FHC has written to request that HRM Mayor and Council not approve a secret agreement with the fossil fuel corporation Emera to extend the sponsorship and naming rights of the Halifax Common’s Oval. Below is the September 12, 2022 letter:
Skaters on the Halifax Common People’s Oval (photo: HRM)
LOTS! HRM Mayor & Council ignored all FHC’s good reasons why making secret deals with any fossil fuel corp is bad news. So now Emera, NSPI’s parent—gets naming rights (along with some very cheap green washing) to the Halifax Common’s Oval. Can someone remind those HRM decision makers we’re in a climate crisis? And that decision-making for the Halifax Common shouldn’t be secret deals?
Here’s the FHC letter… Continue reading
June 19, 2018
Dear Mayor and Council Re- The Oval
I believe it is always best to have public perception reflect reality. At last evening’s public hearing there were a couple of references by council that members of the audience had been against the Oval but were now presenting that they were concerned about the effect of the proposed 25-storey building’s shadow on it. It is unfortunate that Friends of Halifax Common were not granted their request in 2011 to speak before Council about their ideas for the Oval and some Councillors may have the wrong impression of the position FHC has with respect to the Oval.
To clarify any confusion about the position of Friends of Halifax Common on the Oval please find attached the FHC press release from April 2011. It reflects the position of the FHC then and now. You will read that we included comments by Derek Hawes a refrigeration expert who had been working throughout the province to help arenas/rinks reduce GHG emissions and improve energy efficiency. His information about 140 homes being able to be heated from waste heat is what led the FHC to support the Oval be located at the Central Common. Waste heat from the Oval would have been sufficient to heat all of the institutional buildings (hospitals, school, museum, pavilion, CBC TV) in the area. These were details FHC brought forward when we voluntarily went to a number of community council meetings (because we were unable to speak to Council of the Whole) to suggest a better process would result in a better outcome.
It was the architectural firm DRSA that had a volunteer team of architects come forward in support of the Wanderers Grounds as a location for the Oval. They were brave to do so at that time because in Halifax alternative positions often get framed as being anti. Ironically they were later awarded the RFP for the new building on the North Common although they considered this to be an inferior location. FHC may have mentioned this as a solution, but it was generally referenced as being this firm’s idea.
Friends of Halifax Common
1/3
Celebrate the Common – 250
www.halifaxcommon.ca
FHC did oppose the construction of a new building on the North Common. Our position was always that the existing Pavilion building next to the skatepark be re-built or repurposed and used for a general recreational facility. This is where the majority of hard-surfaced infrastructure already is. We also proposed that if there was a broader consultation other ideas would come forward. For example Winnipeg has a yearly architectural competition for the design of temporary warming huts that create a special creative but functional solution. In response to the RFP from HRM FHC critiqued the building plan for its lack of public space-it primarily serves the needs of support staff and equipment and zamboni storage.
These details may be too nuanced for the press or Save the Oval members to have paid attention to however I believe it is worth while trying to represent the facts rather than the rumours in any discussion. Perhaps what this speaks most strongly to is the failure of good process and transparency in decisions with respect to the Halifax Common which often results in short-term solutions, polarized perceptions and rumour- mongering.
Open discussion with citizens can be the opportunity for good ideas. For instance had the Oval been located on the Central Common the waste heat could now be used for a year-round heated outdoor pool at the proposed new aquatic centre.
And the Common Roots Urban Farm is the outcome of an idea and the work of FHC. FHC had several meetings with some visionary folks at Capital Health to encourage them to use the former QEHS site as a garden. After we convinced them to proceed it was our group that introduced Jayme Melrose to them and the rest is history.
As with last evening’s presentation FHC’s ask has always been that the City honour its 1994 commitment to develop a master plan for the 235 acre Halifax Common in conjunction with overall planning of the city such that there is best outcome for the common good. Adding an unsolicited 25-storey building that shadows the Oval does not meet that criteria.
Thank you,
Peggy Cameron
Co-chair, Friends of Halifax Common
Friends of Halifax Common
2/3
Celebrate the Common – 250
www.halifaxcommon.ca
PRESS RELEASE- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 27, 2011
(Halifax) In its rush to Save the Oval, the HRM staff report on the Canada Games Oval recommending a single centralized skating facility on the North Halifax Common has miscalculated the price tag and budget implications.
