The Flickr Churchstreet Image Generatr

Cakery True to the Pacific Spirit - Onehunga

Excerpt from akimbo.ca/listings/call-for-submissions-the-elora-sculptu...:

The Elora Sculpture Project is a juried, seasonal outdoor exhibition which will take place from May 15 to October 15, 2025 will be the 15th edition. Twenty sculptures will be installed throughout the downtown cores of Elora and Fergus, available for easy viewing and possible purchase.

The exhibition is open to all artists within Canada.

The criteria for selecting the artworks include aesthetic appeal, quality, durability, innovation and originality.

Sculptures must be original works suitable for outdoor installation. The artwork must not pose a risk of injury to the public (i.e. no sharp points) and must be robust enough to withstand six months of exposure to all weather conditions and interaction with the public and wildlife.

A jury appointed by the Elora Sculpture Project (ESP) committee will select up to 20 entries for exhibition. Artists may submit up to two entries for consideration.

Artworks may be offered for sale. The ESP does not take a commission on sales, nor is it directly involved with any sales. All inquiries and sales are handled by the artist or their designated agent and all sculptures must remain in place for the duration of the exhibition.

Artists will receive an honorarium upon conclusion of the exhibition.

Poole Harbour Trail | South Middlebere to Wareham RS

Sheffield Supertram no. 115 photographed at Cathedral tram stop, wearing a livery advertising the Park + Ride facilities at Nunnery Square.

As seen at Cathedral tram stop, Sheffield Supertram no. 112 carries an advert for Travel South Yorkshire, a body which represents the various elements of integrated public transport in the county.

Church Street, Honley, West Yorkshire. On the right are terraced cottages built in 1692. At the end of the street is the tower of St Mary the Virgin parish church.

❤️💙💛*´¨)☆(¸.•´(¸.•*¨)☆(¸.•´ ♥(¸.• Thank you all so very much for your comments and faves, but most of all I thank you for just taking your valuable time to look. I appreciate each one of you! I will always reciprocate in return / Danke / Merci / Gracias / Bedankt / Arigatō / ¸.•*´¨)☆(¸.•´(¸.•*¨)☆(¸.•´ ♥(¸.•❤️💙💛


©All images are ©Kevin Walker and may not be used in any way without my permission. Thank you....

"The little round holes in the nine and the six are supposed to be the exact same size."

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In downtown Champaign, Illinois, on August 11th, 2024, was a datestone at the First United Methodist Church at the northeast corner of West Church Street and North State Street.

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Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names terms:
• Champaign (7013576)
• Champaign (county) (1002253)

Art & Architecture Thesaurus terms:
• building stone (300011700)
• churches (buildings) (300007466)
• cornerstones (300002616)
• date stones (300374978)
• Methodist (300153848)

Wikidata items:
• 11 August 2024 (Q69307257)
• 1900s in architecture (Q16482507)
• 1906 in architecture (Q2744687)
• August 11 (Q2778)
• August 2024 (Q61313036)
• Champaign-Urbana (Q2948658)
• Treaty with the Kickapoo, 1819 (Q129263988)
• United Methodist Church (Q329646)

Library of Congress Subject Headings:
• Methodist church buildings (sh85025873)

With the east gable of the C16th Abertarff House, the south gable of 77-79 Church Street, and the spire of the Free North Church in the background.

Church Street, Staithes
Yorkshire Coast, North Yorkshire, UK

©SWJuk (2025)
All rights reserved

May 2025 It's Grande Street Parade Month in Kentville,,


Pipers pass by the MTT (now Bell/Aliant) Telephone Office in the 2024 Kentville Grande Street Parade ;


This year's Royal-less and a cut to the bone version of the historic Annapolis Valley Apple Blossom Festival will be held May 28 - June 2, 2025 ?


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news clippings ;

Bell Canada Union Busters - Apr 2004 - Bell Canada Toronto has turned its back on telecommunication telephone workers in Atlantic Canada and tried starving out 4300 striking telephone employees in a legal strike that has lasted 5 months while local Supervisors and scab labor try to cope ?
The marathon strike is finally over ? 4300 exhausted Bell Aliant employees from all 4 Maritime Provinces will finally return to work on Sept 16th 2004 after spending 5 months eating road dust on the picket line ?
www.itbusiness.ca/news/telco-union-ends-five-month-strike...

Bell Let's Talk ! Abandoning your telephone workers, refusing to talk to them, and leaving them out on the Street for 5 Months seems unconscionable and does not contribute to good mental health ? And, U Ottawa Scotty suggests that the internet, mobile phones and the Social media are also taking a heavy toll on the mental health and well being of today's society and maybe there's some hypocrisy being shown here from such a major profiteer from all of this ? www.youtube.com/shorts/31f3sZndK6w
www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/51844732131/in/album-7...

