Hi all,

Fall is here, and so are the students, traffic, fall weather, and fall events!  I love this time of year, the energy and just weekend after weekend of cool festivals and events.  A lot of them are listed here for your consideration.

Just a couple of notes.

There will be two very important public meetings in the next two weeks.  One is the Imagine Spring Garden Road engagement happening this Monday, 6pm, in the Atrium of City Centre Atlantic (behind Pete’s, next to Cora’s).  The other is the annual Accessibility Town Hall meeting, Tuesday September 25, 6:30 PM Dartmouth North Community Centre.  More info below.

Additionally, as was in my print newsletter – Councillor Smith and I invite you to attend a meeting hosted by Kiwanis Dartmouth to talk about re-establishing a Kiwanis Club on the Halifax Peninsula. Kiwanis International is a global community of clubs, members and partners dedicated to improving the lives of children one community at a time. Kiwanis in HRM provides community service from the Kiwanis Festival to helping maintain the Graham’s Grove Park in Dartmouth and other good works There has not been a Kiwanis Club on the peninsula since the 1990s. If you are interested in helping reestablish a Kiwanis, join us October 3rd at 6:30pm at Needham Community Centre 3372 Devonshire Ave, or contact me if you have any questions.

Finally – many of the major paving projects (Vernon, Gottingen, South Park, Coburg/Robie) have been slow to start but staff tell me they all start next week, so brace yourself.  These are all important projects that will make our streets safer, but expect some disruptions as this construction season is not over yet!

Thanks for reading, contact me if there is anything you need help with!

Waye

Public Meetings and Notices

Public Engagement | Imagine Spring Garden Road
Monday September 17 6:00-8:00pm | 1535 Dresden Row (In Atrium)
In partnership with the Spring Garden Area Business Association, the municipality installed a stoplet on Spring Garden Road.  A stoplet = bus stop + mini park. This temporary project adds more space and amenities to the sidewalk to improve comfort for pedestrians and transit passengers. Staff are testing ideas and seeking citizen feedback to help shape major investments in the future of the street. Together we can make one of Halifax’s great streets even better.
The stoplet has been installed on the north side of Spring Garden Road between Birmingham Street and Dresden Row and will remain in place until Fall 2018. This is a pilot project to test some ideas for the Spring Garden Streetscaping project which could start construction as early as 2020.
We are hosting a public engagement session on September 17th from 6-8 p.m. at the City Centre building, 2nd level (outside of Cora’s and Pete’s Fine Foods) to discuss the stoplet and ask for public feedback. For more information, visit: https://www.halifax.ca/home/events-calendar

2018 Advisory Committee for Accessibility in HRM Town Hall Meeting
Tuesday September 25 6:30-8:30 | Dartmouth North Community Centre (Gymnasium), 105 Highfield Park Drive, Dartmouth
The Accessibility Advisory Committee of Council is inviting residents to attend the 2018 annual Town Hall Meeting on Accessibility. Accessibility Advisory Committee members and municipal staff representing various programs and services will be on hand to listen to resident feedback on accessibility, and provide information to help address challenges in getting around the region and navigating municipally-owned facilities.
Sign language interpreters and sighted guides will be available. The community centre is also wheelchair accessible.  For more information, or for any disability-related requirements, please contact Liam MacSween, Office of the Municipal Clerk, at macswel@Halifax.CA, by phone at 902-490-6521.

Community Events

Halifax: Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup Celebration
Saturday September 15 – 10am-1pm | Point Pleasant Park Lower Parking Lot, 5718 Point Pleasant Drive            
Celebrate International Coastal Cleanup Day with a shoreline cleanup and celebration at Point Pleasant Park. Join the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup (a conservation partnership by Ocean Wise & WWF-Canada) and Clean Foundation for this family-friendly event to make a positive difference to the health of our oceans while keeping our aquatic habitats safer for all living things. Registration opens at 9:30 am and the cleanup will run from 10 am to 12 noon. We will meet at the picnic area across from Black Rock Beach, closest to the lower parking lot. All cleanup supplies provided, including a light lunch and a chance to win prizes to thank you for your efforts! Please bring your own reusable water bottle to help keep the event as zero-waste as possible.

