Saturday, 20 April 2024

Friends of the Common

Media Release: Friends of Halifax Common grade electoral candidates

News release: Friends of the Halifax Common distributed a three-question survey to Halifax Peninsula MLA electoral candidates and political party leaders to determine their commitment to the passage of an ‘Act to Protect the Halifax Common’ similar to the one protecting the Dartmouth Common, as well as two additional questions on future parking garages and on a commitment to reduce and re-naturalize existing parking spaces on the Common.

Media release: Friends of Halifax Common to Premier – Do not approve a pool building on Halifax Common before public consultation and a plan

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Media release: Friends of Halifax Common are at Law Amendments to ask that the Nova Scotia Legislature not to approve legislation to permit new building on the Central Common for HRM’s proposed Aquatic Centre. A public consultation process for the Common Master Plan begun in December 2017 has never come back to the citizens for final input and approval.

Demolition permits in Halifax: The problem with tearing things down

New development tends to start with the tearing down of existing buildings. I spoke with Peggy Cameron about the city’s problematic demolition approvals, their impact on climate change and affordable housing, and the reluctance of city councillors to make things better.

Why do Mayor and Council hold the Halifax Common in contempt?

Peggy Cameron: The Halifax Common’s 240 acres is ~ 20-25% parking lots. There is an obvious opportunity to re-naturalize, re-wild or landscape them to create new park space and a cheap, efficient way to deal with major impacts from climate change. But Mayor Savage and Council have no plans to change this usage. In fact they recently approved plans for a new 8-storey parking garage by the NS Museum of Natural History. That’s despite ~3,000 citizens petitioning against the garage and for protection of the Halifax Common.

Media release: No to 8-storey parkade on North Side of Museum of Natural History

Friends of Halifax Common has written to HRM Mayor and Council asking that they refuse the province’s latest proposal for a provincial parking garage for the Halifax Infirmary – which is to not build a 7-storey parkade on the south side of the Natural History Museum; but instead to build an 8-storey on the north side of the Museum; and, to join the Hospital to the new parking garage by way of a pedway above Summer Street.