Auto racing returns to the Enfield track, jump-starting a season that continues until October.

www.scotiaspeedworld.ca

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Celebrating its 10th anniversary, the marathon has plenty for both experienced runners and newcomers to the sport, including a youth run, a 5K and a 10K. The full marathon begins (and ends) at the Old Town Clock on Sackville Street on May 19. It runs past Halifax Citadel, through the North End, back through the downtown along Barrington and Hollis Streets, around Point Pleasant Park and back up to the Clock. bluenosemarathon.com

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If knowledge is power, Haligonians recently got the chance to make themselves a lot more powerful. Last month, HRM launched its Open Data project, which began with a unanimous Council vote last September, as one of the previous Council’s last (and best) projects. The idea is, through a simple web platform, to make large amounts of data on HRM and the municipal government available, without fees or long bureaucratic processes, for anyone who wants it.

With customizable and exportable charts, maps and datasets, users can browse through a staggering amount of information that used to be hard to come by: the location of every bus stop in HRM, the geographic footprint of every building in the city and much more. “We selected the highest quality data for the initial release,” HRM’s chief information officer Donna Davis said in a press release. “We wanted to ensure any data released was complete and accurate, free of private information and…of interest and value to HRM citizens.”

Right now, Open Data is a pilot project for HRM, with 17 datasets available. In February 2014, Council will decide the project’s future. More than 200 governments around the world have committed to open-data projects so far, including the federal governments of Canada, the U.S. and the U.K.

This is the sort of thing journalists and researchers get excited about, and most other folks barely think of, but it really is a big deal. With more data available, more easily, people can better inform themselves on, well, anything. In any municipal issue, from a zoning discussion to wondering how far you’ll have to walk to the bus stop, you can find the information you want. Journalists now have another tool to add depth and context to stories.

It’s hard to say where this will lead—the free exchange of information often takes us in unexpected directions. But it’s a good sign for HRM. A better informed citizenry is a more engaged one, expecting more of our leaders, demanding better government. It can only be good for the city. Check it out at www.halifaxopendata.ca.

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And while we’re talking municipal issues, have you ever wondered why our harbour-bridge tolls keep going up, while cities like Saint John are able to remove their bridge tolls entirely? Sarah Sawler has the story. We turn our attention to another local icon, as Richard Woodbury looks at the history of the Halifax donair. And Jessica Burns visits a mainstay of the downtown dining scene, as Café Chianti marks its 25th anniversary with a new chef and new menu. Writer Philip Moscovitch joins us for the first time in this issue, visiting the Historic Farmers’ Market on Lower Water Street. And as always, we welcome your questions, comments and story ideas. Email tadams@metroguide.ca.

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When I sat down to write a biography of the controversial life of Edward Cornwallis, I wore my neutral journalist’s hat. My research into Halifax’s infamous founder seemed unconnected to my own life, but I soon found my story was fundamentally tied to his—and to yours.

Family lore had it that the first Tattrie arrived in Halifax not long after its founding in 1749. I looked into it for a side story illustrating the lot of the ordinary settlers. What I found was surprising. Jean George Tattrie did indeed arrive among the foreign Protestants Cornwallis invited to the fledgling city to replace the distrusted Acadians and despised Mi’kmaq. So, 261 years ago, Tattrie hopped on a boat, sailed to Nova Scotia and displaced Mi’kmaq people in the area the British now called Halifax. He moved twice, dislocating Mi’kmaq and Acadian people from the area of Lunenburg (where his name is on a monument) and again in Tatamagouche, today one of the few places in the world where the name is common.

Is it a simple story of European aggression and colonial theft? Maybe not. I dug into Tattrie’s past and I found out why he was willing to sail into the unknown. His home village of Chagey in France was a land ruined by religious war, corrupt government, routine famine and grinding poverty. It was a miserable life for a peasant farmer. The situation became intolerable in the late 1740s when his Lutheran minister died and the Catholic government sent a Catholic priest to replace him, backed by soldiers. Tattrie and others blocked the church. The soldiers opened fire and 21 of the 50 protesters were shot, three fatally. Tattrie took a bullet to the leg—a bullet that now lies buried with him in the old cemetery in Tatamagouche.

Is that the end of the story? European refugee flees persecution, only to become the persecutor? Maybe not. I dug deeper. The written record for Tattries—or D’Attreys as they were likely known—runs cold in the 1600s. So do most European family names, as that’s when the convention became widespread.

