General Updates and News

[spaustin]

Pity that it took media scrutiny to get a promise for something basic like a coat of paint for on such an important landmark. I had family visiting last month and of course we took them out there and I actually noticed that it was looking pretty shabby. Hopefully it won't take them all summer to get around to it!

[Jonovision]

First off. Does anyone else think this thread should be a sticky?

This article from the Dartmouth Community section of the Herald today.

Making world-class course better
Work on Banook includes starting system, lighting, special events plaza and trail
By HEATHER AMOS
Mon. Jun 15 - 4:46 AM


Lake Banook’s facelift is well underway in preparation for the world canoe championships in two months.

With paddlers from 80 countries coming to Dartmouth, Lake Banook is being transformed into a world-class racing venue.

"It always has been the focus for the community of Dartmouth, so it just needs to reflect its importance as an athletic venue and as public open space," said Peter Bigelow, manager of real property planning with Halifax Regional Municipality.

Between Aug. 12 and 16, the International Canoe Federation’s 2009 canoe sprint world championships will draw 100,000 spectators to watch canoe and kayak athletes. It will also be broadcast nationally and internationally.

"People, not only in Canada but all around the world, are going to see Halifax-Dartmouth . . . so we want to show it in its best light," said Frank Garner, the general manager of Canoe ’09, the world championships.

To accommodate the competition, the venue had to be spruced up and the course had to be refurbished. It was originally constructed for the 1969 Canada Summer Games.

A new electronic starting system is going in and work has been completed on cement abutments.

Halifax Regional Municipality is also completing a trail system around Banook Lake, upgrading a judge’s tower, a special events plaza, lighting and parking lots and refurbishing some parkland in the area.

Aliant has contributed a training centre and is setting up a fund for athletes.

Garner said most of the changes have to be finished in time for a test event on June 27 and 28 when a Canadian junior team is picked to send to the world junior championships.

"The city’s been wonderful to work with; they’ve been very good because they see the advantage of developing this side of the harbour," said Garner.

The idea behind making the improvements is that it will leave a legacy for park users.

"The transformation I am looking forward to is when everybody lands there at that free event with world-class athletes and says, ‘Hey, you know what, we live in a pretty nice place,’ " said Bigelow. Canoe ’09 will be free to spectators.

( hamos@herald.ca)



I walked around the lake last week. They are certainly doing a lot of work. The best part for me has been the new trail section that they have added on top of the new water pipe they put in last year. It is such a nice little walk and the area is really nicely landscaped. Can't wait till the rest of the upgrades our complete. If I get a chance perhaps next month I'll go around and take some pics of the lake and the area.

[sdm]

....BREAKING NEWS!!!!

For me anyway...if it has already been disscussed.....my apologies .....gonna be awesome for south end...........gonna be sweet for the south end of Barrington.....been rumored for years, and finally the wheels are in motion....

The Sir John Thompson building at 1256 Barrington...(at the corner of Harvey and Barrington) has been sold, given or transfered?....to the Canada Lands Company From Public works

Canada Lands will then sell it for redevelopment or new usage......there' a meeting happing in late June concerning the imminent sale....the parking lot behind the building has zoning that will only permit houses, but if a couple row's of townhouses go in there, and then a spanking new 6 story, condo , with well thought out commercial on ground....and it's floor it's going to be wicked for Barrington South



If it does contain commercial, and that commercial is occupied by restaurant's and café like The W suites, it going to be an interesting little area, with the combination of these two new commercial spaces across from each other, it will give the south end a little more of a main street....and hey, at least this part of Barrington is doin good....gonna be great for the HH....all those new residents living across the street are all potential customers...anyways...I'm stoked.....been dreaming about this since 2003

:whip:

News out in allnovascotia stating CLC (canada Lands) is discussing the redevelopment of this thompson building as affordable housing.

[BravoZulu]

News out in allnovascotia stating CLC (canada Lands) is discussing the redevelopment of this thompson building as affordable housing.

I'm not sure I understand this.

With regards to the whole "affordable housing" how can they jutify that in a location such as the downtown core? I bought a place downtown, I paid and arm and a leg for it, but that was my choice and now I really don't need a car. I don't get why there should be a form of subsidized housing in the downtown. What would be the problem with setting it up off the peninsula provided there was adequate transit. Anyway if I'm way off base here please correct me, maybe I'm missing the point.

[Wishblade]

I'm not sure I understand this.

With regards to the whole "affordable housing" how can they jutify that in a location such as the downtown core? I bought a place downtown, I paid and arm and a leg for it, but that was my choice and now I really don't need a car. I don't get why there should be a form of subsidized housing in the downtown. What would be the problem with setting it up off the peninsula provided there was adequate transit. Anyway if I'm way off base here please correct me, maybe I'm missing the point.

No, I totally agree. Downtown should be a place for people priveliged enough to be able to live there. I think convienience and surroundings should come at a price. Sorry if I sound like kind of an ass, but its just what I believe.

[Barrington south]

........THIS MEANS WAR......beteen left-winger Tim Bousque fighting "gentrification" of the North end, and Left-winger Dawn Sloan and others fighting for the ghetto-fication of the South End iit blows my F*ck*** mind!!....what do they want....a little Detroit by the sea?......and yes damed straight...this is a Rant!!

[spaustin]

You can't have it both ways. On one hand we decry previous eras disasterous public housing projects such as Uniacke Square and Mulgrave Park while on the other there seems to be a want to keep the South End and Downtown as some exclusive bastion for the upper crust. Public housing works best when it's integrated into neighbourhoods and not marginalized into ghettos where no one else wants to be. Using the Thompson Building for public housing will not be the end of Barrington Street. There is no reason why ground level retail with affordable housing on top can't work on the site.

I lived in the Kensington area of Calgary years ago (kind of a Spring Garden meets Agricola kind of place) and the multi-storey concrete block next to my apartment building was the woman's shelter. It was ugly as hell since it was built in the 1970s, but it had no negative impact on the neighbourhood. The same will be true in the South End if that's what the Thompson Building becomes.

Anyway, I guess all I'm saying is the Thompson Building or its site could become many things, and if there happens to be some element of affordable housing the sky isn't going to fall in on the South End.

