Category Archives: EVENTS

More formal than ‘ACTIVITIES’. Very much an EVENT as it CTC 250 events.

Jane’s Walk – Freshwater Brook, Halifax Common – Sunday May 3, 11am

The path of Freshwater Brook as commemorated by Friends of Halifax Common for Earth Day 2011

Did you know that Halifax has its own lost river system? Join Jane’s Walk guide, Ben Wedge on the North Common to explore Halifax’s river system and its influence on development patterns in a growing garrison town. After centuries of development burying our beautiful urban streams, cities are rediscovering them and starting to bring them back. Inspired in part by the documentary “Lost Rivers” Halifax Council is debating daylighting Dartmouth’s Sawmill River.
Here is a nice facebook page and previous posts on Freshwater Brook can be found here…This post about HRM’s 2006 daylighting policy for both Sawmill River and Freshwater Brook. This post includes links to excellent essays by Matt Neviille and Sam Austin. Continue reading →

Cartography of the Commons – Workshops with Zachery Gough

With your help, artist Zachery Gough envisions our Biophysical,Knowledge, Social and Cultural Commons in Halifax.

With you, artist Zachery Gough will envision our Biophysical, Knowledge, Social and Cultural Commons in Halifax.

Cartography of the Commons is a collective mapping initiative and workshop series by artist Zachery Gough to take stock of the things we share in Halifax. We’ll swap info about shared and free resources (Biophysical, Knowledge, Social and Cultural) and talk about how increasingly everything is for sale.
All workshops take place a the Halifax Public Library. Everyone welcome. Free.

Continue reading →

Catalogue Launch – Celebrate the Common 250

In October of 2014, Friends of the Halifax Common organized four days of activities to celebrate the 250th Anniversary of the Halifax Common. The Halifax Common came into being when the land was given to the “common folk” of Halifax by King George III “to and for the use of the inhabitants of the Town of Halifax as Common, forever”. To further mark this anniversary we published the Illustrated Catalogue “Celebrate the Common 250”.

Within the 24 pages of this historical documentary book are present-day photographs taken by Alvin Comitor interspersed with archival photographs and images. Accompanying text describes the gradual diminution of the lands allocated to the Halifax Common, south to north, over the past 250 years.

To view the catalogue on line CLICK HERE.

For beautiful print copies Contact Us. A donation of $10 per book is suggested but not required.

Photographic Exibition: Parking the Common, Documentation of Phylum Paveia

View On Line: Parking the Common, Documentation of Phylum Paveia

This study classifies invading species of Phylum Paveia (parking lot) responsible for the creeping disappearance of the Halifax Common. Ecological examination reveals P.Paveia colonizes territory replacing endangered natives such as Lawnis tranquilis, Gardenia publica and Serenis communis. Identified Paveias include Genera Bituminus (asphalt), Lapillius (gravel) and Cementus (cement) and species civitis (city), ecclesiais (church), hospitalis (hospital), imperium canadis (federal government), imperium nova scotis (provincial government), privatis (private), scholis (school), and universitis (university). This study raises doubt about notions of improvement historically rooted in imperialist ideology that, unless mitigated, will result in further colonization.

HRM Public Meeting – New Permanent Building, North Common

Have your say about the new permanent building on the North Common
Date: Thursday June 5, 2014
Time: 6:30pm to review presentation panels & 7pm for the formal presentation
Location: Atlantica Hotel (former Willow Tree Holiday Inn)

Isn’t it time for a big picture plan that respects the 1994 Halifax Common Plan? In March 2012 HRM found out through a legal opinion that buildings on the Common are likely illegal. So instead of respecting the law, HRM lobbied the provincial government to change HRM’s Charter to permit the legal erection of a permanent building on the North Common in exclusive support of the Oval. https://nslegislature.ca/legc/bills/61st_4th/1st_read/b157.htm

We agree that so far the aesthetic of the Oval has been a junk heap but is a new building is necessary? FHC suggested spending the money to improve the Central Common Pavilion; or to host a yearly international design competition for warming huts like Winnipeg does; or to use yurts as found in many ski hills & golf courses. These were ignored. This permanent building is another major encroachment on the remaining ~ 30 acres of the original 240 acre land grant. We like the Oval but we love the Common. At the public meeting in 2010 everything was about the concerts and $3 million was promised for improvements to the North Common. Now its all about the Oval. What’s the big picture?

Book Launch and Events

Reclaiming the Commons for the Common Good
by Heather Menzies

Everyone is welcomed to attend events with award-winning author Heather Menzies in celebration of the launch of her new book, Reclaiming the Commons for the Common Good.

A memoir of personal and political discovery, Menzies’ focus is on the need to reclaim common resources to work together to build a better society. Her message is especially relevant to Friends of Halifax Common who present these events in cooperation with Halifax’s Lifelong Learning Network, Nancy’s Chair in Women’s Studies (MSVU), Common Roots Urban Farm, the Council of Canadians, and the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives – Nova Scotia.

For dates, times and details… Continue reading →

Reclaiming the Commons for the Common Good by Heather Menzies

Reclaiming the Commons for the Common Good
by Heather Menzies