Stop those trains
The feds recently announced a $47-million port infrastructure plan that will send mile-long freight trains, 24 hours a day, through the south end to replace container trucks downtown. Halifax Port Authority president Karen Oldfield, and politicians Waye Mason and Andy Fillmore, have adopted an incredibly cagey manner of not talking about what this decision means for neighbourhoods along the rail cut. No public discussion was held to give any of us the chance to weigh in on this decision. We are against pouring container freight cargo through the CN cut for the following reasons.
Noise
The 24-hour-a-day noise of squealing brakes and freight cars. Contrary to public belief, the south end is not just a high-end neighbourhood; there are many low-income, middle-class family and student homes along the rail cut. Noise and toxicity concerns will destroy public enjoyment of all of the Northwest Arm and nearby trails.
Cargo
We do not know what is in those freight cars. How much of the cargo is dangerous? Are there toxic gas products? CN has a bad record for freight crashes, and this decision sends volumes of unknown shipping cargo through our residential neighbourhoods.
The decision supports developers over long-term residents
This change largely benefits downtown businesses, tourists and short-term residents, but NOT long-time residents living in a green belt. This decision fully supports the developers who built high-rises downtown that are still largely empty or being purchased by non-Canadian citizens, and part-time residents. Of course other people have qualms about buying them, because they are built along a truck route! This allows developers to more easily sell those condos, but it also just moves the problem around to another neighbourhood.
Home values
The noise and toxicity of these trains will lower the value of homes near or along the tracks.
Trashing the green neighbourhoods
Last but most importantly, this is yet another example of short-term FUBAR thinking. What other city on the planet—with aspirations to be “world-class”—would start running freight trains through its most green and beautiful part?
—LA Patten, Halifax
Political privacy
With Canada’s election just around the corner, I’m concerned that our political parties are not protecting the personal information they gather from us. I believe that they should be made subject to federal privacy laws. Political parties should follow the same rules that companies have to—it’s only fair.
Privacy matters regardless of who we vote for. In this election, I believe all the parties should commit to protecting our privacy and I’ll be looking to see if they do when I make my voting decision.
—Morgan Dambergs, Halifax
This article appears in Jun 13-19, 2019.
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.
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.