District 8 Update #24 – Snow Information, 19-20 Budget meetings, Transit Pass Pilot Update, Pub Info Meeting 6016-6070 Almon St, Community Events, and more!

January 16, 2019 Lindell News & Updates Comments Off on District 8 Update #24 – Snow Information, 19-20 Budget meetings, Transit Pass Pilot Update, Pub Info Meeting 6016-6070 Almon St, Community Events, and more!

Hello Subscribers! Happy New year! (yes, I know it’s mid-January) I haven’t sent an e-newsletter for a while due to some technical problems, but I am happy to be able to stay connected with you all again.  Sorry for the delay.

List of events and notices – here’s what is included:
Update:

  • Snow Operations Information
  • 2019-2020 Budget Deliberations & Public feedback
  • HRM Community Event Grant applications due Thursday, January 31st
  • Emera Oval Information/Skating Information
  • Case 20871 – Public Information Meeting 6016-6070 Almon Street
  • Community Advisory Circle
  • African Heritage Month Opening Night Ceremony
  • Halifax Poet Laureate, Afua Cooper
  • Now & Then: Encounter on Urban Environment – Viewing & Talk

Items of Interest:

  • December North End Community Circle Roundtable Notes
  • Halifax Water Board Reports
  • North End Business Association
  • Quinpool Road Business Association
  • Municipal Solar Energy Systems
  • Department of Community Services Transit Pass Pilot Update
  • Regional Council – Next Meeting: Tuesday, January 15th 10:00am, Council Chambers
  • Community Planning & Economic Development – Next Meeting: Thursday, January 17th 1:00pm, Council Chambers

Contact me:
Phone: 902-579-6975
Email: Lindell.Smith@halifax.ca
Website: www.LindellSmithHfx.ca
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LindellSmithHFX/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LindellSmithHFX

Council Coordinator: Jennifer Weagle
Phone: 902.490.6982
Email: Weaglej@halifax.ca

311 – HRM’s call centre is open 8am-8pm Mon-Fri, 9am-5:30pm weekends to respond to routine inquiries and complaints from HRM residents. Please use this service since it helps HRM keep track of issues that are of concern for residents (missed solid waste pickup, sidewalks not cleared, transit info or complaints, etc.) For more information please visit http://www.halifax.ca/311/

Please send your feedback on issues before Community Council and Regional Council – and on any municipal issue. If you would like to send your comments to all Regional Councillors please email the Clerk’s Office (clerks@halifax.ca) so that your comments are shared and are part of the public record.

If you would like to send events or information to be possibly included in my e-newsletter, please email with the subject line “E-Newsletter”

Update:

HRM Meetings/Updates
Snow Operations Information
Snow clearing timelines – With each weather event, crews are responsible for approximately 3,844 lane kilometres of streets, almost about 1,000 kilometres of sidewalks and approximately 2,300 bus stops across the Halifax region.
The priority of your street or sidewalk will determine its clearing timeline.
  • Priority 1 streets, Emergency routes to hospitals and streets leading to schools and public buildings should have a plow or salt truck pass through at a minimum of once every three hours and have them clear of snow and ice within 12 hours of the end of a weather event.
  • Priority 2 streets, Residential and rural routes with medium to low volume traffic. To start cut-throughs on these streets once accumulations have reached 10 cm and repeated a minimum of every eight (8) hours during extended periods of snow.

Sidewalks

  • Priority 1 sidewalks, include those along main arterials and within the downtown core. Crews aim to clear these sidewalks within 12 hours from the end of a weather event.
  • Priority 2 sidewalks, include those along transit routes. Crews aim to clear these sidewalks within 18 hours from the end of a weather event.
  • Priority 3 sidewalks, include those along residential streets and municipal walkways. Crews aim to clear these sidewalks and walkways within 36 hours from the end of a weather event.

Please Monitor this link for up-to-date information during winter events.  https://www.halifax.ca/transportation/winter-operations/service-updates#StreetTimelines

Parking – When and where you park this winter can have a big impact on snow clearing. The easiest way to stay informed about the status of overnight winter parking bans is to register for automated notifications by signing up online, emailing contact@halifax.ca or calling 311.  Find more winter operations info here: https://www.halifax.ca/snow

2019-2020 Budget Deliberations & Public feedback
Council is currently in 19-20 Budget deliberations, and this year we have some difficult decisions to make. We are looking at a 1.9% – 2.9% increase for 2019-20. Our Municipal property tax rate hasn’t been raised since 2013, and are seeing the budget pressure because of this. We also must take into account the growth that we are seeing in HRM, which means increases to HRM’s service delivery. Most of our pressures are due to the cost of wages and salary, particularly for Police and Fire. We are also looking at pressures related to Capital projects.

All budget meetings are open to the public and agendas are posted online. The public is encouraged to attend meetings, and are encouraged to present to Council. Residents have 5 minutes to present to Council on any budget related item. You can contact our Clerks office for more information on this process: Clerk’s Office: clerks@halifax.ca
Budget info here: https://www.halifax.ca/city-hall/budget-finances/budget

HRM Community Event Grant applications due Thursday, January 31st
HRM’s community and cultural event grant programs is Thursday, January 31st, 2019, at 12:00 noon. More detailed information on each of the specific community event funding programs can be found online: https://www.halifax.ca/recreation/programs-activities/events/grants.

