Author: Town Office

As your Deputy Mayor and on behalf of your Councilors, we like for you to take a couple of minutes and read this message on “Illegal Dumping” and the impact it has on you as a taxpayer. Recently, the Town was informed of an incident where illegal dumping of household items, etc. was dumped on Old Jingle Way. Once our office was notified, we reached out to all of you asking for assistance of who might be responsible for this act of no respect for the Community. Unfortunately, no one came forward and nor did the person(s) responsible come forward, leaving us no other choice but having you the tax payer to pay for this behavior. This garbage had to be removed and properly disposed of. The Maintenance Staff was directed to remove this illegal dumping and a fee was associated at the Waste Management Depot.

So as a Tax Payer, you paid for two maintenance workers for several hours, equipment and dumping fees to clean up a mess when this individual could have placed their garbage on the curbside only days before when the Town Clean-Up was happening. Furthermore, our office was just informed that a Moose Carcass was wrapped in a tarp and disposed of on Old Jingle Way. Our Maintenance Team once again on your Tax Payers’ dollars went to remove it and was unable to do so because the carcass was infested with maggots. Throwing Moose pelts, bones, etc. within town boundaries will attract bears & coyotes which in turn will become a safety concern.

This is a very important message we are sending to you. Every time illegal dumping occurs it is you the tax payer who is really paying for the clean up. The Mayor and Councilors are watching your every tax paying dollar and how we can spend it wisely for all of you and when we have to spend your money on someone else’s irresponsible behavior, we are not happy. Moving forward if you witness or observe illegal dumping and you are proud of the community you live in just give your Mayor, Councilor or Town Clerk a call.

With respect,
Deputy Mayor Kirk White

Extra! Extra! Read all about it!! The following article was published in the April 2022 addition of Downhome Magazine. A small town finds a unique way to honour a hometown hero, Dr. Janice Fitzgerald.

Hold Fast Lookout By Nicola Ryan
From a lookout on the Black’s Brook Trail in Trinity, Bonavista Bay, you can cast your gaze over the community below and out through the narrows that lead to scattered rocky islands. Before resettlement of those small islands, salted fish and capelin dried on flakes, horses roamed free, and hard-working families created a sense of community there, even in uncertain times. We’ve been facing uncertain times ourselves recently, and the town of Centreville-Wareham-Trinity (CWT) has decided to name this lookout in honour of a hometown hero who’s been trying hard to keep us all safe.

When the COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020, Newfoundlanders and Labradorians came to rely on public health guidance from Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Janice Fitzgerald. Dr. Fitzgerald’s daily updates were full of expertise and empathy, and she would fortify us at the end of each briefing with her signature words, “Hold fast, Newfoundland and Labrador.”

The tiny town of Trinity, where Dr. Fitzgerald is from, is understandably proud of their native daughter, and now one of the lookouts on the Black’s Brook Trail is about to be renamed “Dr. Janice Fitzgerald Hold Fast Lookout.”

“We’re hoping to get it done this spring,” says former mayor Sam Gibbons, “if things sort of settle down with COVID and that. We’re hoping to get her out here and have a grand opening.”

The amalgamated town of Centreville-Wareham-Trinity is located in the well-known hunting and fishing region of Indian Bay. It’s about 45 km from the Trans-Canada Highway at the Gambo turn-off, along the scenic Kittiwake Coast. Wareham and Trinity had at one time been winter sites for logging and boatbuilding for fishermen from the islands in Bonavista Bay. Centreville came into being in 1959 as a planned community for settlers moving from Fair Island.

Black’s Brook Park is the jewel of Trinity. It offers hiking trails, camping sites, playgrounds, picnic sites and a swimming area. The park also often hosts community events, such as a Winter Carnival in February, a “Trunk or Treat” for Halloween, and an Easter egg scavenger hunt in the spring.

The Black’s Brook Trail in the park is a well-maintained woodsy walk suitable for all ages. The main trail is a winding loop with boardwalks and bridges spanning pretty waterfalls where you might catch a glimpse of some wildlife or see relics of old buildings. Interesting interpretative signs along the way offer insight into the area’s logging history. Settlement in Trinity occurred gradually once a merchant named James Brown built a water-powered sawmill there in 1894.

