Judy Haiven takes a close look at the human rights tribunal that found Halifax police discriminated against a Black man who was ticketed for jaywalking on Gottingen Street. “We cannot treat the police force in Halifax as though it has a few bad apples. We cannot assume that racism within the police — or any institution — is the exception,” she writes.
The secretive sale of the former Bloomfield Centre shows once again that stopping gentrification and creating affordable housing is not a priority in this city, or indeed, this province.
We talk with Halifax Peninsula North candidate Virginia Hinch. “A lot of community members are being pushed out of our communities because they no longer can afford it.”
Media Advisory: After 50 years of being located in the North End of Halifax, the Dalhousie Legal Aid Service (DLAS) will leave its current office at 2209 Gottingen Street on September 10, 2020. Staff members have been told that this move is due to building safety concerns. The DLAS will relocate to 2900 Agricola Street for two years pending the development of plans to return to the Gottingen Street neighbourhood.
Martyn Williams: There were numerous core concerns raised by stakeholders and by design experts regarding Cogswell’s lack of connectivity, lack of character, and lack of genuine buy-in and involvement from the community and stakeholders. Now we must take time to reconsider Cogswell, before mistakes are made. The new Cogswell just exists on paper right now. Nothing is irreversible.
This documentary puts a face to the rapid changes gentrification has brought to the Halifax North End. We meet some of the older residents who reminisce about life in their old neighborhood, one that actually deserved to be called vibrant.
Walking Gottingen is an immersive sound walk that uses storytelling, natural sound, and diverse voices to transport listeners through a portal of lived experiences in the neighbourhood. Listeners will hear moving, intimate descriptions of an area that has been the home of African Nova Scotians, members of the LGBTQ2+ community and the Mi’kmaq First Nations community.
“We’d all benefit from living in a city that was less racist, that was less unjust, that was less oppressive, that was less centered on displacement in the interest of white supremacy and profit.” An interview with professor Ted Rutland about urban planning as a misguided strategy to reduce crime and poverty and pave the way for gentrification of the historic Halifax North End.
PSA: Council is about to vote on a funding request in support of a secure future for the Bus Stop Theatre, and they are looking for your help.
We interview professor Howard Ramos, who has done extensive research on evolving gentrification and spatial inequalities among neighbourhoods and rural communities in HRM.