[Barrington south]

"some elements of affordable housing"
is indeed much more palatable and the wisest way to integrate community's ...what I'm concerned about is the entire projest......incuding a very large 6 story tower....the existing tower stretches a good ways up Harvey street... being a uniake square in the south end....infact, although it goes against my nature as a capitalist, I wouldn't mind, say 15-30% affaordable...however, if this turns into a hopefully miss guided-all affordable development, it will do nothing but harm all the good work that has gone into the south-end of Barrington........you can spin anyway you like....but this scenario would not benefit the existing community in any manner

and please do not make the assumption no-one in their right mind would make it an exclusively affordable housing project.......


since when have bleeding heart bureaucrats proven themselves to be master urban planners?

[JET]

Gald to see that you've recognized that it's a rant.

High density low income housing in uniacke square makes no sense. However, such housing does make sense on South Barrington because it craetes a mix. There is a low income apt building on queen and south, and it fits well there because of the mix. Ghettos are not good for anyone. Sharing a nice neighborhood is good for everyone. JET

[Takeo]

I don't understand why an affordable housing development would harm South Barrington.

[Barrington south]

the degeneration of a main street is not good for everyone...

your counter logic is evedent...



perhaps you would feel differently, if you had millions of dollars invested 30 feet away ...like I said, some affordable housing, fine,the hole thing..... now that would just be plain stupid....it would be very large and on a prime piece of land....go walk around the property...it's quiet deep...if there where some gottagen terrace type townhouses out back of a nice condo with retail in the front...that's good...not what I had hoped....but still good.

perhaps you should use your "creates a Mix" beliefs for the development itself and not just the neighborhood as a whole.. or do your "create a mix belief" come to a screeching halt when it stops benefiting the poor...how convinient..would you prefer a Ghetto development to one that integrates communities.?...like a ghetto oasis ?...Jet or Zet or what ever the hell your random ass name is..man, did you you should have worked on the dawn Sloan campain....BARRINGTON SOUTH

[Barrington south]

ooohh and don't accuse me of Ninbyism...I wouldn't want high density low income housing built next to anyone.......

have you not learned the lessons of history ZET ?

high-density social housing is not the most successful model

if you wish to integrate community's...

diversify, dude

[BravoZulu]

Regardless of whether you agree with afordable housing or not. I don't get the argument for affordable housing in the most expensive rental market in HRM. There is affordable housing ie cheaper rent available almost everwhere else, north end, dartmouth, clayton park, spryfield, fairview (not a dig against any of these places just the fact they have cheaper rents).

http://www.halifax.ca/qol/documents/HousingFactSheet2RentsandVacancies.pdf

I do not see the justification in making arguably the most desireable location to live in the city "affordable"

Example - I would love to live in a house on Young avenue, but I can't afford that so I bought elsewhere in the south end where I can afford it. If you can't afford to rent in the most expensive market why should you be subsidized so you can. Rent somewhere else that is cheaper.

[someone123]

I'm not sure I even like the idea of affordable units for anybody but those with serious problems who cannot take care of themselves (e.g. the mentally ill). For the rest it is better to have credits that allow for a more market-driven approach with more choice and fairness between those who do and do not receive subsidies. It's not very fair for some people to be spending $600 a month on a bad market-rate apartment in Spryfield while somebody else gets a nicer South End apartment for the same price because they qualified or got lucky or whatever.

[Barrington south]

Regardless of whether you agree with afordable housing or not. I don't get the argument for affordable housing in the most expensive rental market in HRM. There is affordable housing ie cheaper rent available almost everwhere else, north end, dartmouth, clayton park, spryfield, fairview (not a dig against any of these places just the fact they have cheaper rents).

http://www.halifax.ca/qol/documents/HousingFactSheet2RentsandVacancies.pdf

I do not see the justification in making arguably the most desireable location to live in the city "affordable"

Example - I would love to live in a house on Young avenue, but I can't afford that so I bought elsewhere in the south end where I can afford it. If you can't afford to rent in the most expensive market why should you be subsidized so you can. Rent somewhere else that is cheaper.

well said....would you consider running against sloan next election
?.....

[BravoZulu]

well said....would you consider running against sloan next election
?.....

Believe me if I was able to I would in a heartbeat

[Keith P.]

I'm sure the welfare tenants will spend their cheques at Bear Restaurant, Morris East and the good Thai restaurants in that neighborhood...

This is a dumb idea.

[Takeo]

I'm sure the welfare tenants will spend their cheques at Bear Restaurant, Morris East and the good Thai restaurants in that neighborhood...

This is a dumb idea.

It's not public housing they are proposing... it's affordable housing. Anyway, I agree with someone123... it's better to create housing that is as mixed as possible (i.e. with vouchers for market housing) than to create "warehouses"... like uniacke square or giant concrete apartment blocks. That's been proven time and again. But I still think some are overreacting to say this one affordable building is going to cause "harm". It's a little alarmist and, I think, unfounded.

[Takeo]

I do not see the justification in making arguably the most desireable location to live in the city "affordable"

South End... most desirable? Hmm. Lived there for 6 years. Not a fan :)

[Barrington south]

It's not public housing they are proposing... it's affordable housing. Anyway, I agree with someone123... it's better to create housing that is as mixed as possible (i.e. with vouchers for market housing) than to create "warehouses"... like uniacke square or giant concrete apartment blocks. That's been proven time and again. But I still think some are overreacting to say this one affordable building is going to cause "harm". It's a little alarmist and, I think, unfounded.

uHHH if you had invested millions ,
and you where not alarmed by the prospect of a massive wellfare wareouse 30 feet away,
then you need to get your head examined bro..

.read my other reply`s...
some affordable...
fine....
if they must....

.but I don`t think that`s what being proposed.....
they are talking about retro fiting the exsisting structure....
(the politicly correct term affordable was thrown out there by Hacks in the Media....)
into what very well could be social housing .

your lack of perspective is disturbing bro....

can you not see the `harm` uniake square has done......

yah.....uniake square hasn`t done any harm to the Gottegan resturant<pub scene....It`s thriving....;)



Ohhh and the wheels are in motion....this will be fought to the bitter end

[spaustin]

Perhaps we should wait and see what the proposal is before flying off the handle (too late?). I would be very surprised if it was more public housing since governments everywhere have pretty much stopped building it. Government has in fact pretty much given up on housing. Affordable housing is all that's getting built (usually by non-profits) which has a crucial difference. Affordable housing allows low-income earners who otherwise couldn't afford to buy, a chance to become owners. They thus have a stake in the property unlike many in Uniacke Square and tend to keep it up. I would be shocked, especially since it's Canada Lands redeveloping the site, if they were proposing some flashback to the 1970s. Neither policy, planning or politics suggests that's what's happening or an even remotely realistic idea. So let's all breathe and wait for details.

