Bailey breaks 15-year record for Mustangs

Brennan Bailey

A South Shore Canadian Tire Mustang has broken a 15-year-old team record. Brennan Bailey scored two goals Sunday, surpassing Tim Rice as the Mustangs all-time scoring leader for a defenseman. Bailey says he's thrilled about breaking the record.

"Well, it's just a great accomplishment and it's just very nice and one thing I had set in my mind from the start of the season."

Bailey now has 55 career points with the Mustangs, breaking Rice's previous mark of 53 points. The team captain is also chasing down most points by a defenseman in one season. He's currently at 27 with eight games left. Pete Lecain holds the record with 34 points in 1997-98.

Queens Place Gets Grand Opening

The ribbon was officially cut on the new Queens Emera Place in Liverpool this afternoon. The $20 million dollar facility is home to a regulation size arena, fitness centre, walking track and conference space. Premier Darrell Dexter, a native of nearby Milton, says the recreation center will serve as a year round facility for residents of Queens and the surrounding area. He spoke with CKBW/HANK FM News about his memories of the fundraising campaign for the old Queens Memorial Arena more than 40 years ago. "I remember the walk-a-thon to raise money and I remember everyone wearing those little buttons that said 'we want a rink' for the Queens Memorial. At the time, we just wanted something with four walls where we could skate - so this is a huge achievement." Dexter says facilities such at Queens-Emera Place will make life better for residents of the area. He says it will also help attract new people and families to rural communities along the South Shore.

Ribbon Cutting @ Queens Place in Liverpool

It's a big day in Liverpool! The new Queens Place Athletic Centre will be officially opened this afternoon and a large ceremony is planned. District of Queens Mayor John Leefe says the much-anticipated, multi-million dollar facility will allow for a number of community and regional sporting events. "It's a multi-purpose facility. It includes a little over one-thousand fixed seats, we'll also be purchasing a floor to put over the ice surface for non-ice related events. We've already got figure skating and two significant hockey tournaments lined up,"  The new centre will also feature a gymnasium, a walking track, community meeting rooms and other facilities. Opening ceremonies begin this afternoon at 2 o'clock.

Baillie Swings Through South Shore

Conservative leader Jaime Baillie will make a swing through the South Shore today. Baillie is set to meet with management and staff at Michelin in Bridgewater this morning in what he calls a show of support for the company. The visit follows the NDP government's decision to pass a controversial labour law on so called "First Contract Arbitration". Baillie's party voted against the bill and even tabled a letter in the legislative assembly signed by Bridgewater Town Council indicating their concerns over the legislation.  "For the mayor and councillors in Bridgewater who stood up for Michelin and for the employers - they did their job. I can understand if council is frustrated with NDP MLA's representing Lunenburg and Lunenburg West didn't - they put their party's back-room interests in front of jobs in the areas they represent,"  Both the Liberals and Tories maintain the bill isn't needed and will stifle the province's economic competitiveness. Large employers such as Michelin and Sobeys called the legislation a black mark on business in Nova Scotia.

Weekend Sports Wrap

• The CIBC Wood Gundy Lumberjacks are limping into the Holidays. The Jacks lost their fifth in row Sunday, 4-1 against the Commandos in Dieppe. Brennan Saulnier scored the lone goal for the last-place Lumberjacks who head into the Christmas break 11 points out of a playoff spot.

• The South Shore Canadian Tire Mustangs snapped a three game losing skid with a big 4-3 home victory over the Halifax Titans. Brennan Bailey scored twice for the Stangs who handed the first place Titans only their second regulation loss this season. Corey Peterson took the win in goal stopping 23 of 26 shots. The Mustangs head into the Holiday break in 3rd place in the Major Midget standings.

• Another South Shore curling team has earned a spot in the upcoming Provincial Junior Championships. At a qualifying event this weekend, Thomas Raddall of Bridgewater won all three of his games to clinch a berth. The final two junior mens and womens spots will be determined later today in Halifax. The AMJ Provincials are set for the Windsor Club starting December 27th.

• In Nova Scotia Major Bantam Hockey League action, a two game series between first place BMO Western Hurricanes and second place Bay Gulls generated intense end to end action for home crowds at the brand new Queens Place in Liverpool on Saturday and the Chester Arena on Sunday.  The Hurricanes increased their first place lead in the Nova Scotia Major Bantam Hockey Leage with a dominating 7-1 victory on Saturday evening in Liverpool and battled to a 3-1 win on Sunday afternoon in Chester.  The Hurricanes have now won 16 straight games and lead the league with a 20 and 2 record.   The Hurricanes now head into the Holiday break and will resume league play on January 7th.

• The Yarmouth Vikings defeated the Park View J.V. Panthers 79-49 Saturday to claim the championship game of the Days Inn "Holiday Hoop Fest". Luke Nickerson of Yarmouth was selected tournament M.V.P. and teammate Adam Barnett was selected a tournament all-Star. Jake Langille was Park View's representative on the all-star team. Northumberland claimed third place with a 60-53 win over Bridgewater High. Bridgewater's Jonah Comeau was a tournament All-Star. Park View's Division-1 team soundly defeated Memorial 101-78 to claim the consolation final.
  

Bridgewater Council defers disabled man's request

A disabled man will have to wait at least another month before knowing if Bridgewater Town Council will waive an $800 planning application fee. Dylan Robar is looking to apply for an amendment to Bridgewater's Land Use By-Law, which if approved, would allow his family home to be converted from a single-unit to a two-unit dwelling. He has requested that the application fee, which is primarily used to cover required advertising costs for notices, be waived. Robar requires the conversion of his family home to a two-unit dwelling in order to be eligible for a funding program administered by the province, which would assist in paying for renovations. Councillor David Mitchell says he would like to see changes made to the requirements of the funding program, eliminating the need to change Bridgewater's Land Use By-Law. The issue is expected to be back in front of council in January.