*(Report Date: September 4, 2025 – covering past month and next 30 days)
Local Events (Festivals & Gatherings)
Keloose Festival (Aug 22–24, Windsor Junction/Fall River): The annual Keloose weekend drew great crowds under sunny skies thelaker.ca. Festivities included a kids’ parade from the Fall River School of Performing Arts to the Windsor Junction Community Centre, followed by kids’ fun day with a dunk tank, bouncy castles, face painting, pony rides and more. Food trucks and live music entertained families, and the festival wrapped up with a fireworks show on Sunday night.
Waverley Gold Rush Days (mid-Sept, Waverley): This beloved community festival is coming up in the second week of September. Organized by local volunteers and the Waverley Community Association, Gold Rush Days features events like a crib tournament, bingo, family fun day on the Village Green, and the ever-popular Klondike Night at the legion. The festivities culminate with an outdoor concert and a fireworks display lighting up the sky over Waverley. (Mark your calendars for September 10–14, 2025 for this year’s lineup.)
Other Ongoing Events: Nearby communities continue with seasonal gatherings – for example, local weekly farmers’ markets and outdoor movie nights have been wrapping up as summer ends. Many residents are also gearing up for the annual Terry Fox Run on Sunday, Sept. 14 (the 45th anniversary run), with participants from Fall River and area planning to join in the cancer research fundraiser.
Community & Lifestyle (Schools, Non-Profits, Neighborhood)
Back-to-School & Child Care: The new school year is underway, and parents have some good news – Nova Scotia is expanding its Before and After School Program to 21 more schools province-wide this fall, creating over 1,200 new child-care spaces for 2025–26 thelaker.ca. This means more convenient on-site before/after school care for families (in addition to HRCE’s EXCEL program), helping ease childcare needs for many working parents.
Miracle Treat Day in Fall River: On August 14, Dairy Queen Fall River hosted a massively successful Miracle Treat Day. Hundreds of locals lined up to meet NHL star Brad Marchand, who made a special appearance that day thelaker.ca. Thanks to the community support (and many Blizzards sold!), the Fall River DQ raised and donated almost $7,000 to the IWK Children’s Hospital thelaker.ca – by far the location’s best-ever Miracle Treat Day results.
Grand Lake-Oakfield Community BBQ: The Grand Lake Oakfield Community Society recently held a neighborhood BBQ social, which saw a fantastic turnout. Residents got a chance to chat with the community’s volunteer board members and even meet local firefighters in a relaxed setting grandlakeoakfield.ca. It was a heartwarming example of small-town community spirit, with families and neighbors connecting over food and fun.
Charity & Fundraisers: Community members continue to support good causes. In late August, a local group organized a fundraising barbecue in Lower Sackville to help a young Beaver Bank girl (Isla R.) in her battle with cancer thelaker.ca. Closer to home, service clubs like the Fall River & Riverlake Lions Club remain active – their weekly charity Wing Night fundraisers help finance donations (such as medical equipment for Cobequid Health Centre) and other community projects, demonstrating the strong culture of giving back.
Business Openings & Closures
New Wellness Studio: A new health and fitness business has opened in Fall River. My Own Path Health & Wellness held its grand opening on March 15 at 1423 Fall River Road thelaker.ca. Owned by a local entrepreneur, the studio offers group training classes (including yoga – even “anti-gravity” aerial yoga) along with a coffee/smoothie bar and a selection of Canadian-made supplements. They even offer free fitness programs for veterans by appointment, aiming to build a healthy community hub.
BBQ Eatery Returns: Good news for BBQ lovers – Smooth’s BBQ & Smokehouse is back in Fall River. After a winter hiatus, the popular southern-style barbecue spot relaunched earlier this year at its Highway 2 location (with a grand opening event in mid-March). Residents have been flocking for pulled pork, brisket, and ribs once again, and Smooth’s weekly curbside service has resumed to satisfy those comfort food cravings.
