HALIFAX – “As HRM continues to grow, so do the challenges of balancing Downtown revitalization, regional growth, transportation, and environmental and economic sustainability,” said Paul MacKinnon, Executive Director of Downtown Halifax Business Commission (DHBC). “What we build and where we build it dictate all of these things.”
Last November, David Donnelly and Bruce Lourie spoke at Dalhousie University’s School of Architecture and Planning for the event Exploring ways to Grow. Similarly, Donnelly and Lourie will be speaking tonight, for this year’s 10th Anniversary Carmichael Lecture, presented by the Downtown Halifax Business Commission (DHBC) in partnership with the Ecology Action Centre. The Carmichael Lecture will discuss strategies for managing urban sprawl and how sprawl impacts the downtown core of Halifax, NS. Both events were organized to advocate for and provide a critical, smart growth platform for the 5-year review of Halifax Regional Municipalities (HRM) Regional Plan.
Visiting speakers, Donnelly and Lourie, were instrumental in establishing Greater Toronto’s Greenbelt, which will have a major impact on how Toronto reinvigorates its downtown, resists sprawl, and protects its local food source.
WHAT: 10th Anniversary Carmichael Lecture
WHEN: Thursday, May 12, 6:00-8:00 pm
WHERE: Atlantic Ballroom, Westin Hotel, 1181 Hollis Street
HOW MUCH: Free
Kate Carmichael was the former DHBC Executive Director and a tireless advocate for Downtown Halifax. This year marks the 10th anniversary of her passing and DHBC continues to honour her memory by inviting speakers to share ideas and stimulate change in Halifax. Invited lecturers speak on topics designed to inform and educate on key issues that create a thriving Downtown.
The HRM’s Regional Plan is a development plan that allows and guides future growth of the municipality. According to the DHBC, HRMs’ challenges around transportation, sprawl, lack of Downtown redevelopment, as well as failing to meet environmental and fiscal goals indicates that HRM needs to change how it has been growing.
The Downtown Halifax Business Commission is the voice and resource for the 1,800 businesses located in the central business district of Atlantic Canada’s busiest city. The DHBC’s mission is to make Downtown Halifax a great place to live, work and play.
Photo by Ben MacLeod