The Downtown Scoop

Please Help not Hinder our Communities

2011-08-10T16:32:00.000-03:00

A clothing company printed the word "Gottingen" in the shape of a gun on t-shirts and another design depicting a baseball bat with spikes protruding out of with the word "Dartmouth". I have a quirky sense of humour, but in my opinion, this is just plain offensive and degrading to our communities. Does the Dartmouth Clothing Company realize the affect these designs have on the residents, businesses and the reputation of these
communities?

For over 2 decades Gottingen Street has had its share of issues. The construction of the Cogswell Interchange and Scotia Square in the early 70's caused this area to be physically severed off from the Central Business District. Instead of frequenting the once popular Gottingen Street, people started going to shopping malls like Scotia Square,

Halifax Shopping Centre, and Bayers Road Shopping Centre for the "one stop shopping experience". The once popular "main street" shopping experience died and society began to embrace the westernized method of shopping by driving outside of their neighbourhoods to large stores instead of strolling shop to shop in a European fashion. Banks, clothing and grocery stores closed and the street fell into a funk.

Provincial Government offices and non- government organizations who service low income and homeless individuals located to Gottingen Street. This meant the services would be closer to those in need, but it was also a deterrent to some businesses leaving the residents without the fundamentals of a walk-able neighbourhood as described in HRM By Design, Richard Florida, Jane Jacobs, and other knowledgeable academics.

Since 2000, many people have worked very passionately to revive our downtown area. Some investments have been made by the municipality and many private businesses have begun to return to Gottingen Street. Each business invested a substantial amount of time, energy and money into the area even though Gottingen Street, which is part of the Capital District, was not seen as a desirable destination to many.

Currently, there is resurgence on Gottingen Street. Dilapidated buildings have been bought and demolished for new commercial space and affordable apartments. New businesses have opened, refurbished their buildings, or relocated to the street.

As for the residents of this area, Gottingen Street is home. There is a very diverse cross-section of society in the area that encompasses Gottingen Street which makes it a very unique and special place which should be celebrated; not mocked or stereotyped.

It's unfortunate that a company is capitalizing on the adverse history of Gottingen, which is having a positive revival. Instead of insulting the area with their hateful t-shirts, the clothing company should be supporting the positive initiatives occurring! Community projects like the North End Community Garden, where children, youth and seniors grow their own vegetables, produce their own salad dressing, and sell it at the Seaport Market. With the profits, the children invest in their future by pooling their money into a scholarship fund for themselves and by sharing their profits with other Non- Profits in the area. These young philanthropists have helped homeless youth, has the Dartmouth Clothing Company helped or hindered this or any good work going on in the community?

Few Thoughts o the URAB Decision

2011-07-27T23:11:00.000-03:00

Thoughts on the NSUARB Decision

Well, the verdict has come down from the Utility and Review Board. Halifax Regional Council should be cut to 16. What does this mean and how will it affect you as a citizen?

Let’s first look at the issues that have arisen regarding good governance. Framework and structure may not be sexy, but they are the foundation on which any level of government exists. When the Halifax Regional Municipality was formed in 1996, it was done in a hasty manner with only one year to re-align what had taken almost two centuries of elected municipal governments to achieve. The new structure was written non- elected person. I’m sure he had good intentions, but with no regard for our existing communities, no insight to all the unique communities, how could he understand his civics of this proposed new municipality? Therefore, we, as a newly formed regional municipality were doomed to have a bureaucratically-favoured governance model.

There is a need for a better framework and policies to foster democracy – effective decision making on behalf of the residents and businesses. Right from the get-go, the Regional Council should have requested a better governance model that would give the six Community Councils more authority and jurisdiction over their areas. In doing so, the Councillors could work with the residents and staff to foster better relationships with business, development, municipal services and the quality of life for all involved (students, seniors, low income etc.) Instead, the Council was preoccupied with trying to maintain a level of governance they were so accustomed to prior to amalgamation. For 15 years this has been plaguing the municipality. There needs to be change, and those elected need to comprehend that it starts with them requesting changes to the Halifax Charter that will allow for dramatic changes that would in fact aid in better representation to their constituents.

Does the size of Council matter if it’s the structure that is currently in place is truly faltering? No. There could be 23, 20, 15, 5 elected individuals around the table and the same issues will bog down the Council meetings. The changes needed are in the Rules of Order, the Halifax Charter and the most important part that everyone is forgetting the STRUCTURE. I’ll use an analogy to describe the graveness of this: if a group decided to play football and the fans chose the captain, but didn’t give that person the ability to give directions and the coaches were from the opposing team were give more authority, how do you think the game would go? This is basically what is strangling the democracy of Halifax.

Now, let’s look at how Halifax Regional should setup their Community Councils for an effective governance framework. Toronto is a good example to adopt as they have 4 community councils. These Community Councils deal with all municipal issues within their jurisdictions but planning. This is the total opposite of Halifax Regional Council. The Toronto model seems to be more fitting for our regional municipality because it allows those areas that are alike to work together on like issues. Each Community Council decides on what projects or areas of concern should be advanced to Regional Council for the Annual Budget as well. Amendments to the Halifax Charter could achieve this, but only if the Provincial Government agrees with such changes as they oversee the municipal level of Government.

What really concerns me is the falsehood that a cut in the number of Councillors will be a monetary savings to the residents, better decision making will occur at Regional Council meetings. This is not so. The reduction of Councillors will not be a monetary savings, nor will it be a guarantee that there will be better decision making. Currently, Councillors share one support staff (typically 4 Councillors to 1 Councillor Support Person) which is challenging as not all Districts are equal with regards to the makeup of the district ( some have commercial areas which have unique demands as opposed to a more residential area). With the proposed 16 Councillors scenario, each Councillor may need their own assistant which would cost approximately 65k x 16= 1,040,000.

