Strum Island in it's Natural Beauty

Developer says he is saving, not sacrificing, Strum Island
Robert Hirtle
MAHONE BAY - The president of Strum Island Development says he has no intention of destroying the island, but is instead, trying to save it.
Fred Kern was responding to accusations made recently by Gord Tate, owner of Mahone Bay Kayaks, who said the islands in the bay are being threatened by "thoughtless development."
Mr. Tate has circulated a petition which states that the integrity of the islands "must supersede whimsy, ego and greed."
He said the development of Strum, although within the realms of the law, "is a portrait of the islands overall, and the way it's going to go."
Mr. Kern, whose company purchased the island two years ago, said the work being carried on at Strum is not detrimental, but is necessary to stop the island from washing away.
"I'm a developer, that's true," Mr. Kern said. "But I'm a quality developer. I don't do myself any service by doing what [I'm accused] of doing."
Mr. Kern said that Strum Island has been eroding into the sea at an alarming rate for a number of years.
To stop this, he is constructing a sea wall on the southeast side of the island, which, in conjunction with the three terraces he is building up the bank, should halt the process.

Oct 2,2002 Lighthouse Publishing

Strum Island July,2007

Strum Island March,2007

Westside

Eastside

Westside of Strum Island,April,2006

South head of Strum Island, Appears to be a huge Crock Well being dug. Could it be 50 feet deep?

Mr. Kern said that he has employed a civil engineer as well as an environmental consultant in developing the septic systems which will service the six lots on the island, in order to confirm that they will cause no harm to the environment.
Gerald Hanley, the contractor who will install the systems, said the soil on the island is class C-1, which is the best there is for such a project.
"[With] C-2 you've got to bring imported soil in, or sand," he said.
Mr. Kern said that because the systems will be installed in the centre of the island, it is not possible to "percolate into the ocean" as Mr. Tate had inferred.
He also said the only trees that have been removed from the island are spruce trees which have either blown down or were in danger of being uprooted.

Eastside of Strum after the washout was repaired by Hundreds of tons of boulders from the Mainland.

"The only way you can stop erosion is to take the weight off," he explained. "In the winter time, it rains and freezes, and that whole hillside becomes one solid mass like an avalanche." Lighthouse Publishing Oct2,2002

Eastside of Strum's Island

Strum Island blouders coming from Sleepy Hollow Rd. in Oakland,N.S.

The wall is being built with granite boulders which are being trucked to the island by barge from a quarry on the mainland. Oct 2,2002 Lighthouse Publishing

The Quarry is from private lots of land on Sleepy Hollow Rd in Oakland.Which is being striped torn up and left Ugly and desert like. Other rocks have been trucked from private lands in Indian Point. There is no such designated Rock Quarry where Mr Kern is stating...these rocks are coming from.

Old Dynamite wharf now Strum Island Developments incorporated

Hundredsof truck loads of rock which was transported to Strum Island from places like Sleepy hollow rd in Oakland and Indian point.

Deptartment of Natural Resources plan P-002/03. As serveyed by Lester W. Berrigan.NSLS no.409. Showing 8 metre wide Easement over Crown land at Hyson Point to Strum Island,Lunenburg county, n.s. Dated Febuary 17,2003. The Question is Why is there a Private Property Sign at this Easement?

He said that the development of Strum Island, which is the only island that the company owns in the bay, is worth about $400,000 to the local economy.

Wow aren't those rocks attractive looking