A couple of opinion pieces from todays Herald.
Fails the tests
Dan Leger (July 12) casts the Halifax conven tion centre debate as polarized between “heri tage- at-any-cost" preservationists and ad vocates of “progress" and “development." I fall into neither camp and feel that considered debate on this matter is based on far different grounds. Heritage buildings are important; however, the former Halifax Herald property was no architectural gem — and in any event, is gone. Views are terrific, but not paramount.
The principal considerations are twofold: whether the convention centre proposal serves citizens’ interests and moves Halifax along a progressive vision of social, cultural and economic development; and whether its business plan really makes economic sense. I think this proposal fails on both counts. Its scale, facilities, situation, and ownership and management structure do not address the indigenous needs of Nova Scotians. It is based on attracting an almost unachievable level of imported activity, while contributing little to make Halifax a culturally vibrant, socially progressive, economically inventive, and envi ronmentally visionary place to live.
Progress is indispensable. Like Leger, I’ll gladly walk a block to see a view. Authentic progress, however, must consist of more than tired and economically tenuous ideas.
Christopher Majka, Halifax
No business case
As a member of that “band of unelected, unaccountable activists" so charmingly portrayed by Dan Leger in his July 12 column, I note that nowhere in the fren zy of name-calling and insinuations does he include the information citizens of Nova Scotia need: How much would this convention centre cost and how will it be paid for? The Coalition to Save the View has studied and analyzed the consult ants’ reports on the project, used their numbers and determined not only the cost, but that there is no business case.
We provided all of this information to The Herald. As a constructive alternative to this name-calling, we would welcome the opportunity to debate Mr. Leger publicly on any of this information.
Citizens who are interested can find our research and conclusions on our website,
www.savetheview.ca. Click on the What’s Happening tab; there are three pdfs there. Let’s move this dis cussion to a level that respects the citi zens and taxpayers of this province.
Beverly W. Miller, Coalition to Save the View, Halifax
View is vital
Why is the view important?
For business, it is the horizon. The further the horizon, the more global the reach, both to project out and to draw in. It is command and power.
For citizens (who are also business people), the view and the place from which they see it are, quite simply, beau tiful. People like to live in beautiful plac es, and such places prosper.
The harbour is the primary source of wealth for Halifax. Imagine the harbour as a long, deep basin with McNab’s Island as the plug. Now pull the plug and imagine Halifax without the water.
The harbour is a gift. The more people who participate in that, the better it will be for the health and prosperity of the city as a whole.
If you block the views (restricting them to the few who can afford the carbon-expensive heights to see them), and you compromise what’s left of the architectural quality of the downtown, then the beauty will vanish, the vitality of what Thomas Raddall once called “the heart’s core of Halifax" will diminish, and people will not want to live there.
Then the best view of Halifax will be, as “one dour old salt" said to Raddall, “as we watched the city drop away on my first outward voyage: ‘Ay, take a good look. It’s the best view of Halifax — from the stern, outward bound.’"
Denault Blouin, Halifax
Clinging to the past
Thank you for Dan Leger’s July 12 piece, “Progress versus the dictatorship of the viewplane few." As someone who grew up in this great city, moved away for seven years, came back to get an educa tion and just landed his dream job straight out of grad school here in the HRM, it struck a chord.
In Atlantic Canada, our biggest enemy has always been ourselves. All too often, we cling to the past, fearing what we could be. Yes, it’s important to honour and respect our history but it should be the catalyst propelling us forward, not the anchor keeping us from reaching there. This city, and this amazing region, can be much more than a place for reti rees and tourists if we let it.
Iaian Archibald, Halifax
City not evolving
Isn’t it thrilling to read the news of our car-friendly municipal management? No bike lanes for Spryfield or Purcell’s Cove Road: keep those motors running! Aging yuppies want Ford F-150s — just read the stats on 2010 vehicle sales. Voting for the past with consumer dollars. The recent anti-cycling-lane petition garnered over 2,000 signatures, while the pro-side presented a pitiful 50 names.
Where is the Ecology Action Centre and the NDP-principled save-everything mob when we need them? Are they too busy trashing the proposed new conven tion centre to do something useful?
Citadel-view proponents might better promote a healthy city for the future — a business-friendly, pedestrian-accessible, transit-innovative and evolving city — rather than agitating to preserve a view of a soon-to-be-barren downtown Hali fax populated only 9-to-5 by workers who then escape to rural HRM!
Cities such as Portland, Portsmouth and Boston have managed to combine history, progress and livability. What you can view there are vibrant waterfront and city centres. Halifax is not evolving; it is smothering in confusion from both elected and not. Elected: Peter Kelly and company whose latest accomplishment is to show Dan English the bicycle path to nowhere — the only kind of bike paths we seem to get. Unelected: special interest gangs whose viewplane in transigence will lead to a fine view of a dead downtown.
Ross Haynes, West Porters Lake
Less debate, more decisions
Dan Leger’s column regarding “view planes" is in tune with what the vast “silent majority" are probably thinking.
Downtown Halifax and Dartmouth are embarrassments, they are so run down, old and decrepit.
Walk through downtown Moncton, Fredericton or Charlottetown and see and feel how vibrant and alive they are.
Halifax, the economic centre of the Mar itimes, is falling way behind.
It is a wonder any developers are still interested in pursuing their plans when they have to deal with so much red tape and a city council and mayor who can’t, or won’t, make decisions, but debate everything to the “nth degree."
Most are tired of hearing from the Coalition to Save the View. They are a few individuals who are the most vocal.
We need 10 to 12 councillors like Gloria, Sue or Dawn, who can cut through all the bull, and a mayor who will make a decision, be it popular or not, and maybe we can move forward.
John Thornton, Dartmouth
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