Some Councillors have suggested their desire for a District Office in their community. The cost at the present time for those with such amenities are supposedly absorbed by HRM, but let’s cost this out: (Being very conservative here) rent, furniture, phone, power, and office supplies = +<- 1500.00 a month. 1.5k x 16 x12 = 288,000. Factor in general expenses of 100.00 x 16 x12 = 28,800. So in total the cost maybe 1,356,800. Factor in the need to change literature, business stationary, web presence and other municipally related information and contact stock = approx. 50,000. Add in the changes required for Council Chambers = 50k. Approx. 2 million. (15% +/-contingency).

Furthermore there an increase in Councillor’s pay is hooked to the amount of citizens a Councillor would represent and that would increase the Councillors pay to 90k a year. 16 x 90k = 1,440,000, (not including the Mayor’s Salary or expenses like mileage) The cost is close to 2 million before work has even begun.

As for better decision making, that all depends on who are elected and their ability to understand their role as decision makers and policy makers for the whole municipality. The issues that many find mundane and trivial are part and parcel to the position. They may sound ridiculous and absurd, but that’s municipal grass roots politics!

Another concern is the ability for any Councillor to be accessible to all their residents, businesses. High demand areas like the urban areas may see a change in service which they have been told will not change. This is a demanding position and there is not a lot of downtime so whoever decides to run in the next election better be prepared for a different lifestyle!

Cheers
Dawn

Behind the Papered Windows of Barrington Street

2011-04-15T17:35:00.000-03:00

I met the owner of Starfish Properties yesterday and took a tour of the old Sam the Record man, Carsand -Mosher and the Roy building as I have received many emails and queries to why all the windows are papered on Barrington Street. Believe me, I was concerned too. This is a wonderful street with such potential!

Looking up in the Old Sam's Store

Firstly, Sam the Record Man, Gingers and the Granite Brewery buildings, all are under extensive redesign, four buildings will be combined into one large building with a 2 storey addition. The exteriors will remain the same. The buildings are gutted and within the next 3 weeks, new steel beams will be arriving for the addition. Combining all these old buildings is a difficult job both in engineering and architecturally. The project should be complete early fall. I know it seems that nothing is being done on Barrington, hence the meeting with Mr. Reznick. He has spent 1/2 million dollars so far on Sam's and understands that people are concerned about the street. Mr. Reznick will be peeling the paper away soon so all can see the massive work being done.

Upstairs at Old Carsand - Mosher building

Carsand - Mosher building has all 4 parts rented: 1-dessert shop, 2-Argyle Fine Arts 3-an advertising company and 4- a brand name store that will fit into the sporting lifestyle hub which this area is becoming a destination for. Final touches will be complete by June.

Roy building is now under consideration by council for redevelopment and there will be a public hearing on May 10th, please checkout the design and attend the Public Hearing and have your say!

Furthermore, the Morse tea building will be home to new restaurant, Baton- Rouge, by May 20th. Not only will this give foodies a new place to dwell, but it will aid in the generation of new employment in the food industry in the Downtown.

It takes time for developments or redevelopment to be completed when you are preserving old building like those in the e-space development (Sam's Granite/Ginger's buildings). Barrington Street is about to be reborn!

Starfish Properties web site: http://www.starfishproperties.ca/

Old Elevator Doors at Sam the Record Man
signed by bands

E-Space Plan

The Downtown Scoop: Skating Oval = Social Capital (it's a good thing!)

2011-01-04T12:12:00.000-04:00

The Downtown Scoop: Skating Oval = Social Capital (it's a good thing!)

Skating Oval = Social Capital (it's a good thing!)

2011-01-04T12:10:00.002-04:00

A void has been filled in the social fabric in Halifax. It consists of frozen water, hot beverages, deep fried dough, fire pits, and bleachers. The Canada Games Skating Oval is the talk of the town. It’s where every age can congregate; enjoy good old wholesome fun, exercise, and social interaction with people from all over our municipality, and beyond the municipal borders.

The venue has become the conversation on talk radio, newspapers, and social media because of our desperate need for more social capital. What defines social capital? On a Government of Canada website it explains it as:

“People and communities with good access to a diverse mix of social capital tend to be more ‘hired, housed, healthy and happy.' Although views about the precise definition of social capital differ, social capital is essentially about the ways in which one's social relationships provide access to needed information, resources and supports.

Public policy interest in social capital has grown worldwide in recent years. The concept has been linked to a broad range of issues including health, labour market outcomes, immigrant integration and diversity management, poverty and social exclusion, crime and safety, neighbourhood revitalization and civic renewal.”

In other words, citizens want the ability to be engaged in tangible social events so they may feel good about where they live. Nocturne is another great example of building social capital in our society. Positive interactions with others boost pride and restores faith in governments as well.

Moreover, this would allow for more family activities other than playing with a Wii. Rinks are at a premium and this would allow for the rinks to be utilized more for organized hockey.

This is where Council needs to be leaders and listen to the desires of the residents. Yes, finances may try to dictate the results, but can we afford not to listen to the citizens? I have no doubt in my mind that some citizens/ Councillors/ staff will not be in favour of retaining this venue, but do they understand that with creative thinking, and the “user pay” concept that this can be self sustaining. Just think; your dollar investment could help make Halifax a more progressive and fun place to live, work, and play.

What do you think? Email me at sloaned@halifax .ca

Money Making or Civilization Maker? The Need for the #3 Manor Bus is there

2010-10-29T13:13:00.002-03:00

So back in the day, Council added a bus known as the Manor Bus - #3. The intent was to aid the seniors to be more mobile throughout the peninsular area as the malls and shopping areas began to develop in areas such as Mumford Road and Bayers Road away from the traditional shopping areas such as Downtown Halifax, North End ( Gottingen Street) and Quinpool Road.

Small grocery stores gave way to the big box like Superstores and Sobeys located outside of the traditional shopping areas as well. Other amenities started locating themselves to these untraditional areas as well; doctors, dentists, and government offices such as Access Nova Scotia, Halifax Regional Municipality Storefronts.

Seniors began to use the malls as gathering places to socialize or to exercise by “mall walking” instead of trying to navigate sidewalks in inclement weather.

