A pedestrian walks past Restore Freshwater Brook signs that dot the lawn off Summer Street and Bell Road on Tuesday afternoon. The group Friends of the Halifax Common want portions of the underground brook daylighted or exposed again. – ERIC WYNNE/CHRONICLE HERALD
Francis Campbell Freshwater Brook resurfaced recently in the middle of Halifax but its exposure is likely temporary.
The brook, initially called a river, ran from what is now near the corner of St. Albans Street and Clifton Street in north-end Halifax, across the peninsula, through the Halifax Public Gardens, Victoria Park, past Fenwick towers and the Sobeys parking lot on Queen Street to the confluence of Barrington and Inglis streets. Continue reading →
This new report “Buildings for the Climate Crisis – A Halifax Case Study” by Peggy Cameron, MESreveals the high levels of greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) released up-front by high rise construction, developments, and demolitions. By comparing these to more climate-friendly in-fill buildings (carbon-neutral or carbon-positive) it offers scenarios that are better matched for what society and Earth need at this time.
For the report a Canadian interdisciplinary climate change strategy consultancy Mantle Developments, conducted preliminary estimates of global warming gases associated with:
— two Halifax based proposals;
— the associated demolition of 12-14 historic houses;
— the replacement of the demolished floor area, equivalent to a 12-storey building and,
— a 9-storey in-fill option modeled by the citizen’s group Development Options Halifax.
The report details impacts of the present developments and associated demolitions on the climate crisis and links this to the affordable housing crisis.
This report proposes options in the path forward including policy recommendations for what needs to change if we are planning for an inclusive society and for environmental remediation. With the release of this report the author aims to encourage all parties to seize this important and timely opportunity to re-think accepted practices of the building, construction, and demolition industry.
Globally, green houses gasses (GHG’s) from the materials and products used to build buildings is 11% as embodied or upfront carbon and approximately 29% as operational carbon from heating, lighting and cooling MORE>
From now until October 17 you as a citizen of HRM can vote to elect a Mayor and Council. Confronted with the climate crisis, COVID crisis, housing crisis, transportation crisis and social equity crisis we know we need a different kind of government; one that represents and governs for the common good— one that will help keep us from the tipping point. To aid you in your choice FHC sent a 6-question survey to the electoral candidates. Thematically the questions relate to measuring the candidates’ level of support for:
There are 3 candidates for Mayor in HRM’s Oct 17 Election. Incumbent Mayor Mike Savage did not respond to the FHC survey. Below are the survey questions and replies from Max Taylor and Matt Whitman. Max seems to be a better friend of the Common. See details below Continue reading →
Of HRM Electoral Candidates for Councillor, District 1, Stephen Kamperman and Arthur Wamback replied. Cathy Deagle Gammon and Incumbent Steve Streatch did not reply. See Kamperman and Wambacks answers below: Continue reading →
Of four candidates in District 2 only incumbent David Hendsbee replied. David Boyd wrote to say that he supports the FHC 100%, surveys from Nicole Johnson and Tim Milligan were not returned.
Of candidates running for District 3 Clinton Desveaux, Lloyd Jackson and Becky Kent replied. Vishal Bhardwaj and George Mbamalu did not respond. See details below: Continue reading →
Of Candidates running for District 4, Ryan Burris, Darryl Johnson, Jamie MacNeil, Chris Mont and John Stewart responded. The following candidates did not send answers: Marisa DeMarco, Kevin Foran, Jerome Lagmay, Tania Meloni, Trish Purdy, Jessica Quillan and Caroline Williston. See details below: Continue reading →
District 7 Candidates Jen Powley and incumbent Waye Mason submitted survey responses. Richard Arundel-Evans and Craig Roy did not return surveys. See details below:
Disappointingly neither incumbent Councillor Sam Austin nor candidate Mitch MacIntyre responded to the FHC survey. We did note that Austin’s first campaign video was about the exciting work that is happening in the daylighting of the Sawmill River. FHC wishes this could be said for Freshwater Brook-identified with the same 2006 MOU as Sawmill River for daylighting. Instead it will be further buried under the 8-storey garage north of the NS Museum of Natural History.
Council candidates for District 6—Douglas Day, Incumbent Tony Mancini and Ibrahim Manna— did not submit survey responses.
Of Councillor candidates for District 8 Virginia Hinch was the only respondent. Dylan Smith and Incumbent Lyndell Smith did not respond.
FHC has been disappointed with Councillor Smith. Last year Smith put forward a motion to have a Development Agreement proceed for a 23-storey high rise to on Danny Chedrawe’s Robie Street Cruickshanks property against the recommendation of HRM staff and against the Centre Plan. This will negatively affect the North Common with more shadow, wind and traffic. As well,
Councillor Smith did not support citizens who wanted the former St Pat’s High School site to remain as public property nor the citizens who worked for ~20 years on Imagine Bloomfield; both schools have now been sold to private developers.
Councillor Smith has also not advocated for the Halifax Common by standing against the developments on the Corridor, the four towers on the Carlton/College/Spring Garden Road/Robie Block and the parking garages.
FHC are therefore endorsing Candidate Virginia Hinch who answered very favorably to the survey questions!
Each of the five candidates responded to the FHC survey. These include Bill Carr, Shaun Clark, Incumbent Shawn Cleary, Stephen Foster and Gerry Lonergan. See details below: Continue reading →
