Suburban & Rural Developments & Discussion Thread

[Dmajackson]

Neighbourhoods:

Bedford Commons
Bedford North
U/C

The Ravines
Bedford South
207 acres
U/C

The Parks of Bedford West
Bedford West
U/C

Hemlock Ravines
Halifax Mainland
U/C

Rockcliffe Village
Spryfield
Approved

Twin Brooks
Upper Sackville
Proposed

Building Developments:

Sackville:
Unknown Building (4 storeys) - Old Sackville Rd - U/C

Dartmouth:
Portland Hills - Dartmouth East - Phase 5 & 6 U/C
Russell Lake West - Mount Hope Avenue - U/C
Trinity Harbourview - Dartmouth North - U/C

Eastern Shore:

[Dmajackson]

New subdivision gets public input
Halifax News Net


MIDDLE SACKVILLE
By Yvette d’Entremont – The Weekly News
A public hearing will be held next week about the proposed residential development slated for part of the former Sackville Golf Course land at 1409 Sackville Dr.
The proposed Twin Brooks Development site is adjacent to the Millwood subdivision. The residential development would include 36 single-unit dwellings, 106 semi-detached dwellings and 52 townhouse dwellings.
“When we went through the public hearing for Sunset Ridge, which was a substantially bigger development, there was very little turnout for or against it,” said Coun. Brad Johns. “I’m not anticipating any real outcry with this development.”
One possible concern local residents may have regards shortcutting from the proposed development via Millwood.
“But all these houses exit onto Sackville Drive, none onto Millwood,” Johns said. “The river separates them. It’s important to note that, because a lot of people may think a cut-through is involved.”
Residents in and around the proposed subdivision may also have concerns about an increase in traffic that already clogs Sackville Drive, especially during rush hour. Johns said he doesn’t anticipate that will be a critical issue because the Twin Brooks development is expected to coincide with the opening of the new Margeson Drive interchange with Highway 101.
Middle Sackville is identified as a growth area through the regional plan, and Johns said this development addresses in part a need for mixed housing in his district.
“Someone buying their first house can’t afford a $300,000 or $400,000 home. But it may be easier to get a semi or townhouse with the opportunity to move up once you’ve got some equity,” he said. “On the flip side, someone who’s in a home but getting up in age might be looking for choices. They might welcome a smaller home without as much upkeep.”
The Feb. 26 public hearing about Twin Brooks will be held during North West Community Council’s monthly meeting, which begins at 7 p.m. at Millwood High School.

[Dmajackson]

Credit: Photo taken by me

This development has turned into a four storey building that looks like its going to be rental residential.

I'll see if I can get an updated picture relatively soon.

[Spitfire75]

That's the building in Sackville? It looks nice so far (edit: I saw it a couple days ago), but I wouldn't want to live so close to the highway!

[Dmajackson]

Commercial construction booming in Lower Sackville
Cobequid Road, Sackville Drive main 'pocket' of building activity
By PAT LEE Staff Reporter
Mon. Mar 9 - 11:53 AM

LOWER SACKVILLE — The economy might be in the doldrums these days, but you’d never know it by the construction activity on Sackville Drive or nearby Cobequid Road.

Both areas are buzzing with new commercial and government developments.

"That little pocket of Sackville is crazy right now," said Realtor John Ghosn, who is looking for tenants for a new commercial building on the corner of Pinehill and Sackville drives.

Ghosn, whose building is on the site of a former Century 21 office, said despite the downturn in the economy, there is still a market for commercial space.

"There’s always a demand for commercial development, and it’s no secret that there’s a lot of traffic along Sackville Drive," he said. "And they’re getting good rents out there, so from a developer’s perspective, it works and it works well."

He said tenants along that stretch of Sackville Drive tend to offer professional services like dentistry or physiotherapy, and he is looking for businesses that fit the location.

Coun. Bob Harvey agrees that the area has a lot to offer.

"Clearly, that corridor along Sackville Drive and on Cobequid Road (is) attractive for a number of types of businesses," he said. "These are bright spots and show confidence in the business sector."

Harvey said once one new building goes up, it seems to attract other new projects, which is the case on both Sackville Drive and Cobequid Road.

The new construction on Sackville Drive is clustered around the Pinehill Drive area. The building Ghosn is leasing is going up on that corner, and a recently completed commercial building is ready for tenants just a few doors down.

The new Access Nova Scotia centre is under construction just down the road, next to Terri’s Place Lounge.

And there’s also a new apartment complex being built at the bottom of Old Sackville Road.

Over on Cobequid Road, a new Subway restaurant just opened next to its old location on the corner of Glendale Avenue. The former Subway shop will become a gas bar and convenience store.

The councillor said the site of a former Needs store at the corner of Glendale and Cobequid Road has also been purchased, but the new owners have yet to reveal their plans.

Just up from that, on Cobequid Road, a new two-storey commercial building is going up that Harvey said will house office suites. He said the project is incorporating many green practices into its design.

"I think it will become a bit of a trendsetter," he said.

Across the street, the land has also been cleared for a new extended care facility, which is to be open by 2010.