[Barrington south]

Using the Thompson Building for public housing will not be the end of Barrington Street.

"Neither policy, planning or politics suggests that's what happening".... but you certainly raised the possibility...infact you where the first to mention public housing.
i'll start breathing when you start showing a little consistency


and in this case, no I will not wait and see,
i'm taking a pro-active approach and have already started the prosess of recruiting local business owners and concered homeowners.....
and most people I have talked to, agree,
as do I, that a minoroity percentage of affordable housing is not a problem....

but the retro-fitting of the Thomsan building is

[Dmajackson]

Report: Bedford will need several new schools

By TOM PETERS Staff Reporter
Fri. Jun 19 - 4:46 AM
Increases in student population will demand that several new schools be built in the Bedford area within 10 years, a Toronto consultant’s report projects.

The recommendations are contained in a 10-year plan for Halifax Regional Municipality prepared by CS&P Architects Inc.

The plan, titled Imagine Our Schools, takes an overall view of the municipality’s school needs, with projections based on comprehensive criteria.

The Halifax regional school board heard recommendations Thursday evening at Halifax West High School on school facilities in the south-central and southwest regions of the municipality.

Maureen O’Shaughnessy of CS&P said that overall, the municipality’s student population will decrease by 2021 to 13.4 per cent of the total population from 17.8 per cent in 2006.

But she said the Charles P. Allen High "family of schools," which includes junior highs and elementaries in the Bedford area, will buck the trend. The report projects that enrolment will increase by 19 per cent by 2019 and use of present school facilities will increase to 131 per cent from 102.

The cause of the increase is planned major growth areas in the south and west areas of Bedford. The report says Bedford now has eight schools but will need another seven, including a second high school, over the next eight to 10 years.

While the C.P. Allen family will grow, student enrolment in the Halifax West family of schools is projected to decline by 17 per cent over the next 10 years and use of school facilities will drop to 80 per cent from 89.

In several recommendations, a number of schools were earmarked for alterations and improvements and it was suggested that Atlantic Memorial and Terence Bay elementary schools be consolidated into one improved school.

J.L. Ilsley and Sir John A. Macdonald high schools anchor the southwest region of the municipality, where school population is expected to decline nearly five per cent by 2021, indicating "another aging community," Ms. Shaughnessy said.

J.L. Ilsley, which is fed by urban, suburban and rural schools, is expected to undergo an enrolment drop of 17 per cent in the next decade. The master plan suggests a need for only seven schools, down from the current 11, to feed into the high school.

The report suggests that Cunard Junior High and Elizabeth Sutherland be combined into one junior high.

Sir John A. Macdonald High is projected to show a marginal increase of about four per cent over the next decade. The plan projects that 10 schools, an increase of two, will be needed in that part of the municipality by 2018-19.

Some of the main recommendations for the area include a new Primary-to-Grade 6 school in Beechville-Lakeside-Timberlea, a new elementary in Westwood Hills to serve St. Margarets Bay and Highland Park, and a boundary review to direct some students to the new Westwood Hills school or to Tantallon.

The full report is available at www.hrsb.ns.ca.

( tpeters@herald.ca)

[spaustin]

"Neither policy, planning or politics suggests that's what happening".... but you certainly raised the possibility...infact you where the first to mention public housing.
i'll start breathing when you start showing a little consistency

I mixed up the terms (easy enough to do since they're close), but if you read my posts I think I have been very consistent. Just out of curiosity, are you aware that there is public housing of a sort on the upper level of the VIA station. Funny how the neighbourhood has managed to carry on. Affordable housing certainly won't hurt the neighbourhood (it sounds like you agree with that) and I would even argue that some public housing (affordable housing doesn't work for everyone) would even be fine. Where things could go wrong would be if the whole building was public housing, but I just can't see that being a real possibility. A mix is the way to go.

"and in this case, no I will not wait and see,
i'm taking a pro-active approach and have already started the prosess of recruiting local business owners and concered homeowners.....
and most people I have talked to, agree,
as do I, that a minoroity percentage of affordable housing is not a problem....

but the retro-fitting of the Thomsan building is

Well it can't really hurt I suppose. I live in the neighbourhood too and have for years now (shortly I will be almost directly across from your business). Still I think you'll be riling everyone up for something that seems very, very unlikely based on a single line (reported in this thread) from All Nova Scotia saying affordable housing was being considered.

[Waye Mason]

That building is toast, it HVAC is busted, the building was poison, people had a lot of sick days there, and there is nothing of merit about it architecturally.

I think people who are freaking out need to calm the hell down. Affordable housing is not Uniake Square anymore. Lets wait until we see what the actual plans are.

Mixed income developments are the vogue again. I think that is great. I live near Dal. Take Vernon Street. You have single family homes, you have over and unders, you have duplexes, you have apartment buildings with 8-10 units built to look like row houses. It works generally well, except when the students come back in September... but we sort them out.

The key is they are all mixed together.

I don't want to see a "project" being built but that is a big chunk of land. If the property includes some affordable housing, something that allows working class people to own homes or rent affordably, mixed with some appropriate higher end development, is that so bad?

[Waye Mason]

Oh and also, there is already plenty of low rent housing around there, as a student I lived in the yellow building at the corner of Barrington and South, a friend of mine and her daughter live next door to Taj Mahal, and of course the soon to be demolished building around the corner at Morris and Hollis is cheap as heck. "Poor" people already live in the neighbourhood, get over it.

[BravoZulu]

Oh and also, there is already plenty of low rent housing around there, as a student I lived in the yellow building at the corner of Barrington and South, a friend of mine and her daughter live next door to Taj Mahal, and of course the soon to be demolished building around the corner at Morris and Hollis is cheap as heck. "Poor" people already live in the neighbourhood, get over it.

The difference is that these "poor" people are doing it on their own dime.

[Barrington south]

uhhh thanks WAE,

but I don't consider the properties you described as the residents of poor people...

there is actually such a thing as middle class people...ya know!!...

and if you actually read my responses,
you would soon realise.....
that your last statement on your first post is what I said previously said I wouldn't mind...

try a little harder next time bro....

who's the next left winger to take offence....east coastal?

