Media Release Earth Day – FHC Commemorate Freshwater Brook

Earth Day – Friends of Halifax Common Commemorate Freshwater Brook’s Path

photo(Halifax) Friends of Halifax Common (FHC) are marking Earth Day by outlining a portion of the historic Freshwater Brook, a watercourse that lies buried underneath the Halifax Common.

“One of hundreds of interesting suggestions from citizens of Halifax included in the 1994 Halifax Common Plan was to “daylight” or expose Freshwater Brook or even just sections of it,” said Peggy Cameron, co-chair of the Friends of Halifax Common. “Unfortunately, HRM continues to ignore that master-plan and to little by little give away or pave the public’s open space,”  concluded Cameron.

Although the Common was once defined as the land area or watershed that drained into Freshwater Brook, today the only remnant of the brook is Griffin’s Pond in the Public Gardens. The skate park is on the site of what was formerly known as Egg Pond.

“Sadly, the Halifax Common compares too well with how we humans treat our environment,” said FHC supporter Moire Peters. “Despite solid scientific understanding about our need to respect our ecosystems, we continue to pave our land, pollute our watersheds and ignore what the implications for the future will be,” concluded Ms. Peters.

Less than 1/3 of the Halifax Common’s original 235 acres that King George III granted in 1763 “for the use of the inhabitants of the Town of Halifax forever” remains as public open space. Few citizens know that the Halifax Common includes all the land bordered by Robie and North Park, Ahern, Bell Road and South Park Streets between Cunard and South Streets.

Another Earth Day Action to raise attention about the need to protect ecosystems invites Nova Scotia citizens to bring jars of tap water to the provincial legislature on Hollis Street between 1-2 pm on Friday. This rally is a call for a ban against hydraulic fracking, a method of exploration for shale gas that threatens water and air quality.

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Media Contact: Peggy Cameron: 492-4372