I swabbed my cheek and had a lab study my DNA. It came back 100 per cent European. My haplogroup, my direct blood line, was traced to the Vikings. A distant Tattrie likely moved from Scandinavia to the British Isles 1,000 years ago after a Viking raid. A few hundred years later, a medieval Tattrie crossed the English Channel and settled in France. But the blood line stretches further back.

Europe was covered in deep ice 12,000 years ago. My ancestors, and the ancestors of most Europeans, clung to the southern edge of the continent in the wilderness of what are now Spain, Italy and Greece.

My people lived in the Middle East 25,000 years ago, following herds along what was then the open savannah of Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

My ancestors slowly pursued prey from Sudan/Ethiopia into the Middle East 45,000 years ago. They were part of the second migration out of Africa.

And 60,000 years ago, the ancient Tattries lived among a small group of people poised on the edge of extinction in the land now called Kenya. The migration map marks this period with an all-capital name: ADAM. This is not the biblical man, but the scientific shorthand for a single man who lived in Kenya 60,000 years ago. He was not the only man alive, but of all his friends, family and foes, only his lineage survived. Every other branch withered and died. (“Eve,” our common mother, goes back about 120,000 years.)

This is where you come in. My proto-grandfather—and Cornwallis’s proto-grandfather, and every Mi’kmaw person’s proto-grandfather and your protograndfather, no matter where you come from—was the same man. His children populated Africa. Another family branch headed along the coast of India and Asia to discover Australia 40,000 years ago. And 10,000 years ago, cousins crossed the Beringia land bridge between Russia and Alaska, traversed a continent as the Ice Age melted, and settled in Nova Scotia.

When Jean George Tattrie crossed the Atlantic 9,000 years later, he was meeting his ancient kin in the Mi’kmaq. But no one knew that. Instead of celebrating the rediscovered blood relatives, blood was shed. Cornwallis and Tattrie would have been astonished to learn all of our family trees have the same roots. They had no knowledge of deep human history. But today we know better.

I started to write the biography of Edward Cornwallis to better understand the ongoing war of Us versus Them. Should we celebrate “our” British heroes at the expense of “their” Mi’kmaq warriors? I learned I was not studying the war of Us versus Them after all.

It’s only us.

Jon Tattrie is the author of Cornwallis: The Violent Birth of Halifax.

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The dream of owning a restaurant is not uncommon. For most, it’s just an idle fantasy. Others muster up the courage to try their hand at it, but few last long in the business. A rare exception to the rule is Café Chianti, about to celebrate the beginning of its 25th year in business. Owner Jan Wicha has faced obstacles along the way, including a fire and a relocation. But overwhelming support from the community has kept him, his family and his business going.

Wicha immigrated to Canada in 1968—not from Italy, as one might expect from the name and menu of Café Chianti, which serves a modern interpretation of traditional Italian cuisine—but from Czechoslovakia. He began working in the hotel business and eventually went on to become a partner in two different restaurants in Halifax and Bedford. In 1988, Wicha rented a space for a new restaurant. Here, he would also find the inspiration for his restaurant’s name. In the basement, he encountered what he says must have been a thousand empty bottles of Chianti wine. In early 1989, his restaurant opened and he called it Café Chianti.

“It started as a family business,” says Wicha. “My mother, Josephine, has been with me since the very beginning. She works up front and sometimes in the kitchen. My wife [Helen] has been beside me for 18 years now.” Helen Wicha was instrumental in designing the interior of the restaurant’s new location.

In January 2010, a fire badly damaged Café Chianti’s former location on South Street. Initially, the prognosis for that location was optimistic. “I was giving interviews saying we’d be open in one or two weeks,” says Wicha, adding that his intention was to pay the staff in the interim “to keep the team together.” But luck was not on their side. Complications with the insurance company and the building’s ownership delayed, and eventually deterred, the reopening.

“We did some soul searching,” says Wicha. They considered retirement. But then, “our customers got in touch with us asking, ‘When will you be open?’” Staff sought employment insurance, vowing to return to work when Café Chianti eopened. Wicha says the decision to reopen involved looking deep into their hearts, and their pockets. They looked at four different locations and eventually settled on the space they’re in now on Barrington Street, just around the corner and half a block down from the old spot.

Jan and Helen Wicha say the support for the new location was almost overwhelming. Twenty-three of the original 24 staff returned to work at the new location—the 24th moved away. For regulars, the staff is a big part of the appeal. “It’s the food for one thing, but the people!” says Edna Rand of Bedford. She and husband Charlie have been patrons of Café Chianti for over a dozen years. “The décor is beautiful and the people are the same. They treat you like family,” she says, explaining that Charlie has been ordering a dish that isn’t on the menu for years. “He’s kind of fussy,” she says. “One of the waiters one time said, ‘Let me see what I can do for you,’ and he went to talk to the chef.”

