UPDATED BELOW
At about 10am this morning, word reached Halifax council chambers today that HRM is eligible for about $87.75 million in economic stimulus funding.
Of that, $31.5 million comes via the time sensitive federal stimulus program. The $31.5 million pot of money must be split three ways between federal, provincial and municipal funds, and must be spent my March 31, 2011. Council had to approve an application for that money by the end of this week, said mayor Peter Kelly. (Part, but not all, of the rush to allocate the money is the possibility of a provincial election, which could conceivably derail the province’s third of the money, or at least slow it down. All three parties, said Kelly, have committed to passing through HRM’s submission if it comes before an election is called.)
Council therefore quickly and unanimously approved submitting an application for the four-pad hockey arena project planned for Hammond Plains for that portion of the money. That project is priced at $40.4 million, $5 million of which has already been identified. The $35.4 fudning gap will entirely consume the first part of the economic stimulus money. (The $3.9 million remaining will presumably be covered by HRM debt financing, but council has yet to make that decision.)
The remaining economic stimulus funds, totalling $56.25 million, are part of the “Build Canada Fund,” and must be spent by 2015.
Council is presently on lunch break, but will return to debate which capital projects should be submitted as part of the application for those funds.
Staff is recommending that the Central Library (a $55 million project with a funding gap of $34 million) and a new Woodside ferry (a entirely unfunded $12 million project) make up the bulk of that application.
A short debate ensued before lunch, but council is far from any decision. Councillor Sue Uteck has moved that funding for the new Citadel High auditorium (with a funding gap of $1.2 million) be added to the library and ferry project for the BCF funds. Councillor Reg Rankin, however, wants the library dropped from the application, and all of the BCF funds committed to transit.
Council resumes debate at 1pm.
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Update, 5:16pm Council has approved submitting the Central Library and Woodside Ferry projects as part of the BCF stimulus package.
Today’s actions must be approved at tonight’s council meeting, and there are some interesting behind-the-scenes politics taking place that may affect both portions of the stimulus package. I’ll have a full report either later tonight or first thing in the morning, depending on how late the meeting goes.
This article appears in Apr 23-29, 2009.
The new central library is a massive waste of money, 255 computer terminals and an auditorium.
Pork barrel politics at its worst.
This news tells me that Premier Rodney is trying to buy votes in Halifax Citadel but you can bank on it staying NDP. Build libraries where people live. This new list reflects the priorities of the province and HRM has to go along with them or they won’t get the money. That is how it works.
I’m waiting to see if HRM gets the $2mn for demolishing the old rehab bldng and former location of ‘Trailer Park Boys’.
hockey arena project, Library, Woodside Ferry, School Auditorium… where are the sustainable green jobs in these proposals? Where are the wind farms and the bike paths and the transit improvements? Where’s the sewage plant spewing shit into our harbour on this list? Perhaps the proposed projects will help to stimulate the economy in short bursts but overall sustainability comes to an end that way.
Where are the progressive minds? Where are the forward thinkers? We’re supposed to be some of the best educated people on the planet. This must be a joke.
Kay, all three projects are arguably green projects. The ferry will directly provide more transit opportunities for the fast growing Woodside and Eastern Passage areas, and for community college students heading the opposite direction. The library is part of the infrastructure needed to make downtown a more livable place; it’s part of a whole that will attract people to living on the peninsula, and therefore reducing their carbon footprint. The hockey arena is a harder case to make on the green front, but it will definitely result in a healthier populace, getting people out from in front of their TV and out into the world recreating physically.
The other projects you mention– bike paths and such– did not qualify for the stimulus money, because either they weren’t large enough (had to be over $7.5 million) or would take longer to build than the deadlines required, or they are not the city’s responsibility (the city isn’t in the energy generation business and getting the regulatory approval from the province to do so would take maybe a decade, if it could happen at all) or they are already funded, and least on paper (the sewer plant, and $150 million worth of transit projects outlined in the five-year transit plan).
Let us not forget that if Judith Hare, Head Librarian, had won the day the Keshen Goodman library would not exist. She tried desperately to spend the money on the new boondoggle but eventually the council realised that building a library in the middle of a growing community made a lot of sense. The mainland common development includes a high school, library and sports facilities and stands as an example of good planning.
Is there any place in Canada that has more library space than Halifax ?
University libraries, public libraries,school libraries, government departmental libraries.
Libraries are a good thing.
I agree Tim. But how many do we need ?
Judith Hare just wants another monument similar to the one she had before coming to Halifax.
The problem with these big projects is that the people are never asked such questions as ‘If you had $40,000,000 to spend for the long term benefit of the community, how mwould you spend it ?’
And then you listen to the ideas, provide cost estimates and act accordingly. Keshen cost $6 million.
Why a big new central library, what is wrong with Alderney Gate ?
I spent at lot of time in University libraries in Halifax as a non student and all it cost was $2 back in the 1980’s; costs more today but it is well worth it.
Tim, how does making the peninsula more attractive reduce a carbon footprint?
“How does making the peninsula more attractive reduce a carbon footprint?”
If people want to live downtown instead of in the suburbs, they won’t be driving ten miles a day, or whatever, to get to work; therefore they have a smaller carbon footprint. That’s the argument, anyway. There’s merit in it, although I think it’s somewhat overstated.
Tim, families don’t live downtown, they live in the north end or off the peninsula. Those families living near downtown quite often don’t have parking so HRM slams them in the winter for parking on the street. Yuppies, singles and seniors live downtown.
Yuppies, singles and seniors go to the library.