Notice of Annual General Meeting 2026

Published: May 27 2026 08:00

TAKE NOTICE THAT the Village of Chester’s annual meeting of electors is being held on Wednesday, June 17, 2026 at 6:30pm at St. Stephen's Community Centre (Tuck Hall), 54 Regent Street, Chester, and online. The meeting agenda(202 KB) is now available.

At this meeting, the audited 2025/26 Financial Statements will be presented as well as an overview of Village Commission activities the previous year. The public is welcome and encouraged to join us!

Livestream links:

• Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86996806954?pwd=DIgZXN0xwaQv1dkipaKtAfjN3WkBON.1
• YouTube Live https://www.youtube.com/@villageofchesterns - the archival video will be posted here post-meeting

The Straight Goods on the Zoé Vallé Library

Published: May 22 2026 10:00

As the reopening of the Zoé Vallé Memorial Library approaches, we wanted to share our excitement. We are thrilled to have been entrusted with shepherding this community treasure and we cannot wait to welcome the community back inside. None of this would be possible without all the volunteer hours and hard work of community members and to you and to them we say thank you!

We know the change in stewardship of the ZVL has been unsettling for some. We hear the concerns about the village offices moving into the space, about the need for accessibility and questions related to the Village of Chester’s qualifications for running a community library. We understand the many volunteer hours have gone into this space over the last number of years and that some are feeling left out or unheard through this change. Please know we are listening and we are working hard to respond to your concerns and questions. We so appreciate the hard work that so many put into the ZVL and the sense of ownership some feel for this special space. We hope that this message can provide some assurances, answer questions and start to bring our community back together with a shared goal of celebrating the re-opening of this special treasure.

The Village of Chester was awarded the “governance and operations” of the ZVL through an open and transparent RFP process lead by the Municipality of Chester. The Village has the management experience and expertise to manage a public space as demonstrated through 88 years of managing the Chester Volunteer Fire Department and its continued ownership and operation of the Lido Pool.

Over the last few months and with the guidance and professional expertise of South Shore Public Libraries, an enormous amount of work has been done to get the space ready to re-open to the public. We have reconfigured shelving and layout and increased both the square footage of public space and better accessibility to all books. As before, we have installed free public Wi-Fi and computers and printers for public use. As an official Branch of SSPL, new books will be arriving regularly and access to all SSPL services such as borrowing from other branches, research materials, and eBooks will be available. A professional librarian will also be employed four half-days a week to serve the public.

We also welcome anyone who would like to join us in a volunteer capacity at the library. Please reach out.  

The public space of the library will grow, not shrink.  The Village Clerk/Treasurer’s office has been situated upstairs in the former caretakers’ residence. This was previously not a space open to the public. Our long-serving part-time administrative assistant has a small nook in the Club Room so as to ensure consistent open library hours for the public. No library space has been or will be sacrificed. 

In keeping with the provisions and obligations of the ZVL deed to provide a “public library and community and civic centre”, we are and will continue to host groups and meetings with Community partners such as the Chester Art Centre, Municipality of Chester Recreation, Our Health Centre and the Garden Club. Workshops, speakers, and social gatherings are being added to the program calendar. Anyone is welcome and we encourage the public to contact us to arrange use of the space.

We also have put together a plan to ensure both the washroom and an entrance are made fully accessible well before the provincially-imposed 2030 deadline, while respecting the heritage designation of the building.

The Village of Chester is fully committed to transparency and ensuring the public understands how the ZVL endowment funds are being allocated. As per the ZVL Warranty Deed the ZVL endowment fund will continue to pay for capital costs – meaning anything that stays with the property like walkways, lighting fixtures, building upgrades – and for library services. The Village of Chester will cover all building and grounds operational costs from its own budget – utilities, internet, maintenance and repairs, security systems, insurance, etc. In addition, the Village of Chester is contributing 50% of the cost of librarian services for the 2026-27 fiscal year. 

Finally, the Village will be working with the Community Foundation of Nova Scotia – an established charitable giving facilitator – to ensure the endowment is invested wisely. 

The Village Commission and the ZVL will soon commemorate their Centennial anniversaries. One hundred years in this fast new world is no small achievement. This partnership is not only logical but allows for a continuity that can carry us forward for another hundred years. Though the faces will change, the groundwork and mission laid out so perfectly by the founders will continue. 

Spring is here, the doors will open soon, there will be old books and new books, there will be computers to work on, printers to print on, rooms to meet in, coffee to be drunk, and a garden to enjoy. We are not reinventing the wheel, but we are happy to lead it into the future. We hope you will join us in celebrating the re-opening on June 1st, all will be welcome!

Thank you,

The Village of Chester Commission
Laura Mulrooney
Tom Mulrooney
Gloria Nauss
Randall O’Malley, Vice-Chair
Geraldine Pauley, Chair

2026-05-20 Audit Committee Meeting

Published: May 17 2026 12:55

The Chester Village Commission's first Audit Committee Meeting of this year is scheduled for May 20, 2026 at 5:15 pm. The agenda(176 KB) and agenda package(914 KB) are available.