The Wichas say they fill special orders like that almost daily. They recently hired a staff member who’s vegan and are using her expertise to explore vegan menu options. They also offer vegetarian and gluten-free meals, relying heavily on local suppliers, including using a local supply of seafood year-round. Wicha says that if a customer has a specific request, “we want to say yes to that client. With a little effort, you can.”

Newly hired head chef Terry Vassallo, who recently crafted a new menu, is of the same mindset. “There is a simplicity to this cuisine,” he says. “Everything is made to order so that makes [custom orders] easier. There is no vat of sauce in the back.”

Helen and Jan Wicha with new chef Terry Vassallo. Photo: Tammy Fancy

Originally from Sydney, Cape Breton, Vassallo spent nine years in Vancouver before moving back to the East Coast to pursue his culinary dreams in his home province. He’s eager to continue his work in what he calls Halifax’s significant culinary scene and to “throw my hat into the ring and feel that sense of competition and kinship.” He says he hopes to promote Café Chianti even further. “I’m excited that I’m involved in an institution that has been open 25 years, which is the exception in our industry.”

Wicha thinks the history is part of what makes people keep coming back year after year. “People tell us, ‘I had my first date here,’ ‘I celebrated my first anniversary here,’” he says and smiles, “I’m hoping it’s the food as well.”

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I was a reluctant market shopper. For years, I would grit my teeth before heading to the overcrowded Brewery Market on Saturday mornings. You had to brave crowds clogging the narrow hallways. And don’t get me started on the stairs: a case study in gridlock.

I was desperate for the completion of the new Seaport market, and figured all the vendors would be moving there when it opened in 2010.

But then a funny thing happened. Not all of the people selling at the brewery were enthusiastic about the new business model, and a plucky group decided to stay behind. They formed a non-profit vendor co-op and rebranded themselves as the Historic Farmers’ Market. And after a couple of tough years, their persistence is starting to pay off.

That’s no surprise to longtime shoppers like Alex Pearson and Margaret Kelly Pearson, who’ve been regulars here for a decade. (They are such fans that they had Sweet William’s Country Sausage provide the meat for their wedding.)

The Pearsons are busy chatting with one of the vendors when I ask why they come here. “I love this place—the architecture and everything else about it. I love the complete package. It’s like family,” says Alex, 31, who manages the Garrison Brewery store on the Halifax waterfront. Margaret, 30, a history student and Passport Canada employee, adds that over the last few months she’s been noticing more vendors and increased selection.

“I think there’s a bright future here—but I’ve only really been optimistic the last five or six months,” says farmer Ted Hutten, who is co-president of the co-op that runs the market.

Hutten and I sit near his tables—piled with root vegetables, cabbages, fruit, juice, and leafy greens from the greenhouse. To my left, customers line up at Que Tal Restaurante Mexicano for taquitos. Downstairs, I can see a couple lingering over coffee in mismatched vintage cups at the quirky General Café. Behind me, Angus McIllwraith has sold out of his homegrown shiitake mushrooms; instead of heading home, he’s sticking around and chatting with shoppers.

For the last 28 years, Hutten has been a market fixture (sales in his first week came to a grand total of $55). He gave the Seaport Market a try when it first opened, but only lasted three months. The new market had longer opening hours, and he wanted to get home to water his greenhouse in the afternoon. “I stayed behind at this market because I wanted something that offered me a chance to retail my products without sacrificing my sanity and my home life more than I already do,” he explains. “It’s Saturday morning only, from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. There is something really neat in knowing you only have that six-hour period to buy your produce. And it allows me to do what I do best, which is farming,” Hutten says.

Of course, Hutten, who has a devoted clientele for some of the more unusual vegetables he grows, wouldn’t stick around if the sales weren’t there. He says he knows he permanently lost some longtime customers to Seaport, but “more and more are coming back. And they’re coming back for the vendors.”

Hutten Family Farm, Photo: Randal Tomada

One of those vendors is former CBC Radio host Costas Halavrezos—AKA “The Spiceman.” In December 2010, he launched a new career selling fresh spices. And he decided to sell them at the old market.

Halavrezos first set up shop before Christmas. “There was a rush, and there were seasonal vendors in December,” he recalls, “but it was very quiet in January 2011 after they left. That seemed like the low point.”

Asked if he thinks the market is bouncing back, Halavrezos says, “I think it’s past the cusp. I see a steady growth in customers.”