“There’s storyboards all around the park,” Sam says. “This was once a very productive area for cutting wood for Bowater’s, and even before that.” (Bowater’s Newfoundland Paper Mills Ltd. owned and operated the pulp and paper mill in Corner Brook from 1938 until 1984.)

To get to the popular soon-to-be-named Hold Fast lookout, take the challenging side trail that branches off from the main loop. “There’s different sections to the trail,” explains Sam. “The main trail is about 3 km and then there’s a couple of side ones. One of our trails goes to ahead called Sluice. We know it’s about 200 metres high, which is one-quarter the height of Gros Morne. Anyone thinking about trying Gros Morne should probably come here for a practice run,” he laughs.

The other trail leads up Bell Hill. If you brave the incline, the lovely view at the top will be your reward. The lookout is located right above Dr. Fitzgerald’s childhood home. The former inhabitants of those rough islands in Bonavista Bay most likely knew a thing or two about working together and holding fast in the face of adversity – values Dr. Fitzgerald has been encouraging us to share since the pandemic began.

“This is such a kind gesture from my hometown, and I am incredibly honoured to have my name on the lookout,” Dr. Fitzgerald says. “This place is particularly meaningful for me. While it has been many years since I have lived in Trinity, I remember those times fondly, and I still love to visit the area whenever I can. Walking, and generally just being outside in nature, has helped me find calm during these difficult times, and I am so looking forward to hiking this trail many times in the years to come. I have received many wonderful accolades in the last two years, but anyone that knows me, knows that this recognition is the most near and dear to me personally.”

In Memory of Mrs. Vera Penney, there is a shadow box displayed at the town office containing the key to the town that she was presented with in 2013 along with her picture and a brief history of her dedication throughout the town. We would also like to announce that the once known “Village Green” will be renamed in memory of her as the “Vera Penney Memorial Park”.

Vera Penney

In May 2010, Vera was nominated by the Town of Centreville-Wareham-Trinity to receive a Newfoundland and Labrador Senior of Distinction Award. Vera’s contribution to the social and cultural pillars of this town had been quite significant. Vera had taught for 34 years before her retirement in 1994 and although she had no family connections in the Town, she continued living here. Before her retirement, she was deeply involved in community life but after her retirement, she became even more active.

Vera respected and admired the service of our veterans and she spear-headed a drive to erect a memorial in our town for them. The result was the creation of the “Village Green” in the centre of town, where everyday people are reminded of the sacrifices made for peace and freedom.

Vera also saw a need to preserve the culture of our area and became instrumental in the creation of the “Resettler’s Museum.” Many hours were devoted to acquiring a building, completing the necessary renovations, seeking financing, collecting and cataloging artifacts and mementos of the past.

With all of her other volunteer activities, Vera also found time after her retirement to devote six years to civic duty in the roles of Councillor and Mayor.

Vera spent time as a member of the local recreation committee, the library board, and chaired a municipal park committee. She was concerned about the well-being of our youth and much of her community involvement had our youth foremost in her mind. She wanted to see the youth involved in activities to enrich them intellectually, socially, and physically. When some youth strayed from expected societal standards, she offered her service to help them and became involved in the “Alternative Measures Program.” Vera became chair of the New-Wes-Valley branch and along with her co-volunteers, handled a number of cases and hopefully, gave those youth a new and better direction to follow.

Vera was a talented musician and after her retirement did not let this talent go to waste. Instead, she became involved in the spiritual realm and began directing the “Men’s Choir” for the Parish of Indian Bay.

Her volunteering offered a pillar of strength in our town and the surrounding area.

In 2013, Mrs. Vera Penney was presented with the first of its kind, a “key” to the Town of Centreville-Wareham-Trinity. Upon her passing in October 2021, she had arranged for that “key” to the town to be returned to the town.

The Town of Centreville-Wareham-Trinity respectfully thanks Mrs. Vera Penney for all of the years of dedicated service to this town and now will name the once known “Village Green” in her memory as the “Vera Penney Memorial Park”.