[Waye Mason]

I love how I was a self employed business man and entrepreneur for 17 years and now I teach business and I am a "leftie" if I disagree with certain people.

Absurd.

[Waye Mason]

So lets put some facts into this heated debate based on emotions and perceptions. Wikipedia says this about Affordable Housing (and no cracks about Wikipedia please, its Saturday and how much time do you expect me to spend on this anyway! :) )
Affordable housing is a term used to describe dwelling units whose total housing costs are deemed "affordable" to those that have a median income. Although the term is often applied to rental housing that is within the financial means of those in the lower income ranges of a geographical area, the concept is applicable to both renters and purchasers in all income ranges. This article focuses on the affordability of owner-occupied and private rental housing as social housing is a specialised tenure.

In the United States and Canada, a commonly accepted guideline for housing affordability is a housing cost that does not exceed 30% of a household's gross income. Housing costs considered in this guideline generally include taxes and insurance for owners, and usually include utility costs. When the monthly carrying costs of a home exceed 30–35% of household income, then the housing is considered unaffordable for that household.

Is this what they are talking about? A small block of flats and homes, something like a South Barrington version of C/GA? If it meets the planning strategies requirements how bad can that get? Not bad, I don't think.

SO according to Statscan the median is $46,941 in 2000 for Halifax County. So that means an average cost of $1300 a month all in for rental or sale properties. So you could see condos sold to qualified buyers for $210,000 and that would still qualify.

Maybe a positive approach is to push for mixed income, and to make sure it meets HRMbD standards, and to make sure it has well designed street level interface and shops.

[Barrington south]

I love how I was a self employed business man and entrepreneur for 17 years and now I teach business and I am a "leftie" if I disagree with certain people.

Absurd.

OK Waye, if you say so....but to be fair Bev Miller Teaches business at that Sobey's School of business so I guess not all Bus. Teachers can be painted with the same brush, yah know what I mean?

[Barrington south]

Maybe a positive approach is to push for mixed income, and to make sure it meets HRMbD standards, and to make sure it has well designed street level interface and shops.

That's exsactly what I have been doing Waya, like I said previosly, most people i have talked to don't mind if it has a affordable housing involved, and i hope it is something to the standars of the Gottegen Terraces (although it has to be built to offically be deemed a succsess...in my mind anyway)

and I agree well designed street and shops play a very lardge factor

dude, does this semi consensis beteen you and i offically make me a leftie now?...

[ZET]

Waye might say yes, but I'm doubtful. ZET (or JET, if it's confusing for you).

[Waye Mason]

dude, does this semi consensis beteen you and i offically make me a leftie now?...


KP might think so, though KP and I keep agreeing on NSL this week, so maybe we have all died and gone to leftie heaven.

[alps]

uHHH if you had invested millions ,
and you where not alarmed by the prospect of a massive wellfare wareouse 30 feet away,
then you need to get your head examined bro..

.read my other reply`s...
some affordable...
fine....
if they must....

.but I don`t think that`s what being proposed.....
they are talking about retro fiting the exsisting structure....
(the politicly correct term affordable was thrown out there by Hacks in the Media....)
into what very well could be social housing .

your lack of perspective is disturbing bro....

can you not see the `harm` uniake square has done......

yah.....uniake square hasn`t done any harm to the Gottegan resturant<pub scene....It`s thriving....;)



Ohhh and the wheels are in motion....this will be fought to the bitter end
I don't think this project should or can be compared to Uniacke..

[Takeo]

........THIS MEANS WAR......beteen left-winger Tim Bousque fighting "gentrification" of the North end, and Left-winger Dawn Sloan and others fighting for the ghetto-fication of the South End iit blows my F*ck*** mind!!....what do they want....a little Detroit by the sea?......and yes damed straight...this is a Rant!!

Yup. Definitely a rant.

[Takeo]

uHHH if you had invested millions ,
and you where not alarmed by the prospect of a massive wellfare wareouse 30 feet away,
then you need to get your head examined bro..

Can we clear up what "affordable" means. Is this simple low cost market housing or is it a Metropolitan Housing Authority assisted living project? In other words, is your characterization of a "massive wellfare wareouse" accurate? I'm just asking the question.

they are talking about retro fiting the exsisting structure....
(the politicly correct term affordable was thrown out there by Hacks in the Media....)
into what very well could be social housing .

Where can we find this information for ourselves?

your lack of perspective is disturbing bro....

Right... *MY* lack of perspective.

can you not see the `harm` uniake square has done......

What does Uniake Square have to do with anything?

[Barrington south]

Yup. Definitely a rant.

Your clutching for straws Takeo, and
your about 24hours after the fact,

plus others have already reconfirmed something I happily said from the beginning....

so what the hell is your point?

[Barrington south]

Can we clear up what "affordable" means.

Uhhhh, hasn't Waya already done that?

[Barrington south]

is"massive wellfare wareouse" accurate?


-the building is massive for an all affordable, and is one of the largest buildings in the south barrington area
-you where the first to use the term 'warehouse' and if this building was completely retro fitted for the poor....like has been reported, then yes massive welfare warehouse is accurate if one wishes to take a politically incorrect swipe at the project....partly inspired by you, of coarse

[Barrington south]

[QUOTE=Takeo;4318304]



Where can we find this information for ourselves?



/QUOTE]

It was on AllNovaScotia.com yeasterday

[Barrington south]

create "warehouses"... like uniacke square or giant concrete apartment blocks. .


"what does uniacke square have to do with anything?"-Takeo


well Takeo, you have proved yet again that certain left wingers have selective memory when it comes there own words.and at times the actions of themselves and especially others....you where the first to mention Uniacke Square

I remember the sounds of gunshots ringing out,
on a almost nightly basis, when I lived on Brunswick.

...I don't want the same thing happening on Barrington.
and if you cannot figure out why,
then perhaps it is time to put down the pipe..
and I'm not going to "wait and see" or take any chances...


no one answered my question, as to how this would benefit the existing community....

other than feeding left-wingers sense of social justice

[alps]

Barrington south, the constructive dialogue and good atmosphere is something nice that differentiates this forum from so many other message boards - being antagonistic and calling people "left-wingers" like it's an insult isn't the way to go..(I mean, I'm all for a debate or whatever, just without this theatric silliness).

[Barrington south]

Barrington south, the constructive dialogue and good atmosphere is something nice that differentiates this forum from so many other message boards - being antagonistic and calling people "left-wingers" like it's an insult isn't the way to go..(I mean, I'm all for a debate or whatever, just without this theatric silliness).

