Rural Atlantic Canadian Development Thread

[JonHiseler]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

I usually limit my contributions to this thread to NB based projects, but I found this on CCD Canada:

This would be behind the big strip mall on the Esplanade.

[jonny golden]

Originally Posted by JonHiseler

This would be behind the big strip mall on the Esplanade.

Sounds like a really nice project for Truro. Great location, and good for the municipal tax base. The town must be happy.

[JonHiseler]

Originally Posted by jonny golden

Sounds like a really nice project for Truro. Great location, and good for the municipal tax base. The town must be happy.

Yep, Truro has seen some good developments in recent years. Also with Home Hardware moving into the Truro Mall, things definitely seem to be moving in a positive direction.

[jonny golden]

Originally Posted by JonHiseler

Yep, Truro has seen some good developments in recent years. Also with Home Hardware moving into the Truro Mall, things definitely seem to be moving in a positive direction.

How is the Esplanade mall doing? Last time I was there, it didn't look too appealing.

[DB_in_Cbus]

Bridgewater is booming in a way I've never really seen before. From this week's town newspaper:

Halifax-based developers with a vast suite of property interests in Bridgewater are now proposing a massive re-imagination of one of the downtown’s busiest
intersections as well as the construction of a new King
Street waterfront multi-unit residential complex.
Adam Barrett, who owns all, or half of, the firms
behind both development agreement applications for
the South Shore’s largest town, told LighthouseNOW
the concepts address housing needs and create growth
and positive change in an area of town that still has
untapped potential. “The idea is to create a nice downtown core that’s going to help businesses but provide
housing and affordable housing — and it will create lots
of jobs,” he said.
Black Bay Real Estate Group, part of AMK Barrett
Investments, which Barrett owns, applied to the town to
develop civic address 388 King St., a vacant waterfront
property on the southwest portion of Bridgewater,
across from the former Dooly’s pool hall building. The
proposal is for a seven-storey, 71-unit residential structure with ground floor commercial space and underground parking.

That's a 7 story 71 unit building, and another 7 story, 75 unit building, both downtown. As far as I remember (it's been 3 years since I've been home), the tallest building in Bridgewater is 4 floors, currently. The mayor is enthusiastic, but notes that infrastructure will need to be able to support these developments before they are approved.

For those not familiar, Bridgewater is bisected by the LaHave River. The western side of the town was the first area developed and was, until the 1980s, where almost everybody lived. Almost all developments have been on the eastern side since then (account for Bridgewater's growth). These new buildings would be the biggest western-side residential developments in decades.

One of the buildings is almost at river level (the former Nauss brothers building center, if you remember back that long lol), and the other would be a redevelopment of the tavern.

[JHikka]

Good news for Bridgewater. I was there in August and felt like there was a lot of potential in the Downtown - just a shame that the most visible, viable land is taken up by a mall and surface parking with little-to-no access to the river. Adding residents to the downtown is good but it really needs to shift away from car-depedency and create a better pedestrian and urban environment for both current and future residents.

[MonctonRad]

Indeed. I like Bridgewater, but the downtown could use a little more density and residential infill. The town needs to develop a better relationship to the LaHave riverfront. It is one of the prettiest rivers in NS and should not be a wasted resource.

[bridgeoftea]

Originally Posted by JHikka

Good news for Bridgewater. I was there in August and felt like there was a lot of potential in the Downtown - just a shame that the most visible, viable land is taken up by a mall and surface parking with little-to-no access to the river. Adding residents to the downtown is good but it really needs to shift away from car-depedency and create a better pedestrian and urban environment for both current and future residents.

The difference between the North and South side of the river is astonishing when looking at google maps. When you said the mall was right by the river wasn't expecting that close to the river.

[DB_in_Cbus]

Originally Posted by JHikka

Good news for Bridgewater. I was there in August and felt like there was a lot of potential in the Downtown - just a shame that the most visible, viable land is taken up by a mall and surface parking with little-to-no access to the river. Adding residents to the downtown is good but it really needs to shift away from car-depedency and create a better pedestrian and urban environment for both current and future residents.

