Camp Hill Cemetery

Capital grants, Spring Garden planters, renaming Cornwallis Street, Housing Update #7, Coronavirus Update #51, more

In this issue

My Council Update includes info on capital grants, Spring Garden planters, renaming Cornwallis Street, the temporary playground at the Common, mobile ticketing app for transit, and saving the historic Elmwood on Barrington.  This is followed by Housing Update #7 and Coronavirus Update #51.

Public Meetings and Hearings has info on upcoming council meetings and asks for input on the Peninsula South complete streets project. Roadworks has a few updates.  Community Events continues to fill up with summer events!  Please do not hesitate to email me with your community event listings to include in this update!

 

Councillor Update

Hello all,

The final distribution of District Captial grants took place over the last few weeks and the info on who has been funded and for what has been added to my website.  More info can be found here: https://wayemason.ca/pb/  I’d like to thank all the applicants for their hard work getting these requests in and I look forward to getting us all together for Participatory Budgeting next year!

I’ve had some inquiries about the state of the new planters on Spring Garden Road.The initial plantings did not meet spec and the work was stopped. Delay now is due due to lack of appropriate soil, a special blend of sand & organic mix that allows for appropriate drainage (to avoid the dried mud situation we have today). This soil should arrive in the next couple of business days and all plant material and necessary labour is on standby to install quickly.

The Halifax Regional Municipality is inviting residents across the municipality to participate in a second survey regarding the renaming of Cornwallis Street in Halifax, from Monday, July 18 until Tuesday, Sept. 6.

Through the second survey, residents are invited to select their three preferred street names out of 15 shortlisted names (including five commemorative names and 10 non-commemorative names). The survey can be found at halifax.ca/surveys.

The municipality received over 3,300 new street name suggestions for Cornwallis Street from the first survey, conducted during the fall of 2021. All name suggestions were reviewed by an Advisory Group (consisting of municipal Civic Addressing staff, Diversity & Inclusion staff, as well as local councillors) in accordance with Administrative Order 29, Respecting HRM Civic Addressing Policies, and Administrative Order 46, Respecting HRM Asset Naming Policies. The name suggestions were divided into two categories, including commemorative names and non-commemorative names. All commemorative name submissions went through the commemorative naming application and review process. On June 28, 2022, Regional Council approved the addition of five commemorative names for consideration to replace the street name.

Once the second survey period has concluded, the Advisory Group will review the results and a final recommendation report will be made to Regional Council on the proposed new street name (including one recommended name, as well as three alternative street names), for Regional Council’s consideration and decision.

This renaming project is one of the recommendations of the Task Force on the Commemoration of Edward Cornwallis and the Recognition and Commemoration of Indigenous History, and a step towards reconciliation.

For further information on the recommendations of the Task Force, visit halifax.ca/task-force. To take the survey, visit halifax.ca/surveys.

Staff have been working hard to create a temporary playground on the Common while construction of the new pool and permanent playground are underway.
They  have marked out the location for the temporary playground (see below).  It will be located just south of the skatepark. Excavation is due to start this week or early next week. The plan is to remove the temporary play equipment when the new playground is up and running.

temporary playground site on the common
Regional Council approved the Halifax Transit Mobile Ticketing Solution to begin plans and implementation for alternative fare payment technologies on Halifax Transit, including a mobile payment app. The Strategy is divided in to four phases:
1.    A mobile application (app) utilizing visual validation;
2.    Onboard validators for use with mobile application;
3.    Plastic, reloadable smart cards; and
4.    Open payment (i.e. debit/credit/tap-to-pay).
It is expected that phase 1 will be complete and we will be able to pay by phone in 2-4 months.

Finally, following a public hearing, Regional Council voted to approve the substantial alterations to restore the heritage building at 5185-89 South Street, Halifax (the Elmwood) in accordance with By-law H-800 (the Old South Suburb Heritage Conservation District By-law). You can read an older article about how important this building is and what we though we were going to lose here.  https://www.thecoast.ca/halifax/the-fall-of-the-house-of-elmwood/Content?oid=10340968

Thanks, stay safe, be kind,

Waye

Coronavirus Update #51 – BA.5 concerns

While masks and other public health orders are over, for now, both NS and Canada’s Public Health officials continue to recommend that you wear a mask if you’re in a crowded, indoor place or feel sick, to protect yourself and others.

