SAINT JOHN - In early 2010, the City launched PlanSJ to develop a new Municipal Plan to guide development over the next 25 years. We've been following it closely from the beginning and now, it’s almost here. A draft Plan is being introduced to the public with an Open House today. It's available here [PDF] for your reading pleasure, all 150+ pages of it. Here's an excerpt: Policies contained in the Municipal Plan will help guide: Capital expenditure and investment decisions by the City; Decisions about where and ...

SAINT JOHN - In early 2010, the City launched PlanSJ to create a new Growth Strategy and to develop a new Municipal Plan to guide development over the next 25 years. We profiled the launch of PlanSJ here. Now that the Growth Strategy [PDF] has been unanimously endorsed by Council – ‘where do we want to go as a city’ - it’s time to help develop Municipal Plan policies – 'how do we get there’. PlanSJ is hosting an open house workshop today, Putting the Plan on Paper. Topics to ...

HALIFAX - Metro Transit is hosting four public consultations today and tomorrow to aid a consultant's review of HRM's public transit system as part of its Universal Accessibility Planning Study. The sessions will consist of a short presentation followed by a question & answer period. Metro Transit states: This includes reviewing Metro Transit’s existing infrastructure (vehicles, terminals, bus stops, shelters, etc.), and evaluating the overall business processes and products, such as accessible customer information (directional signage around service areas); communication; website; and policies & practices for accessible customer service." While Metro Transit is to be lauded for commissioning a study aimed at improving 'the overall accessibility' while inviting residents to participate in these discussions, my disappointment lies in the distinct lack of reach to the community or ridership itself.

HALIFAX - Once Queen Elizabeth High School is demolished, the land is to be used in the interim as an urban farm - a novel use of the land for the time being (it's slated to be used for expansion of the hospital in the future). The idea to turn the area into an urban farm spawned when Capital Health and the Dalhousie University's Cities and Environment Unit organized a public consultation on November 21, 2010. Spacing Atlantic covered the public consultation and offers ...

HALIFAX - Tonight, Halifax Regional Council will be hosting a public hearing on proposed amendments to By-Law 600, regarding HRM's Waste Diversion Program. HRM Solid Waste Resources (SWR) has put together a pretty good presentation [PDF] that will be leading the discussion. In an effort to force some emotional attachment to our garbage, SWR have thrown in some truly gruesome pictures of failed waste diversion (blood vials?!). What do the changes mean to you? *Public Hearing at 6pm has been **CANCELLED*** by Halifax Regional Council as of 4:25pm; about 100 people were to speak*

SAINT JOHN - Last Wednesday evening will prove to be a watershed for uptown development. Common Council voted 8-3 to award a $ 20.6-million tender to build a new police headquarters in the historic city centre district. What else could bring people back from the suburbs and encourage more visitors to the city?

SAINT JOHN - It's been a mixed bag here in the Port City lately. Tuesday marked the 225th anniversary of the incorporation of Canada's 'original city'; Commercial Properties presented a town clock at the corner of King & Prince William streets, with organizers putting on a gala celebration at Harbour Station marking the beginning of an eight month extravaganza. The day before the festivities, marked the beginning of $35 million worth of construction work on the Saint John Harbour Bridge. Harbour Passage, the pedestrian route between the North End and West Side of the city and Uptown, is to be effectively closed this summer, autumn & next year (photos here). See you in 2012!

HALIFAX - If you happened to be one of the many unlucky car owners who left their cars parked on your neighbourhood street on the night of December 14th, you would have woken up to a $50 ticket on your windshield. With nary a snow flake on the ground or in the forecast, welcome to HRM's Winter Parking Ban [PDF] (not to go off on a tangent, but this is a document that equates pedestrian traffic with congestion... uh what?). Merry Christmas! The Grinch came by early.