HRM Election – FHC’s Questions For Candidates

Vote for Our Common Good – Keep It Ours!

Congratulations to our new Mayor and Council and thanks to everyone who stood for office, helped with the election and voted. We look forward to meeting and working with the new municipal government.
As it’s important that electoral candidates hear Common concerns from many voices! During HRM’s 2024 election FHC asked candidates six questions. We also asked you to use them to help you make the best choice to protect the Halifax Common.

Here are FHC’s questions:

1. Legal Protection: Do you commit to working with the NS government to legally protect the integrity of the 240 acre Halifax Common?

Note: Provincial legislation protects the Dartmouth Common. Halifax needs the same rules.
2. Wanderers Stadium:
 Do you support spending $40million of our public money for a permanent soccer stadium on the Halifax Common’s Wanderers Field for a for-profit soccer business? Note: Before Derek Martin and his professional team occupied the Wanderers Field with his ‘temporary, pop-up stadium’, it was used to full capacity by amateur players. Now, no amateur teams have regular access to the Field. HRM needs money for housing, public transportation, water, sewage and roads. Multiple studies show public investment in stadiums has no economic benefit.
3. Halifax Common Master Plan: The new Plan says there’s a role for community stakeholders. Will you work to establish a diverse stewardship committee that includes members of existing Friends’ groups to oversee the city’s parks and green spaces, including the Halifax Common?

Note: Point Pleasant Park has such a citizen advisory group.
4. Discord between HRM and Nova Scotia governments. What suggestions or strategies do you have for improving relations between the Nova Scotia and HRM governments to work more collaboratively on issues of concern to both, especially to improve the lives of residents. 

5. Cogswell Triangle: HRM persistently ignores promises to protect, recapture or replace lost Halifax Common. It even wants to close sell Centennial Pool. Instead imagine if the Cogswell Triangle (Cogswell, North Park, Gottingen, Rainne Drive) had Centennial Pool alongside a new Mi’kmaw Friendship Centre surrounded by public green space? Ask candidates if they support keeping Centennial Pool and converting the remaining public land to green space.

Note: See this Chronicle Herald story on HRM’s Plan for their next big public land sell off.
6. Your Question(s) here: With concerns such as  affordable housing, public transportation, protecting urban trees, developer campaign contributions, we know you might have more than one.

Be sure to let us know who has the best answers. 

Amend the Centre Plan, Protect Halifax Trees! Public Hearing, May 21

Halifax planning is killing urban trees. Cutting trees for the QEII hospital is part of a bigger problem. The Centre Plan reduced public open space requirements and increased lot coverage for development threatening trees & green space. And its Robie Street Transportation Corridor will cut ~ 80 trees to widen the street. See: https://shorturl.at/tCDHU

Robie Street Transportation Corridor will cut ~ 80 trees to widen the street and demolish dozens of buildings. Take a detailed look here: https://shorturl.at/tCDHU

But here’s how we can change this ! Continue reading →

April 15 – Once More Time, FHC Writes Parks Canada re Garrison Ground

This 2024 FHC April letter to Parks Canada copy.pages summarizes concerns over and options to halt the paving  of Garrison Ground. Unfortunately Parks Canada agreed to the provincial Department of Health’s request for parking expansion. The QEII hospital redevelopment team ignored the health, social, cultural, economic value of protecting and expanding green space. It ignored the health, climate and environmental cost of expanding support for private vehicles. There was sufficient lead time to pursue available, proven better options for staff, patient and public transportation. As Premier Houston has promised parking for the hospitals will be free, the $8million revenue stream for the QEII Foundation will be paid with public tax dollars. Its unclear how Parks Canada will make money. Spending public health care dollars to pave public space and expand parking is not a solution for transportation or our future. 

NS Health’s proposed parking lot paving project on the Garrison Ground at Parks Canada’s Halifax Citadel National Historic Site

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Trees at Willow Tree intersection - soon to be cut down

Shame – Premier Houston & Mayor Savage Ignore ~3,400 Citizens & CUT 20 Robie & Bell Road Trees!