MONTRÉAL, Jan. 6, 2020 - a hatchet-man this way comes ? Bell welcomes Mirko Bibic as the new President and Chief Executive Officer, www.bce.ca/news-and-media/releases/show/bell-welcomes-mir...

Apr 12 2024 - Bell Canada’s 4,800 layoffs, largest in nearly 30 years, ‘feel like death by a thousand cuts,’ says Canadian Association of Journalists
www.hilltimes.com/story/2024/02/12/bell-medias-4800-jobs-...

Feb 2024 - Bell Canada snubs the East Coast ? Severe Bell news coverage cut-backs targeting the Maritimes have created local community safety hazards ? Bell Canada and CTV have deafened and blindfolded Maritimers after eliminating many hours of critical prime time local and community TV news programming in the Atlantic region ? www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/53577394363/in/album-7...

Local news cuts at Bell come even after Bell was granted $40M in regulatory relief: montrealgazette.com/news/national/local-news-cuts-at-bell...

Feb 9th 2024 - Trudeau quote 'pissed off' by Bell Media's 'garbage decision' to lay off journalists ? On Thursday the mega media company — which owns CTV and BNN Bloomberg — announced 4,800 jobs "at all levels of the company" would be cut. Bell said it's the largest round of cuts in nearly 30 years. After announcing the job cuts Bell said it would push ahead with a more generous dividend payout to shareholders.
www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trudeau-bell-media-cuts-pissed-1...

Feb 11th 2024 - Las Vegas USA, - ( 'great Canadians eh' ) ,,
Bell Canada and CTV broadcast multiple hours of prime time live TV coverage on America's Superbowl but year after year they continue to completely ignore and refuse to show a minute of their own Countrie's Canadian Grey Cup ?
www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/53523500175/in/album-7...

Feb 11, 2025 - Bell Canada offering severance packages to 1,200 unionized employees'' www.cbc.ca/news/business/bce-severance-packages-1.7456016




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Following a 2 year absence due to Covi,, the 2022 Annapolis Valley Apple Blossom Festival. (and Parade) will be held as per usual this year.. Unfortunately the Queen Annapolisa and Apple Blossom Princess competition has had to be postponed until next year due to time constraints.


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Shocking news from ABF,


* There's been a stunning development at ABF. *

Apparently in a new younger generation there are those who harbor resentment towards our nations history, for English colonialism, and even for the Monarchy ? Other minority groups have voiced discontent over the diversity and inclusion issue ? And so it seems that the current ABF Board of Directors has listened to the concerns and complaints of a few small minority groups while apparently ignoring and excluding the overwhelming majority of Valley residents ? And it appears that this current Board of Directors chose to resolve such discontent by simply moving to implement and execute the nuclear option and the final solution ? And therefore after a highly successful lengthy run of 87 consecutive years in a row, the extremely anticipated, very popular, family oriented, inclusive and diverse, multi village Queen Annapolisa and Apple Blossom Princess Pageant along with the prestigious Royal Coronation crowning ceremonies held in Wolfville have all been terminated forever by this current board of Directors ?


Will a drag Queen replace an apple blossom Queen in Kentville ? www.nsbuzz.ca/life/kentville-all-ages-drag-show-draws-pro...

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-----------------------It's The End of an Era-----------------------------


"We are such stuff as dreams are made on, and our little life is rounded with a sleep."