Although the #3 Manor is not busting its seams daily, it does provide a service for which any urbanites understand. Affordable, mass, safe, alternative transportation. It was not designed to be profitable. It was designed to aid the aged and those unable to or do not drive. A public service which is affordable for those on fixed incomes, allows for transportation to the malls and medical offices we as a municipality helped establish, and fosters a good quality of life for our seniors by allowing socialization.

Socialization and independence are required for a good quality of life for our seniors. Otherwise mental and physical consequences may occur. Lack of motivation can cause depression.

Teresa Modnick and Monika White, Ph.D., (http://www.helpguide.org/elder_care.htm)

“Moderate to severe depression often accompanies physical decline and frailty. As many as 70% of institutionalized elderly experience significant depression, and the incidence in community settings is approximately 18% in the over 65 population (as opposed to 8% in the general population). Some estimates of frail elderly living in independent settings have found a 30% or higher incidence. Depression is a medical condition that affects not only quality of life, but also the way in which people take care of themselves. It is a condition that is usually easily resolved with new treatments, but untreated in the elderly, it can have dire consequences.”

When the affordable housing for seniors was built, they were done so in the traditional areas of the peninsula. Close to all the amenities a resident would require. For example on Gottingen Street, near Sunrise Manor and Ahern Manor; there was a Dominion Grocery Store, shopping destinations like the Metropolitan, and a pharmacy. The only thing remaining is the pharmacy. Will the Province be building new seniors complexes in the near future out by these or the new commercial parks? I highly doubt it. The growth of these commercial complexes was fostered by the municipality for the sake of economic development and to keep Halifax competitive in the Atlantic Region. So it makes sense to have transit accommodating for the residents.

What is the value of this service and the municipality’s desire to repopulate the peninsular area and its need to retain citizens in the urban area? I say it’s priceless and needs to be examined without bias. Quality of life is at stake here. If every bus route was analyzed on the basis of profit, a substantial amount of routes would be disbanded and the intent of mass transit would be threatened. I think the main issue here is the inability or lack of desire for Metro Transit to rebrand the “manor” bus as a “cross-town” transit service which services seniors, students, residents and commuters.

Rebranding and marketing of this route could make it more popular for those wanting to travel throughout the peninsula without transferring. Case and point: within HRM by Design a similar style bus/ shuttle was not only proposed but RECOMMEND BY COUNCIL, but was shot down by our past Transit Manager.

If Metro Transit and Council are not willing to reconsider this bus route, then I will be requesting that all bus routes be analyzed for their profitability and those who are not making a “profit” be axed as well.

How do you solve a problem like ours?

2010-10-07T00:34:00.000-03:00

"Build it and they will come". "Save it and they will come". These are the two battle cries being heard currently in Halifax. Our Downtown is in transition with several developments pending and on the way. So what's the problem? HRM by Design has been adopted. This year's cruise ship visits are up to 130 with thousands of visitors roaming the streets, taking tours and excursions to Peggy's Cove.

The problem is our own citizens have given up. They have been snookered into the Western style of living. Big Box stores, driving from store to store in retail parks for bargains on white tube socks. Buying in bulk like the apocalypse is coming.

No parking, Parking Nazis, Winter Parking Bans, bad weather, too spread out, not my type of store, fear of swarming, violence, drugs, drunks, same ol same, Nothing new, too far from home, bus schedule. Sound familiar? These are the typical excuses I hear when I ask someone why they do not frequent our downtown. Very disheartening. Many of these comments are myths. Case and Point:

No Parking? Or perhaps too lazy to walk a ½ a block.

Parking Nazis? Perhaps you didn’t find a meter or parking spot geared for your needs.

Parking Bans. What are you doing Drinking and Driving? And have you ever checked out Park after Dark? 6 bucks will allow you to park from 6pm to 8am.

Too Spread out? You drive from store to store at the retail parks, perhaps you don’t realise you are wasting fuel.

I could go on, but then this blog would be 5000 pages long.

Whose fault is it that the Downtown isn’t what every one wants it to be? Well, several decades’ people vacating the peninsula, several bad planning decisions, several unfortunate mistakes that cannot be changed overnight.

How can we change this? Commercial tax reform is one solution. Making it fiscally viable for a company to be in the Downtown of Halifax or Dartmouth would be a start. We are relying on these areas to generate high taxes to subsidize other municipal infrastructure for an area as large as Prince Edward Island for God’s sake!

We need to stop the bleeding. We need to stop it now or we are in serious trouble. Taxes everywhere will rise as our downtowns decline. This will be disastrous to our economy and to your savings.

So what about the convention centre proposal? Will it be our “white knight” and save us from this tipping point? No, it probably won’t, but it will provide jobs, something new, parking, and replacements to those individuals who have given up on our downtown. Temporarily, but at least they will frequent the restaurants, hair salons, shops, destinations like the museums, hotels, and other amenities.

I’m stopping my rant here as it is time to go to sleep. Just think of what I have been saying, whether you agree with me or not. This is your downtown you need to be a part of the solution or wait for your taxes to rise.

How A Seed Can Change A Community

2010-10-06T23:15:00.000-03:00

3 years ago, Jessie Jollymore, the nutritionist from the North End Community Clinic, told me of her idea to have a community garden for the Central Halifax area. She wanted to teach the youth how to grow vegetables, and to change their eating habits. I thought it was a brilliant idea! Why?

As a child on my parents weekend farm. I was taught the fundementals of organic gardening, crop rotation, how to weed and or thin a crop, to try eating vegtables and fruits that I probably wouldn't have if I hadn't grown them myself. I was and still am a picky eater, but I love fresh vegtables!

These skills not only gave me an education in gardening, but in patience, nurturing, and appreciation of what farmers do to make a living in our Nova Scotian climate.

There is nothing more fullfilling than growing your own food.

Fresh vegtables taste better, have a snap!

