Council gets update and discusses pipe inspection equipment and the wildfire resilency plan
During the April 7 meeting of the Nackawic-Millville Council, the mayor and councillors were briefed on the first tourism event of the season.
The Mactaquac Headpond will be a busy spot during the weekend of May 15 to 17 as participants take part in the Destination Nackawic Bass Open. It is the largest bass tournament in Atlantic Canada, offering $50,000 in cash and prizes. The top prize includes a $15,000 cheque.
The youth derby will also be a part of the bass open again this year. The derby will take place on May 17 and is open to ages two to 15. Mayor Tim Fox said as of April 7, they have 65 teams registered for the bass open. He said the youth derby registration opened on April 1, and they had sixty kids sign up in the first two days. Fox mentioned they will cap it at 100 kids, and registrations currently sit at 65. He said kids are coming from all over, including Fredericton and Saint John. You can register for both events at the Destination Nackawic website: www.destinationnackawic.ca
Pipe inspection camera and locator purchase
Council passed a motion to purchase a pipe inspection camera and locator from NAPA Auto Parts in Nackawic at a total cost of $15,692.90.
CAO Kathryn Clark pointed out that the total cost does not include the HST rebate the community will receive, so the price will be lower.
In a memo from Ken Davis, Director of Public Works and Utilities, he stated that the town has many situations that require inspection of underground sewer lines and culverts. He said this purchase would allow them to build an inspection regimen to better understand their repair regimen, which will help them predict maintenance and costs.
Community Wildfire Resiliency Plan presented to council
The Community Wildfire Resiliency Plan was presented by Robert Scott from ACFOR Forestry at the council meeting on Tuesday evening. Mayor Tim Fox said the plan includes a lot of good information that will help the community in the long run.
“We aren’t super high risk, but this plan can help us make some decisions in higher risk areas,” said Fox.
He also pointed out that Nackawic-Millville is one of the first municipalities to have such a plan. Fox suggested sharing the report, as a Fire Service Review is currently underway as well.
The report summarizes that its purpose is to assess the current state of community preparedness in advance of wildfire events, highlight areas of greatest concern, and suggest actions to increase preparedness and reduce risk.
The plan outlines 16 recommendations to increase community wildfire resilience. This plan was developed for the community through funding from the government of New Brunswick.
Heart and Stroke Foundation’s door-to-door campaign
Council was informed in a letter from the Heart and Stroke Foundation that their annual door-to-door campaign is scheduled from April to September.
Volunteers will be canvassing the area during that time to raise money, which will allow the foundation to continue funding its mission of preventing heart disease, saving lives, and promoting recovery.
The foundation has programs and initiatives in schools, workplaces, and communities, and is dedicated to helping people live active, healthy lifestyles.
Ongoing improvements to Pokiok Park and the Nackawic Ski Club
In a letter to the council from AV Group, they offered a brief summary of the work completed in 2025 and planned investments for 2026 related to improvements at Pokiok Park and the Nackawic Ski Club.
The letter went on to say that these projects support the restoration and accessibility of Pokiok Park while enhancing the local trail network and recreation infrastructure as part of AV Group NB’s previously committed community contribution to the Town of Nackawic.
AV Group’s total investment for 2025 was $17,400, and the planned investment for 2026 is $24,075 for a total of $41,475.00 over two years. In 2025, work at Pokiok Park included drone flights, GIS Mapping, trail clearing/mulching, and sign replacement; fabricated and installed a new sign base.
In 2026, work at the park will include replacing two park entrance signs and mulching the edge of the clear-cut near the park entrance. Improvements at the Nackawic Ski-Club in 2025 included: rebuilding the trail network, clearing the parking lot, extra time to carry wood, and building spur extensions to keep the right-of-way narrow. Improvements to the club in 2026 will include: gate fabrication and installation, parking lot construction and move sign, and rebuilding 500 meters of trail and culvert installations.
“AV Group NB is pleased to support these improvements and looks forward to continuing to work with the Town of Nackawic and local community partners,” wrote Ryan McLaughlin, Director of Forestry, AV Group NB Inc.
Deputy Mayor Greg MacFarlane thanked AV Group for their work.