Annapolis Valley Apple Blossom Festival 2023 - ABF Board of Directors has announced drastic new changes in format and even deeper cut-backs to the annual People's Festival ? Concerns over ceremony, symbolism, the monarchy and colonialism, along with some complaints over inclusion and diversity may have had an influence on the current ABF board of Directors and they have seen a need to update the long running Queen Annapolisa and Apple Blossom Princess pageant in order to bring it up to a standard they view as being more relevant to the current times ? And so the Directors must have held an extremely private 'think tank' last Winter, and without notifying, caring, considering or consulting with any of the long time participating Valley communities, they had decided that rather than trouble themselves any further with this pesky issue, why not just take the easy way out and simply get rid of it ? And so it seems they made a final decision in private last Winter and moved to execute the final and fatal solution to their problem by ordering that the iconic 87 year old Pageant competition be immediately shut down and terminated forever ? And therefore, as a result of an uninclusive and uncontested decision made in private, one of the longest running, popular, identifiable, well known, highly anticipated, most inclusive and diverse, proud all family events that has ever benefited Valley residents of every age, has just been taken away ?
This unconditional act of finality will now end the long running 88 year reign of her royal Heinous Queen Annapolisa and will terminate all participation of the 7 to 10 Apple Blossom Princess contestants and their child attendants that represent 7 to 10 local Valley communities ? It will also mean the end of the many beautiful hand crafted award winning Princess floats that always highlight Grand Street Parade, and it will also signal the end of the ultra glamorous Queen and Ladies-in-waiting Crowning ceremonies held annually and televised each year from Acadia University in Wolfville ? This also puts an end to the many popular community Princess Tea events, and also ends all Royal Party visitations to local Schools, hospitals and old folks homes that are so welcome and appreciated by Students, Seniors and shut-ins ? This also signals the end of Royal Party appearances at Kentville Children's Parade, at the Memorial Park Friday night open air concert and fireworks, and all Royal attendances at many other events held annually throughout the Valley and the Province ?
It appears now that current ABF Officials led by President Logan Morse along with Kentville town rep Lindsey Young have not only interrupted the Pageant in 2022 when they temporarily postponed it, but have now in 2023 moved to terminate this prestigious event forever explaining that their radical decision has been made to improve, include, modernize and evolve the famed beauty pageant ? This final act of termination ends almost 90 years of royal pageantry and also leaves a huge gap in the Festival itself ? It will also negatively affect so many of the nearby Valley communities who always participate and enter contestants in the Pageant ? The ending of such an important multiple community event and the taking away of the better half and Star of the Apple Blossom Festival brings forth the question of what replacement is planned, and what are local towns and villages that always play major roles in both the Queen and Princess competition suppose to do now ? And what about Valley youth and the childhood dreams of one day becoming a child attendant or an Apple Blossom Princess or even a Queen ?
You have to marvel at the level of ego and disrespect shown by this latest Board of Directors who have dared appoint themselves as the ones that will end the Pageant and then to think that Valley residents are stupid enough to believe that by cancelling and taking away a cherished and long running event, that they have in some perverted way of thinking moved the Valley forward or improved and modernized anything ? It seems far more likely that they have taken the Valley on a giant step backwards and they have robbed the people of a much beloved, long running, multi community, all inclusive, local production that has always been a highly anticipated all Valley highlight for the past almost 90 consecutive years ?
Why current ABF Management who have applied themselves to be the stewards who are in charge and responsible for the promotion and presentation of this event, appear as unable to perform their duties and do the job they are compensated to do and do what their predecessors have always done so well before them each and every year for the past 87 years often in far more trying circumstances and in far less prosperous times, is hard to understand ? And you have to wonder, Whatever happened to the # 1 rule in business that says that if you can't do the job because of inexperience, immaturity, inability, incompetency, bias, or just plain stupidity, then,,,, You're all FIRED ! (and a Class action recovery suit may be forthcoming ! )

Logan Morse and a bold revolutionary ABF Board of Directors have moved to terminate the Queen Annapolisa and Apple Blossom Princess Pageant forever after an 88 year run ? www.pressreader.com/canada/annapolis-valley-register/2023...

The beloved Peoples Pageant has been cancelled without notice ? Directors say bold action was needed to improve, evolve and modernize the historic pageant ? www.saltwire.com/atlantic-

The 2017 Grand Street Parade.. Is Kentville once again under attack ? After Warden Brothers,( Greenwood ) and Liberal MP L Glavine (Kingston) had all but stolen our Airport and moved it to their home riding in Kingston/Greenwood, it seems that the town of Kentville must face yet another attack from the Kingston area when Alxys Chamberlain, the Kingston ABF Princess, and ABF Directors attempted to hijack the famous Grand Street Parade and take yet another major source of revenue and major attraction away from the town of Kentville ?
Et tu, Madama Chamberlain ? The unconscionable hijacking of Kentvilles's most beloved yearly event ?
www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/18506181065

Exploiting a Queen in a photo op ? Politicians at official opening of the 2023 Apple Blossom Festival pretend there's still a Pageant when knowing full well that Queen Annapolisa has recently been terminated forever and will no longer be a part of the Festival ? www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/53755100811/in/album-7...

2023 Kentville Grand Street Parade - A disregard for safety is shown as unrestrained Senior citizens appear to be perched precariously aboard an unshaded, no sided, jerking motion, stop and go, large unstable moving platform ?
www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/53900780519/in/album-7...

Nov 16 2023 - Apple Blossom Princesses call for a return of Queen Annapolisa,
www.saltwire.com/atlantic-canada/communities/former-apple...