Emera Oval Information/ Skating Information
At the Emera Oval you can borrow helmets, hockey skates, figure skates, speed skates, sledges and snowshoes in the winter! All children, 12 and under, must wear a CSA multi-impact hockey helmet in the winter.
Emera Oval information: https://www.halifax.ca/recreation/facilities-fields/emera-oval
Free Skating lessons info: https://www.halifax.ca/recreation/programs-activities/skating/free-skating-lessons

Public Hearings/Information Meetings
Case 20871 – Public Information Meeting/Workshop 6016-6070 Almon Street
Tuesday, January 22nd 6:30pm – 8:30pm Halifax Forum, Maritime Hall, 2901 Windsor St, Halifax,
Details: Application by WSP Canada Inc. to apply a development agreement to 6016-6070 Almon Street an approximate 5 acre site at the corner of Robie Street and Almon Street, Halifax to allow development containing 5 mixed use buildings ranging from 2 to 22 storeys in height. To review more information about this application please visit the website by clicking Case 20871

Community Events/Meetings

Community Advisory Circle
Wednesday January 16th, 1:00pm – 3:00pm Mulgrave Park Phoenix Youth and Community Centre, 123 & 133 Jarvis Lane
This group of community members come together once a month for community discussions, feedback, and program information. New members welcome!

African Heritage Month Opening Night Ceremony
Thursday, January 24th, 7:00pm – 9:00pm George Dixon Center 2502 Brunswick St.
Share in this special community event and celebrate the launch and 35th anniversary of African Heritage Month. The evening features the traditional Opening Night ceremony, musical entertainment, and greetings from special guests. Event Info

Halifax Poet Laureate, Afua Cooper
Thursday, January 24th, 6:30pm – 8:30pm Halifax Central Library 5440 Spring Garden Rd (Paul O’Regan Hall)
Halifax’s Poet Laureate, Afua Cooper, will share her aspirations for the role of poet laureate and discuss her poetic interests with fellow poet, Sue Goyette.  After the conversation, Dr. Cooper will introduce two rising talents in Halifax: Andre Fenton and Kanaar Bell. Event Info

Now & Then: Encounter on Urban Environment – Viewing & Talk
Thursday, January 31st, at 7:00pm – 9:00pm 5557 Cunard St. (Second Floor)
Join Global Shapers Halifax for the launch of their year-long PRJCT CTZN initiative.  We’re kicking off the project by screening clips from the 1971 NFB film “Encounter on Urban Environment” followed up with conversations from prominent urban leaders to draw parallels between the development happening in the 1970s and the state of development and progress in Halifax today. Event Info

Items of Interest:

December North End Community Circle Roundtable Notes:
http://necchalifax.ca/note/december-notes/
Next meeting: February 6th, 2019 at 10:00am at Halifax North Memorial Public Library

Halifax Water Board Reports
Please find below the link that will take you to the location where all of the Halifax Water Board meeting reports are posted (with the exception of In-Camera reports
https://www.halifax.ca/home-property/halifax-water/about-your-water/board-commissioners

North End Business Association
For an update on what is happening with businesses in the north end please visit the North End Business Association http://gonorthhalifax.ca/  and sign up for their monthly email.

Quinpool Road Business Association
For an update on what is happening with businesses on Quinpool Road please visit their website: www.quinpoolroad.ca/

Municipal Solar Energy Systems
The municipality has installed solar energy systems on various public buildings, most notably fire stations and community centres. Find out more information about these systems here: https://www.halifax.ca/about-halifax/energy-environment/environmental-programs-initiatives/solar-hot-water-projects

Department of Community Services Transit Pass Pilot Update
December 2017 Regional Council, directed staff to initiate a pilot program with the Nova Scotia Department of Community Services (DCS) to offer Employment Support and Income Assistance clients and their dependents unlimited transit access The report anticipated that the pilot program will be phased in, and anticipated that up to 16,800 adults and children in the Halifax Transit service area could benefit from this program.
The Pilot Program was launched in June 2018, and the first annual passes were issued in July 2018. As of December 1st, 2018, there were 8,246 program participants, more than 1,100 of which were children or youth.

My other Committee and Board commitments:

Regional Council
https://www.halifax.ca/city-hall/regional-council
Next Meeting: Tuesday, January 15th 10:00am, Council Chambers

Halifax and West Community Council
https://www.halifax.ca/city-hall/community-councils/halifax-west-community-council

Community Planning & Economic Development
https://www.halifax.ca/city-hall/standing-committees/community-planning-economic-development-standing-committee
Next Meeting: Thursday, January 17th 1:00pm, Council Chambers
Notable Motions:

  • Blasting By-law B-600 Review (i) Staff Presentation dated January 17, 2018 [PDF]
    • Motion:
      That the Community Planning and Economic Development receive a staff presentation on the impacts of Blasting on heritage properties.
  • Building Poverty Solutions – Ideas for Action (Report)
    • Motion: That the Community Planning and Economic Development Standing Committee recommends that Regional Council direct the Chief Administrative Officer to: 1. Continue to work collaboratively with United Way Halifax on the development and implementation of anti-poverty solutions for the municipality; 2. Include a strategic response to the United Way report “Building poverty solutions: Ideas for Action” in the development of a Social Policy Lens; and 3. Incorporate updates on federal/provincial poverty reduction action plans and basic income projects when reporting on the Social policy lens and poverty reduction solutions.

Halifax Peninsula Planning Advisory Committee (Formally District 7 and 8 Planning Advisory Committee)
https://www.halifax.ca/city-hall/boards-committees-commissions/h/halifax-peninsula-planning-advisory-committee

Community Design Advisory Committee
https://www.halifax.ca/city-hall/boards-committees-commissions/a-c/community-design-advisory-committee

Transportation Standing Committee
https://www.halifax.ca/city-hall/standing-committees/transportation-standing-committee

HRM Grants Committee
https://www.halifax.ca/city-hall/boards-committees-commissions/d-g/grants-committee

Halifax Forum
http://www.halifaxforum.ca/

(CACE) The Council on African Canadian Education
http://www.cace.ns.ca/