When FHC heard Premier Houston’s provincial government wanted Mayor Savage and HRM’s permission to cut 37 trees on Robie, Bell Road & Summer for the QEII hospital expansion, we knew there was a better option — take the building back from the edge so the tree roots were safe. Together our collective effort reduced the number of cuts to ~20. But HRM issued permits and cut ~20 trees despite opposition from ~3,400 citizens. In a climate crisis and knowing the importance of trees to our city and personal health, governments & builders must do better. Trees and Healthcare need to co-exist. Shame.
Up next? Premier Houston’s Health & Wellness wants Parks Canada to pave green space on the Halifax Citadel National Park’s Garrison Grounds for hospital parking.  Why is the Premier and his Minister of of Health determined to wreck Halifax’s public realm for the QEII hospital expansion? Shame.

Trees at Willow Tree intersection - soon to be cut down

Photo: Several of the 20 trees along Robie St. & Bell Rd. that  Premier Houston and Mayor Savage allowed to be cut down to expand the QEII Hospital complex.

See below for Our Actions to Help Protect Our Trees!

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Write to Parks Canada “Don’t Pave National Park Green Space for Parking”

(Ki’jupuk) Nova Scotia Health and Parks Canada intend to pave green space on the Garrison Grounds for healthcare parking. This public green space on the Citadel National Park is historically used for gathering, playing, music, and all forms of enjoyment.

Please read details in the CBC article below, then send your comments/concerns/no ways!! to the following by April 24th.

Parks Canada: halifax@pc.gc.ca
Minister of Environment: Steven.Guilbeault@parl.gc.ca
Federal MP: andy.fillmore@parl.gc.ca

CBC ARTICLE:
Nova Scotia Health’s proposed paving over grass for a parking lot on the Garrison Grounds at Parks Canada’s Halifax Citadel National Historic Site

“A new lot with 140 stalls could ease the upcoming loss of a nearby parkade”, says the provincial Crown corporation. The area marked in yellow is currently a grassy space at the base of Halifax’s Citadel Hill. Build Nova Scotia, a provincial Crown corporation, wants it to be paved to create 140 additional parking stalls for health-care workers who will be losing a parkade on Robie Street later this year. (Submitted by Parks Canada)

NS Health’s proposed parking lot paving project on the Garrison Grounds at Parks Canada’s Halifax Citadel National Historic Site

A new parking lot at the base of Citadel Hill is on the table as the Province prepares to demolish a nearby parkade for a major hospital redevelopment project.

Crown corporation Build Nova Scotia wants to put 140 new parking spots on the Garrison Grounds at the southwest corner of the Halifax Citadel National Historic Site.

The open lot would partly make up for the loss of the Robie Street parkade at the Halifax Infirmary. That parking structure, which has over 600 spaces, is marked for demolition to make way for the redevelopment of the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre.

Continue reading →

(April 7) FHC to Minister Guilbeault – Do Not Pave Halifax Citadel’s Garrison Ground for Parking

“It is completely unacceptable that you as Minister of Environment and Climate Change, or a department of your government would contemplate such a thing as paving green space for expanding parking given its health, social, cultural, historic, environmental importance and negative impact on these. Or support the ongoing destruction of our environment. Do not permit the paving of the Garrison Ground. Please work to ensure that this plan does not proceed.” Details:
2024 FHC letter Guilbeault, Paving Garrrison Ground copy.pages

NS Health’s proposed parking lot paving project on the Garrison Ground at Parks Canada’s Halifax Citadel National Historic Site

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Todd Veinotte Asks FHC About Paving the Garrison Ground for Healthcare Parking

(Ki’jupuk) Todd Veinotte & Peggy Cameron discuss the Nova Scotia’s Department of Health pitch to Parks Canada to pave more green space on the Halifax Citadel’s Garrison Grounds for healthcare parking. Already ~30% of the Common is parking/parkades, mostly hospital. Have a listen, learn more about better options. Then please write to Parks Canada to say “no way!” April 24th deadline: halifax@pc.gc.ca 
Include: Steven.Guilbeault@parl.gc.ca  andy.fillmore@parl.gc.ca 
To help you, please see the list of concerns below Todd’s pic.
FHC has been working for better transportations options since 2007. (See Tag)