Few people have been at the market longer than musician Dusty Keleher, who has been busking in the building for nearly 20 years. Just about everyone shopping at the place passes his spot, so Keleher has a unique point of view on the demographics of the market. “Some mornings when I walk in, I can feel that there’s some hustle and bustle. There are students coming down, retired people and everything in between. Age-wise it runs the gamut,” he says.

Talk to vendors and patrons at the market and the word “sad” comes up a lot. Some are thinking of the dark days of a few years back, while others find the empty spaces depressing. The market may be on an uptick, with 25 to 35 vendors on any given Saturday, according to market manager Lisa Morrison, but there are still cavernous rooms lying empty.

“People will say to me, ‘I love the authenticity of this market, but it makes me sad,’” Hutten says. “There’s a sadness when people remember what it used to be like.”

But he takes a more practical approach. “A lot of people love the building, and the feel of the building. There’s some kind of nostalgia and romance there. I don’t see it that way. I do like the building, don’t get me wrong—but I like it because it’s functioned well for me,” he says.

Besides, Hutten and others are quick to point out that they are not trying to re-create the old market experience. Instead, they are building something new. Morrison calls the period after the Seaport opened “the divorce.”

“There was a lot of scrambling,” she says. “The market needed members and vendors, and money to keep it together.” Now that things have stabilized, she says the market’s board is working towards having more than 50 per cent primary food producers, with most of the rest of the members selling locally prepared products.

“That’s really what has made these markets,” says Hutten. “If you look at the traditional farmers’ market model over the last three decades, it’s the small scale entrepreneurs and family farms that have really built these.”

Morrison, who was hired in September of last year, agrees. She says, “The success of a farmers’ market is based on it being governed by primary producers and that’s mostly farmers. You don’t go to the farmers’ market every Saturday to buy a scarf or some mittens or a wooden bowl. You go to get food for the week.”

For Morrison, “the crafts are a bonus, and they are important because they add to the atmosphere, but the primary producers are the constant that draws people.”

One of the issues that rankles the market’s board and management is their name. They’d like to call themselves the Brewery Market, but they can’t, because the Halifax Seaport Farmers’ Market has registered that name with the Nova Scotia Registry of Joint Stock Companies. “That’s tough because Brewery Market is the way people have always referred to it, and it’s a locator too,” Halavrezos says.

For her part, Morrison agrees that not having commercial access to the name is an irritation, but, she says, “Everyone knows we are the brewery market. Everyone calls it that. We are a market in the brewery.”

As the Saturday rush winds down, Lin Mickalyk, a self-described “market aficiando” is heading out the door with her shopping bags. “I’m a farmer’s daughter, so I like to support farmers,” says Mickalyk, who is retired from the telecommunications business. “I like the spunk and tenacity of the vendors here, and I want to support that.”

Tenacious is a good word. Stubborn might be another. “I’m very stubborn. I can out-stare anyone,” says Hutten. “But I’m not here because I’m stubborn. I’m here because I believe in it and it works for me.”

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Reviewers might say Lindsey Frazier is suited to play Elle Woods in Legally Blonde: The Musical at Neptune Theatre because she’s an accomplished singer and dancer. Or they might say it’s because her blonde hair and buoyant personality so match the role that Reese Witherspoon made famous. No doubt those things matter, but for Neptune Theatre artistic director George Pothitos, that’s not the whole picture. “She understands Elle,” he says.

Elle Woods, the ditzy blonde who is somehow good at law (first created in the novel Legally Blonde by Amanda Brown, and then brought to the big screen in the 2001 film), seems like a straightforward character. “When you first think about it you think it’s really light and fluffy, but there actually is quite a bit of depth in it,” Frazier says. “And the writing! The writing is smart.”

Pothitos needed convincing that it was even the right play for Neptune. “We have a lovely subscriber who is 80-plus and he saw this in London,” he recalls. “He told me ‘George, you have to go see it.’ He’s a very sharp individual, so I took his word for it. And you know what? I went and I had a ball. It’s young but it’s very clever. The music is clever, the lyrics are clever. And the story is so enchanting. It’s about somebody who discovers her true self.”

But Pothitos believes that the story is really a fairy tale, with a good heart and real meaning. “Sometimes people think they know what a play is, but until you see this, you really don’t,” he says. “You’ll be surprised, just like I was, as to what this is. It’s clever, it’s uplifting.”

And the lead character is more complex than her demeanour suggests. “Elle can go from silly to the law,” he says. “Not a lot of people understand that you can actually be silly and have fun but still have a brain. Lindsey can go from zero to 100 and talk just as fast. It’s not just about looking right and sounding right; it’s about understanding a character.”

