How should HRM spend $40 million windfall

[Colin May]

HRM is about to receive about $40,000,000 of back taxes from the federal government related to the valuation of Citadel Hill.
This is an opportunity for HRM to consult citizens about the best way to invest the money in civic infrastructure and make a lasting impact upon the lives of present and future residents.
Make your pitch.

[fenwick16]

My first instinct is towards a stadium, however I don't think that will happen, so I will go with the Cogswell Interchange teardown.

[Drybrain]

Is this a for-sure thing? I thought the two levels of government were still haggling over the value.

Regardless, the number-one priority for large-scale investment would be capital investment in a truly ambitious transit project, whether commuter rail or bus rapid transit ROWs or some kind of regional centre LRT.

And maybe a few million for building-restoration incentives for owners of heritage properties, since the city's collection of crumbling historic properties is downright embarrassing, by contrast with other historic east-coast centres.

[JHikka]

$40M would put a decent dent into a stadium.

[scryer]

Or maybe it should be spent on upgrading the ports and the supporting infrastructure to really grow the economy by expanding international shipping trades.

[Colin May]

Originally Posted by Drybrain

Is this a for-sure thing? I thought the two levels of government were still haggling over the value.

Regardless, the number-one priority for large-scale investment would be capital investment in a truly ambitious transit project, whether commuter rail or bus rapid transit ROWs or some kind of regional centre LRT.

And maybe a few million for building-restoration incentives for owners of heritage properties, since the city's collection of crumbling historic properties is downright embarrassing, by contrast with other historic east-coast centres.

The courts have decided.
" The two sides went before a federal panel in Halifax nearly two years ago to help determine how much Ottawa owes the city in back taxes for the national historic site.
Early last year, the payment in lieu of taxes advisory panel valued Citadel Hill at $41.2 million -- $37.6 million more than what Ottawa argued the national historic site was worth. " CTV News May 19 2016
http://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/decades-l...ifax-1.2909268

[portapetey]

Seek a corporate sponsor, and get them to match the $40m and put a massive golden arch from the Halifax waterfront to George's Island, and a second arch over to Dartmouth.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by portapetey

Seek a corporate sponsor, and get them to match the $40m and put a massive golden arch from the Halifax waterfront to George's Island, and a second arch over to Dartmouth.

Two golden arches spanning Halifax harbour.

Hmmmmm - I wonder what corporate sponsor would be interested in that.......

[Keith P.]

They will likely piss it away on useless bike lanes.

[Colin May]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

They will likely piss it away on useless bike lanes.

Perhaps.
The question I posed was meant to draw out suggestions for projects for the greater good. Feel free to state your preference/s.

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by Colin May

Perhaps.
The question I posed was meant to draw out suggestions for projects for the greater good. Feel free to state your preference/s.

Maybe a new property room for the Police. Hopefully a new Chief as well.

[Nouvellecosse]

Perhaps they should spend it on providing trips to Montreal to help ignorant HRM citizens witness how heavily used bike lanes will be, even in a colder snowier climate, if properly invested in.

People would be able to enjoy a fun vacation all while gaining some valuable education.

Although I don't particularly like the idea of spending taxpayer's money rewarding ignorance and stupidity.

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by Nouvellecosse

Perhaps they should spend it on providing trips to Montreal to help ignorant HRM citizens witness how heavily used bike lanes will be, even in a colder snowier climate, if properly invested in.

People would be able to enjoy a fun vacation all while gaining some valuable education.

Although I don't particularly like the idea of spending taxpayer's money rewarding ignorance and stupidity.

We have been rewarding ignorance and stupidity via HRM Council's endless pandering to loudmouthed special-interest lobby groups while ignoring the needs of the vast majority of taxpayers. Bile lanes will never be a viable 4-season transportation option in this city. Spending millions to build permanent and diminishing infrastructure for a handful of cyclists to use on a handful of nice days like today is foolhardy.

[IanWatson]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

Bile lanes will never be a viable 4-season transportation option in this city. Spending millions to build permanent and diminishing infrastructure for a handful of cyclists to use on a handful of nice days like today is foolhardy.

I walk to work past the Rainnie Dr./North Park St. bike lanes so I go past them 2 - 4 times per day. I often also go past the ones on Bell Road. While the number of cyclists I saw was certainly lower in the winter, I can count on one hand the number of days this past winter where I saw no cyclists. And those days were the same days where I saw a lot fewer cars on the road (i.e. everyone was just staying home).

This idea that bike lanes won't be used in the winter is foolish. As long as they are properly cleared, people will and do use them. This is the experience in winter cities all around the world. Halifax is not some special exception.

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by IanWatson

This idea that bike lanes won't be used in the winter is foolish. As long as they are properly cleared, people will and do use them. This is the experience in winter cities all around the world. Halifax is not some special exception.

Yes, the handful of cycling zealots will use them, risking life and limb. but we should not be spending public money catering to the whims of a few zealots. The city does not build off-road courses for ATVers, or racetracks for foreign-car drifter aficionados. This is little different.

[beyeas]

How about we instead take Colin's suggestion and genuinely propose positive things that should be done, rather than the complaints and negativity. Easier to criticize than solve, but all the same, jeezus!

[someone123]

I think the money should be leveraged to get in on federal and provincial government cost-sharing for infrastructure projects. $40M can become a $120M capital project if funding is split into thirds. That's enough for commuter rail, for example.

I don't think a stadium would qualify for something like Building Canada funds.

[Colin May]

Originally Posted by beyeas

How about we instead take Colin's suggestion and genuinely propose positive things that should be done, rather than the complaints and negativity. Easier to criticize than solve, but all the same, jeezus!

Thank you.
I hoped people would really think about this one time opportunity and put forward suggestions that future generations would view as wise and forward thinking.
The spending/investment of the windfall needs to be an election issue and driven by citizens not politicians. I don't want the money to be frittered away, so let us all talk to friends, colleagues, neighbours, candidates about how to make HRM better for everyone.
My ideas will come along later, for now we need to really think about projects that would be outstanding.

[someone123]

Originally Posted by Colin May

The spending/investment of the windfall needs to be an election issue and driven by citizens not politicians. I don't want the money to be frittered away, so let us all talk to friends, colleagues, neighbours, candidates about how to make HRM better for everyone.

$40M only works out to 1% or so of the budget that regional council gets to play with during a normal four-year term. Something can be done with that chunk of change for sure but it's not really a huge "issue" for the city; the annual budget exercise is a much bigger deal.

[portapetey]

I'm with transit, and not just buses. Something innovative or at least different from the same old stuck-in-traffic buses. If rail is the answer, then rail, but something reasonable and useful - two or three short corridors.