Fair enough Alps,
I appreciate the usually civilized nature of this board,
and at the same time fully admit that when I become very passionate about something
and come into disagreement with another over this subject,
I become very Balls-to the-walls and aggressive.
However,
semi-consensus was reached on several occasions
only for a new person to to relight the fire ,
while adding almost nothing new....
in other scenario's I am passionate about I would make my point once, maybe twice and after that, could not be bothered saying very similar thins over and over again......
this time is different,
this has direct ramifications for my life and that the future of my family I will have one day.....
and when people say things like...
"sharing a neighborhood benefits everyone"..
well this neighborhood used to be shared with prostitutes, I don't see who that benefited other than pimps and johns....

now this is an extreme example, and to the many decent citizens who may happen to reside in Affordable Housing I do not wish to demean them. or infer that their presence is comparable to street prostates ..it was an extreme response to an extremely irritating statement .....and yeah, it sure does rile me up. anyways, hopefully there will be some updates on this or progress so something new can be added....I will try to be more civilized though alps

[Phalanx]

...I do not wish to demean them. or infer that their presence is comparable to street prostates...

Oh no, not street prostates! :runaway:
...Couldn't resist, sorry. :)

This is a forum. It's supposed to be a place where people can come and discuss topics, share opinions and as questions without fear of being attacked or criticized for their views. So who cares if someone is late to the debate?
Disagreements are fine, and to be expected... views will rarely be universally shared, but civility is essential.

Also... pointing out whether someone is left-wing or right-wing is moot, and usually leads to partisan political bickering where it doesn't belong. The opinions of those on the left are not monolithic, no different from those on the right. Pointing out what someone's political beliefs may or may not be is an ad hominem argument in most development contexts. So... can we please keep this apolitical? Just a request as a humble, fellow forum-goer (and evil 'leftie').

[kph06]

The Holiday Inn on Robie and Quinpool has been sold and is now called the Atlantica Hotel. Rumor has it I.M.P Group is behind it.

[Phalanx]

The ads about the change of ownership have been running in the paper for a week or two now.

Kind of a surprise. To me, anyway... I didn't realize that it was up for sale. Any reason given for the sale?

[ScovaNotian]

The Holiday Inn on Robie and Quinpool has been sold and is now called the Atlantica Hotel. Rumor has it I.M.P Group is behind it.

The Chronicle Herald had this bit on this several weeks back:
A prominent hotel in Halifax has been renamed. The hotel, formerly known as the Holiday Inn Select at Quinpool Road and Robie Street, will now be known as the Atlantica Hotel Halifax. IMP Group International Ltd. has owned the hotel for 35 years. IMP Group CEO Stephen Plummer said when the franchise agreement with Holiday Inn expired recently, the company decided to rebrand as an independent hotel. He said changes to the 232-room hotel will begin in the near future. The company operates Oak Island Resort.

[someone123]

Debating is of course fine, but please try to avoid making personal attacks.

[eastcoastal]

What does Uniake Square have to do with anything?

I think that Uniake Square is being trotted out as an example of how low income/affordable housing (we ARE lumping them together, aren't we?) destroys neighbourhoods and leads to crime and insanity... wait, isn't that tall buildings?

Sure the Square has problems, but I think they have to do with a variety of factors: All the social agencies that were shoved into a few blocks. Dead-end streets. Physical layouts that isolate and trap.... I think the biggest issue is the sheer concentration of one type of person. Indeed, the answer is (or could be... or should be...) to mix the people up.

[eastcoastal]

The Holiday Inn on Robie and Quinpool has been sold and is now called the Atlantica Hotel. Rumor has it I.M.P Group is behind it.

Hope they do something to enhance the modernist roots of the building. The awful middle of the road, nameless, placeless veneer they coated the interior with infuriates me any time I am in there.

Maybe what it needs is an international design competition and some lighthouses! LOL.

[Waye Mason]

The Chronicle Herald had this bit on this several weeks back:

Translation - Ken Rowe and company are SO CHEAP they don't want to pay the franchise fees anymore.... :)

[Takeo]

@Barrington South: Thank you for the AllNovaScotia.com reference.

I just don't see this development as being comparable to Uniacke Square. We all agree that Uniacke Square has issues. We all agree that warehousing the poor in giant developments is bad. I'm just not sure if THIS particular development is an example of that. Maybe it is. Maybe you're right. I don't know. I'll check out AllNovaScotia.com tonight. Regardless, it's not a Uniacke Square. That's a different context. Maybe it won't be as bad as you think.

My "perspective" jab was in response to the South Detroit reference. I understand being dramatic to illustrate a point. I'm guilty of that all the time. But South Detroit... at it's worst... was dealing with hundreds of homicides a year. Over 700 some years. Robert Taylor alone housed 27,000 people... 99.9% African-American... 95% unemployed... 40% single female parent households. Wow!!!!! Can you imagine? Certainty a world away from South Barrington.

But I'm prepared to be wrong... and I agree that a mix within the building itself would be better. I just don't know if it's as bad as you're imagining. That's all.

[Takeo]

I wouldn't count on IMP putting any money into the old Holiday Inn.

[Keith P.]

Translation - Ken Rowe and company are SO CHEAP they don't want to pay the franchise fees anymore.... :)

Either that, or the Holiday Inn people demanded they invest money to upgrade the place that they didn't want to spend.

Just to be clear, the hotel has not been sold. IMP has always owned it.

[MonctonRad]

The Holiday Inn on Robie and Quinpool has been sold and is now called the Atlantica Hotel. Rumor has it I.M.P Group is behind it.

Atlantica Hotel !?!??..........Jeez, can't they come up with a better name than that! That is about as bland and generic a name as you can possibly get around here.

Why not something a bit more elegant.........like The Quinpool Arms Hotel. :)

[Phalanx]

Eh, it's a concrete pillar, it doesn't really deserve a 'classier' name...

That said, it's halfway to being a giant lighthouse. Put a beacon on top, and the name fits. Lighthouses are all the rage these days... Or so I've been told.

[q12]

I noticed that www.halifaxwebcam.ca has a new camera set-up with a different shot of downtown facing the ferry terminal and the purdy's wharf towers, probably because of the tall ships.

http://www.halifaxwebcam.ca/live/index.php?CURRENT_CAM=cam7&SET_CAM=cam7

[Dmajackson]

New Halifax ER to open in morning

By JOHN McPHEE Health Reporter
Tue. Jun 23 - 1:25 PM

The new emergency department at the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre will open Wednesday morning.

