HURST: How to rid downtown of its perpetual frown

[halifaxboyns]

Interview on Global TV Morning about sprawl - here

[Drybrain]

Originally Posted by halifaxboyns

Just to put some of the fights about HRM's evolution - have a look at this. Bet you never expected some of the comments coming out of this meeting to be people in Vancouver!

Oh, despite the reputation within the city, Haligonians aren't remotely the best at being NIMBYs.

This weekend in Toronto, a bunch west-enders hosted a ludicrous performance-art "Suitman" sit-in to protest a SIX-STOREY building which they feel will destroy the creative vibe of their neighbourhood—which is really just a strip of restaurants and expensive clothing boutiques anyway, and not remotely the "creative soul" of the city, as one of them is fond of claiming. (The video description says they're "demanding" development, but it's supposed to be ironic. )

They're protesting gentrification and overdevelopment, despite that most of them are white-collar white folks who are, themselves, the gentrifiers of five to ten years ago, many of whom own homes far more costly than the condos will be.

I'd like to see Phil Pacey pull off this kind of stunt. The unholy meeting place of extreme NIMBYism, neighbourhood parochialism, and, in this case, a younger crowd who dig stuff like flash mobs.

[halifaxboyns]

Part of the issue people have with urban planning is that they don't take note of the notices in the community, newspapers (etc) when any type of community visioning is happening, so they don't get involved. But the moment some application comes along next to them (often implementing a vision approved by council, which hardly had any community interest) all hell breaks loose. This is a constant problem...

As a planner, I don't know what the solution to that is? Do we need to think about engaging people in different ways? Social media obviously helps to an extent, but is there another way?

One of the things that impressed me with the recent PlanSJ project was how they not only had their project office in a retail space in the downtown core of Saint John, but every festival that was happening in the city - they went too. They took out booths to engage people. Maybe that's part of the solution? But do I think that we will ever fully solve this problem - common sense says probably not.

[W.Sobchak]

Being in SJ while they were putting PlanSJ together, it was very much in the middle of a high traffic area. It is just before the pedway that connects the Hilton, Museum, Convention Centre, 3 popular restaurants, a lounge all a part of the city's festival centre boardwalk, a couple small retail spaces and offices, with the Mall, swimming centre, a Delta, City Hall, tons of parking, and the city Market. Somebody from every neighborhood walked by it every day, and were engaged to at least have look. And people talked about it.

For Halifax? A raffle. If you can offer a prize at the end of each meeting, be it a $100 voucher for DT, or a 50/50 for a charity. That's the first thought I had.

[someone123]

http://thechronicleherald.ca/busines...wntown-on-rise

Good to hear Wadih Fares' comment about taxing parking lots. Right now the tax system downtown is backwards -- HRM charges lower taxes for surface parking even though it is the least-desirable permitted land use. An ideal fix to this would be to raise the surface lot taxes so that they are higher than the taxes of mid-sized or heritage buildings and then redistribute that tax money to developed properties.

The taxes collected from meters downtown should similarly be re-invested in the area. HRM collects about $3M from parking meters each year.

[halifaxboyns]

I agree. His comments were great for starting the discussion on downtown. Still so much work to do. Much like dt Calgary out here. I'm no on day 3 of being a refuge in my friends basement. The city offices are closed until at least Wednesday! The water just reached the edge of my building...

Originally Posted by someone123

http://thechronicleherald.ca/busines...wntown-on-rise

Good to hear Wadih Fares' comment about taxing parking lots. Right now the tax system downtown is backwards -- HRM charges lower taxes for surface parking even though it is the least-desirable permitted land use. An ideal fix to this would be to raise the surface lot taxes so that they are higher than the taxes of mid-sized or heritage buildings and then redistribute that tax money to developed properties.

The taxes collected from meters downtown should similarly be re-invested in the area. HRM collects about $3M from parking meters each year.