Peggy’s Cove Infrastructure Improvement Strategy

Location

Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia

Partners

Community of Peggy's Cove, ACOA, Tourism Nova Scotia, Department of Public Works

Contact

Questions/Feedback: peggyscove@buildns.ca
Media Inquiries: media@buildns.ca

OPERATIONS + CONSTRUCTION UPDATES

Last updated: May 31, 2023

Questions, ideas, or issues? Email us at peggyscove@buildns.ca


Community Meetings + Contacts

  • Build Nova Scotia’s project team are available for on-site meetings by appointment, as well as virtual and phone options. Feel free to reach out to any member of the project team or send a note to peggyscove@buildns.ca
  • For operational questions or issues, please contact Todd Brayman at todd.brayman@buildns.ca or 902-219-3462.
  • For road related issues, pass your concern directly along to Public Works through the Province’s Operation Contact Centre (OCC) at 1-844-696-7737 or by email at dpw-occ@novascotia.ca  The OCC is open 24/7.

Operations Updates

  • Public Washrooms. The public washrooms at the lighthouse and deGarthe Common are open for the season from 9am-9pm.
  • As of May 1, 2023 a safety attendant is on-site in Peggy’s Cove from 8am-8pm. See below for more information on the Safety Program and attendants.
  • Contracts for washroom cleaning, garbage removal, litter pickup continue with The Sou’Wester, who are on a three-year contract for this work (issued in Spring 2021)

Minor Construction

  • Some gravel was placed near the deGarthe House and Gallery to provide a space for Paint Peggy’s Cove to set up this summer. This minor work was completed in March 2023.
  • Updates on Department of Public Works Projects in Peggy’s Cove:
    • Handrail at gift shop to be completed.
    • Widening of shoulder on Church Road to be completed independent of work currently underway.
    • Sidewalk washout on hill has been completed.
  • Installation of fencing in Visitor Information Centre parking lot is underway, and should be completed by the end of January 2023.

deGarthe Properties

  • Neil Depew will operate out of the deGarthe Studio for the 2023 season.
  • The Hags on the Hill will operate out of the deGarthe Garage for the 2023 season.
  • The final item we still need to work out is how the publicly-owned lands and infrastructure in Peggy’s Cove might support Paint the Cove and other community events for 2022. We intend to work with event organizers and community to source solutions for the 2023 season.

Viewing Deck Updates

  • The viewing deck opened to the public in October 2021. Since then, we’ve continued to clean up small items and maintenance as needed.
  • Build Nova Scotia continues to observe and gather feedback—feel free to share any thoughts you have with anyone from our team or through peggyscove@buildns.ca.

Line Painting + Parking Inventory System

  • Build Nova Scotia will continue to monitor the system throughout the off season and adjust as needed. The sign is expected to remain off until Spring 2023.
    • Real-time data (approximate count) for both parking lots is available to everyone on the Safety Microsite Build Nova Scotia developed under the direction of the Province in Fall 2022.
  • Parking Inventory cameras damaged in Hurricane Fiona have been replaced.

Security Cameras

  • Build Nova Scotia operates camera systems in Peggy’s Cove to support our work and operations. There are cameras installed at the lighthouse washroom, the cove washroom, and the deGarthe Studio—they help us evaluate site conditions and monitor for operations issues on provincially-owned properties in Peggy’s Cove.

Signage Program

  • Build Nova Scotia will begin developing additional signage to deter people from the breakwater and surrounding paths, and aim to develop and install additional signage ahead of peak season.
  • Build Nova Scotia are also working with families affected by tragedy in Peggy’s Cove and Mi’kmaw community members to explore and develop two new interpretive signage additions for 2023.

Safety + Harm Prevention Program

  • Safety Staff. Build Nova Scotia has contracted on-site attendants for short-term pilot to help address safety concerns in Peggy’s Cove. This program will return full time as of May 1, 2023 (from 8am-8pm).

    The attendants are providing direct intervention, communication, and education focused on visitor safety, harm prevention, any immediate safety issues on the public lands and infrastructure in Peggy’s Cove. Their presence has proven to be an effective addition to the efforts to increase harm prevention efforts and visitor safety in Peggy’s Cove.

    The attendants’ duties include monitoring the rocks to provide warnings and point out dangers to visitors; providing immediate first aid; calling emergency services when required; helping with the general flow of vehicle circulation at the layby and Lobster Lane; and on-scene incident management as necessary. These attendants are not authorized to lead any physical interventions or water rescue.
    Since the start of the pilot program in August 2022, we have had 109 days of operation, 949 verbal interventions, and 1 non-life-threatening incident on site that required further intervention from Build Nova Scotia and Halifax Fire.
  • We continue to explore further safety and circulation items that these attendants could support around Peggy’s Cove.