27 youth, 15 families and many great volunteers like Mr. Loppie,Sean, Jill, Lisa and many others have grown local vegtables, herbs and fruit for their own consumption and for their neighbourhood this year.

In 2008, the gardeners made salsa and sold it to the community at special events like Go North. It was a hit! I personal bought a few bottles and they didn't last long! lol

In 2009, the gardeners sold their crops to the community for which I made my own salsa! it was so delicious!

During this summer, the Black Business Initiative provided youth the opportunity to learn about being entrepreneurs by holding a week long business camp for the gardeners. This allowed them the ability to prepare for the next step forward! The plan was to produce a line of salad dressings from the garden's harvest. Hope Blooms Salad Dressings. The proceeds would go towards local philthatropic projects, a scholorship fund for the youth who are members of the garden and a little pocket money for them as well.

The demand for the salad dressings has been incredible. Last weekend at the Seaport Farmers Market, they sold out at 10:30am. Jessie mentioned to me that the Wooden Monkey Restaurant, which serve local source food, wants to feature Hope Blooms dressings on the menu. How do you produce salad dressings for the masses in Nova Scotia? Solution: Greenhouse!

Fast forward to Today, October 6,2010 at approximately 11:00am I went down to Saint Patrick's Church and low and be hold members of our Canadian military were feverishly assembling the North End Community Garden's new endeavour!

A new chapter has been started for the North End Gardeners. I am so proud of them all.

A seed of hope has been planted, has grown and is now blooming with success!

New Bike Means New Type of Freedom!

2010-09-20T18:07:00.000-03:00

Last time I rode a bike, the back tire blew while I was on the waterfront in 1999. I walked the bike home and gave it away soon after. No, it wasn't because of the flat tire, really. It was because of my fear of riding a bike on our streets. Non- contiguous bike lanes, sewer grills that were bike unfriendly and the damn hills.

Flash forward to 2010. I kept thinking I should get a bike for the summer. Looked at them at stores and realized that bikes were cheap. I didn't want to buy one that would fall apart after a few months of use nor did I have the cash to buy the kind I really wanted from the Bike Gallery. What to do...?

Decided to check out my RBC Rewards points and found out I had enough for a female mountain bike and ordered it immediately. This sounds hokey... but as I drove around the downtown, I was envious of those pedaling next to me in my Honda. I wanted the freedom they had! The website said it would take 4 to 6 weeks. 4 to 6 WEEKS! I thought, I'll never get my bike before the poor weather sets in.

I was absoulutely surprised when the bike arrived at 10:30 TODAY! I was so excited! It was like Christmas!! I opened the box to find that my new bike was in 4 pieces... OMG I'm going to have to assemble this thing?!?! After reading the instructions and gathering all the tools I needed, the adventure began!

An hour later I was loading the assembled bike into the car to go fill the tires with air. Back home, I donned my helmet and took off like a rocket (more like a fawlty scud missle) Few minutes of zipping around and all went well. Decided to ride over to CBC for an interview. My first bike adventure!

Since it is a mountain bike, I thought I'd try a little off road drive. Across the Garrison Grounds to my destination ! it was a little bumpy, but I made it to the interview just in time!

On the way home I tried another route and even drove on the street! I have a meeting at 6:30 re: the skating oval for the Canada Games and will be cruising over to it on my bike too! I will be posting more blogs on my bike adventures and the things I think we need to change to make biking better for the citizens of Halifax!
Cheers!

Governance versus Smaller Council

2010-08-04T01:00:00.000-03:00

Today Regional Council discussed the thought of a smaller sized Council. I have to say it was one of the best sessions of deliberation we have had in a while. The Boundary Review Committee recommended Council be reduced to 20 on really no basis except for the "pressure" to do so.

At the public meeting held in Halifax Hall this Spring, the residents in attendence from District 12 stated they didn't want a change in the number of Council but a change in the way we do business aka governance.

Governance is the activity of governing. It relates to decisions that define expectations, grant power, or verify performance. It consists either of a separate process or of a specific part of management or leadership processes. Sometimes people set up a government to administer these processes and systems.

In the case of a business or of a non-profit organisation, governance relates to consistent management, cohesive policies, processes and decision-rights for a given area of responsibility. For example, managing at a corporate level might involve evolving policies on privacy, on internal investment, and on the use of data.

In terms of distinguishing the term governance from government - "governance" is what a "government" does. It might be a geo-political government (nation-state), a corporate government (business entity), a socio-political government (tribe, family, etc.), or any number of different kinds of government. But governance is the kinetic exercise of management power and policy, while government is the instrument (usually, collective) that does it. The term government is also used more abstractly as a synonym for governance, as in the Canadian motto, "Peace, Order and Good Government".

That quote describes the action of governance. What needs to be changed with respect to Halifax Regional Council? First of all the Hayward Report, which was the blueprint for amalgamation, really wasn't that great. It laid out a basic structure for which HRM would use to govern but failed in suggesting improvements to the newly formed municipality or "Frankenstein"as I call it.

The needed changes are to the governing structure. We have urban, suburban, and rural areas each unique and deserve to have their local issues dealt with by the individuals elected to serve their area. This is one of the recommendations passed this evening.

HRM already has many of the required legislative powers but never envoked them, HRM Charter will need to be ammended for some of the recommendations such as the ability to envoke local area rates for capital work such as sidewalks.

As I stated at Council, the problem isn't with the size of Council but with the lack of ability to administer or govern in an effective manner. Democracy is not to be swift. It is supposed to encourage discussion and thought.

Enough for now... bed is calling

Threats from communters... Nice....... My time to Rant

2010-01-15T15:27:00.002-04:00

Since the eco- mobility proposal was announced at Council I have been receiving the rudest emails from guess who? The commuters that park for free on the residential streets of Downtown Halifax! Yes, they think that it is their God Given Right to park for over 40 hours a week for free on Publically OWNED streets.

Now let me explain to you the rationale for this proposal so you may understand why this is a good proposal for ALL residents of HRM. How many people complain that Transit is not to their liking in HRM? Many complain that it is unreliable, slow, doesn't have the correct routes to accommodate their needs, and not operating at the required hours.