The Charles V. Keating Emergency and Trauma Centre off Robie Street will open at 8 a.m.

Emergency service will remain available at the health centre this evening and overnight during the move from the old space, a news release from Capital Health said.

As well, the emergency department at the Cobequid Community Health Centre in Lower Sackville will remain open overnight for tonight only.

Additional staff will be in place at the emergency department of the Dartmouth General Hospital.

The same entrance will be used for the new emergency department at the QEII, said Dr. Sam Campbell, head of emergency services.

“As you walk in, you will come straight into the new reception area,” Dr. Campbell said.

The old emergency department will stop registering patients with minor injuries at 8 p.m. tonight, he said. The remaining patients will be seen at the new emergency starting at 10 p.m., but will be transferred back to the old space until 8 a.m., when the new space is fully up and running.

“We’ll essentially be running both departments at the same time” this evening and overnight, Dr. Campbell said.

Two additional doctors will be on hand to help handle the overflow.

(jmcphee@herald.ca)

[spaustin]

Either that, or the Holiday Inn people demanded they invest money to upgrade the place that they didn't want to spend.

Just to be clear, the hotel has not been sold. IMP has always owned it.

I wonder then if they'll spring for a crane to take the sign down from the roof?

[MonctonRad]

Lighthouses are all the rage these days... Or so I've been told.

Yes I know......We're getting a giant fake lighthouse to put on the entry to the new casino here in Moncton; really emblematic of our city! :yuck:

[Dmajackson]

Maybe what it needs is an international design competition and some lighthouses! LOL.

Speaking of lighthouses;

Georges Island to become tourist destination

By EVA HOARE Staff Reporter
Tue. Jun 23 - 8:33 PM

If you look out over Halifax Harbour this August, you’ll likely see construction crews busy at work on Georges Island.

That’s because Parks Canada intends to open the national historic site to the public, and plans starting the necessary work Aug. 1, the agency said Tuesday in papers filed with the Canadian Environmental Assessment Registry.

The move comes after Parks Canada opened the island to an enthusiastic public on June 13 and 14.

It will be March 31, 2010, before the work on the island is completed, the development documents state.

But sewage disposal on the island could result in major delays in the $3.5-million project, spokeswoman Carla Wheaton told CBC News.

She said Parks Canada is going to hire consultants to try to solve that problem.

Halifax Harbour has been marred by raw sewage since the Halifax treatment plant broke down earlier this year. The harbour’s waters have been littered with sewage and other floatables for the past few weeks, after screens installed at various outfalls had to be removed.

The Georges Island project is set to include the construction of a sewage treatment pumping station and accompanying sewage stations, Parks Canada said.

Water will be distributed to the island by way of an underground line from Terminal Road in Halifax that must be installed, along with a 27,000-litre underground storage tank and pumping chamber, the documents said.

A new electrical building will also be constructed, and existing transformers on the island will be upgraded.

Eventually the multi-phase project will include a new wharf and other buildings the public can enjoy, the documents state.

Before the project can go ahead, an environmental assessment must be done, Parks Canada said in its filing.

Aside from the limited visitor opportunity in mid-June, the island has not been open to the public “due to the fragile condition of resources,” Parks Canada states in a description of the site on the Internet.

Because of its position in the middle of the harbour, Georges Island became a key defence position for the military.

From 1750 to 1815, the island went from being a “simple earthen battery to a sophisticated masonry fortification, Fort Charlotte, with a Martello tower in its centre,” the website says.

Technological improvements eventually made it non-essential to the armed forces, according to the website.

The island was turned over to Parks Canada, and became an historic site in 1965.

( ehoare@herald.ca )

[Barrington south]

that's great news,
I went for the afternoon last year and had a very pleasant time.
there are some great spots for picnics and the fortifications are very impressive.
Hopefully all the tunnels and artillery room's will be open to the public too. there are some Massive breach loading guns, huge ramparts,WW2 AA gun emplacment's and massive ditches
definatly an asset for the city and after the citedel probably the coolist piece of history remaining in hali.......I like the Martello tower in PP park to, partly because it is so old, but also because it's very unique compared to what most of northamerica's city's can boast
there used to be a Martello tower on georges Island's, but the Island has been totally rebuilt multible times as military tecnology and fortification design evolved. and at times in the 19th century, what was state of the art only 15 years previos, could be compleatly out dated due to the pace of advancement's

[kph06]

A. W. Leil has actually had one of their big mobile cranes there twice recently putting new machinery up on the roof.

[Jonovision]

Great news about the island. It's about time. I wonder if they still plan to use the Woodside ferry or will they have a private ship to go over?
I do have to say though that the article was quite poorly written.

[hfx_chris]

that's great news,
I went for the afternoon last year and had a very pleasant time.
there are some great spots for picnics and the fortifications are very impressive.
Hopefully all the tunnels and artillery room's will be open to the public too. there are some Massive breach loading guns, huge ramparts,WW2 AA gun emplacment's and massive ditches
definatly an asset for the city and after the citedel probably the coolist piece of history remaining in hali.......I like the Martello tower in PP park to, partly because it is so old, but also because it's very unique compared to what most of northamerica's city's can boast
there used to be a Martello tower on georges Island's, but the Island has been totally rebuilt multible times as military tecnology and fortification design evolved. and at times in the 19th century, what was state of the art only 15 years previos, could be compleatly out dated due to the pace of advancement's
I was there too last year, and it was nice, but I think I'll still always enjoy McNab's more.

[Keith P.]

I wonder then if they'll spring for a crane to take the sign down from the roof?

I guess they must have, since it was gone today when I drove past. It was still there earlier in the week.

[kph06]

I drove by yesterday and they actually did it using a platform lowered from the roof, the same as window cleaners use, for some reason the name of the rig is escaping me at the moment.

[Takeo]

Either that, or the Holiday Inn people demanded they invest money to upgrade the place that they didn't want to spend.

Bingo

[Dmajackson]

Burnside News Tidbits:

• Brewdebakers isn’t just a Burnside treat anymore. The popular eatery recently opened a second location across the Harbour at 287 Lacewood Dr. Although the new location is designed to capture some of the same feel as the original, it definitely has its own personality stemming from the fact it doesn’t have a brewery attached.

