Riverport, Nova Scotia - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Riverport is a charming community, surrounding the fairhaven of Ritcey

Ritcey

The Ritcey name originated in Ritcey's Cove which later was renamed to Riverport, Nova Scotia. Settled in 1754 by Johann Phillip Henericie, this fairhaven is part of the original Foreign Protestants to settle Nova Scotia, Canada...

's Cove, situated beautifully at the end of the LaHave River

LaHave River

The LaHave River is a river in Nova Scotia, Canada, running from its source in Annapolis County to the Atlantic Ocean. Along its way, it splits the communities of LaHave and Riverport and bisects the town of Bridgewater flowing into the LaHave River estuary .The river and various spots in the area...

in Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...

, Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

. Settled in 1754, the harbour, free from shoals, and in which marine craft are safe from every wind, is one of the finest in North America. Like other villages on the South Shore

South Shore (Nova Scotia)

The South Shore is a region of Nova Scotia, Canada. Although it has no formal identity and is variously defined by geographic, county and other political boundaries, it is generally understood as the Atlantic coast running southwest from Halifax Harbour to the end of Shelburne County...

the area was originally founded by the Foreign Protestants

Foreign Protestants

The "Foreign Protestants" were a group of immigrants to Nova Scotia in the mid-18th century and the ethnonymical basis behind the name "New Brunswick", as well as support behind naming "Prince Edward Island" for a representative of the Braunschweiger dynasty....

Geography

The community is approximately 120 kilometers from Halifax Regional Municipality

Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia

Halifax Regional Municipality is the capital of the province of Nova Scotia, Canada. The Regional Municipality had a 2006 census population of 372,679, while the metropolitan area had a 2010 estimated population of 403,188, and the urban area of Halifax had a population of 282,924...

, 20 kilometers from Bridgewater

Bridgewater, Nova Scotia

Bridgewater is a town in Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia, Canada, at the navigable limit of the LaHave River. It is the largest town in the South Shore region. While the majority of the South Shore's economy is based upon the tourist trade, Bridgewater is more a commercial and industrial centre and...

and 15 kilometers from Lunenburg and across the river from LaHave

LaHave, Nova Scotia

LaHave was once the capital of Acadia/ Nova Scotia and is now a small scenic village located on Highway 331 at the mouth of the LaHave River in Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia, across the river from Riverport and approximately 15 kilometres from the town of Bridgewater.- French Colony :LaHave was the...

.

Riverport is located around Ritcey's Cove and surrounded by the communities of Five Houses

Five Houses, Lunenburg, Nova Scotia

-Five Houses and Lower LaHave:Five Houses and Lower LaHave are part of the Riverport District, a community in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, in Lunenburg County on the shore of the LaHave River....

, Lower LaHave

Five Houses, Lunenburg, Nova Scotia

, East LaHave

East LaHave, Nova Scotia

-East LaHave: East LaHave is part of the Riverport District, a community in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, in Lunenburg County on the shore of the LaHave River.Much of the rural infrastructure for East LaHave is centered in Riverport, Nova Scotia...

and Middle LaHave, Upper

Rose Bay, Nova Scotia

Rose Bay is part of the Riverport District, a community in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, in Lunenburg County.Much of the rural infrastructure for Rose Bay is centered in Riverport, Nova Scotia...

and Lower Rose Bay

Rose Bay, Nova Scotia

, Upper

Kingsburg, Nova Scotia

Kingsburg is a town that is part of the Riverport District and at the end of the Kingsburg area. The community is approximately 130 kilometers from Halifax Regional Municipality, 30 kilometers from Bridgewater and 25 kilometers from Lunenburg and now a summer vacation area.The Kingsburg area also...

and Lower Kingsburg

Kingsburg, Nova Scotia

, Indian Path

Indian Path, Nova Scotia

-Indian Path: Indian Path is part of the Riverport District, a community in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, in Lunenburg County.Much of the rural infrastructure for Bayport is centered in Riverport, Nova Scotia. This includes the Riverport & District Fire Department, Riverport & District...

, Bayport

Bayport, Nova Scotia

-Bayport: Bayport is part of the Riverport District, a community in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, in Lunenburg County on the shore of the Lower South Cove.Much of the rural infrastructure for Bayport is centered in Riverport, Nova Scotia...

, Feltzen South

Feltzen South, Nova Scotia

-Feltzen South: Feltzen South is part of the Riverport District and features The Ovens Natural Park. The community is in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, located in the Lunenburg Municipal District in Lunenburg County.-References:*...

and The Ovens

The Ovens, Nova Scotia

-The Ovens Natural Park: The Ovens Natural Park in Feltzen South is part of the Riverport District and site of a Gold Rush over a century ago. The private park located in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, owned and operated by Angela and Steve Chapin , located at the meeting point of...

are collectively known as the Riverport District.

History

Ritcey

's Cove began as 30 acre land lots issued for settlement which began in 1754 by the original Foreign Protestants

Foreign Protestants

settlers. One of the original settlers in this community was Johann Phillip Henericie. Through time and language practices traditional German language adapted to local market requirements and eventually adapted to English. Over the years, the "Henericie" name became known as "Ritcey

Ritcey

" and Ritcey's Cove. As Ritcey's Cove grew and other communities such as Kingsburg, Feltzen South and Middle LaHave influenced Ritcey's Cove, local families including Creaser, Smith, Oxner, Himmelman, Conrad, Mosher and Zinck families made a name change necessary. In 1902 "Riverport" and "Fairhaven" were the choices, and Riverport was chosen by the deciding vote.