Blonde hair aside, Frazier feels a special connection with the character. “My dad used to call me Elle,” she says. “I get her—I relate to her. It’s a huge role. I love the journey she takes, I love how confident she is. I have that whole journey to take. She’s got a lot of spunk, and she’s a positive person. She sees the good in anything.”

Originally from Halifax, Frazier moved to Toronto at age 10 and studied musical theatre at Sheridan College. Her acting resume includes Miracle on 34th Street, Hair, West Side Story, Beauty and the Beast and a six-season stint at the Charlottetown Festival, playing many supporting roles in Anne of Green Gables.

As a triple-threat actor, Frazier sees Legally Blonde as the biggest role of her career so far. “The musical numbers are incredible,” she says. “I get to sing and dance and really act for two hours. I never leave the stage, except for that one skipping number. It’s a huge thing to take on.”

While Neptune Theatre has a long history of staging elaborate musicals (this production caps its 50th season), Legally Blonde offers something different—more contemporary, more ambitious. “It’s bits of old style musical, but then it’s a whole new thing,” Pothitos says. “We have scene changes in the midst of musical numbers, but then how do we not stop the show? The technical element was really challenging, especially on a small stage.”

That’s the constant challenge Neptune sets for itself: how to present elaborate, world-class productions on a relatively small stage. “It’s very ambitious but it’s manageable,” Pothitos says. “We won’t do something we can’t possibly pull off. I call it the Neptune version because it’s a small stage but we do way more sets than some other companies.”

His point is that a smaller stage doesn’t mean a smaller production. “There’s great chemistry with the cast and everyone,” says Frazier. As the title blonde, Frazier gets top billing, but she and Pothitos are quick to point out it’s a talented ensemble. In particular, he mentions David Cotton (who plays Warner Huntington III) and Daniel Greenburg (Emmett Forrest).

Tootsie and Boston are the two actors most likely to steal the show, though. A chihuahua and a bulldog respectively, they play the beloved pets Bruiser and Rufus. “They’re so well behaved, so professional,” Frazier says. “I’ve worked with animals before, but they weren’t well behaved so they got cut. I’ve never worked with dogs on stage before and I love dogs, so I’m very happy. I’m hoping they’ll hang out in my dressing room.”

The behind-the-scenes team is key to Legally Blonde’s success. “It takes so many people,” Pothitos says. “There’s the director, a musical director, a choreographer, costume designer, set designer, orchestra, crew, wardrobe department, electricians, sound men, sound designer and so many more. Down in the lobby, there’s a sign that lists everyone, and it’s a lot of names.”

It’s a rare treat when a production like this comes together, and the team becomes more than co-workers. “Well, it’s like life, right?” says Pothitos. “You put 20 people together and you never know what you’ll get. There’s always a professionalism but when you become friends, that’s a bonus. Everyone is very respectful and supportive of one another’s talent.”

Frazier is particularly excited about the music. “It’s like a pop opera,” she says. “I can’t think of a better way to describe it.”

While the sound is contemporary, Pothitos believes it has broad appeal. “In the orchestration there’s a very ‘80s Miami Sound Machine wall-of-sound sort of feel,” he explains. “There’s seven people in the orchestra set, and the music is just tremendous. It’s fun, it’s uplifting. There are snippets that will remind you of Fame and parts that feel like Bye Bye Birdie. Those things help people because they create a connection. Even though there’s hip-hop and pop it remains true to musical theatre.”

For Frazier, the role is a career highlight. “It’s the top of the list,” she says. “This is a dream role. I’m very lucky to do this—top of the world right now. I do not see how people could come and not have the most amazing time. It’s impossible to not have a blast.”

Legally Blonde: The Musical continues until May 26 at Neptune Theatre on Argyle Street. www.neptunetheatre.com

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Full circle

Lindsey Frazier almost feels like fate brought her to Halifax to star in the final play of Neptune’s 50th season. Now based in Toronto, she lived in the area (Cow Bay and Eastern Passage) until age 10. “I’ve always wanted to come back and work here,” she says.

Neptune was where her love of theatre began. “I saw my first show here when I was four,” she recalls. “It was Fiddler on the Roof and I knew at that moment, I knew that’s what I wanted to do with my life. To be able to come back and do this role, especially on Neptune’s 50th anniversary feels like a blessing to me.”

The chance to reconnect with her East Coast roots is a bonus. “Oh Halifax,” she sighs. “I love the East Coast. I love it. I love the seafood, the fresh air, everything. I haven’t had a chance to get out because I’m either working or rehearsing or sleeping, but I’m looking forward to my days off.”