So how to we fix this issue? Money is needed for more buses, operating costs, bus terminals and alike. Would you like to pay more taxes to have better service? Many residents have and say no. “We pay enough taxes.” “Why should I pay for something that doesn’t work?” “Fix it first and then I’ll use it.” HRM has not received fair treatment regarding transit from the Federal Government either. So how do we raise money? Who should pay to help fix this transportation nightmare?

Other cities impose parking fees on residential streets to generate money for Transit. Why are we so different? Why shouldn’t those that clog up the streets, cause traffic congestion and are not willing to carpool to help in lessening the carbon footprint of our municipality pay for parking? These funds would go towards fixing our Transit problems and help us build a strong transportation system that EVERYONE could use.

People think transit isn’t cool. That only those without cars, which are low income, use it. That is not the case. In fact, if you ever travel to cities outside of Nova Scotia you would see very prominent people using public transit because it is the fast way to get around. While in New York (on my own dime) visiting friends, I shared a subway car with the star of Muriel’s Wedding! See Public Transit is for EVERYBODY except for here.

Interesting enough, the residents of the downtown residential areas have been asking for this type of policy for 10 years. They have paid high taxes, been tolerant of all aspects of urban life to help reduce the carbon foot print and to keep our district thriving.

I listened to Q104 this am and heard Bobby Mac, BJ and Jessica bashing this idea because of the hours they work. Guess what.... your studio is not downtown! Guess what?? You have a huge parking lot in front of your studio... it doesn’t affect you.

One individual that sent me rude emails bashed the idea because of the hours his wife works... again, you decided to live where you live and no one has asked you to park where you park. That is and will be your decision. We all have to stop this “all about me” attitude and start working towards a solution.

Rant Done

Winter Parking Ban - A Call for Common Sense!

2010-01-13T23:51:00.000-04:00

Just watched the CTV News and heard the Mayor in an interview mention exactly what I have been chanting for the last two years.... Common Sense! I am elated to hear these words! Common Sense needs to be brought back into focus on this issue. Yes, I realize that crews need to clear streets. If the streets are not clear, I get the calls telling me so. If we, the drivers, want to drive in the winter then we need to cooperate with the plow guys... that is understandable.

The petition that I delivered to City Council last night approximately 366 (checked the site a few minutes ago at 376) demonstrates two things that must be considered. 1. people's frustration and 2. an amazing amount of common sense solutions!

So in a month's time we shall see the fruit of our bitching. A report to Council from the Traffic Authority. Let's hope that common sense is a priority ! Don't take this the wrong way. The person is just doing his job, perhaps too well. We need a balance for which we all can be happy to oblige!
Dawn

Two Wild Events in Downtown and Why the Brave Deserve Our Thanks

2010-01-13T23:13:00.001-04:00

It was 5:30am on Tuesday January 12th when I awoke and started to prepare for the day. Council session was starting at 10am and we had a massive agenda to complete. The I here on the Q that a watermain had broke on Barrington Street and the area was flooded and many streets were closed. Not a good start to an already busy day. Emailed the correct managers to find out the status and what was being done to remedy the situation, and realized that the staff had everything under control and that my best effort to help was to stay out of the way. So I made a cup of tea and started to work on a few overnight emails when I heard of the fire on South Street.

Contacted Cheif Mosher to find out the status of the fire and he called me with the status. Many of the 25 residents had either left for work or school so no threat of loss of life, but I needed to see it for myself and felt compelled to go down to the site to see if there was anything I could help with. Guess it's that mother instinct that make a person think they can help in a situation like this.

When I arrived on the scene, a flackback had just occurred and the firefighters were just getting it under control. The Cheif began to educate me on how this fire was being fought. The building had a common roof. was 140 years old and had balloon construction. This meant that if the fire was in the wall at a lower level that there was not fire stop to keep the flames from shooting right up to the roof . This makes for a difficult fire to fight.

As you can see in this photo, the first set of apartments was the most seriously damaged. The fire had made it to the roof and the fire fighters knew how to draw the fire out so they could extinguish it.

Each air tank has 40 minutes of air and each of the tanks have alarms that sound and vibrate if the tank is low or if the fire fighter is stationary for a certain amount of time. When I visited he West Street Fire station a few years ago, I tried on the gear and I can tell you that the tanks are not light!

There were 40 figher fighters on scene that day. Plattoons from the peninsula, Dartmouth, Bedford and Rockingham. Each Captain and 3 fighters along with the fire investigators, managers and the logistics. The whole team would with percession. every 35 minutes there was a shift change.

Around Noon, the fire was extinguished and the fire fighters were checking for hotspots and helping the residents with pets. I must say, was was absolutely impressed with the firefighters and their dedication to their career. Their ability to work together as such a cohesive team was incredible.

Aiding eachother with tank changes, keeping track of where each fire fighter was within the buildings, and how they systematically would change teams to return to the fight.

One fire fighter found a ginger cat and brought it out in his arms. He or she was so frightened, but the fire fighter held him in his arms and kept him or her out of harms way, This event happened repetitively for many more times. Big cheers could be heard as each cat was brought out and reunited with it's owner.

This again demonstrated the amazing work and compassion of these fire fighters.

Along with this heroric work, I saw even more of the compassionate side of the fire fighters as they briefed the residents, business owners and employees of the affected buildings.

Tuesday was a difficult day for all of the people affected by the fire. It was the firefighters and the Red Cross that kept things not only organized but extremely calm. All the volunteers of the Red Cross registered the residents, provided comfort and kind words. My thanks to these two groups is unmeasureable.

Furthermore, The Westin, Superstore, Nova Scotia Power, Five Fishermen, HRM Police and Works crew deserve a big thanks as well. Each gave the residents and business owners and staff incredible support and aid during this trying time.

My thoughts go out to all of the people, businesses and staff that have been affected by this fire. I have been looking for new /temporary accommodations and hope that I can aid them in other ways. If you have donations of furniture or other items, please contact me and I will get the word out to those affected.