“One cost missing is NSPI’s forecasted 20% electricity rate increase by 2015,” says Alan Ruffman, Executive member of Friends of Halifax Common.
“Another is the increased cost of energy consumption and maintenance of such a large outdoor ice surface when Environment Canada is telling us that, thanks to climate change, we’ve just come through the warmest winter on record- the 14th in a row, and one with many extreme weather events that bring high winds, high rain and snowfalls and lots of power outages,” concludes Ruffman.
Derek Hawes, project manager for the Ice Rink Energy Programme that is operated through the Recreation Facility Association of Nova Scotia, raised several concerns with HRM about the oval.
“This one facility has a similar refrigeration capacity as eight indoor community arenas, and in another location such as the Central Common or Beasley Field, the waste heat could be used to heat approximately 140 homes or the equivalent number of public buildings such as hospitals or a school,” said Mr Hawes.
“I suggested a number of other skating options, including skating paths in Victoria Park, on the Grand Parade or other community destinations where the waste heat could be used, but for the staff, the oval on the Common was a done deal,” Mr. Hawes continued.
Hawes is also concerned about the quality of the refrigeration units the city purchased: “I have reason to believe the long-term operating and maintenance costs will be significantly higher than staff projected.”
“Unfortunately, Council was misled and based their decision on misinformation provided in the staff report- If the oval goes ahead, it would be the most expensive and environmentally unfriendly rink ever built in the province.” concluded Mr. Hawes.
Friends of Halifax Common presented at several HRM Community Councils meetings to urge more time be taken so the best decision is made. Members suggest that the oval could be a focus for the redesign of the Central Common or, as proposed in the original plan for the Canada Winter Games Skating oval, to have a network of community neighbourhood skating venues throughout HRM instead of forcing everyone to drive to one destination.
The North Common is less than one-third of the original public open space on the Halifax Common.
“The skating oval is another example of where the HRM staff are rushing into a poor planning decision for the Halifax Common instead of respecting a long-term master-plan,” said Beverly Miller, FHC Co-chair. “Public open space on the Halifax Common will be lost, or continue to be covered with concrete or remain under threat of commercialization as long as there is no proper public process,” concluded Miller.
Theestimateformakingtheovalpermanentisapproximately$6milliondollars. Althoughsponsorshavecome forward, all HRM taxpayers will be contributing $8 per $100,000 property value. No estimates have been provided for multiple outdoor skating rinks throughout HRM.
-30-
For information on the Friends of Halifax Common: http://halifaxcommon.ca/index.html
Friends of Halifax Common
3/3
Celebrate the Common – 250
www.halifaxcommon.ca
Survey Preference for Pavilion Architecture Design
38% Traditional
25% Modern & Contemporary
18% Fun & Vibrant
12% Contextual and Low Key
The Halifax Examiner reports: after much delay, the city is offering the tender for construction of the pavilion at The Oval. Back in 2012, the city issued a request for proposals for design of both the plaza and the accompanying building, but with the sense that things were going too fast for design of a building, that tender was cancelled*. Since then, the plaza has been built and named after a beer company that paid pennies on the dollars of the construction price, and the city went into super consultation-with-citizens mode for design of the building. Here are some pretty pictures of what is said to be the final Continue reading
Letter To The Coast Magazine by Peggy Cameron, Coordinator, Friends of the Halifax Common
Lumieres law-the further the light is from the source the lower the intensity. Multiple stadium lights without cut-offs installed on too-tall poles at The Oval are a glaring example of ineffective and inefficient lighting design.
Glare And Present Danger – Letter to the Editor, January 15, 2015. Although we can feel vulnerable walking alone at night, there no evidence that bright lights reduce crime. (Streetlight scarcity casts risky shadows,” feature by Ameya Charnalie and Sergio Gonzalez, How to fix the city issue January 8).
That’s not to say Halifax doesn’t have lots of problems with lighting. There is a public safety issue when people need to be able to Continue reading
Published June 27th, 2014
This week marked the 251st anniversary of the signing of the 1763 land grant of 240 acres “for the use of the inhabitants of the Town of Halifax as Common forever.”