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For 43 years, paying a bridge toll was a part of daily life for many residents of Saint John, New Brunswick. Enter MP Rodney Weston’s 2008 political campaign. That year, not only did Weston promise to pursue forgiveness of the $22.6 million debt owed on the Saint John Harbour Bridge, he also promised to try and eliminate the tolls and have the bridge refurbished.

The bridge was in dire need of some major work. That year, the Saint John Harbour Bridge Authority, which was made up of representatives appointed by the municipal, provincial and federal governments, hired an engineering firm that estimated the cost for the refurbishment would be between $32 million and $35 million. According to Weston, the bridge authority was considering borrowing the funds from a private financial institution, a move that would have resulted in $52 million of outstanding debt. Since it was an election year, it was the perfect opportunity for Weston to build debt forgiveness into his campaign platform.

Most of Weston’s argument was based on the fact that the Saint John Harbour Bridge was the only structure in the province with a toll. Oddly, although the Saint John Harbour Bridge was connected to Route 1, it wasn’t officially a part of the highway system. “Route 1 was owned by the province and it was the responsibility of the province, except for the bridge,” says Weston. “The highway stopped and started at each end of it and the authority looked after the maintenance, the repairs and upgrades to the bridge itself.”

He told constituents that Saint John was being treated unfairly. “It helped that the Princess Margaret Bridge in Fredericton was undergoing a refurbishment project that ran about $80 million,” says Weston. “It used to be a part of the Trans-Canada, but after the highway was twinned, the bridge was no longer a part of that highway system. As a result, the province of New Brunswick was bearing the cost of refurbishment. There was never any discussion about a toll. I wanted to know why the people of Saint John were being treated differently.” He also pointed out that the toll (which was 25 cents when the bridge was opened in 1968 and had only increased to 50 cents by 2011) was obviously not paying for the cost of the bridge. This was despite the fact that in the early ’90s, the federal government stopped the accumulation of interest on the debt. The bridge is now officially a part of the provincial highway system, which makes it eligible for infrastructure funding.

On April 1, 2011, Weston fulfilled his promise to have the tolls removed from the Saint John Harbour Bridge.

But Haligonians will continue to pay bridge tolls for a long time.

Since 1955, when the Angus L. Macdonald Bridge was opened, commuters have paid a toll to cross the user-paid structure. The same user-pay model was applied when the A. Murray MacKay Bridge opened 15 years later.

According to Steve Snider, CEO of Halifax Harbour Bridges, the Macdonald and MacKay bridges were set up as a tolling authority from the start. “This was done on a fairly regular basis throughout North America in the early to mid-’50s,” says Snider. “A bridge is such an expensive piece of infrastructure that most governments are reluctant to take that much from their funding over a 24 to 36-month period, which is how long the construction normally takes, and dedicate it to a single large project.” Although it reports to the Minister of Finance, the bridge commission operates as an independent organization, responsible for building, operating and maintaining the structures.

All of these expenses are paid by the user-pay tolling system. Based on figures in the Halifax Harbour Bridges 2011/2012 annual report, the bulk of spending (about 43 per cent) are capital expenditures. Another 12 per cent goes to maintenance, which includes painting, snow and ice control, general upkeep and paving. Although interest payments make up another tenth of costs, that percentage has fallen significantly. “When I joined here about 15 years ago, approximately 50 per cent of our expenditures went toward interest payments,” says Snider. “Three factors contribute to the decrease: We owe less money than we did in 1994, we have greater traffic volume and greater revenue and the interest rate we’re paying is just a little more than half of what we were paying 18 years ago.” The remaining 35 per cent goes to operating expenses and debt reduction.

Mayor Mike Savage doesn’t believe that removing the bridge tolls would be a worthwhile use of taxpayer’s money. “If we were able to get money from the federal or provincial government for transportation, my preference would be that we would use it for active transportation or public transit,” he says.

Tim Rissesco, the executive director of the Downtown Dartmouth Business Commission, agrees. Although it might seem, in theory, that the bridge tolls would deter people from travelling to the opposite side for entertainment and dining, in reality that doesn’t seem to be the case. The majority of the complaints that Rissesco hears are about the ferry and its lack of evening service. “I think the bridges are a good example of user pay,” says Rissesco. “If the municipal leadership could get money from the provincial or federal government, I would personally be pushing for better public transportation and increased ferry service in and around the urban core.”

Rissesco believes the MacPass has made it convenient for people to travel across the bridge and Savage thinks that any increase in business on either side of the bridge would decrease business elsewhere in HRM. “We would also have a deficit from the municipal, provincial or federal government,” explains Savage. “Someone has to pay for it. It might mean less hassle and inconvenience, but I don’t think there would be much of an economic impact municipality wide.”