Boutique Closing: On a bittersweet note, Lil’ Peeps Boutique, a local children’s consignment clothing store, announced it is closing after five years in business. The owner cited personal time constraints and made the tough decision to wind down operations this summer smallandlocal.ca. A closing-out sale was held the weekend of June 23 to clear remaining inventory smallandlocal.ca. The community thanked Lil’ Peeps for its years of providing affordable kids’ clothes and wished the owner well on her next chapter.
Other Business News: No major retail closures or openings were noted in the past month for Fall River’s shopping hubs. Most local restaurants, cafes, and shops are transitioning into autumn with seasonal offerings (look out for pumpkin spice and fall flavours at our coffee shops!). One highlight: the Fourth Lock Bed & Breakfast in Fall River is adding a new outdoor terrace, expected to open soon – just in time for guests to enjoy the fall foliage by Lake Thomas.
Government & Policy Updates
Water Service for Schwarzwald: Progress is being made toward addressing long-standing well-water issues in the Schwarzwald subdivision. Halifax Regional Council has approved funding for a feasibility study on extending municipal water service to the Schwarzwald area of Fall River thelaker.ca. The study (budgeted at $50,000) will analyze costs and options to expand the Water Service Boundary down Highway 2 to include Schwarzwald This comes after reports showed significant groundwater quantity/quality problems in Schwarzwald, and any extension would require a Regional Subdivision By-law amendment. The analysis is underway – once completed, staff will report back to Council with results, which could pave the way for a detailed engineering plan if council decides to proceed. Safe, reliable water supply remains a top policy priority for this community.
Municipal Election Aftermath: Fall River’s municipal representation remained steady after last year’s election. Councillor Cathy Deagle Gammon (District 1 – Waverley-Fall River-Musquodoboit Valley) was re-elected in October 2024 and continues to focus on local improvements. In recent council sessions, she has advocated for infrastructure upgrades like the water extension and monitored the Aerotech Connector project. (Fun fact: District 1’s councillor is one of a record number of women on Halifax Regional Council.) There are no new policy ordinances specific to Fall River passed in the last month, but Councillor Deagle Gammon’s office is gearing up for community consultation on upcoming HRM budget priorities – residents can expect outreach on that in coming weeks.
Provincial Initiatives: Provincially, the government announced investments in affordable housing projects across HRM in late July thelaker.ca, although those were focused on Dartmouth/Cole Harbour. Closer to our area, MLA Brian Wong (Waverley-Fall River-Beaver Bank) joined Public Works Minister Fred Tilley on August 21 to officially open the new Aerotech Connector road in Wellington news.novascotia.ca. The province is also implementing new workplace harassment regulations effective September 1, aimed at safer work places thelaker.ca – something all local employers and community organizations are taking note of.
Development & Infrastructure
Aerotech Connector Highway Opens: A major new piece of infrastructure is now in place just outside Fall River. The Aerotech Connector, a 5-kilometre connector highway linking Trunk 2 in Wellington to Highway 102 at Exit 5A, was scheduled to opened to traffic in late August, but there have been delays and my source says there is no concrete date yet but will funnel the good news and I will update the blog - news.novascotia.ca. This $70 million project includes two new roundabouts – one where the connector meets Highway 102, and another at the intersection of Trunk 2 and Sunnylea Road in Wellington news.novascotia.ca. The road provides a much-needed alternate route to the airport and Aerotech Business Park, aiming to reduce traffic on Hwy 2 through Fall River and improve commute safety for local drivers. Early reports from residents are positive, noting a quicker trip to the airport and less congestion through the village.
New Housing Developments: Some residential growth is on the horizon. Halifax’s North West Community Council has approved a development agreement to enable a 12-unit townhouse project on vacant land just off Highway 2 in Fall River. The plan will retain one existing house and add three small clusters of townhomes (3–5 units each) on a new private lane near civic #3124–3136 Hwy 2. This project, aligned with the River-Lakes Secondary Planning Strategy, will add gentle density while keeping with community character. Meanwhile, an earlier proposal for a seniors’ complex at the Carr Farm site (near Fall River Village) has been scaled down and is undergoing review – residents will be consulted once revised plans are ready.
