Halifax Central Library | 27 m | 6 fl | Completed

[RyeJay]

Originally Posted by visualman57

isn't that comment a little bit of the pot calling the kettle black? Just sayin'.

It certainly is.

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by visualman57

isn't that comment a little bit of the pot calling the kettle black? Just sayin'.

What does that phrase even mean?

I have not characterized the cheerleading posts as "trolls". No black pots or kettles here.

[RyeJay]

Originally Posted by worldlyhaligonian

I agree. That being said, buses don't cut it unless they have dedicated routes (BRT).

Any stadium that is built should also be a transit terminal at the same time.

I would love to see an investment in both transit and a stadium, but I expect this city's growth will escalate the horrible traffic issue into something much worse. Council will be under a lot of pressure to do something. Soon.

Alleviating the traffic problem will be extremely expensive since we haven't been making sufficient periodic investments in transit upgrades.

I'm glad Mike Savage cares about a stadium, but I want him to talk about (and act on) transit more.

[IanWatson]

I registered a SS Page account just to chime in on this discussion. I'm coming late to it... so I guess I'll have to slot myself in as best I can.

1) I'm not a huge library goer, but I'm extremely excited by this project. Even if I never step foot in it (well I definitely will at least once), I recognize a huge benefit to our city from such a project. It will be a huge improvement in library services for those who do use the library. It will be a high quality building in a prominent location. It's catalyzing the development of Queen Street parking lots. And it shows a great willingness on the part of our elected officials to recognize that downtown is important and worth investing in.

2a) I really hope the future of the old Spring Garden Library preserves that building and the park in front of it. I think that park is one of the best civic spaces in the city. True happiness for me is that first warm day of the year when everyone is out and just enjoying that park. It really makes the city feel alive.

2b) While I can appreciate the suggestion of having the First Nations Council use the old SGR Library building, I'm not sure it's my preferred use. Government buildings tend to create dead zones (look at Parade Square, the area around the Legislature, and Province House). It would be a real shame to deaden such a prominent and important civic space. My preference would be to see that building become a community "maker space". One of things I miss most about being at Dal is having access to the print lab, computers with expensive software, wood shop, photo lab, laser cutter, and other such spaces in the architecture building. I could see great value in the city (or a non-profit) running an at-cost centre that included those things, as well as maybe a commercial kitchen (I don't really have much concept of how much of this could fit in that building). It would be a great draw for people who are hesitant to live downtown because it would mean giving up space for creative hobbies, and it would be a great space to incubate small businesses.

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by IanWatson

I registered a SS Page account just to chime in on this discussion. I'm coming late to it... so I guess I'll have to slot myself in as best I can.

1) I'm not a huge library goer, but I'm extremely excited by this project. Even if I never step foot in it (well I definitely will at least once), I recognize a huge benefit to our city from such a project. It will be a huge improvement in library services for those who do use the library. It will be a high quality building in a prominent location. It's catalyzing the development of Queen Street parking lots. And it shows a great willingness on the part of our elected officials to recognize that downtown is important and worth investing in.

2a) I really hope the future of the old Spring Garden Library preserves that building and the park in front of it. I think that park is one of the best civic spaces in the city. True happiness for me is that first warm day of the year when everyone is out and just enjoying that park. It really makes the city feel alive.

2b) While I can appreciate the suggestion of having the First Nations Council use the old SGR Library building, I'm not sure it's my preferred use. Government buildings tend to create dead zones (look at Parade Square, the area around the Legislature, and Province House). It would be a real shame to deaden such a prominent and important civic space. My preference would be to see that building become a community "maker space". One of things I miss most about being at Dal is having access to the print lab, computers with expensive software, wood shop, photo lab, laser cutter, and other such spaces in the architecture building. I could see great value in the city (or a non-profit) running an at-cost centre that included those things, as well as maybe a commercial kitchen (I don't really have much concept of how much of this could fit in that building). It would be a great draw for people who are hesitant to live downtown because it would mean giving up space for creative hobbies, and it would be a great space to incubate small businesses.

Excellent points! I agree with all of them.

Keeping the old library intact and usable as a public space is the best outcome in my opinion. Whether it houses retail opportunities or otherwise, that corner has a life of its own that should continue as such.

[Drybrain]

Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark

Excellent points! I agree with all of them.

Keeping the old library intact and usable as a public space is the best outcome in my opinion. Whether it houses retail opportunities or otherwise, that corner has a life of its own that should continue as such.

Yes, but the city has already suggested that if the M'ikmaq don't want it, it'll quite likely be demolished.

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

Disagreeing is not trolling.

If you and others are free to post cheerleading posts, then surely those concerned with the lack of oversight and budgetary control should be allowed to post those views as well?

It is a sad place indeed if honest beliefs are shouted down here.

While I don't always agree with Keith's opinions, I think that his views are as valuable as anybody else's here. Otherwise it becomes a massive "attaboy fest" without a counterpoint being offered.

Not aiming this at anybody, but I've seen this come up time and time again on other forums where a person who does not agree with popular opinion becomes stifled by the masses. This teeters dangerously on censorship, in my opinion, and is not healthy to any discussion.

I would offer up, that if anybody does not wish to debate a point with somebody of opposite views, do not engage the debate by responding to their post. Otherwise, leave it to the moderators to remove posts which are unacceptable to the forum.

