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When the Macdonald Bridge was built 60 years ago it linked two distinct cities. Nowadays, it’s a part of the Halifax Regional Municipality but our two harbour bridges are still run by a strange authoritative body in the Halifax-Dartmouth Bridge Commission. As the Big Lift lifts off, this week’s Coast cover story looks at whether the Bridge Commission is still relevant, and writer Erica Butler discovers the commission might hold the future to Halifax’s transportation future. Plus, choose your best route around the Big Lift with a new video from PLANifax; and how does your bridge toll get spent?
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Trade Centre Ltd. announced today that 24,500 visitors are expected once the doors are finally open at the new Halifax Convention Centre. Thirty organizations, generating “an estimated $30 million in new money,” have committed to using the multimillion facility once it opens in 2017. The government’s press release only lists the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans’ 50th annual Canadian Employee Benefit Conference, which is always an Animal House-style shitshow. We’ll see if we can get a more complete list.
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The family of a 23-year-old who died while inside the Central Nova Correctional Facility is suing the province, alleging a devastating lack of control after Clayton Cromwell was able to access and overdose on methadone. Meanwhile Christopher Phillips—the chemical-loving dude who police and media flipped out over back in January (who was just yesterday cleared of all charges)—has gone through “hell” spending the last five months in jail. A reminder, the Burnside prison is out-of-control.
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Pier 21 officially reopens to the public today after being closed since October for renovations. Immigration lawyer Lee Cohen calls the new exhibits “hypocritical” given the federal government’s recent treatment of immigrants and refugees. “It is both disturbing and mysterious that Canada is spending such a huge chunk of money on this museum,” Cohen tells the Herald.
Related: “Stephen Harper Hates Me”
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Halifax council is seeking new snow-clearing contracts even though a review of last winter’s service hasn’t been completed. Four tenders for snow and ice removal in Lower Sackville, Herring Cove and Timberlea, Bedford and Hammonds Plains, and Cole Harbour and Eastern Passage have been issued as a “matter of timing” (according to winter works supervisor Darrin Natolino). At the very least, Natalino tells Metro’s Stephanie Taylor, the contracts contain “huge, fundamental changes” in performance requirements. Also, maybe it won’t snow next year? Global warming and all.
+1 Sure Thing tonight
Tonight, Jessie Brown kicks off her four-week residency at The Carleton with her friends Floodland, Jacob Strang and Roxie Mercier. Every Thursday until July 23, Brown and her band will be playing The Carleton with new special guests.
The International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans’ 50th annual Canadian Employee Benefit Conference is coming to the new convention centre, which makes us think of Animal House clips like this. The other 29 organizations that are also supposedly committed are double-secret.
This article appears in Jun 25 – Jul 1, 2015.