• The long awaited pedestrian bridge across Highway 111 to Highfield Park has finally gone to tender. By the time you read this, the tender should be closed and city council may well have chosen the winning bid. For a project that was supposed to begin construction in 2007, it has been a long haul. With any luck, work might even be completed by this winter.

[hfx_chris]

More work for Dexter.

[hali_toones]

More work for Dexter.

They seem to be winning most of the work this year...:shrug:

[hfx_chris]

They always bid so much lower than everyone else, but as we all know you get what you pay for.

[hali_toones]

They always bid so much lower than everyone else, but as we all know you get what you pay for.

It definately helps when you are also the largest supplier of sand and gravel in the city.

[Barrington south]

Gerrald Hall.....

the ugly yellow brickwork has now been completely striped of the south face, and the scaffolding remains,
The scaffolding on the north face is complete.
The work has started on the north face as you can hear the bricks being dropped down the shoot, into the dumpster, 2 blocks away.....anyone know if there is any renderings available?
.....I asked my Dal connection and he was unaware of any

[kph06]

This job is very similar to what is happening at the VG, they will just strip the brick and put on metal cladding presumably of a similar color. As far as I've heard only the north and south faces will be done this summer.

[Dmajackson]

Innovative cold energy storage project to continue under HRM direction

(July 7, 2009) - The Alderney 5 Energy Project on the Dartmouth waterfront will be completed.

Halifax Regional Council voted this evening to direct staff to complete the innovative cold energy storage project at a cost of $589,545, money that will be recovered through energy savings related to the cooling system. The first phase of the project, heating and lighting retrofits, was completed last year and has saved over $250,000 in operating costs.

“We remain committed to the project and look forward to reaping the benefits of this unique and 100 per cent renewable energy source,” said Mayor Peter Kelly.

The Alderney 5 project will use harbour water to provide cooling to five buildings: Alderney Gate, Alderney Library, Alderney Landing, Dartmouth Ferry Terminal, and the former Dartmouth City Hall (now used by the Halifax Regional School Board).

The first large-scale application of geothermal seasonal cold-energy storage anywhere in the world, the project harvests cold energy from seawater during winter months to chill an underground rock mass. It then uses the stored thermal energy to meet air conditioning needs in the warmest summer months.

On May 21, 2009, Halifax Regional Municipality notified High Performance Energy Systems (HPES) that its August 2007 contract to build and operate the facility was being terminated with cause. Work at the site came to a stop in February.

With council’s endorsement, HRM will now act as the general contractor hiring subcontractors as needed. It is expected that completion costs will be less than originally anticipated, but the termination of the HPES contract will delay turning on the cooling system until the end of summer. Once completed, the project is expected to result in over $2 million in incremental cooling savings over 20 years.

[Barrington south]

Ahhh yes....

the former Deco resturant...
turned Sebastions Bistro...
now open as......a Greek restaurant!!
....called Estia....
Hmmmm...
I Looooove Greek food, and this is the only one on SGR......
but they have serious competition....
especially from Opa ( Argyle location) and It's all Greek to me (crap name)...
then there is also...Athens....and Spartan resturant......that trashy place called the Greek village...:yuck: ...then there is also cousins restaurant and island Greek, but those last three won't be a factor...and then there is Opa DC and Opa Bayer's lake....and probably others I do not know exist

[Dmajackson]

I was just checking Provident's website and apparently they are planning to construct three new single family houses on Harbourview Drive.

[Barrington south]

on my daily walk I noticed the house that used to be The Gradhouse Café on the Dal campus,
is totally surrounded by fencing,
and the windows are all covered up.

I talked to one of my Dal connections and she said the Gradhouse will move across the street,
and the former Dal Grad café will be torn down....
however, She did not know what will be developed in it's place...
I will check with other connections, to try and find some info...

[DigitalNinja]

Seems like they renovated the Atlantica Hotel a little bit on the inside judging by the pictures on their site and the billboard on barrington.

[worldlyhaligonian]

Seems like they renovated the Atlantica Hotel a little bit on the inside judging by the pictures on their site and the billboard on barrington.

Now do the outside!

[Jonovision]

I actually dont mind the outside. Now that they have it nicely lit and have replaced the crappy Holidy Inn sign I think it looks quite nice. Not saying it couldn't use some work. The ground floor on the corner of quinnpool is horrible! but overall I like this building.

[worldlyhaligonian]

Clad it in something more expensive and visually appealing... the form is fine.

Its like a Fenwick situation to me... cool form, bad exterior.

[Jonovision]

I forgot to mention. Yesterday I ran into Andy Philmore on the ferry. We got into a bit of a discussion about HRM By Design and how if all goes well with the province (no reason it shouldn't) it will become law by August. He then said he was excited to see some of the stuff developers have been working on. Apparently there are a lot of really interesting things that are waiting on this final approval.

[eastcoastal]

I actually dont mind the outside. Now that they have it nicely lit and have replaced the crappy Holidy Inn sign I think it looks quite nice. Not saying it couldn't use some work. The ground floor on the corner of quinnpool is horrible! but overall I like this building.

I'd go a little further and say that I actually LIKE the exterior of the building... except for the bland-could-be-anywhere-pseudo-postmodern-really-no-identifiable-era porte cochere at the main entrance. Oh, and the corner of Quinpool and Robie. The overall form of the building is successful, but the relationship to the street kind of sucks.

[Jonovision]

I'd go a little further and say that I actually LIKE the exterior of the building... except for the bland-could-be-anywhere-pseudo-postmodern-really-no-identifiable-era porte cochere at the main entrance. Oh, and the corner of Quinpool and Robie. The overall form of the building is successful, but the relationship to the street kind of sucks.

I would tend to agree with you.

[q12]

Check out a cool new webcam that is attached to the Harbour Hopper 2. :banana:

http://www.halifaxwebcam.ca/live/index.php?CURRENT_CAM=cam11&SET_CAM=cam11

[Jonovision]

That is friggin awesome!

[terrynorthend]

That totally kicks ass!!

[Jonovision]

We must grow our capital city to truly grow our province

By FRED MORLEY
Thu. Jul 16 - 4:46 AM

Here’s a riddle: What do Sir Paul McCartney’s spectacular concert on the Halifax Commons last Saturday and the election of a majority NDP government in June have in common? Give up? Well, it seems to me both were events that a lot of people didn’t think would ever happen here.