One thing that makes this forum interesting and informative to me is the expression of opposite views and the ensuing conversation. In these exchanges, often points come to light that probably would not have been presented otherwise. So I would ask, please try to be respectful of one another and continue to make this forum a great place to read.

Sorry, just my on the matter, nothing more, nothing less.

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by Drybrain

Yes, but the city has already suggested that if the M'ikmaq don't want it, it'll quite likely be demolished.

That's too bad, I hadn't seen that. Seems a little short sighted to me, but maybe there's more at play here than I realize, such as expensive repairs, etc...

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark

Excellent points! I agree with all of them.

Keeping the old library intact and usable as a public space is the best outcome in my opinion. Whether it houses retail opportunities or otherwise, that corner has a life of its own that should continue as such.

I agree as well. The current public space in front is well designed and popular and the property makes a great shortcut between SGR and DT.

I also like the current building and would hate to see it levelled. I think it would be better utilized for retail/commercial than as a native assembly. Since I don't want to have my head bitten off again, I will refrain from suggesting this could be a Chapters/Indigo, but a retail space combining an independent bookstore, art gallery, craft shops and specialty retail would be very nice.....

[Drybrain]

Pertinent to the discussion about whether or not the new library is a good use of money is this...

[worldlyhaligonian]

Originally Posted by Drybrain

Pertinent to the discussion about whether or not the new library is a good use of money is this...

That is a cool article. My concern is that the library will be too child oriented.

Other than that, I hope there is a space for business orientation / adults / academic literature. This is why I have always met and used university libraries in Halifax.

[ILoveHalifax]

I don't think Keith needs any support from me; I think he speaks very well for himself.
I do take exception to the word 'troll'.
I find Keith's comments very direct and to the point and look forward to his comments on every thread. I would certainly miss his input.

[Hali87]

Originally Posted by Drybrain

Yes, but the city has already suggested that if the M'ikmaq don't want it, it'll quite likely be demolished.

I'm not sure about that. I remember something about "considering all options, including demolition", but I don't think demolition is necessarily the #2 choice.

[Hali87]

Originally Posted by IanWatson

I registered a SS Page account just to chime in on this discussion. I'm coming late to it... so I guess I'll have to slot myself in as best I can.

1) I'm not a huge library goer, but I'm extremely excited by this project. Even if I never step foot in it (well I definitely will at least once), I recognize a huge benefit to our city from such a project. It will be a huge improvement in library services for those who do use the library. It will be a high quality building in a prominent location. It's catalyzing the development of Queen Street parking lots. And it shows a great willingness on the part of our elected officials to recognize that downtown is important and worth investing in.

2a) I really hope the future of the old Spring Garden Library preserves that building and the park in front of it. I think that park is one of the best civic spaces in the city. True happiness for me is that first warm day of the year when everyone is out and just enjoying that park. It really makes the city feel alive.

2b) While I can appreciate the suggestion of having the First Nations Council use the old SGR Library building, I'm not sure it's my preferred use. Government buildings tend to create dead zones (look at Parade Square, the area around the Legislature, and Province House). It would be a real shame to deaden such a prominent and important civic space. My preference would be to see that building become a community "maker space". One of things I miss most about being at Dal is having access to the print lab, computers with expensive software, wood shop, photo lab, laser cutter, and other such spaces in the architecture building. I could see great value in the city (or a non-profit) running an at-cost centre that included those things, as well as maybe a commercial kitchen (I don't really have much concept of how much of this could fit in that building). It would be a great draw for people who are hesitant to live downtown because it would mean giving up space for creative hobbies, and it would be a great space to incubate small businesses.

These sound like great ideas. Hopefully if the old library is used for the Mi'kmaq assembly or something else, some kind of space like this could be established somewhere downtown (although I get the feeling there are some facilities like this around the Seaport? I am not sure how much you'd have to pay to use them or if you need to be affiliated with NSCAD or something)

[SekishikiMeikaiHa]

Weekly updates:

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by SekishikiMeikaiHa

The person in this photo must have just come from a project budget update meeting. Pretty hair-raising stuff.

[SekishikiMeikaiHa]

And hair-greying.

[BravoZulu]

Originally Posted by SekishikiMeikaiHa

Weekly updates:

Is that a steel floor plate in this photo or just for use in construction of the structural steel and will be removed later?

[bluenoser]

Mi’kmaq association offered library building
March 5, 2013 - 8:54pm By SHERRI BORDEN COLLEY Staff Reporter

Halifax regional council Tuesday approved a motion to offer the Spring Garden Road Memorial Public Library building to the Assembly of Nova Scotia Mi’kmaq Chiefs, once its replacement is built.

...

“Private partners and funding would have to be found for capital and operating expenditures.”

Costs associated with leaving the building vacant are estimated to be about $140,000 per year.

http://thechronicleherald.ca/metro/873653-mi-kmaq-association-offered-library-building

[Keith P.]

This would be disastrous, but I fully expect that the taxpayer will ultimately be forced to pick up the tab to award the building and pay the operating coata for the natives.

I read the HRM staff reports and found them extremely weak. It almost seemed as though they dismissed all options except these two. Their excuse was the provincial order in council that allowed the library to be originally built. It seemed that they gave no consideration to the fact that an order in council can be replaced by another order in council.

I am unconvinced that either a park or a native center is an appropriate use for this site.