When Calgary embarked on their new Regional Plan, they studied the economic costs of various options. Then Mayor Nenshi really sold their preferred "anti-sprawl" plan as being the one they could not afford not to adopt. We'd be smart to do something similar here, so that people aren't just relying on their guts.
The oval has created a sense of community, focused attention back on the downtown/peninsula, and perhaps most importantly, reminded people that they can have fun outdoors, during the winter. Hard to measure the direct impact, but I have to think having a facility like this will have long term benefits for our community.
Halifax is not alone with this legacy. A few lucky or smart cities (Vancouver, Portland) avoided many of the problems that come with sprawl. Many in the US succumbed to it totally, and today are urban wastelands. The point is that Halifax will need to live through the consequences of its decades of sprawl. Like stopping a ship, you can't turn on a dime, but if we make changes NOW and stop subsidizing unsustainable development, we will look a whole lot better in 10-20 years. We currently have three times the residential suburban development stock that we need to fulfill demand for the next 20 years. Why would we ever need to approve more, at taxpayer expense?
We need to make some tough, and unpopular choices, with the review of the Regional Plan, which is happening THIS year. That's the way to make some changes that will (economically, socially, healthwise, and environmentally) benefit all of us.
Tim, you were SO close to writing a happy, positive article without any backhanded slaps at the Commons concerts. If the oval is a good idea, it's a good idea (which it is). It doesn't have to be a good idea compared to something you dislike.
Nice to see petitions and editorials in support of something though!
I met Bernie the day I started my current job, and have worked closely with him ever since. I don't know that I've ever met a more genuine spirit. He is who he is, unguardedly, and though we may not always agree (but generally do) he never ceases to amaze me with his energy and depth of knowledge. He's like a character from a GK Chesterton novel.
Released from his day-to-day management duties, one only hopes he'll be given even more time to speak the truth about how to change things for the better in this city.
All of Bedford's best businesses seem to originate downtown (Cellar, Il Mercato, Freak Lunchbox, Uncommon Kids, and now Wooden Monkey?
Makes downtown less unique which I don't like. Having said that it makes good business sense to take a tried-and-true recipe that has incubated downtown and introduce it to the Bedford Market.
Curious about Lil's objection to the convention centre. She will benefit bigtime from it once it's there.
Interestingly, the whole discussion about conventions being a dying business never was an issue in Ottawa.
As nice as a waterfront location might be for delegates, it would not benefit the heart of the restaurant and retail community nearly as much as Argyle.
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Lake Placid still has their's from 1932!
Halifax is not alone with this legacy. A few lucky or smart cities (Vancouver, Portland) avoided many of the problems that come with sprawl. Many in the US succumbed to it totally, and today are urban wastelands. The point is that Halifax will need to live through the consequences of its decades of sprawl. Like stopping a ship, you can't turn on a dime, but if we make changes NOW and stop subsidizing unsustainable development, we will look a whole lot better in 10-20 years. We currently have three times the residential suburban development stock that we need to fulfill demand for the next 20 years. Why would we ever need to approve more, at taxpayer expense?
We need to make some tough, and unpopular choices, with the review of the Regional Plan, which is happening THIS year. That's the way to make some changes that will (economically, socially, healthwise, and environmentally) benefit all of us.
Nice to see petitions and editorials in support of something though!
Released from his day-to-day management duties, one only hopes he'll be given even more time to speak the truth about how to change things for the better in this city.
Makes downtown less unique which I don't like. Having said that it makes good business sense to take a tried-and-true recipe that has incubated downtown and introduce it to the Bedford Market.
Curious about Lil's objection to the convention centre. She will benefit bigtime from it once it's there.
As nice as a waterfront location might be for delegates, it would not benefit the heart of the restaurant and retail community nearly as much as Argyle.