This year also marks 20 years since the City of Halifax approved the 1994 Halifax Common Plan, a document that was developed after a thorough public consultation because of concern about the increasing number of changes and demands for use and the need for additional protection for the Halifax Common. Continue reading
Skating’s over at the oval-now what? (Chronicle Herald, April, 2012)
In its rush to Save the Oval, the HRM staff report on the Canada Games Oval recommending a single centralized skating facility on the North Halifax Common has miscalculated the price tag and budget implications.
“One cost missing is NSPI’s forecasted 20% electricity rate increase by 2015,” says Alan Ruffman, Executive member of Friends of Halifax Common.
“Another is the increased cost of energy consumption and maintenance of such a large outdoor ice surface when Environment Canada is telling us that, thanks to climate change, we’ve just come through the warmest winter on record- the 14th in a row, and one with many extreme weather events that bring high winds, high rain and snowfalls and lots of power outages,” concludes Ruffman.
Derek Hawes, project manager for the Ice Rink Energy Programme that is operated through the Recreation Facility Association of Nova Scotia, raised several concerns with HRM about the oval.
“This one facility has a similar refrigeration capacity as eight indoor community arenas, and in another location such as the Central Common or Beasley Field, the waste heat could be used to heat approximately 140 homes or the equivalent number of public buildings such as hospitals or a school,” said Mr Hawes.
“I suggested a number of other skating options, including skating paths in Victoria Park, on the Grand Parade or other community destinations where the waste heat could be used, but for the staff, the oval on the Common was a done deal,” Mr. Hawes continued.
Hawes is also concerned about the quality of the refrigeration units the city purchased: “I have reason to believe the long-term operating and maintenance costs will be significantly higher than staff projected.”
“Unfortunately, Council was misled and based their decision on misinformation provided in the staff report- If the oval goes ahead, it would be the most expensive and environmentally unfriendly rink ever built in the province.” concluded Mr. Hawes.
Friends of Halifax Common presented at several HRM Community Councils meetings to urge more time be taken so the best decision is made. Members suggest that the oval could be a focus for the redesign of the Central Common or, as proposed in the original plan for the Canada Winter Games Skating oval, to have a network of community neighbourhood skating venues throughout HRM instead of forcing everyone to drive to one destination.
The North Common is less than one-third of the original public open space on the Halifax Common.
“The skating oval is another example of where the HRM staff are rushing into a poor planning decision for the Halifax Common instead of respecting a long-term master-plan,” said Beverly Miller, FHC Co-chair. “Public open space on the Halifax Common will be lost, or continue to be covered with concrete or remain under threat of commercialization as long as there is no proper public process,” concluded Miller.
The estimate for making the oval permanent is approximately $6 million dollars. Although sponsors have come forward, all HRM taxpayers will be contributing $8 per $100,000 property value. No estimates have been provided for multiple outdoor skating rinks throughout HRM.
-30-
Media Contact: Peggy Cameron-902-258-3354
For information on the Friends of Halifax Common: https://halifaxcommon.ca/index.html
HRM Staff Support of $6 Million Centralized Oval is Ad Hoc Planning
(Halifax) The HRM staff report on the Canada Games Oval recommending a single centralized skating facility on the Halifax Common is ad hoc planning, according to Friends of Halifax Common (FHC). The group questions the oval’s placement, the planning process and the price tag.
“Friends of the Halifax Common definitely support an outdoor rink, but we believe other locations such as on the Central Common or the Wanderer’s Grounds, or several outdoor skating rinks in local communities throughout HRM would be just as popular as the single giant oval on the North Common” said Peggy Cameron, Co-chair of the Friends of the Halifax Common.
The North Common is less than one-third of the remaining public open space on the Halifax Common, which extends from Cunard St. to South St., bounded by Robie, North Park and South Park Streets. All decisions made by staff and council since the Halifax Common Plan was adopted in 1994 have been inconsistent with it.
HRM staff’s January 2010 North Common Master Plan included ‘improvements’ to the North Common with the major portion of the $2.7 million budget going towards permanent infrastructure for the private, expensive mega-concerts. Reference to these already made expenditures have dropped out of site. Continue reading