Latest news with #DonaldKerr
CTV News
08-07-2025
- Health
- CTV News
Unknown odor at DeWolf Park in Bedford, N.S. deters visitors
People flock to the paths lining the Bedford Basin. A walk around the water is good for the soul but there's something in the air that is ruining the experience. 'It's absolutely putrid,' says Donald Kerr. 'As soon as we start to smell it, we want to leave,' Pat Steele adds. Many are pointing a finger at the nearby Mill Cove Wastewater Treatment Plant. 'The wind is the indicator depending on which way it's blowing. Some days you won't notice it at all other days. It's fairly strong,' resident Ken Strang says. Calls are coming into Halifax Water to complain. Officials with the utility say they are looking into the cause. 'We can't pinpoint an exact reason. There's several reasons it could be, a timing in the treatment process as well as external factors such as the weather, wind, humidity,' says Senior Communications Advisor for Halifax Water, Brittany Smith. The plant services over 105,000 people in Sackville, Beaver Bank and Bedford. When the facility was built there wasn't much in the area but today there are apartments on either side and it's adjacent to Admiral Harry DeWolf Park where people picnic, walk or sit and relax. Residents say the smell is driving them away. 'I have certainly seen the impact of it. It's very popular park and it's become even more popular in recent years. Our population is increasing in Bedford, so it has become a prime gathering place,' says Bedford-Wentworth Coun. Jean St-Amand. On certain days, the stench forces Kerr to change the route for his walk. 'We who walk here enjoy walking here and when we get something like that, it puts you off walking or you cut your walk down to make sure you're out of the range of the smell,' he said. Halifax Water is asking anyone to call when they notice a smell and staff will see if that coincides with operations at the plant - an attempt to find out why the air is so foul. The Mill Cove plant is approaching 60 years of age. There was some work done on it in the 1990's. Another round of upgrades to increase capacity are planned for 2031. For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Cambridge & Counties Bank reports 15% increase in new loans for 2024
UK-based specialist lender Cambridge & Counties Bank achieved a record level of gross new lending in 2024, reaching £376m (approximately $500m), a 15% increase compared with 2023. The company reported a pre-tax profit of £35.8m for the year, despite a declining interest rate environment. Property finance drawdowns reached over £285m, marking the third consecutive year of growth in the bank's core real estate finance division. Meanwhile, asset finance drawdowns also saw growth, reaching £89m, a 39% increase from 2023. Cambridge & Counties Bank CFO Rich Hanrahan said: 'In asset finance, we streamlined processes for certain customers, significantly reducing the time taken to payout. 2025 will see us build greater flexibility into our technology stack, allowing for faster, safer deployment and more innovation.' Additionally, finance for classic, vintage, and sports cars using hire purchase and finance lease products rose by 41% to £72m. Overall, total customer loan balances increased by 11% in FY 2024, reaching £1.23bn, while customer deposits grew by 10% to £1.27bn. Last year, the bank invested in digital capabilities, offices, and employees, opening new offices in Manchester and Reading, with a focus on asset finance. Staff numbers increased by 8%, ending the year with 243 employees. Cambridge & Counties Bank CEO Donald Kerr said: 'Over the past two years, we have invested in our relationship management teams and new technology. 2024 saw the benefits of this investment in the form of increased new business volumes. We also continued to develop our product range with more fixed-rate lending and new products such as development finance. 'The UK Government wants to stimulate growth: our SMEs and the UK property market are fundamental to this, and both are fully aligned with CCB's own strategy and products. We play an important role in supporting a broad range of businesses and entrepreneurs, which are often overlooked by larger lenders, and, as such, we have a key role to play in supporting the UK at a critical time for the economy.' "Cambridge & Counties Bank reports 15% increase in new loans for 2024 " was originally created and published by Leasing Life, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