Under the Municipal Government Act, villages and municipalities are required to appoint an audit committee, which must meet at least two times a year. This meeting is the official kick-off to the 2025/26 audit, which is currently in progress. The second meeting will be held when the audit is completed to review financial statements. The 2025/26 Financial Statements from the audit will be presented at the Village Commission's Annual General Meeting on June 17, 2026 at 6:30 pm.

The Audit Committee meeting will be held in person at 63 Regent Street, Chester, and online at the following links:

Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82849580400?pwd=5QahfoePFkP6ggUecQq2oTdZLbfErz.1
YouTube Live: https://www.youtube.com/@villageofchesterns

The public is welcome.

2026-05-20 Monthly Village Commission Meeting

Published: May 15 2026 21:15

The Chester Village Commission's May Monthly Meeting agenda(169 KB) and agenda package(2.27 MB) are now available.

Items of interest to the public include: a request from the Chester Fire Services Committee to approve/guarantee a loan for the build of the new fire station; annual review of tax exemptions offered to homeowners and non-profit organizations; and preparation for the June 17th AGM, June 23rd Election, and the start of summer services. The meeting will be held in-person at the Zoé Vallé Library (63 Regent Street) and online at 6:00 pm. The public is welcome to join us!

Livestream links:
> Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87180167457?pwd=Ma5lAKteLeQwXVpaiIWpsWUajUZU2C.
> YouTubeLive https://www.youtube.com/@villageofchesterns (the meeting video will also be archived here)

Zoé Vallé Memorial Library re-opens June 1st

Published: May 15 2026 10:30

The Village of Chester Commission and South Shore Public Libraries are pleased to announce that the Zoé Vallé Memorial Library will re-open to the public on June 1, 2026!

There will also be an official Grand Opening on July 18^th; rain date July 19^th.

Library Hours as of June 1:

• Mon  10am - 4pm
• Tue   10am - 4pm
• Wed  10am - 4pm
• Thu   10am - 7pm
• Fri     10am - 4pm
• Sat    10am - 2pm

For programming and events, visit the Library Calendar. 

For the Library's website, visit www.zoevalle.com. 

For more information on the Village’s stewardship, visit our Library page.

Call for Volunteers: Library Assistants

Published: May 15 2026 10:00

Do you enjoy working with people, supporting your community, and sharing a love of libraries and books? Join the team at the Zoé Vallé Memorial Library as a Volunteer Library Assistant!

Update: We are happy to receive applications at any time. South Shore Public Libraries’ held training sessions for the first group on May 28th and Jun 2nd. More will be scheduled as needed.

Download the Volunteer Application(120 KB)  or stop by the Library at 63 Regent Street to pick up a paper copy.

Volunteers help create welcoming and inclusive library spaces by:
- Assisting visitors and borrowers
- Helping with library programs and events
- Supporting basic technology use
- Shelving and organizing materials
- Helping people discover library services and collections

This is a great opportunity for individuals who are dependable, friendly, organized, and interested in community service.

Our ideal volunteers will:
✔ Enjoy helping others
✔ Be comfortable learning library technology
✔ Have strong communication skills
✔ Work well independently and as part of a team
✔ Value privacy, respect, and excellent public service

Whether you’re looking to give back, gain experience, or connect with your community, we’d love to hear from you!

Questions? Contact us at  or 902-275-4482.

More information? See our Library page and Library Event Calendar.

Chester Public Washroom is OPEN (2026)

Published: May 01 2026 08:00

The Village of Chester’s public washroom facility is open May 1st through Nov 11th, 2026 from 8am-8pm daily. It is located on the waterfront at 10 Parade Square Road next to the Lido Pool.

Men’s, women’s, and universal (accessible/family/gender-neutral) washrooms are available.

Brought to you by the Village of Chester Commission.

Commission Meeting Highlights: Apr 22, 2026

Published: April 28 2026 12:17

Due to technical difficulties the Village Commission was unable to livestream its April Monthly Meeting. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Highlights of the meeting included:

• The 2026/27 Village Budget was passed, with the tax rate unchanged at $0.077 per $100 of assessment (see here). 
• The Village was successful in receiving two Canada Summer Jobs grants for one of our Lido Pool lifeguards and one representative for our Visitor Information Centre up at the Old Chester Train Station. 
• The Village office move into the Library is completed. (Building repairs are in progress inside and outside, and the South Shore Public Libraries continues their cataloguing and preparations for at least another month.)
• The Chester Fire Services Committee is holding a public meeting to present the final design for the new Chester Fire Station on May 11, 2026. (See their Facebook post for more information.)
• The 2026 Community Grants were awarded to the Chester Arts Centre, Farmers & Artisans' Market, Merchants' Association, Municipal Heritage Society, Playhouse, and Yacht Club. Community grants are awarded to Village organizations who are planning public events - thank you to all who strive to make Village life more vibrant!

 For Commission Meeting agendas and minutes, see here.