Harvey said the big unanswered question on Sackville Drive continues to be Sobey’s plans for the long-empty Wal-Mart site anchoring one end of Downsview Mall.

The councillor said the projects along Sackville Drive are being built under Halifax Regional Municipality’s secondary planning strategy, which requires more attention to the design of the building as well as enhanced landscaping.

"They tend to be a more attractive type of building than we’ve had in the past," he said.

[Dmajackson]

All I can say is this article has nailed the problem on the head. Before I read this article I had even emailed Outhit complaining about the narrow bridge and the lack of a sidewalk nearby ;

Moirs Mill Bridge work to improve pedestrian safety

Halifax News Net


BEDFORD
By Aly Thomson - Special to The Weekly News
Pedestrians may soon feel safer crossing the Moirs Mill Bridge.
A tender has been issued by HRM to widen the Bedford bridge to make way for a bike lane and sidewalk.
The bridge has an eight-metre span and is 17 metres wide. The project will accommodate 1.5 metres of bike lane and another two metres for a sidewalk on the east side of the bridge.
The Bedford Highway crosses Moirs Mill Brook before the Moirs Mill Road intersection. The preliminary plans will mean the construction of a sidewalk and bike lanes from Moirs Mill Road to Convoy Run.
Late spring
Bedford Coun. Tim Outhit said council must look at the budget before any plans are approved. If everything goes accordingly, the proposal could be approved in late spring. He had no estimation of how long the project will take.
Outhit says David Miller and a group of Bedford residents have been working to advance this project for more than a decade. When Outhit was elected in May, he said Miller approached him and asked him to personally go down to the bridge.
“Sure enough, there were people walking on the side of the Bedford Highway,” said Outhit.
“Some were even pushing baby carriages and their bikes against oncoming traffic. It was terribly unsafe. So I met with my staff and we decided something had to be done.”
Outhit says the project was based upon wanting people to bike on the Bedford Highway and ensuring the safety of the walking residents of Bedford.
He said construction will congest the Bedford Highway, but with a higher cause in mind.
“I think we can sacrifice a little congestion for the safety of the residents of Bedford,” says Outhit.
The project is still in the proposal stage. If a contract is awarded, there are crucial objectives and path plans outlined by HRM that must be completed before construction. A detailed design and typographic survey must be completed — and this is only the beginning. Outhit says he hopes construction will begin this summer, but if there are setbacks, the project will commence next summer.
The project will also allow for the construction of new railings on both sides of the bridge.

[Dmajackson]

Originally Posted by Spitfire75

That's the building in Sackville? It looks nice so far (edit: I saw it a couple days ago), but I wouldn't want to live so close to the highway!

Here are some updated pictures I took today;

[Dmajackson]

Sprucing up the Spry
Library will close for a month to make way for makeover/3
Halifax News Net
By Jon Tattrie – The Weekly News

The Captain William Spry Centre Library is closing for a month for extensive renovations, meaning holds will be frozen and clients will have to use the Keshen Goodman or Spring Garden branches for most of April.
Francisca Goldsmith, director of branch services, says the entire centre is getting a facelift and the library decided it would be a good time to do major work. The branch will close at 5 p.m. on Saturday, March 21, and re-open on Tuesday, April 21.
“We’re going to undertake things that can’t actually happen while people are in the building. The public has been very kind and supportive; we’ve actually managed to take out an old washroom and put in a new washroom while we were open,” Goldsmith said, adding the next phase of plans requires a people-free library.
The work will include new lighting on both floors, painting, new carpeting, new comfy chairs and new shelving.
The collections are going to be rearranged so that kids, teens, adults and seniors can enjoy their library without getting on each other’s nerves. The first floor is shifting its emphasis to a children’s area and a multi-media section. The foyer entrance to the library will be turned into a solarium containing large-print books and seating aimed at older adults. Adult fiction will also be on the first floor. Goldsmith hopes those changes will make life easier for people with mobility issues. The second floor will house the teen area and adult non-fiction — at opposite ends of the floor.
“The adult end will be a designated quiet area. What we’re hoping to do is achieve separation of groups who socialize differently,” Goldsmith explained.
There will be more computers in the first floor, and the rest will be targeted at age groups: you’ll need a child’s card to access computers in the children’s section, a teen’s card for the teen section and an adult card for the adult section.
“Beyond that, there will be a much reconfigured check-out desk. It will have a much smaller presence — it won’t be quite so much of a ship in a storm,” Goldsmith said.
Regular patrons will have noticed changes to the desk are mostly completed, but the finishing touches during the closure will create more floor space.
A self-service check-out is coming online for people who want privacy about what materials they’re borrowing.
Patrons should change holds before March 21 if they want to see the item before late April. Before March 21, clients can go online or call the library to have the holds brought into a different branch. After March 21, the items will be held in “deep freeze” in the bowels of the system, but will be on the holding shelf when Captain Spry re-opens.
During the closure, the exterior book return will be accessible and cleared daily.
Library users are asked to call 490-5744 or visit Halifaxpubliclibraries.ca before their next visit to Captain William Spry to confirm renovations are complete.