She's Ruined It ! Our great Festival is no longer recognizable ? President Erica Gillis has got to be fired ? the Worst ever ? They've taken a world class event and turned it into something stupid !
www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/54493011308/in/dateposted
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ABF Officials may have snubbed and eliminated Queen Annapolisa and the Apple Blossom Princesses, but
Canada still loves, honors, respects and appreciates Royalty and the royal family. Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camillty have been invited and will be coming for a royal visit to Canada, May 26 and 27, 2025, This year's incomplete royal-less ABF starts on the 28th www.cbc.ca/news/politics/king-charles-canada-visit-1.7524946


A medley of some of the Tribute bands that have performed for free in the past at Memorial Park Kentville, Apple Blossom Festival - Petty Larceny, Fleetwod Mix, Keep the Faith, Stones Tribute, Green River Revival, Viscious, Eddy's Basement, ,
www.dailymotion.com/video/x5hqti9
A new attitude is held by a new age 2025 Apple Blossom Festival management team Now in 2025 it's 50.00 pp for the 'Queen' Tribute band performance. 50.00 per ticket ? acadiau.universitytickets.com/

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A small town that prides itself on its history may be experiencing an Identity Crisis ?

Can an identity crisis be looming in the town of Kentville ? A proud and neighborly salt of the earth working class community and railroad center with hard working easy going friendly citizens and a rich historic background in railway, agriculture and farming is losing many of its longtime identifiable local trademarks, themes, and traditions as they are gradually taken away while elected Town officials just stand still, watch, and even encourage ? Having always been identified as the main Provincial railroad center ever since the old Dominion Rail days that date back to 1869, the town has since lost all passenger and freight train rail service in and out including a modern passenger Dayliner service that used to travel back and forth to Halifax daily ? And after the railway was shut down it seemed they couldn't close and clear out the brand new RR station, dig up the tracks and demolish the old roundhouse fast enough ? And so now, in what seems cruel mockery, the only railroading left in Kentville from its past glory days and from what once was the largest and most important railroad hub west of Halifax, is an old and faded weather beaten hand painted picture of a train on the side of a downtown building ?
Unfortunately the loss of the railway wasn't the last major transportation link to absorb annihilation in this small rural town as Kentville was to become even more isolated from the outside World when for no apparent logical, rational or even reasonable reason the aviation community at Waterville municipal Airport CCW3 were told to get out when they had done nothing wrong and had no place else to go ? And so this long-running airport and valuable asset to the local area economy was lost when the airport, the Canadian sky diving academy, and an internationally known pilot training licensing academy, and many privately owned aircraft with owners, and many other firmly established aviation businesses were all told to get out ? The evictions also left our local Camp Aldershot Air Cadets without a base and our next generation will have to grow up without a nearby aviation training and education facility ?
And so what was once a thriving Aviation center that had taken decades to build, was now just a lifeless plot of barren land where unsupervised children ride bikes up and down a deteriorating asphalt runway that had once served as the platform for commercial aircraft to fly in and out on a daily basis ? To add salt to the wound, the calculated forced closure and the devastating loss of an important contributor to the local economy was hailed by Kings Council, ( and also by the prestigious Ivany Report Committee ) as being a bold and brilliant business decision that would greatly improve and benefit the local area ? After months of homelessness and uncertainty over the future, a few of the evicted tenants found new sites elsewhere and relocated at their own expense to start all over again, while others just quit, while others were finally redirected to a new location in Greenwood that just happened by chance to be the County Warden Brother's home riding ? And so, in the end this devastating loss to Kentville and its local area became Greenwood's gain, and Kentville will have to carry on without either railway transportation or an Airport ?