Rouge – In Support of the IWK
Saturday September 15 8:30pm | Casino Nova Scotia
Casino Nova Scotia is pleased to present Rouge, an evening of culinary adventure and high-flying entertainment, in support of the IWK on September 15th. For only $100 you can get complimentary food and beverage for this spectacular evening of high flying cirque entertainment, all hosted by Jeremy Webb featuring DJ Scout. General admission tickets: $100.00 (HST included) plus service charges. VIP Booths: $2000.00 (HST included)

Pop-up Library at the Halifax Seaport Farmers Market
Sunday September 16 – 11:00-13:00 | Halifax Seaport Farmers Market, Marginal Road
The Halifax Central Library will be at the Halifax Seaport Farmers’ Market from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 16. They will have crafts, books for adults and children, DVDs and magazines that can be borrowed. The Halifax Seaport Farmers’ Market also has a return box. Tag us in all your library posts that day by using the hashtag #HSFMLibraryPopUp.

Gardening Party! Hosted by Dalhousie Urban Garden
Sunday September 16 and every Sunday – 11:00-13:00 | Dalhousie Urban Garden, Henry Street, Halifax
Come get your hands in the dirt, plant some seeds, make some sugesstions and get involved with Dalhousie’s student run garden. Always free and all welcome! We promise to have RAD SNACKS and some tea. Please get in touch if you have questions: dalhousieurbangarden@gmail.com. Everyone is welcome!

Port City Concert Band – Summer Sunday Concert Series (FREE)
Sunday September 16 2-4pm | Halifax Public Gardens
As a part of our Summer Sunday concert series, we’re welcoming the Port City Concert Band! Come join us and enjoy live music in the Public Gardens. http://portcities.ca/

L’Arche Canada’s Pop-up Market in Halifax
Friday September 21 6-9pm, Spatz Theatre, 1855 Trollope
30 artisans from L’Arche communities across Canada as well as Atlantic partners and friends, will sell art, candles, textiles and so much more, at this super event! Food, music and entertainment for everyone! https://www.facebook.com/events/1907202569582136/

2018 Halifax Chinese Festival
Monday September 22 10am-5pm |Various Venues
The Chinese Festival of Nova Scotia – a vibrant celebration of Chinese arts, culture and traditions – will burst onto the Halifax scene September 9-22. The first event of its kind in Atlantic Canada is intended to promote traditional Chinese culture and to mark 2018 as the Canada-China Year of Tourism. The purpose of this event is to showcase Chinese culture, and to strengthen the linkage between the Chinese community and Nova Scotia, providing an opportunity to learn about Chinese culture and assisting local business to learn about the business philosophy in China. This event is being supported by many local businesses and partners. www.chinesefestivalhalifax.ca

Maritime Makers | Made in Canada
Saturday September 22 10:00-6pm |Cunard Centre, Halifax, 961 Marginal Road
The 5th annual market this September 22 at Pier 23 (Cunard Centre) is going to be our biggest showcase of Maritime Makers yet with vendors coming from across the region to sell their handmade, vintage, and supplies. Stay tuned for our vendor list coming soon! http://maritimemakers.com

2018 SMU Husky Cookout
Saturday September 22 21 5-7pm, Saint Mary’s University Halifax
The Husky Cookout is fun for all ages! Come for a free BBQ with games, music, giveaways and more before the SMU Huskies Football game vs Acadia. BBQ starts at 5:00pm and runs until supplies last. Football game at 7:00pm. Vegetarian, Halal and Gluten Free options available Taking place in the Quad (outside the main doors of the Student Centre). Check out the new Gorsebrook Patio while you’re here! Presented by SMU Alumni, Saint Mary’s University Student Services, and SMUSA. https://www.facebook.com/events/312568619293976/

F.A.N.S. 50TH ANNIVERSARY GALA
Saturday September 22 6pm to midnight | Halifax Marriott Harbourfront Hotel 1919 Upper Water St, Halifax
This year marks the Filipino Association of Nova Scotia’s 50th anniversary! We please to announce that we will be holding a formal gala event to celebrate this milestone in the Halifax Ballroom at the Halifax Marriott Waterfront Hotel on September 22nd starting at 6 pm. The gala will include dinner, entertainment and a dance afterwards. Tickets prices for this event are as follows: Past F.A.N.S. Presidents – $25, 2018 F.A.N.S. Members – $35, Non F.A.N.S. Members – $45 We have a limited seating for 100 attendees, so please reserve your tickets by September 14, 2018! Please contact either Alma MacKenize, Erlinda Unite or Gerald Bermundo. The printed tickets will be available shortly. https://www.facebook.com/events/286526561944495/

