Emerald Zone Corporation

Trail: Springdale HWY 390

Mayor: Ada Lock

Deputy Mayor: Mary Pelley

Councillors: Ted Oxford, Ross Coombs, Howard Bennett, Ward Verge, Betty-Lou Young

Address: 112 Bayview Road, A0J 1T0

Telephone: (709) 267-5251

Fax: (709) 267-5251

Availability: Friday; 1:00pm - 5:00pm

Introduction

The community of Beachside, once known as Brookside, was settled in the 1800's, when the mine opened in Little Bay. Beachside, a community surrounded by hills on three sides with the fourth boundary open to the ocean, is a place of amazement in spring.

Beachside (Wild Bight) is located on the north side of Little Bay.  The community is ranged on the west side of the cove at the Bight's bottom, where there is a broad, rocky beach.

Often one can gaze out over Backcove Hill and see huge masses of ice, in many spectacular shapes, floating across the bay. This area is lush, colorful and beautiful in summer when the flowers are in bloom and the sea is aquamarine, calm and serene. The fishery is definitely the mainstay of the community’s economy. Since the cod moratorium, many residents have turned to logging and mining to make a living.

Population:

The town has 183 people.

Location

Beachside (Wild Bight) is located on the north side of Little Bay.

The community is ranged on the west side of the cove at the Bight's bottom, where there is a broad, rocky beach.

History

Beachside was used as a summer station by fisherman from Twillingate before it was settled in the 1850's.

According to a 1857 Census there were 16 people living there, but, by 1874, this number increased to 55 and remained at this until the mid-twentieth century. The fisher people traded their catches to nearby Little Bay Islands where their families attended the Methodist church. Beachside residents also went to the Labrador fishery from Little Bay Island. Some of the men from Beachside found work as miners in Little Bay after 1878, the major impact of the mine on Beachside was the number of miners who returned to fishing after the mine closed in 1900.

In the mid-1920's younger men left to work on the construction of the pulp and paper mill at Corner Brook, and later as loggers. In 1935 there were only 36 people left in the community. In the 1940's and 1950's the community began to grow again as people moved in from Southern Arm, Springdale, Little Bay or Little Bay Islands. In 1956 there were 172 people.

The community of Beachside gets its mail from rural mail boxes and the nearest post office to the community is in Little Bay. The local newspaper, the Nor 'wester, is delivered to the community once a week. The residents have access to cable television through Regional Cable Television. Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro provides the community with electricity, and its source of power is the Springdale Terminal Station. The station has a voltage of 12, 500 and a transformer capacity of 333.

The roads in the community are paved but are considered by the residents to be in poor to good condition. The nearest CN Road Cruiser pickup is located at Springdale Junction. The nearest airport to the community is in Deer Lake and the nearest emergency air service is located at Springdale Junction.

There is only one business located in Beachside and this is a souvenir shop called Newfoundland Souvenir Manufacturing Limited. There are no banks, financial institutions or insurance companies located in Beachside but there is easy access to these facilities in Robert's Arm and Springdale.

There is one school located in the community. This is Beachside Pentecostal Academy built in 1984. It is a primary and elementary school under the Pentecostal Assemblies Board of Education. The school has 3 classrooms, 2 teachers and 30 students. The school is scheduled to close in June at the end of the school year. Students will be bussed to school in Springdale.

There is a Pentecostal Church located in the community. As well, there are two organizations in the community which are both church groups. These are a CA Youth Group and a Pentecostal Women's Ministries Group.

Commercial Trade

There is only one business located in Beachside and this is a souvenir shop, Called Newfoundland Souvenir Manufacturing Limited. There are no banks, financial institutions or insurance companies located in Beachside but there is easy access to these facilities in Springdale.

Postal Services

The community of Beachside gets its mail from rural mail boxes.  The nearest post office to the community is in Little Bay.

Media Data

The local newspaper
Internet
Television

The residents have access to cable television through Regional Cable Television and satellite television. The Nor' Wester, the local newspaper, is delivered once a week by carrier. The residents also have access to dial-up internet. The town is in the process of getting cable internet hooked up. Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro provides the community with electricity, and its source of power is the Springdale Terminal Station. The station has a voltage of 12, 500 and a transformer capacity of 333.

Financial Institutions

All banking and financial services are in Springdale

Health and Welfare

For medical assistance the residents of Beachside use the Medical Clinic located in Robert's Arm or the Medical Clinic at Springdale.

Fire Protection

Volunteer Fire Department...

The community of Beachside has a volunteer fire department with 7 volunteers. The firefighters are contacted by telephone when a fire occurs. The department is equipped with a ½ ton pickup which is used as a fire truck. There is a sufficient amount of fire hydrants in the community. They are equipped with hoses and pumps, and breathing apparatuses.

Transportation

The roads in the community are paved but are considered by the residents to be in poor to good condition. Since the flood in April 2006, the road conditions have worsened. Pavement got washed away and holes had to be filled with dirt.

The nearest DRL bus pickup is located at Springdale Junction. The nearest airport to the community is in Deer Lake and the nearest emergency air service is located at Springdale Junction.

Utilities and Power

 Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro

Water Supply and Sanitation

The community's source of water is a gravity flow chlorinated treated water from Long pond. ...

100% of the households are connected to main water supply. 55 of the households use public sewage system, the remainder have private septic tanks. Garbage is collected once a week. The community's dump is located 2 km from the community.

Social and Cultural Data

There is a Pentecostal Church located in the community.

As well, there are two organizations in the community which are both church groups. These are a CA Youth Group and a Pentecostal Women's Ministries Group.