HALIFAX – From the Shakespeare by the Sea building at Point Pleasant Park to Halifax Transit’s upcoming redesign, councillors had a busy day in chambers. Here’s a wrap on Tuesday’s council meeting.
Halifax Transit
Transit Director Eddie Robar confirmed the transit system will see a major overhaul. Following a September appearance before the city’s Transportation Standing Committee, many people thought the authority was scaling back redesign plans.
Councillor Gloria McCluskey requested Robar come to Regional Council to explain to all councillors what the plans were.
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On Tuesday Robar said a full revamp is in the works.
“Nothing’s been cancelled. We’re doing a full system redesign the same way we would have done from the ground up,” said Robar. “We’re looking at every route that we have in the system. What were doing now, what we could potentially do with them in the future and making sure we’re achieving a system that’s going to generate ridership for the future.”
Halifax Transit will present the redesign in mid January, followed by what Robar says will be a 10-week public consultation period.
Shakespeare by the Sea
The building used by Shakespeare by the Sea at Point Pleasant Park has been saved. City staff had recommended to council that the building be slated for demolition after a fire there in June, but at the urging of Councillor Waye Mason Councillors instead defeated the motion.
In its place, Council agreed to put $125, 000 towards repairs for the building. Once fixed it will be used as a storage and rehearsal space. It had previously been used as a rainy day location for plays but staff said it was no longer up to the code needed for it to operate as a performance venue.
The change in plans left the theatre company’s founder relieved.
“It was a huge worry for me, you know I founded this company 21 years ago. I put my life blood into it,” said the theatre group’s founder Elizabeth Murphy. “I really want to keep it because I think its something great for Halifax and I think obviously the councillors feel that way too.”
Leachate treatment plant
The debate on a plan to treat more waste water, known as leachate, at a shuttered landfill in Upper Sackville has been postponed until the spring.
City staff were working on a proposal that would see leachate trucked into the processing facility at the dump site in Upper Sackville.
READ MORE: Waste water plan for Upper Sackville criticized by residents
It sits on the same property as the closed down dump but still processes the leachate produce by the garbage in the landfill. The leachate plant operates under capacity but residents are worried that any move to expand operations at the plant could lead to the dump reopening.
Councillors have now asked staff to look at alternatives. The new report will be presented in April but won’t be made public. Halifax currently pays for the leachate to be shipped to New Brunswick.
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