A Big Thanks and Hugs to all who were so brave and helpful.

Dawn

The Downtown Scoop: David Suzuki's Commercial and Sustainable Living... you know where this is going..

2009-11-26T00:17:00.000-04:00

The Downtown Scoop: David Suzuki's Commercial and Sustainable Living... you know where this is going..

David Suzuki's Commercial and Sustainable Living... you know where this is going..

2009-11-07T12:45:00.098-04:00

"It all starts with me" the tag line from David Suzuki's commercial for Conserve Nova Scotia basically says it all. If we do not start with me (us) where does it start?

Living within our means, using the resources we have, and making sure we replenish those resources should be everyones mantra. Unfortunately, many humans and governments do not follow this sound advise.

Case in point: Urban Sprawl, and underutilization of existing infrastructure within our own municipality. Halifax Regional Municipality has been sprawling for years and its affecting the municipality's ability to maintain the amenities we all ready have. Like an elastic band, you can only streatch something so far before it breaks. Each time a new residential development plan in an unserviced area is approved by Council it costs a huge amount of money for the basic infrastructure such as water, sewage, streets, police, fire, transit, and schools. As new areas pop up outside of the urban core, the need to maintain the existing infrastructure within the already established areas still exists. Like any water pipe, recreation centre, street or sidewalk that has been utilized for a period of years, it only has a certain lifecycle and repairs, ugrades or replacement is vitial to maintain a level of service.

Tonight I attended one of the 3 meetings regarding the Peninsula Recreation Centre public meetings. George Dixon Centre, Needham Centre and St. Andrew's Centre are all under review. The centres are in need of upgrades, redesigning of programmable space and wheel chair accessability . All were build decades ago when accessibility was not a standard practice. Furthermore, Halifax is becoming the home to many different ethnic communities who have certain needs which must be accommodated as well. The message was clear from the residents, just upgrade what we have. Losing such assets to a community would be devastating as they are the heart of a community. HRM By Design also supports complete neighbourhoods and these type of facilities are key components.

Back to my rant. If we are going to make our municipality a liveable and viable place to live we need to follow a sustainable way of living and stop building our communities which make us reliant on cars. Walkable neighbourhoods are vital to the health of our residents and municipality. Reliable mass transit is a must as well but I'll get into that later as I believe our transit routes are not serving the residents or commuters as well as it could. Ok, I must rant about this for a few lines... We have too many buses serving the same areas and are not looking at any change to this by the looks of things. 550+ workers (NSPI), 300+ students (NSCAD), residents of the area (1200+) and those who will be wanting to frequent the future Farmers Market and Pier 21, Cunard Centre, and the Train Station/ Bus Station at the Westin, the students of Dal and SMU, staff of the hospitals and the patients were relying on the Downtown Shuttle to make their lives easier, but the shuttle was not included in the latest 5 yr transit strategy. Out of Frustration I have started a petition. Please sign it!

To wrap this up, HRM needs to plan better for the future. We as citizens need to demand that our government doesn't just think it's sustainable but actually that they lead us by example by retrofitting community centres, re-evaluate our transit strategy and demanding more eco-friendly means for our future.

You need to be aware of what the Municipality is or isn't doing and contact your Municipal Representatives via phone, email, snail mail etc as it does start with you.

Transit, the climate and why do I care so much about FRED on Steriods

2009-10-26T01:29:00.003-03:00

Since finding out the Downtown Shuttle is not included in the recommendations coming forward to Council on Tuesday I've been really upset. Furious. Beyond reproach!

So what is the big deal its 6 buses: 3 going on a proposed north route and 3 on a south route. So what has me to the point of frustration that I actually washed down the walls in my bathroom and then most of the windows in my house? It starts with disappointment and ends in climate changing measure that all of us should be concerned about; this is everyone’s planet folks!

My beef started with the way in which I found out the Downtown Shuttle was cut. Council was given the IBI report a week in advance so we could read through the 347-page document and be ready with questions for the Committee of the Whole to October 27th. I admit I didn’t crack open the book till Monday and when I did it left me puzzled. Where was the Shuttle? I flipped to the index, no shuttle… checked out the appendices, no Shuttle.

Thought maybe I missed an email from a staff person explaining the removal of the project I cheerlead for 3 years. Nope, no explanation sent. Called the Mayor, he didn’t call me back. Called the CAO and his assistant told me to contact Transit. I was sent an email basically confirming my fear. Cut, with no real reason. Such an email would tick off anyone, but here is the kicker. Within the Regional Plan and HRM by Design there are several paragraphs devoted to an explanation of the need for such a service.

According to HRM by Design : "Creation of a frequent, high-capacity shuttle transit service within the downtown, and with connections to nearby destinations such as hospitals and universities, has several benefits."

"Firstly, it can expand the reach of express transit services and ferries which stop at a single location downtown. It can improve connectivity within the downtown for visitors, shoppers, and employees alike. Using hybrid diesel-electric buses, the service can also reduce the impacts of buses on the downtown by reducing noise and emissions and allowing some routes to transfer passengers and turn around before entering the downtown.”

So with the adoption of HRM by Design by the Province last week, why the heck was this keystone of the plan left out? Please someone tell me!

Residents, workers and businesses were looking forward to this service. It would cut down the use of cars in the area, helping us save our planet. Such a service would help get people hooked on transit. They would then increase their ridership and we could build a true network of mobility.

This weekend I had to read a Proclamation for the Climate Change Rally. I was in such a funk about this Shuttle issue, I felt like I should have apoligized to all participants of the rally because HRM will not be going forward with the Shuttle. By the way the Shuttles were to be of hybrid diesel-electric technology to minimize noise and emissions. 2 had been given to HRM by Concerve NS. (I wonder where there are going to be used now?)

Alas, Tuesday is approaching. Hopefully I will get the answers to my questions. More importantly, I hope Council reinstates some form of this project. Mobility within the downtown areas of the peninsula would make it an attractive place for residents, businesses and visitors. Isn’t that what we need to achieve? A more vibrant downtown so we may grow?