[Dmajackson]

I thought I'd post this here.

Town Hall Meeting
Councillor Tim Outhit, District 21, Bedford, will be hosting a Town Hall Meeting, jointly, with the Bedford Community Council Association, on Thursday, April 2, at the Basinview Community School. The Councillor is inviting all residents of Bedford to attend. HRM staff will be in attendance to answer questions and there will be updates on Waterfront Development, new rink, fast ferry, Old Fire Hall, policing issues, as well as, a Pace Car presentation.

I am going to try my best to attend the meeting.

[Keith P.]

If anyone goes, take on this absurdity about the pace car program. Those pious idiots deserve to get run over by a monster truck or something.

[Dmajackson]

I attended the Town Hall meeting tonight at Basinview and while there isn't really any news to report apparently after the new library is built downtown the next community on the list is Bedford.

Restaurant eats its neighbour

Smitty’s Restaurant on the Bedford Highway has been replaced by the Sunnyside Too Restaurant. Operated by its neighbour, the Sunnyside Restaurant, The Too shares its kitchen with the Sunnyside but has a slightly larger menu. The Too also has a seniors’ menu featuring lighter portions and prices.

A few kilometres to the south on the Bedford Highway, kids were bummed out this morning when they learned about the sudden closure of their favourite hangout, Dairy Queen. The news was mourned by south-end kids on their Facebook pages.

[hfx_chris]

Originally Posted by Bedford_DJ

I attended the Town Hall meeting tonight at Basinview and while there isn't really any news to report apparently after the new library is built downtown the next community on the list is Bedford.

Next community on the list for what?

Smitty’s Restaurant on the Bedford Highway has been replaced by the Sunnyside Too Restaurant. Operated by its neighbour, the Sunnyside Restaurant, The Too shares its kitchen with the Sunnyside but has a slightly larger menu. The Too also has a seniors’ menu featuring lighter portions and prices.

Mmm, I love going for breakfast at Sunnyside... cheaper than Smitty's and just as good

[Spitfire75]

I'd rather see more local restaurants than chain stores any day.

[Dmajackson]

Originally Posted by hfx_chris

Next community on the list for what?

The next community on the list for a new library.

[hfx_chris]

Originally Posted by Bedford_DJ

The next community on the list for a new library.

I thought Woodlawn was next?

[Commoner]

Originally Posted by Bedford_DJ

Here are some updated pictures I took today;

Oh dear, it's these types of contruction that many of us hope will never happen again, yet they continue to be built. Awful.

[Dmajackson]

Originally Posted by hfx_chris

I thought Woodlawn was next?

Not according to Outhit.

Originally Posted by Commoner

Oh dear, it's these types of contruction that many of us hope will never happen again, yet they continue to be built. Awful.

Well there's an upside to this one ... there's no parking lot out front.

[hfx_chris]

Outhit may be wrong, apparently they're about to announce the new location of Woodlawn this Monday (April 6)

Besides, what's wrong with Bedford's library?

[ue]

With all these suburban neighbourhoods it seems Halifax is really suburbanizing, but I still hope it'll keep it's old charm.

[Dmajackson]

Developer, city back in court over road

By MICHAEL LIGHTSTONE Staff Reporter
Sun. Apr 5 - 11:08 AM


Halifax Mayor Peter Kelly (STAFF / File)





Mayor Peter Kelly will be among those who will testify when an enduring legal battle between a metro developer and Halifax city hall resumes this week in a Halifax courtroom.

The case, dating back more than three years, involves a dispute over undeveloped land around Paper Mill Lake in Bedford. The proponent, Olympic International Realty Ltd., wants to build a residential development.

But Olympic has been unable to proceed because a 1995 development agreement says a collector road must be built to alleviate expected traffic congestion.

Ali Roshani, the principal behind Olympic Realty, has not been able to convince a neighbouring developer, United Gulf Developments Ltd., to co-operate on the road construction.

A vocal city hall critic, Mr. Roshani has worked as a taxi driver in metro and is a regular on local radio phone-in shows.

The Supreme Court of Nova Scotia hearing begins Monday.

According to a court brief provided to The Chronicle Herald recently by Mr. Roshani’s lawyer, "the collector road issue has stymied further development of this extremely valuable and attractive property."

The document, filed on behalf of Olympic Realty, raises the question of whether the municipality has "acted in bad faith at any stage of the development process."

Halifax Mayor Peter Kelly said Saturday he’s due to testify Wednesday. "We’re into litigation and we’re defending the development agreement," he said.

In 2006, a Nova Scotia Supreme Court judge dismissed allegations of bias levelled by Mr. Roshani against a former regional councillor for Bedford whom Mr. Roshani claimed unfairly opposed his construction plans.

Former councillor Len Goucher, now a provincial cabinet minister, was exonerated in court.

In other municipal business, about 70 people attended a public meeting Saturday in Dartmouth on the future of the Dartmouth Common. The city is seeking input on how to upgrade the park.

Coun. Jim Smith (Albro Lake-Harbourview) said a variety of comments and suggestions were made, including those from residents "who don’t want any of the Commons used for anything but open space."