Councillor Iona Stoddard – Update
This month we celebrate International Women’s Day 2023, daylight saving time starts, we’ll celebrate St. Patrick’s Day and welcome spring! Many in our community will also be celebrating Ramadan which begins at sundown on March 22. This is also the time that my colleagues and I on Regional Council will continue to discuss the departmental budgets and establish the 2023/24 operating and capital budgets for the municipality. As we commence the final weeks of budget discussions, I welcome you to attend any budget meeting and speak during the public participation section of the meeting. You can also submit written correspondence to the Municipal Clerk’s Office (clerks@halifax.ca). You can find out more information about the budget process and the schedule for upcoming meetings at halifax.ca/budget
DISTRICT 12 UPDATES
With many thanks to HRM staff, the busy crosswalk on Washmill Lake Drive at Grandhaven Boulevard has received new RA-5 signage with overhead flashing lights to improve safety. Road safety is all of our responsibility. Please stay focused and watch for pedestrians at this location and all of our crosswalks.
The Keshen Goodman Public Library is still undergoing renovations but full service is still available. The renovations will include new meeting spaces, kid and adult pods, outdoor enhancements and much more! See their website at halifaxpubliclibraries. ca/news/renovations-coming-keshengoodman to find out more!
At the February 7th meeting of Regional Council, Council approved the sale of Park West School Park to the Province of Nova Scotia for a new school. The Province indicated that a new school is required in Clayton Park West. They reviewed 9 different locations and requested these four parkland parcels as they are directly adjacent to the current P-9 Park West School. I know many of you expressed concerns about selling this land, though please be aware that all money from this sale will be allocated to future greenspace. HRM staff have reviewed the area and provided the opinion that the surrounding community contains many parks that include a variety of recreation amenities and natural areas. Population growth has exceeded projections since 2019, the proposed school will be 125,000 square feet and would accommodate approximately 800-1,000 students. You can find the full staff report with details on our website halifax.ca/city-hall/regional-council.
CONTACT ME
Follow me on Facebook and Twitter where I share regular updates. You can also read my e-newsletters at halifax.ca. If you would like to have e-newsletters sent directly to your inbox, please contact Eric Bowdridge at eric.bowdridge@halifax.ca. However, if you have questions, contact me directly at 902-240-7926 or via email mailto:iona. stoddard@halifax.ca.