The general public seems to agree. When several randomly selected shoppers on Spring Garden Road were asked, all of them agreed that the elimination of the bridge tolls would have no effect on their shopping and dining choices. “The tolls are inconvenient, but they don’t stop me from going to Dartmouth,” says one shopper. “I go there all the time.”

Perhaps the difference between the removal of the toll in Saint John and the continuing toll on the Halifax-Dartmouth bridges is Rodney Weston. But maybe we should consider the fact that although they’ve made a considerable dent, our tolls don’t seem to be taking care of our debt either.

Despite the fact that commuters have now been paying tolls for 58 years, it seems that no one has ever considered looking for any kind of debt forgiveness for the Macdonald and MacKay Bridges. Although the original cost of the bridges has been paid, there’s no end to the debt in sight, especially with the redecking of the Macdonald Bridge on the horizon. “With our level of indebtedness and the cost of maintaining the structure, I’d be shocked if someone was interested in stepping forward and taking on that responsibility,” says Snider. “We currently owe $50 million and it’s going to increase over the next three years. I expect it to go from our current $50 million to around $150 million.”

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What’s not to love about California? The state has it all. Glamour, beautiful people, an amazing coastline and some of the best cuisine you’ll find anywhere. I’ve been fortunate enough to visit several times, and always leave wanting to return. The sheer variety of fantastic wines and the number of regions now making wine means many visits are necessary to just touch on what’s happening. That’s OK with me. And it’s always impossible not to take side trips to San Francisco, Los Angeles and many others to see some of the great attractions.

The California Wine Show in Halifax was May 2, and if you were like me, and made it to this great event at Pier 21, you came away impressed with the great quality and variety of wines you could taste. The classic California varietals like zinfandel, cabernet sauvignon, merlot, and chardonnay were in abundance, but there was also grenache, viognier, petite sirah and many different blends. California is on a roll, and finally some of these great wines are affordable, with our dollar hovering close to par.

The wine map of California has changed drastically in recent years. Most of us have heard of Napa and Sonoma, but who has heard of Fiddletown or Santa Clara, or Shenandoah Valley? The great thing about undiscovered wine regions is that they usually correspond with great (meaning low) prices.

It’s a worthwhile exercise to take a closer look at some of the lesser known regions and search out some value wine to try. The California wine section in Nova Scotia is dominated with brands like Gallo and Mondavi, but there are 2,000 plus other wineries across most parts of the state. Some of these other wines are now finding there way onto our shelves. I have selected four regions that are up and coming, and you should still be able to find wines from these regions either at your local NSLC, Port of Wines, or one of the private stores. Let’s go from north to south and look at exciting regions with great wine values.

The Russian River Valley is to the immediate west of Sonoma and butts up against the Sonoma Coastal region. Cool and foggy weather results in some amazing chardonnays and pinot noirs. The Russian River itself runs through the region and adds to the effect of tempering the normally warm California climate. Wines from this region are generally not cheap but they still offer great value for price. Look to pay between $25 and $50 a bottle, but it will be worth every penny.

The Lodi region has a completely different climate than Russian River Valley. Located 320 kilometres east of San Francisco, this area has a Mediterranean climate, which allows it to produce very concentrated and rich wines in a New World style. Wine grapes came to this region during the Gold Rush and flourished. Lodi thrived during Prohibition when one could get a licence for legal “home wine-making.” Old vine zinfandel is a star here, as well as cabernet and merlot, and many other varietals. The quality is rising here and many good values are available under $25.

Paso Robles is located halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles in the Central Coast area. This is one of the fastest growing wine regions in the United States, and is already famous for its great zinfandel and Rhone style blends that focus on syrah. The area is also gaining a reputation for its “Crazy Blends,” which are unique winemaker concoctions of different grapes. Paso Robles is laid back area and likes to think of itself as anti-Napa. That is, lots of working farms and friendly locals versus the rich wineries and elaborate tasting rooms in the further-north regions.

Santa Maria Valley is in the northern part of Santa Barbara. The region has been home to celebrities from Charlie Chaplin to Oprah Winfrey. It has a unique geographical feature of having the high hills run from east to west versus north to south. This feature is a funnel to the Pacific, allowing the cool breezes and fog to roll up the valleys and creating (in what would be a very hot region otherwise) moderate temperatures and a long growing region. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah all star here, at prices ranging from affordable to ridiculous. The 2004 movie Sideways made Pinot Noir famous here and hence more expensive, but there are still many values to be had. Plus, you’re only a couple of hours away from Hollywood!

