was held last night in Pearcey's Twinestore. A couple of constitutional changes were voted, including reducing the number of Board members from 5 to 3.  
The new Board was elected:
Christina Smith
Jef Combdon
Keith Sparkes
Past Chair & Vice Chair Drake & Brookes agreed to attend board meetings when possible in a non-voting capacity to help with transition issues, etc.

Members volunteered for 3 committees:
Beautification (Isabella St. John)
Barbecue (Barbara Puddester & Michel Savard?)
History (Tor Naes & Chris Brookes)

EXCELSIOR!

Unusual tourist visits

Last night 2 people saw what looked like a racoon on Outer Battery. At 11pm Chris Brookes caught a glimpse of something that took off immediately but he thought might have been a racoon. At 1am  Christina Smith took this shot of an animal up the pole opposite Pearcey's twinestore. She says it was a racoon. Could it be Dart the cat, returned after cosmetic surgery?

Georgestown Flea Market upcoming

 The Georgestown folks advise: Georgestown Neighbourhood Association Annual Flea Market:  Saturday, July 13th. The Annual Georgestown Neighbourhood Association flea market (10:00 a.m.-noon) will be held on Saturday, July 13th, with a rain date of Sunday, July 14th. 

Will there be user fees for walking the trail?

Parks Canada has launched public consultations on proposed user fees at its facilities, including Signal Hill.  Superintendent Bill Brake says they are proposing a season pass for places like Signal Hill and Cape Spear. The proposed season pass is $9.80. It's not clear how this may affect walkers on the North Head trail.

The public can submit comments about this to Parks Canada. The deadline to submit comments is February 18. More information about the proposed fee hikes can be found under the User Fees Proposal - Public Consultations section of the Parks Canada web site .

UPDATE: Brake said on CBC Radio that there will not be fees for North Head Trail.

Sludgepump noise-Harvey's update

The wastewater extractor pump noise ongoing since Thursday finally stopped at noon today.  Geoff Cunningham from Harvey's Marine is very helpful on the phone, and seems intent on finding some solution.  He reports that the noise comes from one particular Pardy pumper truck, their biggest and noisiest, which was used for some extra deep cleaning of a supply vessel.  Normally they use smaller pumper trucks for regular extraction; this one is employed from time to time.  He has apparently received various complaints from residents' in the past days, and knows that it makes an objectionable racket.  He parked a couple of containers around it Sunday hoping to block the sound, but it made no difference.  He's hoping to find a way to minimise it in future.  Good luck to him.

Sludge pump noise

Wondering what the Encanex sludge pump might be expected to sound like (if approved)? Encanex has not provided any noise statistics to date, so it's not clear.  But perhaps lately you've woken up at 7.30 in the morning - or had to put up with all day long (like Friday and Saturday) - to the continuous sound of an extractor pumping wastewater from supply boat(s) at Harvey's. The sound carries well across water.  If the Encanex facility is given the go-ahead, it will be much closer to our homes. Enjoy!

Province to sludge plant: Not So Fast!

MHA Lorraine Michael presented a petition in the House of Assembly on Monday.  Today her office is reporting the following. It looks like Encanex will be required to provide information about chemical, noise, and other environmental impacts on the Battery, and to hold public meetings. Stay tuned.

ENVIRONMENTAL PREVIEW REPORT REQUIRED:

Encanex Wastewater Treatment Operation                              (Reg. 1679)
Proponent: Encanex Environmental Oil & Gas Corp.

The minister has advised the proponent that an Environmental Preview Report (EPR) is required for this project. The EPR is necessary to address, but is not limited to, information on: types of wastewater fluids, treatment processes and monitoring, storage and discharge details and potential impacts on the surrounding infrastructure and environment.  An Environmental Assessment Committee will be appointed to provide scientific and technical advice to the minister and guidance regarding the information requirements to the proponent. The information to be provided will reflect requirements under the Environmental Protection Act and other pertinent legislation. The proponent will be required to hold public meetings during the EPR process. For further information on this project, please contact the Environmental Assessment Committee Chairperson, Eric Watton, at (709) 729-2822 or email at ericwatton@gov.nl.ca.

Outer Battery Maps calendar-REPUBLISHED!

The Outer Battery 2013 calendar is just about sold out, so OBNA is having 100 extra copies printed for Christmas. Get yours at Blue Moon Pottery or Belbin's Grocery!  $10.