The town released a long-term plan about a decade ago which would accomplish a lot of this. Their goal is to build a new bridge closer to the movie theater and convert the "old bridge" to pedestrian usage. They have already torn down one decaying parkade overlooking the river and replaced it with a park. There are a number of other improvements highlighted as well.

I don't know what can be done about the mall though. It continues to chug along, so there are probably no hopes of it closing in the near future.

I think part of the problem is historical perception. The river was always treated as a dumping grounds. It's stunk in the summer because of the sewage, so nobody ever really thought that much about it. Growing up, I don't remember anybody ever boating in the river, at least not that far up.

[PEI highway guy]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Indeed. I like Bridgewater, but the downtown could use a little more density and residential infill. The town needs to develop a better relationship to the LaHave riverfront. It is one of the prettiest rivers in NS and should not be a wasted resource.

What is the population of Bridgewater?? and how far is the town from Halifax?

[Freddypop]

Originally Posted by PEI highway guy

What is the population of Bridgewater?? and how far is the town from Halifax?

Bridgewater - 9,042 and is approx 100 km SW of Halifax

[Pugsley]

Hi there, I read this paid gated piece on Huddle just now and thought it was interesting: https://huddle.today/2022/01/27/with...g-development/

I'm sure many have heard of the $1 homes or properties in places like Italy and Greece, but I'd never heard of such an initiative here in Canada before. Is this a new thing being proposed by Minto or have other smaller communities in Atlantic Canada tried similar programs in the past? I'm curious (more than anything) if these schemes have worked locally in the past. There is still debate on how effective the've been in some towns and villages in Europe, so curious about it here.

Any insights?

[MonctonRad]

Didn't McAdam try this a couple of years ago???

[Pugsley]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Didn't McAdam try this a couple of years ago???

It appears so! Thanks MonctonRad! Found the article via CBC... https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-b...ayor-1.5349895

Anyone on here from McAdam or area that can attest to its success since this article? I imagine the pandemic has been a challenge for meeting the 1,200 sq. foot home deadline, especially given the construction labour shortage vs demand here in Charlotte County.

[JHikka]

Didn't Cape Breton try giving away land for free, too, or am I misremembering?

[Taeolas]

McAdam said they considered the project a success. Possibly a bigger success than anticipated after COVID brought about the WFH revolution and the Maritimes became extra hot.

[L'homard]

In McAdam they welcomed several new families under a similar program.
I forget the details on the McAdam offering but there was a story on CBC about the outcome of the initiative and they were pretty happy about how it worked out.
Be aware in Minto it's land they offering, not homes, if I recall correctly.

[Pugsley]

Originally Posted by L'homard

In McAdam they welcomed several new families under a similar program.
I forget the details on the McAdam offering but there was a story on CBC about the outcome of the initiative and they were pretty happy about how it worked out.
Be aware in Minto it's land they offering, not homes, if I recall correctly.

Yes, per the links above it appears to have been successful. The land part is the issue from my perspective. Buying the land but not having access to the labour to build the house is my concern. I live in Charlotte County and we are waiting up to a year in a line for a start on a renovation/expansion of our new home. It would have been two years if we hadn't known some people and put pressure on the contractor. LOL

Every builder in the area is squeezed.

I think these schemes would be more successful if they had secondary programs in place to immediately start supporting them (say Habitat for Humanity) or a series of modular home builders involved to make the second step (i.e. building an actual home on the land) a faster and more seamless process.

It would be a shame to see a bunch of land be sold for a $1 then nothing transpire due to labour shortages and worse...the buyer having to forfeit.

[L'homard]

Yes it certainly would defeat the entire purpose.

[Smevo]

Originally Posted by JHikka

Didn't Cape Breton try giving away land for free, too, or am I misremembering?

Sort of. There was a specific business in Whycocomagh, on the western shore of the Bras D'Or Lake, that was giving away free land because they couldn't find workers. I don't have time to look right now, but either CBC or Vice did a follow up on it, and it appears to have been successful for them.