The NSLC has a number of wines that were in the California wine show available as limited finds in several stores, so experiment, drink with friends and enjoy.

We would love to hear about your California wine experiences. Write us about it at tadams@metroguide.ca for a chance to win a special California wine prize.

The under $25 wine review

Fetzer Sundial Chardonnay 2010, California, NSLC, $14.99

Ripe notes of pineapple and melon lead into a refreshing, lighter style chardonnay. Nice viscosity and good weight with a slightly herbal finish. Great balance of oak and fruit for a California wine. Any chardonnay under $20 that is this good is a great value. Poach some fresh Atlantic salmon and watch it sing. 90/100

Wente Sandstone Merlot, Livermore Valley, California, Bishop’s Cellar, $23.95

Plummy notes and stewed figs. Medium-bodied and silky with a ripeness of flavour that leaves you looking for more grip. I love the long finish; wines like this always make me realize how under-appreciated merlot is. Serve with a pasta lamb ragout. 90/100

80–84: A great sipper, good value.
85–89: Won’t last long, great value.
90–94: Brag to your friends and buy a case—fantastic.
95–100: A classic, run to the store, extremely rare.

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I suppose you could say he’s adult-alternative-contemporary…something. But it doesn’t matter—here’s what you need to know: The Fortunate Few is a polished, thoughtful album from a versatile singer/songwriter/musician, showcasing all the talent, insight and musicality that he’s amassed in 20+ years in the business.

“I’m always going for depth,” Swift says. “The older I get, the more I see, the more I’m moved by the people in my life. I don’t want to put out fluff. I’ve put out 13 albums and this is the best.” It’s not unusual for a musician to say his newest album is his best, but The Fortunate Few is rather a unique case. When a local musician records an album, it’s common to record everything over a single weekend—maybe a week if he’s really lucky. For this album, Swift enjoyed an unprecedented two months in the studio. His friend Miles Gallagher let him use his Fortress Studios for as long as it took to get the album exactly right. “Miles told me to take my time, do a fantastic album,” Swift says. “Knowing the chance we had, we really tried to turn out good, solid songs.”

Each song is an earnest, heartfelt look at the human condition. The lead track is “200 Miles” a Celtic-tinged love song that “lots of people have been digging,” says Swift. The second track, “The Fortunate Few” sums up what the album is about: being aware of what you have, and how lucky you are. It’s also your textbook example of a Thom Swift sound: four solid minutes of tight music, smart lyrics, a bit of a blues vibe, a lot of a Springsteen vibe, and a steady, poetic sense of timing. If you only listen to one Thom Swift song in your life, make it this one.

Swift did most of the writing himself, over a two-month period before going into the studio, so it all meshes together well, the songs interlocking to form a bigger picture. After “The Fortunate Few” things go more upbeat with “Sweet Thing.” Swift calls it a “party song,” which doesn’t altogether do it justice. It’s light-hearted but still thoughtful and complex, lightening the mood and giving the band a chance to show off. Currently, this is my favourite song from the album. Listen carefully as harmonica god Mike Stevens takes it for a walk. “I’ve had a few moments where I looked at Mike and thought ‘Good God,’” Swift says. “He actually is the world’s greatest harmonica player, you know.” (Swift doesn’t exaggerate—Stevens is a bluegrass legend.)

Stevens is just one of the contributors to the album that Swift is quick to highlight. He praises his band effusively, also highlighting Kevin Breit (who played guitar, banjo and mandolin) and engineer Ed Renzi. He even praises local artist Angela Conrad, who created the cover art. “We clicked right from the start,” he says.

The most evocative track on the album, however, is a solo effort by Swift. He wrote the song “Forever,” and played guitar and sang. It’s a farewell to his children, intended to give them peace when he passes. (He’s not ill—just forward-looking.) It’s a moving song, a bit of a tear-jerker, but Swift hesitated to include it on the album. “It’s really just for me and them,” he says. “I wasn’t sure if it was something I should share, but I’m glad I did. I wanted a complete album and that completes it.”

While putting the album together, Swift tried to stay unfazed, but now that it’s out and he’s touring, he’s taking it in. “I didn’t get too wrapped up in it while it was happening,” he says. “Too busy, too focused—it keeps me going that I don’t get too excited. But I know how blessed I am, and it just keeps getting better.”

Thom Swift’s next live performance in the city is on May 23, as her performs at the Basinview Drive Community School Fundraising Concert in Bedford. He spends most of June touring Quebec, Ontario and the Maritimes, playing small-venue shows, before returning to perform at the Halifax Jazz Festival on July 8.

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