Electric grid

Unique to the area is the Riverport Electric Light Commission (RELC). In 1920, the RELC became the first municipally incorporated electric utility in Nova Scotia. Today the independent RELC is still the first of six power utilities independent of Nova Scotia Power

Nova Scotia Power

Nova Scotia Power Inc. is a power generating and delivery company in Nova Scotia. It is privately owned by Emera and regulated by the provincial government via the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board .-History:...

, a subsidiary of Emera Incorporated

Emera

Emera Incorporated is a Halifax, Nova Scotia based energy and services company with 570,000 customers.It operates three utility subsidiaries:* Nova Scotia Power* Bangor Hydro Electric Company* Saint Lucia Electricity Services Limited...

, who co-operate in the Municipal Electric Utilities of Nova Scotia Cooperative Limited http://www.gov.ns.ca/energy/electricity/mun-elec-coop.asp. A seventh community, Kentville, Nova Scotia
Kentville, Nova Scotia
Kentville is a town in Kings County, Nova Scotia. It is one of the main towns in the Annapolis Valley, and it is the county seat of Kings County. As of 2006, the town of Kentville had a population of 5,815 people....

, had sold its utility to NSPI at approximately the same time that MEUNSCL was formed, in 1997-98. http://ns1758.ca/electric/electricpwr10.html

The vast area which the utility covers is essentially the same size as the City of Halifax

City of Halifax

Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...

with a much less dense population.

Unlike the nearby Lunenburg and Mahone Bay utilities, the other three (in Berwick

Berwick, Nova Scotia

Berwick is a Canadian town in Kings County, Nova Scotia. The town is located in the eastern part of the Annapolis Valley on the Cornwallis River. The town site stretches south from the river and Exit 15 of Highway 101 to Highway 1...

, Antigonish

Antigonish, Nova Scotia

Antigonish is a Canadian town in Antigonish County, Nova Scotia. The town is home to St. Francis Xavier University and the oldest continuous highland games in North America.-History:...

, Canso

Canso, Nova Scotia

For the headland, see Cape Canso.Canso is a small Canadian town in Guysborough County, on the north-eastern tip of mainland Nova Scotia, next to Chedabucto Bay. The area was established in 1604, along with Port Royal, Nova Scotia. The British construction of a fort in the village , was instrumental...

and the former utility in Kentville, Riverport's is managed more like a utility cooperative

Utility cooperative

A utility cooperative is a type of cooperative that is tasked with the delivery of a public utility such as electricity, water or telecommunications to its members...

, with commissioners from each constituent community. In the US, there are about 900 of these in rural areas, as compared to about 2000 where the grid is run by the local council. http://www.ferc.gov/eventcalendar/files/20050608125055-grid-2030.pdf. The Nova Scotia's association has little formal function, as contrasted to very active associations of rural co-operatives, for example Kentucky's http://www.kaec.org/faq.htm.

Riverport Electric Light Commission has an excellent reputation for reliability; Its grid has attracted some new businesses and professionals who work from home largely as a result of that. http://riverport.org

Marine

Boatbuilding is alive along the river anchored by a ship builder with local and international clients which uses their Riverport boat yard facilities to construct custom built yachts. http://www.coveyisland.com/downloads/CanadaYachting'11.pdf These yachts now grace all corners of the globe. Their boats are primarily constructed using laminated wood and epoxy techniques. This former rumhaven for rum running is now home to a few independent canoe and kayak builders along with vessel repair craftsmen play an important role in the area.

Real estate

The real estate market has been very important to this fairhaven through the development of the Feltzen South peninsula, later the Kingsburg peninsula and now district as a whole. This trend began with the investment of European buyers purchasing very undervalued land in the 1980s. Today all district communities enjoy high values due the close proximity to ocean access and view. For tourists with a love of the ocean the area provides an abundance of ocean villas rental with beautiful views.

Fishing

Fish landing are primarily with Ocean Choice International's freezer trawler as it's Nova Scotia base for the off shore scallop fishing industry and ship repairs. Landings are sent to facilities for further processing as does many smaller independent vessels participating in the in and off shore fisherie. Other various species of fish and crustaceans brought ashore include haddock, cod, tuna, lox, snow crab and lobster.

Culture

Community Pride

Riverport District residences are anchored with a great sense of pride from centuries of sweat equity and collectively building of their community the original lands. Those new to this fairhaven will feel the aura of the land, which over the centuries this energy has been reflected in the people.

Organizations

Local organizations calling the district home includes, IOOF Lodge, Kingsburg Coastal Conservancy, Trinity Fiddlers, Riverport District Board of Trade and Community Development Committee, Riverport Lions Club, Riverport and Area Community Choir http://www.canadiangeographic.ca/magazine/jf06/feature3.asp, Riverport United Church Pastoral Charge, Riverport District Community Center and Lady Auxiliary, Riverport District Fire Department and Lady Auxiliary, St. Mark's Place and The Old Confidence Lodge Studio and Stage.

Activities

Some local activities include live music all summer at The Oven's, weekend activities of the Kingsburg Summer Series, upcoming artists live and recording at the Old Confidence Lodge, various community potluck events and the rumhaven for the Riverport Rum Runners Sea Festival http://www.seafestival.ca/ weekend. Three major annual events travel through the district, the Osprey 5km Run/Walk, the Lunenburg-Riverport Road Race and the Riverport Duathlon. Three religious denominations are based in the Riverport District, Presbyterian, Lutheran and United Churches.

Nature and Environment

A wide variety of events occur today in the district but the main thing local citizens look forward to is enjoying the five major beaches in the area and natural hiking attractions, Gaff Point, Hirtle's Beach, Indian Path Commons, Kingsburg Beach, The Ovens Natural Park

The Ovens, Nova Scotia

, Oxner's Beach, Spindler's Beach and Rose Bay/Sand Dollar Beach.

External Links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.