When the original KCA town School was closed down, the high school students were to be separated from their home school they identify with and were instead bused to the different nearby town of Canning to attend High School there ? This student segregation left only the Grade 1 to 8 age groups to now identify Kentville as their home school, a situation that remains today ? There is no movie theater as the downtown movie theater has been closed forever, and the popular Edge sports bar, eatery and pool hall closed down and was never replaced ? Harvey's Hamburgers closed down and never was replaced ? A longtime nearby bowling alley in New Minas was bought out by developers and replaced with a business office complex ? We lost the local salvage, reclamation and disposal site in South Alton after it was ordered shut down by Provincial Government, but these same people that shut it down did not offer to replace it with anything else leaving the community without such a vital facility ? One day a portion of the roof blew off a long time town funeral home and it was never re-opened leaving only one such establishment left in town ? And, just as the citizens of Kentville were learning that both the Apple Blossom Princess and the Queen Annapolisa pageants were to be cancelled after 87 consecutive years, there was at the same time an all age Drag Queen show getting ready to play at the Kings Arms Pub in a total entertainment flip flop from the traditional Irish Rovers or Scottish pipers that most Kentville citizens identify with at this time of year ? Numerous local restaurants and small businesses have come and gone - mostly gone - and the main town supermarket Jasons IGA had a fire and was forced to close down for over a year so there was no supermarket to provide groceries for the citizens ? The popular multi venue Wandlyn Inn with its many hotel rooms, indoor swimming pool, whirlpool and sauna area, large nightclub, dual convention centers and dual restaurants burned down and subsequently access to all of these venues was lost to the community forever ? The entire complex was never replaced and now just one lone fast food MacDonald's take out site is all that has ever replaced all of the Wandlyn Inn's hotel, nightclub, recreational, conference, and dining amenities ?
The July 1st Canada Day holiday party of fun, food, speeches, and entertainment held each year at the wading Pool was downsized and then curtailed by the Town due to budget considerations ? And so if you want to enjoy July 1st entertainment or fireworks you have to go to New Minas, Hantsport or Berwick ? Access to drinking water is surely one of the most entitled and identifiable of town utility services to be provided ? Billions are currently being spent by Canadian taxpayers to provide First Nations people with free safe drinking water ? Yet Kentville water commission charges potential customers 10,000 dollars just to turn Town water on at the roadside ? and then after such a massive charge, this brand new customer must also handle all yard trenching and household plumbing work at his own expense ? And in return for this large personal financial outlay, this lucky new valued client is rewarded by the town with a lifelong new water bill each month from the Kentville Water Commission ?
They've even managed to take away Kentville's most famous of all and most instantly identifiable landmark in the hotel name Cornwallis Inn ? Cornwallis Inn is a well known trademark hotel name that is synonymous World wide with the name of Kentville, and the name represents a multitude of fond memories for local area residents and others all over the Valley ? It was hard to understand why the Town world allow this historic name to change,, and it was also hard to understand why a previous Town of Kentville planning dept would ever allow subsidized apartment units to be built onto the side of a historical Town centerpiece, Valley landmark and future Canadian heritage site while also blocking traffic access to the rear parking lot ?
And, they have even changed well known identifiable names of some Streets and even the traffic bridge traversing the Cornwallis River ? And so now, residents and delivery drivers don't know what they are talking about when they use these stupid new names ? This is especially hard on Kentville'e Senior residents who can become confused with such senseless changes and it has in some cases created a safety hazard ?
In 2017 the Directors of Apple Blossom Festival tried to hijack Kentville's 87 year old yearly Grand Street Parade, and the town was forced to claw and battle its way just to get its own traditional yearly event returned back home to them after hosting it for the last 90 years ? And in yet another giant leap backwards that same year, ABF and the Town decided to cancel, cease and desist all public ABF Wednesday, Thursday and weekends of fun, food, music, displays, amusements, local student performances, etc. that were always held down at Memorial Park during Apple Blossom week ? This dramatic cut-back in so many hours of public outdoor entertainment abruptly ended a long running popular Kentville tradition ? No explanation was ever given and no replacement or apology was ever offered by the Town for such a major loss to be absorbed by the citizens of Kentville ? And now, in yet another major step backwards, Kentville has even lost the most identifiable of all citizens, that being the Apple Blossom Princess Kentville, when in 2023 the current officiating ABF Directors had displayed uncommon arrogance, disrespect, disregard and insensitivity when they presumed to make themselves the generation that would, after 88 years, appoint themselves as the generation entitled to interrupt and end the long running iconic Queen Annapolisa competition and to take it away from the people ? This unthinkable ending means that all public appearances including Princess Teas, the Children's Parade, all Royal visitations to schools, shut-ins, Seniors, and hospital attendances that would normally be made by Queen Annapolisa and the Royal Princesses are now cancelled forever and will no longer take place ?