What do you think?

Ps if you feel so inclined, please sign the petition that I will be presenting on Tuesday Oct 27th

Public Art in Milwaukee turns into a rant about Civic Pride!

2009-09-21T00:58:00.000-03:00

Wow. That was my first thoughts as I strolled around Milwaukee. The Public Art in this city is amazing. I started to question why do they have so much public art compared to Halifax. But first; what do we have in common and could Halifax draw from their success? Both cities have water surrounding them. Ok, We have ocean, Milwaukee has rivers and Lake Michigan. Then it became apparent that the Art Colleges NSCAD and MIAD have made their mark on the cities.

Again, I answered the question... Artists and Art Schools... but the answer I gave was only partially correct. Civic Pride was the key to Milwaukee. Halifax has no civic pride! It was lost in 1996 when our City was forced to amalgamate and be known by a long boring name: Halifax Regional Municipality or HRM (if you really want to add salt to an injury that has never healed). We call our home an acronym. This has to change.

Sure, it's been 13 years... give it a rest. I probably could if we actually celebrated our history properly! I came home from Milwaukee to find that Rick Howe had written an article calling for another museum. Then it hit me. We do need to take our artifacts out of the warehouse over in Burnside and display them proudly to our children, immigrants and to our visitors but especially for ourselves.

We need to stop hoarding and start displaying! We were founded in 1749, but we act like we are bumbling depressed adolescents with no past, no present, and no future. A tourist asked me one day, "where is your historical museum?" I was embarrassed to tell them our infamous history is stored in boxes in a warehouse outside our downtown area.

Rick, We do need a museum. We need a place of worship for our history. Halifax must embrace the past so it will have a future. This will then spur on the artistic people of our lovely home to decorate our parks, streetscapes, and urban areas. Developers and private industry need to embrace this idea too.
Celebration comes from realization! So let’s realize our past, present and future by calling for a Halifax History Museum.

I know this will start the howls of the other communities… “What about us!?!” Well, with the money raised from such a museum, other parts of the municipality could then apply for the MIRF a funding source from the federal and provincial governments! Urban areas can’t apply unfortunately.

What do you think?

RiverWalk Milwaukee's Waterfront Stroll - Milwaukee IDA

2009-09-19T22:51:00.008-03:00

RiverWalk spans nearly 3 miles along the Milwaukee River through the heart of the City's Downtown and is divided into 3 sections: Beerline, Downtown and Third Ward.

Beerline known as "B" RiverWalk makes up the northern most portion of the system. This segment is primarily residential in character and spans from the former North Avenue Dam south to approximately Juneau Avenue.

The central segment is called the Downtown segment. This segment of the RiverWalk is a mix of residential and commercial surroundings and spans from approximately Juneau Avenue to I-794 freeway.

Historic Third Ward RiverWalk is adjacent to a mix of residential and commercial businesses and spans the distance from the I-794 freeway to the Harbour entrance to make up the southern most portion of the system.

Ghassan Korban, an employee of th City of Milwaukee was our tour guide walked us to the beginning of the Downtown segment on Wells Street. Public art is rampid in the Downtown and along the RiverWalk. Everything from jewerly dangling around bridge houses to huge ring like sculptures with old bowling balls and pins as the insets.

If you follow my Facebook or Twitter, you know I was excited to hunt down the infamous Bronze Fonz. Well, Good news! I found it on Wells Street next to a chinese restaurant. Ghassan explained that the City has an agreement with the landowners which allow for year round access to the visitors of all 3 segments of RiverWalk. Much like our Waterfront Development Corp. Ltd, The City and BID maintains the RiverWalk.Wisconsin’s Public Trust Doctrine places all lakes and streams in trust for the benefit of all citizens to use for commercial navigation, pleasure boating, sailing, fishing, swimming, skating, rowing, walking, and the enjoyment of scenic beauty. To ensure compliance with the Public Trust Doctrine, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) requested the City prepare a Master Plan to include the established guidelines for construction and use of riverwalks, as well as the location of proposed RiverWalk segments for future construction.

The City worked in cooperation with the WDNR to create a riverfront comprehensive plan, titled Riverlink Guidelines, that would comply with the State Constitution and the Public Trust Doctrine. With approval of the Riverlink Guidelines by the Common Council and WDNR, the process of issuing permits for the construction of the RiverWalk was greatly simplified. WDNR issues permits for RiverWalk construction for developments consistent with the adopted Riverlink Guidelines.

In 1993, expansion of the RiverWalk Initiative reinforced the City’s commitment for the design and construction of the RiverWalk. Consisting of 22 proposed segments, the riverwalk system would unify downtown attractions and become, over time, a significant attraction in itself.

A resolution creating the RiverWalk Site Plan Review Overlay District (SPROD) and RiverWalk Development Fund was adopted in 1993. The RiverWalk SPROD ensures the creation of new RiverWalk projects which are compatible with their neighbors. It also encourages creativity, variety and excellence in design and layout. The design specifications associated with the SPROD apply to, but are not limited to, landscaping, lighting, accessibility, adjacent building facades and the ability to connect to future RiverWalk segments. The SPROD applies to the Third Ward, Downtown and Beerline portions of the Milwaukee River, extending 3.1 miles, along both sides of the River from the Harbor northward to the former North Avenue Dam.

During our walk Ghassan explained how water taxis are being introduced to the RiverWalk experience. Like Halifax Harbour, if such rights were given, they would probably be abused. Milwaukee has introduced a loading zone concept that would make a water taxi idea viable for Halifax. We need to introduce more innovative ideas like this to get people mobile using our wonderful harbour. Just think if we had such a system, people could move along our downtown and over to Dartmouth by a private operator. It's used in Vancouver and Victoria... why not here?

Financed through a partnership between the property owner, the Greater Milwaukee Committee, and the City of Milwaukee, the Riverwalk continues to be maintained and promoted by the property owners in collaboration with the City formed a Business Improvement District (BID).