Roads and Amenities: Regular summer road maintenance is wrapping up. Paving work along Fall River Roadand Lockview Road was completed in August, smoothing out those bumpy sections (to commuters’ delight). The Halifax Water Commission reports all hydrants in Fall River and Waverley were flushed and tested over the summer. In parks, the Third Lake beach at Windsor Junction had a brief closure in late August due to a reported blue-green algae bloom (out of caution), but has since re-opened after tests deemed the water safe. Looking ahead, community groups are lobbying for new crosswalks on Highway 2 near Sobeys and near the Sobey’s gas bar to improve pedestrian safety – HRM traffic authority is expected to study those crossings this fall.
Historical/Recent Recap (Past Month Highlights)
August 2025 was an active month in the Fall River area. The community came together for major events like Keloose 2025, which brought families out in droves for summer. We also saw acts of community kindness – from a local resident stepping up after a volunteer group’s equipment was stolen, to the Dairy Queen fundraiser that drew Brad Marchand and smashed fundraising. In local sports, some hometown pride: Fall River’s own Alexis Fanok made headlines by hauling in eight gold medals at the national canoe/kayak championships, and a girls’ youth baseball team (the Rangers U17) captured a provincial title. On the civic front, August saw the Aerotech Connector road completed and officially open, marking the end of a multi-year project just in time for fall. All in all, the past month’s highlights showcased the vibrancy and generosity of our community – from festivals and sports wins to infrastructure improvements and charitable endeavors. It’s clear that Fall River and its surrounding neighbourhoods had a summer to remember.
Upcoming Highlights (Next 30 Days)
Looking ahead to September (and early October) 2025, there’s plenty on the community calendar:
Waverley Gold Rush Days (Sept 10–14): Don’t miss this week-long celebration of Waverley’s heritage and community spirit. Whether you’re trying your luck at Klondike Night, enjoying live music and food trucks on the Village Green, or watching the fireworks finale, Gold Rush Days promise fun for all ages. Schedules are posted on the Waverley Gold Rush Facebook group – most events are family-friendly and low-cost (some fundraising proceeds go to local causes).
Fall Community Clean-Up: Late September will bring a volunteer community clean-up day (date TBA, likely Sep 23) organized by local residents and the Lakeview/Windsor Junction/Fall River Ratepayers Association. Neighbors will gather to pick up litter along our roadsides and lakefronts as we prepare for autumn. Supplies and gloves will be provided – a great chance to get involved and keep our area beautiful.
Municipal Meetings: On the civic front, Halifax’s North West Community Council meets on September 14 and again in early October. Agenda items expected include local planning updates (any development proposals or rezoning in our area will be discussed) and follow-ups on traffic concerns. Residents can attend or watch the webcast for issues like the Fall River crosswalk study or Schwarzwald water report status. Additionally, Halifax Regional Council’s next session on Sept 19 may touch on region-wide initiatives that affect us (e.g. adjustments to property tax rates or recreation funding).
Recreation & Sports: The Fall River Dragons hockey teams kick off their preseason training this month at the Sackville Sports Stadium and LeBrun Arena – keep an eye out for their bottle drive fundraiser around the neighbourhood. For golf enthusiasts, Oakfield Golf & Country Club is hosting a charity tournament on Sept 20 in support of community mental health programs. And as the leaves start to turn, locals will have the chance to enjoy guided fall foliage hikes in Shubie Park (every Saturday in late September) – a perfect way to appreciate nature’s beauty close to home.
If you know of other events or news in the community, feel free to share – this synopsis can be updated. In the meantime, enjoy the final weeks of summer and the coming fall activities in our wonderful Fall River area!
Sources: Fall River community news and event details have been compiled from The Laker News thelaker.ca, Halifax municipal halifax.ca, provincial news novascotia.ca, and local community group postings grandlakeoakfield.ca. All information is current as of September 4, 2025.
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