In 2022 the Kentville Grand Street Parade was quite understandably shortened following the 2 previous Covi Parade cancellations, but this years' 2023 weak poor effort didn't seem to be much better ? The always welcome contribution and wonderful diversity brought in by Valley communities from Windsor to Digby was unfortunately no longer present or included in this years Parade presentation ? And many long time local parade patrons expressed major disappointment when Apple Blossom Princess Kentville and her child attendant were also no longer to be included in the Parade as it made its way down main street Kentville on Apple Blossom Saturday in Kentville ? And so it seemed that Kentville had now lost yet another well known and identifiable citizen as well as wonderful Ambassador who had performed her royal duties of advertising, identifying, promoting and showing off the town of Kentville with charm, grace and beauty wherever she went ?
After the long running 3 consecutive Apple Blossom weekdays of afternoon and evening mid week entertainment at the Park were all cancelled and Apple Blossom Week entertainment was cut down to a bare bone single Friday night affair, ( which btw will no longer include the highlight of the evening Royal Party visitation and rock music by Eddy's Basement ), it seems Officials were still unsatisfied and found yet another way to take away even more ? And this year they want to charge inflation stressed locals a fee to see entertainers like Matt Minglewood and Kevin Davison when in the past these entertainers appeared on a public stage free of charge ? Cut backs were also apparent in the always amazing Fireworks, (which btw are no longer started by Queen Annapolisa at the official Royal Party visitation to the Park following Coronation ceremonies in Wolfville) ?
And so, in summing up, the citizens of Kentville have become frustrated over the many losses, closures, steps backwards and cutbacks that are never replaced once gone ? Both of the Provincial Railway and municipal Airport are now permanently closed down and even the Provincial Acadia Van lines transport no longer stops ? The entire Wandlyn Inn complex and all of its popular hotel and restaurant services were lost by fire ? Extreme cut backs were made to the historic Apple Blossom Festival that saw a week long fun filled period of public entertainment at Memorial Park cut down to one minimal Friday night affair with fireworks followed the next day by a shortened parade as well as budget saving cut backs on popular statutory holiday town celebrations ? Concerns also remain about the lack of an in-Town High School for young adults, the loss of a key funeral home, the loss of the Pool Hall, the absence of a movie theater, loss of Harveys burgers, loss of one of the 2 Tim Hortons, loss of the pizza parlor, loss of Chinese food take out, loss of the fruit and vegetable market, loss of the convenience store, loss of the bakery, and also the loss of the vital local disposal site that was ordered shut down by the Province but no replacement was ever offered by those who shut it down leaving the area without this vital service ? And then there was the complete and total cancellation of displays and public entertainment events normally held at Memorial Park on Apple Blossom week mid days ? We missed the diversity offered by neighboring towns and villages when they were excluded from this year's Grand Street Parade ? There was also the shocking cancellation and end to the famous Apple Blossom Princess Kentville and her appearance at the now also cancelled Acadia U Coronation ceremonies in Wolfville ? There was also the erasing and change of name of Kentville's biggest and most identifiable attraction name ever in the internationally known Cornwallis Inn name logo that is instantly recognizable world wide and symbolically married for decades to the Town name of Kentville ? There also remains the serious problem of a serious shortage of local rental rooms and local dining spots for tourists to enjoy that were created when the Wandlyn hotel complex had burned down and not one of the important hospitality, business, tourist, restaurant, hotel, night club, and recreational venues were ever replaced ?
And in a more recent local issue, we are seeing more and more small businesses from all over the Valley, that over the years have not only provided employment but also served as popular meet and greet gathering spots for local friends and neighbors, now changing hands after being bought out and turned over to total strangers that are not from Halifax or from N.S. nor even this Country but have come from another Continent ? This strange new phenomenon of foreign take-overs includes replacing management, assuming full control of the business and controlling the labor force of many long time popular Valley fast food, gas and coffee businesses that so far includes : the Petrocan New Minas, some Tim Hortons, the Subway, KFC, DQ, Burger King N.M., and Mary Brown's to name a few ? In a new concern , with many of these new employees being unfamiliar with the currency it is advisable to count your change carefully if paying by cash ? Unfortunately there are indications of some cases of nepotism being shown in the re-hiring of workers once these workplaces are taken over by the new foreign management ? Another of the major local employers Eassons Trucking also seems affected by the current influx of foreign workers with some reports of untrained, unlicensed unqualified, (and Government subsidized) drivers behind the wheel, with rumors of some units with multiple drivers on board having a hole drilled in the floor of the sleeper cabin to accommodate a long piece of ABS plumbing pipe that is used to transfer raw sewage directly from the interior of the truck down onto the open highway below to avoid pit stops at the Big Stop ?
