Kristen Villebrun and Wendy Bush hoped they wouldn't have to pray for Chedoke Creek, but four years after they first raised alarm about the water's condition, they were part of an Indigenous full moon ceremony to do just that. About 50 people showed up near Princess Point on the dark and frigid Monday evening for the monthly ceremony, which was particularly special as it focused on Chedoke Creek. The body of water that runs into Cootes Paradise had about 24 billion litres of sewage and storm water runoff leak into it due to a gate being left open.
A years-long effort to address chronic flooding in Tantramar is a step closer to completion. The southeastern New Brunswick town, which includes Sackville, started work on a multi-phase flood mitigation project in 2017. It involves upgraded drainage systems, a series of holding ponds and an upgraded aboiteau that discharges the water into the tidal Tantramar River. The aboiteau allows water to go out, but not flow back in.
