If we were discussing actual BUILDING the rail cut, I might agree with the argument against it. However it has been there for nearly a century, and all the arguments against it are passed.
Without using it to transport goods, its primarily function seems to be as a moat separating the city from the Uber-rich in the south end. I realize there are some residents further north who are not in mansions, but they are few compared to those who deal with large trucks in what should be regular streets, not urban highways.
This argument against using trains is pretty weak.
Every single point can be flipped to be a reason to take trucks out of the city and onto trains.
Trucks are noisy and it affects quality of life along their route.
Trucks carry stuff that might be dangerous.
Trucks devalue property in the city. And despite what many think, South End Halifax is not just condos and mansions.
Keeping truck traffic in the city just benefits developers who are building luxury dwellings along the rail route.
What world class city would have a rail corridor to the port and yet continue to send cargo through the city centre??
Not to mention the fact that trains are far more efficient and thus more environmentally responsible.
I appreciate your perspective on this, but as a relatively recent SouthEnd resident I can assure you that there are POC students who carry on and usually get not more a few shaking heads at them. There are many many international students as well local POC in the South End, especially near the Dal campus.
I can also assure you that the noise complaints and also much more serious weapons offences that are being investigated by the Halifax Police are, at least in my part of the South End, entirely directed at white students acting reprehensibly. The drug-related murder a few years ago? White kids too. Campus assaults? White boys...
I keep my children close when passing by groups of sports teams bros in a way that would never cross my mind when encountering Black, Asian, middle eastern or Native students. And I know its not just me, Ive discussed this with my neighbours who are also parents of young kids.
As someone who moved to the area, I as well used to have preconceived ideas about who lived here. But it turns out that it is not nearly as homogeneous as your article presupposes, and is actually far more diverse than the hipster North End.
I appreciate your concerns regarding profiling based on the sad history of racism against First Nations people, but in this instance the dynamics of the neighbourhood you feel suspicious of are actually somewhat different. Its the entitled self-absorbed white kids I am more wary of, and pretty much everyone else gets a smile and the benefit of the doubt when they are being boisterous, as it pretty much never more serious than that.
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Without using it to transport goods, its primarily function seems to be as a moat separating the city from the Uber-rich in the south end. I realize there are some residents further north who are not in mansions, but they are few compared to those who deal with large trucks in what should be regular streets, not urban highways.
Every single point can be flipped to be a reason to take trucks out of the city and onto trains.
Trucks are noisy and it affects quality of life along their route.
Trucks carry stuff that might be dangerous.
Trucks devalue property in the city. And despite what many think, South End Halifax is not just condos and mansions.
Keeping truck traffic in the city just benefits developers who are building luxury dwellings along the rail route.
What world class city would have a rail corridor to the port and yet continue to send cargo through the city centre??
Not to mention the fact that trains are far more efficient and thus more environmentally responsible.
As it is, I was told that my deck which can hold 2 perhaps 3 people if they are friendly, needs the structural support to hold a minimum of 40 people.
The inspector knew this was ridiculous, but rules are rules...
I can also assure you that the noise complaints and also much more serious weapons offences that are being investigated by the Halifax Police are, at least in my part of the South End, entirely directed at white students acting reprehensibly. The drug-related murder a few years ago? White kids too. Campus assaults? White boys...
I keep my children close when passing by groups of sports teams bros in a way that would never cross my mind when encountering Black, Asian, middle eastern or Native students. And I know its not just me, Ive discussed this with my neighbours who are also parents of young kids.
As someone who moved to the area, I as well used to have preconceived ideas about who lived here. But it turns out that it is not nearly as homogeneous as your article presupposes, and is actually far more diverse than the hipster North End.
I appreciate your concerns regarding profiling based on the sad history of racism against First Nations people, but in this instance the dynamics of the neighbourhood you feel suspicious of are actually somewhat different. Its the entitled self-absorbed white kids I am more wary of, and pretty much everyone else gets a smile and the benefit of the doubt when they are being boisterous, as it pretty much never more serious than that.
E-tickets ought to be the priority, not the second phase.