And in the recent Town election, it looks like most of the candidates running are relatively new to the area after having recently moved here from elsewhere and may be unfamiliar with the traditional ways and past history of Kentville and seem to be unawares of some serious problems that Kentville faces today ? Some of the candidates naively describe the town as a kind of blissful, Hallmark or Who-ville movie set type happy go lucky village with happy munchkins frolicking up and down picturesque streets lined with colorful quaint shops and eateries ? This description is obviously foolish and does not accurately represent the nature of the many serious issues that now plague the town ? And apparently the new Mayor, who is also a new resident and a new local business owner, appears to have befriended the ex- Kings County Warden Brothers who does not reside here but is a resident of the Kingston/Greenwood area and whom had previously sold out the town of Kentville and area when leading the charge to shut down the local municipal Airport, skydiving academy, National flight training academy and many other Aviation businesses at the Waterville airport and leaving our local community with nothing but an empty dirt field where only weeds can now grow and prosper ? And after the recent election of what appears to be just another tighter than bark on a tree, austere Town Council that has immediately started to cut back again on town public events after ( due to a drop of rain ) cancelling this year's traditional honorary Military march-on and best in the area long running official Remembrance Day ceremonies held outdoors at the Cenotaph on Park Street, and then also, after receiving the new Mayors' New Year's message of congratulations to himself on the enlargement of the size of his downtown retail store and his own personal happiness over having a new (taxpayer funded) sidewalk installed in front of it, while failing to address serious current town issues like town unemployment, the opioid crisis, the cost of living crisis, the homeless problem, the absence of a proper town recreation facility, (no one wants to get their daily exercise by walking down the Kentville Rec provided hiking trail to be attacked by mosquitos or witness a homeless user shoot up in the privacy of the forest), as well as, the current housing rental crisis and the high downtown business bankruptcy rate ? There was also the devastating loss to the town of both their Apple Blossom Princess Kentville and the Queen Annapolisa competition followed by the deterioration of their famous Grande Street Parade, and an unsafe situation in the parade where normal citizens (incl Seniors) were precariously perched aboard a jerking motion, stop and go, moving, open air, no sided vehicle without restraining devices, water or protection from the sun ? There was also the ridiculous changing of many well known long time names around town that included the famous Cornwallis Inn ? There is also the evolving identity problem in Kentville, the plea to 'bring our high school students back home' campaign issue, and the Towns failure to provide entertainment events that exceed the grade school level ? There was also the controversial hanging up of the biggest pride flag you can buy above the main entrance of famous heritage site Cornwallis Inn, and of course the current downtown flooding crisis ? There was also the question of why the Province would force the local reclamation and disposal site to permanently close down its operation - and then not offer a replacement but then just leave the area without one ? And there's also an urgent need for a public inquiry into the exorbitant five figure fee charged to the customer by the Kentville water commission just to turn the water on at the road ? And there are also concerns over the recent rash of takeovers by newcomer foreign interests of so many local small businesses, and the establishment of an Ontarioville type town within a town where newcomers from one particular province were buying up blocks of town residential dwellings ? And what about the problems of inadequate street lighting on some streets and the many residential streets and sidewalks that are still in need of repair, and the current pothole epidemic that has made some streets unfit to drive a car (while a brand new double lane sidewalk in front of Phinneys is smooth as a baby's bum) and the refusal of the Town to help citizens with auto repairs caused by these potholes ? There was also the major inconvenience felt by many local residents when the slow motion repairs on Canaan Ave moved at one legged turtle race speed resulting in this vital access route being closed down to local traffic, incl emergency vehicles, for many many Months, (very much unlike the speedy workmanship and high priority given to the installation of a new downtown sidewalk in front of Phinneys) ?
And so, is it now time to stop newcomer type mentality, and to make it compulsory that all candidates bidding on these important Town governing positions should be born and raised and reside in Kentville in an effort to retain the Town's character and its many longtime local traditions ?