Below are some concerns to mention in your email

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HRM Adopts Piecemeal Halifax Common Master Plan – No Legal Protection

The Halifax Common Master Plan Review and Implementation Plan was adopted by HRM Council on January 23, 2024. In February 2022 HRM Council directed staff to undertake further public consultation and review as the masterplan process begun in 2017. The public had not seen the plan since pre Covid and had little awareness of it. HRM staff chose to not host any public information or consultation sessions but sought feed back via a Shape Your City on-line survey for 9 months.
The presentation to HRM Council by HRM staff Carol Kodiak Roberts begins at 4:37. Council comments begin with Waye Mason at 4:48. Most of the discussion is around the stadium. HRM Staff are awkward in their answers. Councillor Mancini is excited. Councillor Patty Cuttell gives the best insight to “All winners no losers,” (5:06) Continue reading →

HRM Council Approves Carbon Bombs for Carlton Block

On January 23 HRM Council voted to give the Dexel / Lawen development even more benefit but still without any public benefit in exchange. For almost a decade HRM Council and staff ignored public concerns about the Lawen and the Rouvalis families’ two projects and refused requests that the four towers be considered together. Citizens support the need for development and density but want better options. Now the combined impact on the existing/future affordability, climate, traffic, community, heritage, wind, shadow, noise etc. will only be understood in real time. HRM made no attempt to balance the private, for-profit interests of the developer with societal needs.  The HRM public hearing recording begins at 8:08 & the citizen speakers at 8:34 -Its worth the watch.  See details below the video.

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FHC Writes to Ms. Maggie MacDonald, HRM Executive Director Parks & Recreation

FHC sent a letter to HRM’s Executive Director of Parks & Recreation Ms Maggie MacDonald to with information for her use in writing a staff report for the HRM Standing Committee on Community Planning and Economic Development about the Wanderers Grounds, particularly in the context of the proposal Mr. Derek Martin made for a long-term lease of a publicly funded stadium.

As the matter of the public funding stadiums is as yet untested in Halifax we recommend the Journal of Economic Surveys’ February 2022 article, The Impact of Professional Sports Franchises and Venues on Local Economies: A Comprehensive Survey. This recent analysis of 130 studies on the economic impact of publicly financed sports venue…

“…confirms the decades-old consensus of very limited economic impacts of professional sports teams and stadiums. Even with added non-pecuniary social benefits from quality-of-life externalities and civic pride, welfare improvements from hosting teams tend to fall well short of covering public outlays. Thus, the large subsidies commonly devoted to constructing professional sports venues are not justified as worthwhile public investments.”
(https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4022547)

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Todd Veinotte & FHC’s Howard Epstein re HRM’s Proposed $40m Stadium Build

Listen to Todd Veinotte’s interview with Howard Epstein about SEA/Derek Martin’s pitch for HRM to spend $40 million on a permanent stadium for his private use and profit for thirty years. 

Watch Derek Martin/SEA pitch to HRM Community Planning and Economic Development standing committee along with presentations by Howard Epstein starts at 13:03, David Bentley and Vince Calderhead here:

The Wanderers Grounds was fully used by amateur players prior ot HRM’s deal for a ‘temporary pop-up stadium’ – HRM’s 2017 staff report stated that if it was successful was to go elsewhere, no park space would be lost.

FHC to HRM Community Planning & Economic Develoment Standing Committee

The Wanderers Grounds was fully used by amateur players prior ot HRM’s deal for a ‘temporary pop-up stadium’ – HRM’s 2017 staff report stated that if it was successful was to go elsewhere, no park space would be lost.

Dear HRM CPED Committee Members:
Re- Wanderers Grounds – FHC Comments
FHC’s FOIPOP information received Sept 11and attached below shows that the Wanderers Grounds was used almost exclusively by Derek Martin/SEA activities with virtually nothing for amateur players. This is similar to two previous FOIPOPs. Martin/SEA private-for-profit stadium is consistently shutting out amateur players year after year.
ARG-23.24-00118 – Response Letter 00118 – Responsive Record (In Full)

HRM’s 2017 staff report wrote: Continue reading →