Right now the BA.5 variant is spreading rapidly, creating a third Omicron wave in Australia, and causing jitters all over China. The long-term health impacts of long covid are just starting to be understood.  Because of this Canada re-introduced testing for arriving passengers on international flights today.  We should continue to be concerned.

I have returned to a more standard way of living with covid lifestyle, but I have a lot of face-to-face meetings with residents and others, and I will continue to wear this mask during these meetings. I am also wearing my masks when on public transit, or shopping.  I encourage you to do the same, it only seems prudent.

Housing Update #7

Last week I hosted a meeting with residents of the neighbourhood near the Halifax modular with staff from Out of the Cold, the operator of this supportive housing community.  Minutes of the meeting are posted here. 

One of the requests from residents and OOTC was for help baiting for rodents before it became an issue (rodents always being an issue in our port town). HRM staff were on site today and will be adding this site to the regular bait and trap rotation.

Also last week, Council designated four designated sites for longer-term sheltering including the existing encampment site on Geary Street, Green Road Park (behind the Dartmouth Shopping Centre), Flinn Park (lower section off Quinpool Road), and several sites along the Barrington Greenway.  The approved sites are all spaces that have little conflicting uses and have some degree of separation from neighbours.

In addition, Council funded the construction of 56 spaces in the modulars, and is supporting the construction of a total of 292 new units through the Federal Rapid housing initiative.

For the latest updates on HRMs efforts click here: https://www.halifax.ca/about-halifax/regional-community-planning/helping-address-homelessness

Public Meetings, Hearings & Engagement

Halifax Regional Council – Halifax City Hall, Council Chambers
If you want to read reports coming to Regional Council (posted mid-day Friday prior to the Tuesday meeting) or to check the agenda. Upcoming meetings:
● Tuesday, August 9, 10 am
● Tuesday August 23, 10 am
Agendas here: https://www.halifax.ca/city-hall/agendas-meetings-reports?category=127

Halifax & West Community Council – Halifax City Hall, Council Chambers
Community Council meets on Tuesday evenings that alternate with Regional Council. Please check the webpage here for agendas (usually available a week before the meeting), locations, and times.
● Tuesday, August 30 2022, 6 pm (if required)
Agenda here – https://www.halifax.ca/city-hall/agendas-meetings-reports?category=140

Regional Centre Community Council – Harbour East Marine Drive Room, Alderney Landing
Community Council meets on Tuesday evenings that alternate with Regional Council. Please check the webpage here for agendas (usually available a week before the meeting), locations, and times.
● Wednesday, September 28, 6 pm
Agenda here – https://www.halifax.ca/city-hall/agendas-meetings-reports?category=140

Halifax Peninsula Planning Advisory Committee & Design Advisory Committee
The Nova Scotia government has suspended the meeting of planning advisory committees for three years, ending April 2025.

Information about how to watch or participate in virtual meetings can be found on the agenda pages. Please confirm meeting dates and times on our website as dates and times are subject to change.

Public hearings
Public hearings are published 2-3 weeks before they take place. There are no public hearings posted at this time. A list of upcoming hearings can be found here: https://www.halifax.ca/business/planning-development/public-hearings

Peninsula South Complete Streets Phase 2 engagement
Peninsula South Complete Streets Phase 2 engagement is underway. Review the concepts, watch our explainer videos, and take the online survey.
Registration for the virtual session on July 20 is now open.
For full project details, and to see the options, visit: https://fal.cn/3qmpp

Roadworks Update

The following street closures or sidewalk disruptions have recently been added to the RoadWorks map

You can find out road closure details on the HRM Roadworks map:https://www.halifax.ca/transportation/streets-siewalks/RoadWorks

Cogswell Construction Project
This major construction project, one of the biggest HRM has ever undertaken, has begun.  Construction will take three years.  More info can be found here:  https://www.halifax.ca/about-halifax/regional-community-planning/construction-projects/cogswell-district-redevelopment

Jubilee Road CN Bridge
CN and HRM are coordinating the rehabilitation of this bridge, which has been delayed until 2023.