Bravo to the City of Milwaukee on this innitiative! On the downside, the water in the the river was green and did have a lot of litter.

Historic Third Ward : Milwaukee IDA!

2009-09-14T02:48:00.070-03:00

What the heck? While walking to the Midwest Airlines Convention Center a gentleman, who was 50 feet away from me started pointing to the sidewalk and saying "This goes on for blocks!" I guess I hadn't noticed the bloody foot print before this.... I was miffed by this left footed foot print that did stain the whole stretch of the sidewalk. Back to the this story later....

After registering in the Convention Centre, I headed to my first walking tour of the Third Ward. Yes! The same Third Ward I discovered last night. Nancy O'Keefe, the Executive Director, was our tour guide and was very knowledgeable of the area's history, and current operations. We were dropped off at the Public Market and we walked around the corner to Lela, a trendy clothing store where we met the owners and were provided wth information and breakfast treats.

The owner explained that the space used to be a tomato warehouse and that it took a little convincing to get the space renovated but conceeded. Lela was holding a fashion show that night and had a huge tent setup in the street in front of the shop. I checked out the clothes and the were very cool but unforunately like any cool clothes, they were made for some other body type than mine :(

We then went over to the river side to a small park area called the Watershed. Ths is one of the parks used to house the one of the entrances to the huge sewage tunnel built a few years ago. Milwaukee built a large tunnel deep under the riverbank and this area has been reclaimed into a small parkette along the rverwalk.

We then proceeded down the Riverwalk within the Third Ward. Many of the old warehouses have been converted to mixed use. High end condos above specialty pubs, restaurants and other businesses. My only concern is how do you repopulate an area like the Third Ward with only high scale apartments or condos without including real amenities such as a a grocery, drug store or even corner stores? I'll explain the pricing of the condos and apartments in an other blog.

I will mention that you need to diversify your living accommodations to make a community vibrant and the Third Ward could be an awesome place if Milwaukee did have accommodations for the student of the Milwaukee Insitute of Art and Design (MIAD). In Halifax we have The Nova Scotia School of Art and Design (NSCAD) and many of the students live close to the campuses which are located Downtown. Their spontaneous happenings, ecological sensivity, and vibrancy make my neighbourhood, and the District a fun exciting place for both the young and old residents.

This is not something I dreamt up. Richard Florida's Book "Rise of the Creative Class" preaches this ideology. Creativity breathes life into our communities. People are attracted to the buzz. Artists, musicians, dancers all make an area buzzy. Creating affordable accommodations for such a creative class is imperative.

I fear that it will be incredibly challenging for the Third Ward if they do not adopt such a concept and with the economic conditions facing the USA, this may cause their great ideas for rejuventation to stall.

Neighbourhoods need to house the amenities the residents require to live! Groceries, banks and drug stores need to be part of this area. While working on HRM by Design this was proven to be an imperative component to urban design. As Lewis Mumford stated:

"In a neighbourhood, everything that is needed is there and everything that is there is needed".

HRM By Design has 5 campaigns that could aid the Third Ward and all of the downtown areas of Milwaukee with its future in attracting more businesses and residents:

A Sustainable City ( Milwaukee needs to work on this - recycling programs for solid waste)
A City of Liveable and Complete Neighbourhoods (Milwaukee must adopt this)
A Distinct and Unique City (Milwaukee has great character and is doing a great job of building it!)
A City of Vibrant and Exciting Places (Milwaukee has many components - keep it up!)
A Beautiful City (Milwaukee does have beauty, keep it up!

Oh! forgot to finish the story about the "bloody footprint" ! Supposedly there was a shooting Friday night but there was no mention during the conference. Moreover the footprint trail was cleaned up by Noon.

First night in Milwaukee September 2009

2009-09-14T00:21:00.003-03:00

I made it to Milwaukee on Friday Night. The home of some of my favorite childhood tv personalities the Fonz, Laverne and Shirley!

After checking into The Hilton, I set of to explore the city. Walking down Wisconsin Avenue, which under construction in some places, I met two young women who seem to be have a fun filled Friday night. We chatted for a bit about why I was out taking photos so late in the evening. After explaining my purpose for being in Milwaukee, they welcomed me and were impressed with my description of our fair Halifax. We parted ways and I continued to stroll along somewhat lost.

I noticed there wasn't many pedestrians even though the evening was warm without a cloud in the sky. Soon I found myself next to this huge freeway, Marquette Interchange, that unfortunately divides the city with a huge chunk of infrastructure. As you know we have the same thing in Halifax, the Cogswell Street Interchange, but it a 1/16th of the size of this roadway. I'm not a fan of such abstusive infrastructure and this one really is huge!

Luckly I found one of the features of Milwaukee I was itching to see, The Historic Third Ward. This is the home of the Public Market, refurbished warehouses which have been converted into mixed use developments and unique shops. I expected to see throngs of pedestrians and cafe like patios packed like Argyle Street where people are enjoy a drink on a patio, chat with friends and enjoy a fun atmostphere. Instead I found a few people milling about but nothing like I'm used to at home.

I did notice a stream of pedestrians and headed in the direction they were coming from. I had discovered another destination I was looking forward to exploring, Summerfest Grounds. This weekend is the Indian Summerfest. First Nations celebrating their culture with song, dance, drumming and fireworks! I milled through the crowds checkout the vendors and the different exhibits and stages before finally taking a seat in the bleachers to watch the young women's jingle dance. The drumming, costumes and whirling dancers was a amazing sight to see. An amazing display of fireworks capped off the night over the river.

Tired from traveling, I headed back to The Hilton via a free shuttle service provided by the City's Transit. Mental Note: we need to follow this example Halifax! Hint... Hint!

Furthermore the Driver announced every stop. I mention our issues regarding bus passes and the blind and the Driver told me it was a federal law and that all buses are required to do so in the USA. Guess I will have to investigate this when I return home. Time for sleep.