General Updates and News

[Keith P.]

Looking at the photo a second time, it appears the building on the right with the wooden stairs down to the sidewalk is of a unit with the right side of the larger building, while the two doors to the left of the pass-through are for a pair of separate units on that side.

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by Drybrain

If you look at streetview you can see it dates from an earlier renovation. It looks like there were doors leading into apartments inside the passageway. It is weird, though.

The 2009 view almost looks like they were separate buildings that were joined at some point.

[eastcoastal]

Originally Posted by Ziobrop

i suspect the goose necks will light a commercial sign.

I hope so.... that would help it feel a little more balanced, I think.

[fenwick16]

I am not sure if this has been mentioned before, but there is a public meeting on April 20th at the Dartmouth Sportsplex for a 10 storey apartment called Sunset Towers in Dartmouth at this location - https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer...293502235&z=19 . The case details are at this link - http://www.halifax.ca/planning/appli...387details.php

[Ziobrop]

This year, I'm organizing the Halifax Jane's Walk which takes place the first weekend in May.

I know everyone here has a huge interest in development, and the history of the city, and i'd like to extend an invitation to all of you to lead a walk. walks are about the "experience of the city" and are meant to be a "walking conversation" so i want to encourage all points of views and themes, not just development and history.

if your interested, drop me an email, ziobrop@gmail.com

[Jonovision]

The new Canteen renovations in Dartmouth have turned out really well. I'm happy to see a number of small renovations and infill projects coming to the downtown on the other side of the harbour.

20170420_134225_HDR by Jonovision23, on Flickr

[counterfactual]

I'm surprised this idiocy by the MacNeil Government hasn't yet been discussed on here:


Halifax advised province against outpatient clinic's Bayers Lake location
http://www.thecoast.ca/RealityBites/...-lake-location

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by counterfactual

I'm surprised this idiocy by the MacNeil Government hasn't yet been discussed on here:


Halifax advised province against outpatient clinic's Bayers Lake location
http://www.thecoast.ca/RealityBites/...-lake-location

It was discussed, more or less, in the thread at this link.

[worldlyhaligonian]

Originally Posted by counterfactual

I'm surprised this idiocy by the MacNeil Government hasn't yet been discussed on here:


Halifax advised province against outpatient clinic's Bayers Lake location
http://www.thecoast.ca/RealityBites/...-lake-location

Also, its stupid/ironic that Access Nova Scotia is out there. Which government did that happen under?

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by worldlyhaligonian

Also, its stupid/ironic that Access Nova Scotia is out there. Which government did that happen under?

Dippers, I believe.

[counterfactual]

Originally Posted by worldlyhaligonian

Also, its stupid/ironic that Access Nova Scotia is out there. Which government did that happen under?

NDP.

All Nova Scotia Governments are filled with morons.

Most, like the present Government, are filled with MLAs that resent/dislike Halifax, as parties are constituted by MLAs from other parts of Nova Scotia.

[fenwick16]

Originally Posted by counterfactual

NDP.

All Nova Scotia Governments are filled with morons.

Most, like the present Government, are filled with MLAs that resent/dislike Halifax, as parties are constituted by MLAs from other parts of Nova Scotia.

Once Halifax has a majority of the Nova Scotia population then hopefully they will have a majority of the MLAs.

[q12]

Originally Posted by fenwick16

Once Halifax has a majority of the Nova Scotia population then hopefully they will have a majority of the MLAs.

26 out of the 51 electoral districts already are in (or have a portion in) or border the Halifax Regional Municipality.

http://electionsnovascotia.ca/sites/...S_20160421.pdf

[counterfactual]

Originally Posted by fenwick16

Once Halifax has a majority of the Nova Scotia population then hopefully they will have a majority of the MLAs.

This is my hope as well.

But I suspect there will be a few steps backwards if the Government reviews the "minority" ridings decisions; suspect Halifax will lose seats in order to give back any the lost Acadian and other "lost" ridings.

One day, you'll be able to elect a Government based on Halifax alone. And we may finally get competent Government in this Province at that point.

Until then, it's moronic, anti-Halifax people MacNeil and Delorey.

Originally Posted by q12

26 out of the 51 electoral districts already are in (or have a portion in) or border the Halifax Regional Municipality.

http://electionsnovascotia.ca/sites/...S_20160421.pdf

26? Who are you counting? I'm guessing "or border" is the operative word here. Eastern Shore, Hants East, Hants West, Colchester, all border HRM districts but are massive rural ridings.

