General Updates and News

[hfxtradesman]

Originally Posted by Jstaleness

I can't believe I'm asking this but I just couldn't figure out what Crane I was looking at. When coming in on the 103 just as the exit for St. Margaret's Bay Rd/Lakeside there is a crane directly straight ahead. It's not the bayers rd crane and I can't see it being the Trillium crane. Am I wrong? Would the Trillium be visable from out there?? Feeling really dumb but it didn't look red and white like the Trill.

it is the Trillium crane, I travel this way every day. nice veiw from the 103 isn't it.

[Dmajackson]

I didn't know where to post this so excuse me if this seems random.

We of course all know of the Heritage Trust and Save The View Coalitions fight over the Nova Centre. Well with their determination in mind when I was walking in the Dartmouth Commons the other day I noticed some problems with vistas looking over the water. This photo alone shows the need to remove highway style billboards and overhead power lines;

[bluenoser]

Originally Posted by Dmajackson

This photo alone shows the need to remove highway style billboards and overhead power lines;

Those billboards do seem out of place; they kind of set the wrong tone for entering downtown Dartmouth. As for the overhead powerlines, I think they're out of place there and pretty much everywhere else in the city - at least anywhere within the downtown cores. I would actually say they're my biggest complaint about HRM in general.

Anyway, speaking of downtown Dartmouth...


Dartmouth needs sculpture park
Last Updated: Friday, August 6, 2010 | 9:48 AM AT

A local business commission wants to give people more reason to visit the Dartmouth waterfront — a sculpture park.

Tim Olive, executive director of the Downtown Dartmouth Business Commission, said he thinks a sculpture park, like one he visited in Windsor, Ont., might entice more people to venture across the harbour from Halifax, and also attract more people who live and work in downtown Dartmouth.

"We have this great waterfront, but we're not getting maximum use out of it. The families and the people working and living downtown aren't using the waterfront to the extent they should," he said Thursday.

"So you think about that, and you think how do you get people downtown — what are other people doing?"

Olive said the statue park in Ontario has more than 30 different pieces, modern art and realistic portrayals of animals. Olive thinks private companies and individuals should commission similar sculptures for Dartmouth's waterfront.

"The kids come to see them and they want to come back to see them. It's an experience, you know, it's an outdoor experience for families," he said.

The art would be placed throughout the municipally owned park along the Dartmouth waterfront. So, even though the business commission plans to maintain the sculputures, the Halifax Regional Municipality has to agree to the idea.

Olive said he hopes to make a presentation to the Harbour East Community Council as soon as possible to get councillors on side.


Source: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/nova-scotia/sto...tmouth-sculpture-park.html#ixzz0vq8stYYj

[Jstaleness]

Originally Posted by Dmajackson

I didn't know where to post this so excuse me if this seems random.

We of course all know of the Heritage Trust and Save The View Coalitions fight over the Nova Centre. Well with their determination in mind when I was walking in the Dartmouth Commons the other day I noticed some problems with vistas looking over the water. This photo alone shows the need to remove highway style billboards and overhead power lines;

You are right! I cannot see George's Island because the view has been blocked by the billboard! Ban these billboards now!!!!!

[Dmajackson]

I've sent the photo above to the Heritage Trust to "test" them. If the Heritage Trust really cares about preserving views and Dartmouth's history then they will take my advice and advocate to get the power lines and billboards removed. If they do not it is obvious to me that they only care about ensuring no developments go ahead in the region.

[halifaxboyns]

Originally Posted by Dmajackson

I've sent the photo above to the Heritage Trust to "test" them. If the Heritage Trust really cares about preserving views and Dartmouth's history then they will take my advice and advocate to get the power lines and billboards removed. If they do not it is obvious to me that they only care about ensuring no developments go ahead in the region.

The catch with that is that this view is already 'protected' using the Dartmouth viewplanes. If you suggested that part of protecting that view is to remove the powerlines and billboards; then the answer should be interesting.

I suspect they may just come back and say - we'll it's already protected, so we don't care about what goes into the view beyond that.

Would be interesting if they came back and said something more though; I'd be really surprised. From a professional perspective - Billboards have no business being in downtown unless they are pedestrian scaled. Those billboards (which are automobile scaled) really destroy the downtown feel, which is why I hope Halifax never has anything like Nathan Phillips Square. It's an interesting space; but destroyed by the billboards.

It would be my hope that as areas like Agricola and Quinpool grow up - that billboards either get scaled down to a human scale; or removed. FYI - Toronto's new sign bylaw taxes billboards to help improve the public realm.

[Jonovision]

Really interesting news about the sculpture park. I hope it moves ahead.

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by Jonovision

Really interesting news about the sculpture park. I hope it moves ahead.

Maybe they can put that bizarro outdoor gym equipment there.

