Hello friends and neighbours,<\/p>\n
This week has been eventful. I have assembled information to try to digest this week\u2019s events and inform you of what is coming.<\/p>\n
The two major events that occurred this week were Regional Council\u2019s decision to commission a staff report likely leading to the demolition of the Halifax Memorial Library and to designate nine parks as permissible sites for encampment. This includes a portion of the Halifax Common known as the Berm and Point Pleasant Park. I have been foretelling this for weeks and both locations should be prohibited sites for encampments.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Canada Historic Places Day!<\/b><\/p>\n
Tomorrow, July 13th<\/sup> I will be celebrating Canada Historic Places Day by giving a free tour of Halifax during the Second World War. The tour will begin on Sackville St outside Artillery Park at 10 AM. Hope to see you there.<\/b><\/p>\n Important Meeting:<\/b><\/p>\n Myself and the Friends of Schmidtville will be having an area meeting on bettering homelessness and hot topics on July25th. The meeting will be both in person at 5596 Morris St, Halifax, <\/span>Spencer House and by Zoom. Please email campaign@willbreckenridge.ca<\/a> to register for the meeting and receive the Zoom link.<\/p>\n News on the Public Gardens:<\/i><\/p>\n CBC News has provided an update on the condition of trees in the Public Gardens that were vandalized.<\/p>\n These trees were vandalized 2 years ago. Most are on the mend<\/a><\/p>\n HRM expands the list of parks used for designated encampment sites:<\/p>\n HRM Staff Report which included adding designated sites: https:\/\/cdn.halifax.ca\/sites\/default\/files\/documents\/city-hall\/regional-council\/240709rc1519.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n HRM’s official statement on new designated parks:<\/p>\n Halifax Regional Municipality\u2019s Post<\/a><\/p>\n Save Point Pleasant Park<\/b><\/p>\n 1) Point Pleasant Park and the Halifax Common must be protected! The risk of fire in Halifax, endangering the micro-ecosystem of the park and families on the Common at the Oval, is unacceptable.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \n<\/div>\n I have been advocating for years to improve and protect the park. In 2021 I submitted a heritage registration application for Point Pleasant Park and the Halifax Common which HRM has not yet processed for various reasons. These applications should be revisited by HRM because as a step towards recognizing the importance of these places to Halifax.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \n<\/div>\n I ask you to sign these petitions that South End neighbours and the Halifax Military Heritage Preservation Society made on Change.org to Save Point Pleasant Park:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n [Link Sign the Petition<\/a>\u00a0and Save Point Pleasant Park Battery, https:\/\/www.change.org\/p\/save-point-pleasant-park-forts<\/a>]<\/p>\n 2) Premier’s view on expanding encampment sites in HRM.\u00a0I would note the Premier needs to deliver on mental health services, healthcare and shelter. The province and HRM need to address the epidemic of drug addiction and income disparity.<\/p>\n \u00a0Article Link:<\/p>\n Premier says new encampment locations are ‘completely nuts’<\/a><\/p>\n 3) Universities renting out rooms:<\/p>\n Universities are the new hotels in Halifax over the summer<\/a><\/p>\n 4) Meanwhile in Dartmouth it is back to Geary Park:<\/p>\n https:\/\/waterfrontmediahfx.the902hxir.ca\/the-fencing-around-the-geary-st-green-space-in-dartmouth-has-been-removed-in-preparation-of-the-return-of-a-homeless-encampment<\/a><\/p>\n 5) The Housing Trust of Nova Scotia’s update on\u00a0building affordable housing:<\/p>\n The Housing Trust of Nova Scotia\u2019s Post<\/a><\/p>\n \u00a06) Ernest and Young’s report on mixed rental housing<\/p>\n Mixed-Income Rental: EY Canada Housing Research<\/a><\/p>\n This article caught my eye, especially after the recent event of having to boil water!<\/p>\n HRM Watershed Woes:<\/b><\/p>\n