[worldlyhaligonian]

Originally Posted by counterfactual

NDP.

All Nova Scotia Governments are filled with morons.

Most, like the present Government, are filled with MLAs that resent/dislike Halifax, as parties are constituted by MLAs from other parts of Nova Scotia.

Thanks for the info. There should be a requirement for an Access Nova Scotia in the Nova Centre... I mean, it is called the Nova Centre and its centrally located. This would be especially good if they have trouble filling up some of the office space.

Its completely crazy to have the Access Nova Scotia locations where they are.

I don't know why they didn't just move to a smaller location inside of the West End mall... which is out of the way for most peninsular residents anyway.

[counterfactual]

Originally Posted by worldlyhaligonian

Thanks for the info. There should be a requirement for an Access Nova Scotia in the Nova Centre... I mean, it is called the Nova Centre and its centrally located. This would be especially good if they have trouble filling up some of the office space.

Its completely crazy to have the Access Nova Scotia locations where they are.

I don't know why they didn't just move to a smaller location inside of the West End mall... which is out of the way for most peninsular residents anyway.

Because, again, Nova Scotia Governments are run by lazy dimbulbs.

All they think is:

(1) ohhhh rent and land is cheaper in the middle of nowhere -- more money we can save to send to Yarmouth to keep the ferry going (this is important for #5).

(2) as an MLA from <anywhere-but-Halifax>, I hate driving/parking in Halifax for work, why should everything be downtown? Move it to a strip mall in the middle of nowhere like back in my riding in <anywhere-but-Halifax>;

(3) How can we get more votes? Put stuff in the suburbs, which are growing (sort of); notwithstanding infrastructure, congestion, transit issues, regional growth plans, innovation clustering/policy for cities, research connectivity, or sheer stupidity of the move;

(4) How can we benefit our donors with patronage to ensure campaign $$ for the pending election? Ohhh, buy land from donors at a considerable premium in the middle of nowhere, move gov departments there, announce election, expect the good times to roll for campaign contributions from said donors;

(5) Win election. Repeat (no matter what Party).

There are no other considerations. Just stupidity, incompetence, cronyism, and corruption, which pretty much sums up Nova Scotia Government circa 1945 -- Present.

[ns_kid]

The efficacy of façadism as a means of avoiding outright destruction of historic structures has been debated in these pages many times (for example, in the case of the demolition of the former Zellers/Discovery Centre property, or proposed redevelopment of the Royal Bank block).

If it's a subject you're interested in you may want to check out the discussion from CBC's Sunday Edition earlier today. It features two Ontario architects, Christopher Borgal and Catherine Nasmith. While Nasmith is generally less accepting of the practice (she does admit there are times it is better than wholesale destruction) both seem to agree there's a need for more planning to ensure better integration of historic and contemporary architecture.

Listen to the podcast of the program here. The discussion on façadism begins around the 1:12:45 mark.

[Phalanx]

Or if you want to skip straight to the segment (with accompanying summary)...

http://www.cbc.ca/radio/thesundayedi...past-1.4097871

[OldDartmouthMark]

Thanks for that. I enjoyed listening to the discussion and thought that many good points were made.

I found the term "urban taxidermy" to be particularly poignant, as that is essentially what happens to the buildings - the experience of walking through an historic façade and into a modern building does feel somewhat strange and disconnected to most. Nasmith's comment that we have to strive for better outcomes than simply accepting that saving the façade is better than nothing was right on the money IMHO.

Also the point of large corporate retail replacing fine-grained smaller independent shops is a trend that I was relatively unaware of. While it does bring a suburbanish box-store type experience to the residents of the downtown areas, it also wipes out much of the character of the area in the process. Of course, it almost always comes down to the ubiquitous business case that drives this type of development, but the result is the same regardless of financial benefit to those involved.

I'm glad to see that the topic is being discussed openly, and can only hope that this discussion spreads to the Halifax area more completely than it has thus far.

[Jonovision]

Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark

Also the point of large corporate retail replacing fine-grained smaller independent shops is a trend that I was relatively unaware of. While it does bring a suburbanish box-store type experience to the residents of the downtown areas, it also wipes out much of the character of the area in the process. Of course, it almost always comes down to the ubiquitous business case that drives this type of development, but the result is the same regardless of financial benefit to those involved.

It was certainly a good discussion. This particular point though can be fixed by using multi story retail. Where the big box/large floorplate stores go on the second level and the ground level is left with the fine grained pattern that makes the street exciting and lively for pedestrians. I believe this type of policy exists withing the Centre Plan.