OUCH ! ( could someone please remove the daggers from our back ), Et tu, Warden Brothers and u tu Leo ? March 10th 2014 - A Date That Will Live on in Infamy - Warden Brothers, (Greenwood riding) and the Kings County Council use a calculated forced eviction to shut down the Waterville Airport aviation complex and relocate some of the components to the Kingston/Greenwood area ?
www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/28588465413/in/album-7...


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On the recent 2023 edition of the Grand Street Parade :


"it looked as if some spectators along the route just joined in and began to walk along and make themselves a part of the parade ? "

May 27th, 2023 - Dismay, disillusion and extreme disappointment prevail in Kentville over shocking changes and many missing regular entrees in this years 2023 Grand Street Parade ? Where is our famous Queen Annapolisa and where are the many Apple Blossom Princesses and their child attendants riding in their beautiful hand crafted decorated floats ? Where's the town criers ? And what about the dazzling majorette groups, the Scottish pipers and large multi instrumental marching bands that always come ? And where are the Hantsport and Windsor floats and their large delegations ? And where are Digby, Aylesford, Annapolis Royal, Canning, Middleton, Wolfville, and more ? Why are so many towns and villages that normally participate in the parade not included this year ? It was also a major disappointment when for the first time ever Kentville's own Apple Blossom Princess, (aka Miss Kentville) was no longer included in the parade as many toen residents young and old identify with their chosen Apple Blossom Princess at this time of year ? However the now royalty-free Princess float was still used to transport a grouping of normal everyday town residents sitting around together in a social scene meant to identity Kentville as being a diverse and inclusive place ? The New Minas float also did not include an Apple Blossom Princess for this year, however her float was transformed into an advertisement for the famous New Minas UFO incident which all New Minions identify with. The Berwick float didn't include a Princess Berwick this year either. but was altered to proudly identify with the town's upcoming Centennial celebrations. And the Kingston float was also missing an Apple Blossom Princess this year but was instead promoting their long running Kingston Steer Barbecue that all Kingstonians readily identify with. It was good to see an RCMP contingent again although they sent far less officers this year than usual ? And it was notable that only 1 other large marching band appeared in the parade when usually 4 or more big bands, many with many pipers usually attend after traveling up from places like Cape Breton, Bridgewater, Dartmouth etc ? And where have all of the pets and animals gone ? There's no horse teams, wooden wagons, riders or livestock this year ? Even the usual greyhound dogs weren't there ? Also noticed that some spectators must have just joined in and began walking along within the parade, and others must have come over from the Children's parade with their strollers to join in ? There was a variety of advertisers, most from out of town but some local ? There were various Political parties represented with the largest delegation coming from the Liberals ? All in all, this Year's parade seemed a bare minimum weak effort that was really missing the usual royal pageantry and 7 to 10 spectacular Princess floats, and the large marching bands and majorette groups that usually enter, and the usual agriculture horticulture and livestock component, and the very popular Scottish pipers bands that always attend, and the many large out of town contingents that always participate ? This was not the famous grand street parade that patrons are accustomed to and did not come near to the high standards and professionalism set by previous Grand Street Parades ? It became clearly obvious that what they were hailing as a newer, bolder, more inclusive and more diverse parade was instead the exact opposite ? This Grand Street Parades has lost the inclusion, diversity and major contribution given by the many Valley communities and their Princess contestants with Child attendants that come to participate in the Queen Annapolisa competition, the Friday evening coronation gala at Acadia University in Wolfville, the Princess Teas and Royal attendances at schools hospitals, senior citizen homes and shut-ins, as well as the Friday night Memorial Park outdoor concert, the Saturday morning Children's Parade and the Royal trip down Main street Kentville in the famous Grand Street parade ?
And so, to quickly sum up, can this strange looking, incomplete, shortened, royal-less, newcomer mentality amateur version of our world famous Kentville Grand Street Parade that is now missing Queen Annapolisa and missing all 7 to 10 Apple Blossom Princesses and their personal 7 to 10 beautifully handcrafted individual Town Princess floats, and also missing the unique character and diversity brought forth by the many now absent Valley villages and communities that no longer are included, and that failed to include many large out of town marching bands and the many pipers that usually attend, and that was lacking in representation of local farming, agriculture and livestock displays, now signal the end of the once glorious Grand Street Parade era ?


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Previous parades :

2011 Grand Street Parade Kentville 79th ABF
www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVgh3Dh2xn8&t=208s


2012 Grand Street Parade Kentville www.youtube.com/watch?v=VB1VBx50b18


2014 Kentville Grand Street Parade www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEo14IZKxp8&t=11s


2015 Kentville Grand Street Parade
www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBifeG2SdPY&t=47s

2016 Kentville Grand Street Parade www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2wedvN5_Iw&t=8s

2017 Kentville Grand Street Parade www.youtube.com/watch?v=JozwyGpvfSY&t=1978s

2018 Kentville Grand Street Parade www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOK1GmiLmNk&t=986s

2019 Kentville Grand Street Parade www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMdEx8Zf-q0&t=1492s

The exclusion of so many of the usual participants and the denial of their diversity have marred the 2023 edition of Kentville Grand Street Parade ? Many nearby Valley communities were missing in the Parade when these longtime participants weren't included this year ? Where is Canning, Digby, Annapolis Royal, Hantsport Greenwood, Windsor ? Where's Queen Annapolisa ? Where's the Apple Blossom Princesses and all the individual Town floats including Princess Kentvilles ? To view a complete (newcomer version) of the world famous Kentville Grand Street Parade press here www.dailymotion.com/video/x8lchie www.dailymotion.com/video/x8lchie

They've ruined the Festival and the Parade too ?
www.facebook.com/avabf

She's Ruined It ! Our great Festival is no longer recognizable ? President Erica Gillis must be fired ? the Worst President in the history of Apple Blossom !
www.appleblossom.com/?fbclid=IwY2xjawKCVJhleHRuA2FlbQIxMA...


A concerned Kentvillian must finally speak out, www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/44424045874


Kentville is an incorporated town in Nova Scotia. It is the most populous town in the Annapolis Valley. As of 2021, the town's population was 6,630.