After 11 years of FHC work the Halifax Common Master Plan process has begun -23 years after city hall’s commitment. The first public meeting confirms that the place to start must be the informed and balanced 1994 Halifax Common Plan. We must plan for the entire Halifax Common. We can’t leave anything to private discussions between the city and “stakeholders”. We must ensure that the entire Halifax Common is protected including the perimeter. And we must get back some of what the City lost. A curiously timed example is the sale of CBC-TV’s building to Capital Health days before HRM awarded the Master Plan RFP. As with the former QEHS, Grace Maternity and School for the Blind this site was always to be returned to the Halifax Common.

Please listen to Rick Howe’s Dec 13th interview with me to learn why we commoners must focus on getting the best-possible-big-picture-plan and not let HRM’s pet projects such as an aquatic centre keep us from getting there.