It’s never happened before, some said. Too much of a risk, said others. But, to quote another ‘60s icon, the times, they are a-changing.

It may seem a stretch, but I believe we have reached an important turning point in the economic development of our biggest city and our province. And Sir Paul’s concert and the election of a new government (whether you personally like either the former Beatle or Darrell Dexter or not) are symbols of our growing confidence.

And, if my take on this is right, we need to embrace our future now and truly set aside old thinking. It’s time to accept change and grow.

Consider the following.

Last year, for the first time in history, we became primarily an urban planet. More than half the Earth’s population now lives in cities. We are part of this world. We are a modern urban economy, but sometimes we don’t think that way. In Nova Scotia, perception is playing catch-up with economic and demographic reality.

Reality looks like this: Two-thirds of Nova Scotia’s population is clustered in the centre of the province, less than an hour’s drive from the capital. Add in CBRM, the Maritimes’ third largest urban centre, and three-quarters of Nova Scotia is urban. Virtually all Nova Scotians are within an hour’s drive of a major town or city. We know that Halifax accounts for half of the provincial economy and one-fifth of all economic activity in Atlantic Canada.

Halifax has so far resisted the downturn in the provincial economy. Projects like Dartmouth Crossing, Bedford West and HRM by Design show that our people and our business have strong faith in the future. Growth in financial, IT, and aerospace clusters are the envy of the nation. Not a bad base on which to build.

Important observers of the Canadian economy see this reality. Conference Board of Canada research identifies nine hub cities in Canada — Halifax, Montreal, Toronto, Winnipeg, Regina & Saskatoon, Calgary & Edmonton, and Vancouver. CBoC identifies these cities as the economic engines in their respective provinces. Their growth drives the growth of their provinces, and in the case of Halifax, the entire Atlantic region.

The facts are in. Cities are the primary drivers of growth in Canada … and the world. They are the magnets for the talent that drives the creative economy. Attracting talent is only the first step. What’s really tough is holding it. The handful of places in Canada that manage to anchor their talent will be the places that grow coming out of recession. These growth centres will have a unique clustering of creativity, innovation, opportunity and industry. Nova Scotia has a shot at a healthy rate of growth if we support and grow its hub.

Here are some ideas on how to get there.

• Invest in key infrastructure. That means bricks and mortar, but also innovation and creativity. Our investments need to be measured by how they succeed in attracting and holding people.

• Invest in the capital and re-energize the downtown of Halifax. I’ve been in every provincial capital, and no province takes its capital for granted. If we want people to invest in Nova Scotia, we have to invest in the showroom. Consider a Provincial Capital Commission.

•Invest in growing the high-growth, high-wage sectors that will provide the quality opportunities needed to anchor people in our province. This means better taxation and smart regulation. Eliminate "investment taxes" on manufacturing and financial institutions and let those industries pull us forward.

•Remember that countries and provinces don’t compete for talent, cities do. Many areas can produce talent, only a few can retain and attract it. There is a war for talent coming. Let’s get ready for a fight.

•Build on success. Make sure our people magnets, our universities and community college campuses are nationally and internationally competitive. Build on successful economic strategies at the provincial and municipal level and create stronger linkages between the two.

•Open an Office of Urban Affairs. We are a 21-century urban province.

•Develop a people strategy because that’s where our success as a province will begin and end.

We need to grow our major city to truly grow our province. So, with apologies to Sir Paul and his former song-writing partner, John, things really are getting better all the time. Let’s make sure we seize the opportunity before us.

Fred Morley is executive vice president and chief economist for The Greater Halifax Partnership, which acts as a catalyst for economic growth and building confidence in Greater Halifax.

[DigitalNinja]

Great article. Lets see how things get going after HRM by design comes in.

[Barrington south]

so I was walkin' by Gerald hall and I noteced...hey, new scaffolding is going up the south face.....
about 20 feet up....
then I noticed a few skids of building material...
so I went and checked it out...and as I susspected....it's the new cladding!...
so I started talking to the Foreman,a large boy by was of Glasgow Scotland, and he confirmed yes it is the cladding for the first 20 foot....
he was unsure what was going to be above 20 foot though...it was heavily wrapped in plastic but I thought it was a type of stone...I asked, is this Lime stone?...as that was what it's collar indicated to me......in his powerful Glaswegian accent, he told me "no, it's shoal-ice, with the appearance of lime stone"
I have no clue what he was referring to, even after he told me for a second time....
and I'm a expert at understanding different dialects of the English-speaking nations...
.but the boy was busy, and I didn't want to harass his ass....so I'll check it out later....unless anyone has a clue what he meant.....is it some sort of manufactured Fuax-stone?...hope not

[Barrington south]

I peeled back some plastic, and judging by the texture of the material, it appeared to be a fake-ass-fuax stone

[fenwick16]

I wonder if one reason for getting away from limestone and marble is because acid rain will react with these materials to cause deterioration. I remember that this was a problem with downtown Halifax buildings back about 30 years ago. From what I recall it was partly blamed on the electric generating plant on the waterfront which caused additional pollution.

I found an interesting explanation of this at: http://msetdata.rst2.edu/portfolios/m/mcdermott_h/dataweb/AR%20student%20projects/la_cp_il_eh/economist.htm

[hfx_chris]

Check out a cool new webcam that is attached to the Harbour Hopper 2. :banana:

http://www.halifaxwebcam.ca/live/index.php?CURRENT_CAM=cam11&SET_CAM=cam11

Last summer that camera was mounted on Theodore Too, but I like it better on the Hopper!

[Barrington south]

I think penny pinching may have played a factor....;) ......hopefully, it will still be more attractive than what was there to begin with.....hopefully

[someone123]

Yeah, cheaper material, lower labour costs to install, less upkeep.

Unfortunately in Halifax there is very little attention paid to the quality of materials on new buildings downtown, even though it has an impact on everyone. I'm guessing requiring a step up from precast wouldn't even be that costly in the overall scheme of development, but in the absence of any pressure from the city there's always something better to spend that money on.

[Jonovision]

So I learned of a huge new development that was just submitted to the city last week but unfortunatly I was sworn to secrecy. I didn't get to see it so I don't know what to think. But boy is it big. They said it should go public within the next week or two.

[hoser111]

So I learned of a huge new development that was just submitted to the city last week but unfortunatly I was sworn to secrecy. I didn't get to see it so I don't know what to think. But boy is it big. They said it should go public within the next week or two.

Well that's just mean! :)