2009 10 26
The Downtown Halifax Business Commission (DHBC) is pleased to announce that HRMbyDesign’s Downtown Halifax Plan, which includes HRM’s first-ever heritage conservation district plan for Barrington Street, will officially come into effect on Saturday, October 24, having received provincial approval.
“The DHBC has been the champion of the downtown core,” said Paul MacKinnon, Executive Director of the Downtown Halifax Business Commission. “Its revitalization is key to the prosperity of the entire HRM. We have lobbied for a change to the Municipal Planning Strategy, which saw long approval times for development, contained ambiguous policies, and resulted in HRM Council’s decisions on large developments often being appealed. The new plan will be clearer and will streamline the process.”
The new downtown plan is the result of two years of work by HRM staff, a community-based task force (representing business, development, culture, architecture, heritage, three Councillors and citizens at large), and professional consultants. Most importantly, the consultation has included the input from thousands of citizens in a variety of forums.
The Barrington Street Heritage Conservation District, which runs from Duke Street to Bishop Street, was initiated by HRM and the DHBC. It received broad support from heritage and business groups, and has been heralded as a way to bring Barrington back to its former glory. The district, which would be Halifax’s first, comes with a suite of tax and grant incentives and other projects to assist the revitalization of the city’s traditional main street. The plan had been delayed, when it became a core element of HRMbyDesign, as it needed to be re-written to conform to the new development rules. A number of restoration projects have now applied for grants, under the new designation.
“Barrington is a great street,” said Cathy Merriman, co-owner of The Loop, “The creation of the district brings some tangible benefits with it. Aside from that, though, it once again focuses this area as a unique destination. It’s been a long time coming.”
To learn more about HRMbyDesign, the Downtown Plan and the heritage conservation district plan for Barrington Street, visit http://www.hrmbydesign.ca.