[hfxtradesman]

Another little peice of info. Some of the buildings that wmfares are going to build in the new area of Bedford are put on hold. It looks like they may start instead on some of the bigger projects around the city.

[fenwick16]

Originally Posted by hfxtradesman

Another little peice of info. Some of the buildings that wmfares are going to build in the new area of Bedford are put on hold. It looks like they may start instead on some of the bigger projects around the city.

I think that would be best - focus on the central urban core (Dartmouth and Halifax) and then start developing outlying areas when necessary or when there is a demand.

[Dmajackson]

Originally Posted by hfxtradesman

Another little peice of info. Some of the buildings that wmfares are going to build in the new area of Bedford are put on hold. It looks like they may start instead on some of the bigger projects around the city.

Well thats diasappointing. That means our "back-up" crosstown road will not be completed for years to come (and its essential that is done soon). So traffic will be nightmarish for many more years which in turn will stall development since who wants to buy a house/condo in neighbourhood that takes 15 minutes to exit plus another then minutes to reach the next stoplight?

I think UG should sell of some of their land (with the DA's attached) and allow this town to continue growing since a larger and stronger Bedford is good for the entire region (we are part of the urban area of HRM as well).

[eastcoastal]

Originally Posted by Jstaleness

You are right! I cannot see George's Island because the view has been blocked by the billboard! Ban these billboards now!!!!!

Funny thing is, they should be banned. Not because they block views (despite the arguments along that line by a particular councilor, with respect to the signs near the Armdale Traffic Circle, and their detrimental effect on view of the Northwest Arm), but because they are appropriate for highways, and not in urban cores. Not that downtown dartmouth is a bustling downtown (yet), but that's the intended character.

[hfxtradesman]

Originally Posted by Dmajackson

Well thats diasappointing. That means our "back-up" crosstown road will not be completed for years to come (and its essential that is done soon). So traffic will be nightmarish for many more years which in turn will stall development since who wants to buy a house/condo in neighbourhood that takes 15 minutes to exit plus another then minutes to reach the next stoplight?

I think UG should sell of some of their land (with the DA's attached) and allow this town to continue growing since a larger and stronger Bedford is good for the entire region (we are part of the urban area of HRM as well).

far as i know all the roads are still a go, but in this city who knows

[terrynorthend]

Originally Posted by hfxtradesman

Another little peice of info. Some of the buildings that wmfares are going to build in the new area of Bedford are put on hold. It looks like they may start instead on some of the bigger projects around the city.

Any idea which projects they might start?

[worldlyhaligonian]

Originally Posted by terrynorthend

Any idea which projects they might start?

I'm not sure how Fares in involved in the construction, but I'd be that the approved Bayview tower would be a high priority... especially given its similarities to the Trillium. I hope for Bayview at least.

[Dmajackson]

Originally Posted by hfxtradesman

far as i know all the roads are still a go, but in this city who knows

In most suburban developments (here at least) the roads are only built when the surrounding neighbourhood is built because its the developers who control the construction of them and if I'm not mistaken pay for a significant chunk of them. In Bedford there is one road for sure that is being held up because of United Gulf and some other company.

30 years ago when most of the developments for the area were approved Nine Mile Drive was supposed to be constructed through some cost-sharing agreement involving UG and another company. Only two sections of the road are completed (and they do not connect) in Paper Mill Lake and at Larry Uteck Drive. The road is supposed to go from the Royale Hemlocks (Starboard Drive) through the new interchange around back of Paper Mill Lake and end at Hammonds Plains Road right next to the 102 interchange.

[someone123]

Allnovascotia's reporting that the Green Lantern Building renovations are going to proceed now that the city has issued a building permit. Looks like they're also going to overhaul the back side of the building on Granville, which is currently covered in ugly metal siding.

Hopefully the Sam buildings and NFB will also start up soon. Collectively these projects will add a decent number of new residents to Barrington. The renovations alone I think will correct a lot of problems on the street... to some degree I think we're seeing an artificial situation where there are more vacancies than there otherwise would be because there are so many projects in the works.

[fenwick16]

Originally Posted by someone123

Allnovascotia's reporting that the Green Lantern Building renovations are going to proceed now that the city has issued a building permit. Looks like they're also going to overhaul the back side of the building on Granville, which is currently covered in ugly metal siding.

Page 3 and 4 (page 6 and 7 of the pdf file) of this document - http://www.halifax.ca/council/agendasc/documents/100209ca1041.pdf give some details about this project.

[someone123]

I am really looking forward to seeing the restored storefront masonry underneath the current wood and corrugated metal coverings. The red sandstone and marble columns by the main entrance give a sense of the kind of detailing that might exist.

We may also see a Carsand Mosher overhaul soon.

[wackypacky]

Does anyone know whats going in where the circ meets main st above the muraled wall. Theres been a crane there for a few weeks but I havent heard anything about it.