Community Events and Info

Housing Clinic
Monday and Thursday Mornings | Halifax Central Library, Spring Garden Road
Welcome Housing hosts Housing Clinics for those experiencing housing percarity every Monday and Thursday in June from 9-12am, except on June 16
https://www.welcomehousing.ca/

Halifax Old West End Heritage Conservation District webinar
July 25 7pm | Virtual
The Halifax Old West End Heritage Conservation District is hosting a webinar about History of Halifax Old West End that will educate people on the history of the area, including its “unique architectural styles.” The webinar is happening on July 25 at 7pm. You can register for a spot here.
https://www.facebook.com/events/583143906509918

Halifax Busker Festival
July 27 – August 1, 2022 | Various Locations in Downtown Halifax and Dartmouth
After a tumultuous two years with a virtual festival and reduced capacity shows, the Halifax Busker Festival has plans to celebrate the reopening by coming back bigger than ever with an expansion to the Dartmouth Waterfront.  Electrifying performers will take to multiple stages for six days of incredible international and local performances, including FlameOz, Alakazam, Victor Rubilar, Lisa Lottie, Rhythm Works, Pogo Fred, Reuben dotdotdot, Sara Twister, The Positive Brothers, The Street Circus, Michael James, and Olé!, with more to be announced!
More info here: https://www.buskers.ca/

Bangladeshi Festival
August 6 & 7 11am-9pm | Halifax Forum, Windsor Street
Join us in the 2-day long cultural festival where we will showcase our thousand-year-old Bangladeshi culture, cuisine, music, performance, and many more. It is the first-ever festival in Nova Scotia that introduces Bangladesh and its people. You are cordially invited with your friends and family. The festival is taking place in the Halifax Forum, from 11am-9pm on August 6th & 7th, 2022. Add this event to your summer schedule for a lifetime experience.  We will be eagerly waiting to see you there.
https://bcfsociety.ca/bcfs-bangladesh-fest-2022/

Eastern Front Theatre Summer Camps
August 8-12 and 16-20
We still have spaces available for our Summer Theatre Camps! Join us for one or two weeks of theatre camps for kids aged 6-12 at Alderney Landing. Campers will get to explore theatre through fun and games, while working towards a group performance of an adapted fairy tale on Friday afternoon!  Come explore new skills, have fun, and make new friends!
Session One: August 8-12 ($225)
Session Two: August 15-19 ($225)
Camps run Monday to Friday from 9am – 4pm, extended care is available.
https://www.easternfronttheatre.com/theatre-camps.html

National Acadian Day in HRM
Friday, August 12, 2022 | Grand Parade
For more than 400 years now, Acadians have been on the Nova Scotian territory and have become part of the community.  August 15th is recognized as Acadian Day and Halifax is no exception. Festival Quinzou, a forward-looking celebration and sharing of Acadian culture, was founded in 2018 by Maxim Cormier. Cherished by its community, Festival Quinzou aims to support the future of l’Acadie while creating a celebration that will be appreciated by Acadians, Francophones, tourists and members of other communities. Join us for a day of music starting 7pm concluding with a Kitchen Party with Ashley MacIsaac, Maxim Cormier, Gervais Cormier, Serena Wu, Ca Chante Encore, Weldon et Josée Boudreau Boudreau, Jacques Surette.

Sudanese Live Music in Halifax
August 20, 2022, 7pm to midnight | Halifax Tower Hotel, 15 Lakelands Blvd
Featuring Sharief Elfehail & Waleed Abdulhamid. Ticket sales for this Sudanese live musical concert in Halifax are now open.  $30 in advance, free for children under 10. Cash bar available.  For tickets contact 514-531-9984.

CN vegetation control
Now to October 22 | CN rail right of way
CN remains committed to running its railway safely and efficiently and building a level of trust and collaboration with the communities where we do business.  To that end, we are reaching out to advise you of our vegetation control activities in your area between April and October 2022. A regularly updated schedule is available at www.cn.ca/vegetation

How can we help?

311 – HRM’s Call Centre
HRM’s call centre is open 7 days a week, Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday & Sunday 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. to respond to routine inquiries and complaints from HRM residents. Please use this service since it helps HRM keep track of issues that are of concern to residents. More info here: https://www.halifax.ca/home/311

Call my office
Call my office for assistance with your municipal issues. Please try 311 first, and when you call have your 311 reference number ready. Vicki Palmeter is my Constituency Coordinator. Vicki can be reached by email at Victoria.palmeter@halifax.ca or by phone at 902-490-2012.

Call or email me
I’m always available to help residents. Email is always better than a phone call, as I am often in meetings and much of the time I cannot answer the phone. If Victoria or 311 cannot assist you, please email me at waye.mason@halifax.ca or call 902.430.7822.