Wake-Up Downtown Halifax to FREE COFFEE!
Thursday September 27 07:00-10:00 | Various Locations
On the morning of Thursday, September 27, 2018, bring a reusable coffee mug to a participating location for a FREE coffee! You must have a reusable coffee mug to receive a free coffee. Promotion starts when businesses open, and ends at 10:00 AM. Don’t have a reusable coffee mug? Not to worry. Drop by DHBC at 1546 Barrington St. between 8:00 – 9:30 AM on September 27 to get a FREE Wake-Up Downtown Halifax reusable coffee mug. While supplies last. PARTICIPATING BUSINESSES (TO-DATE): Grounded Coffee Bar, 1869 Upper Water Street (Historic Properties). Opens at 8:00 AM, Taiyaki52, 2009 Brunswick Street. Opens at 9:00 AM, Coffee Matters – Halifax, 1496 Lower Water Street (Alexander Keith’s Brewery). Opens at 7:30 AM.
https://www.facebook.com/events/2154807034840938/

Bob Rae: “Doing the Right Thing at Home and Abroad: Why Values Matter.”
Thursday September 27 7pm |Scotiabank Theatre, Sobey Building, Saint Mary’s University Halifax, 923 Robie Street
Bob Rae will discuss current international ethical problems, such as violence, climate change, and the refugee crisis, and why we should resist global trends towards isolation and self-interest. For Rae, global problems require global solutions. Hosted by Canadian Centre for Ethics in Public Affairs (CCEPA) and MacEachen Institute. https://www.facebook.com/events/240165566702184/

HOPSCOTCH 2018 featuring Brother Ali, Murs and more
Friday September 28 – Sunday September 30 | Venues around HRM
Atlantic Canada’s Longest Lasting Hip Hop and Youth Focused Festival returns! Known to celebrate the 4 elements of hip hop and bring international artists to share the stage alongside our incredible local arts community. Hopscotch is constantly aiming to push the boundaries creatively.
https://www.halifax.ca/recreation/events/hopscotch-arts-festival

Halifax Pride 2018 AGM
Monday Oct 1 6:30-9pm | Halifax Central Library 5440 Spring Garden Rd
Halifax Pride will hold its 2018 Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Monday, October 1, 2018 at the Halifax Central Library. The AGM is an annual meeting of the members of the Halifax Pride Society to review board reports, elect board members, and discuss society business. In November 2017, the membership of the Halifax Pride society voted on substantial operational changes to the by-laws, including new membership criteria. Read the by-laws and review how they govern the society and the AGM here: http://bit.ly/hpbylaws. If you are interested in becoming more involved in the Halifax Pride Society or board of directors, but have questions, hesitations, or concerns, please reach out to morgan@halifaxpride.com

Bringing Kiwanis Back to the Peninsula
Wednesday October 3, 6:30pm | Needham Community Centre 3372 Devonshire Ave
Hosted by Kiwanis Dartmouth.  Come and talk about helping re-establishing a Kiwanis Club on the Halifax Peninsula. Kiwanis International is a global community of clubs, members and partners dedicated to improving the lives of children one community at a time. Kiwanis in HRM provides community service from the Kiwanis Festival to helping maintain the Graham’s Grove Park in Dartmouth and other good works There has not been a Kiwanis Club on the peninsula since the 1990s.

Help and more info

Call my office
Call our office for assistance with your municipal issues. Contact my Constituency Coordinator Melody Campbell by phone 902-490-2012 or email melody.campbell@halifax.ca or contact me directly. The best way to reach me is via email at my city email – waye.mason@halifax.ca or you can call my direct line at 902-490-8462.

311 – HRM’s Call Centre
HRM’s call centre is open 7 days/week from 7 am to 11 pm 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 for residents (missed solid waste pickup, sidewalks not cleared, transit info or complaints, etc.) For more information please visit http://www.halifax.ca/311/

Regional Council Reports and Agendas
If you want to read reports coming to Regional Council (posted mid-day Friday prior to the Tuesday meeting) or to check the agenda please go to:  https://www.halifax.ca/city-hall/regional-council

Halifax and West Community Council Reports and Agendas
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. https://www.halifax.ca/city-hall/community-councils/halifax-west-community-council

Peninsula Planning Advisory Council Reports and Agendas
Peninsula Planning Advisory Committee meets once a month to discuss and provide feedback to council on planning proposals for the three districts on the peninsula. Please check the webpage for agendas (usually available a week before the meeting), locations and times:  https://www.halifax.ca/city-hall/boards-committees-commissions/h/halifax-peninsula-planning-advisory-committee