S now has officially fallen on the streets of Halifax. Chances are a lot more of it is coming this winter. And with great snow comes great responsibility. That is—the responsibility of keeping sidewalks clear. This season, that responsibility falls on four companies that have been awarded new, four-year contracts by HRM. Excel Property Maintenance […]
winter
Posted inNews + Opinion
Sidewalks from hell
Halifax’s winter sidewalk conditions continue down a slippery slope. Last week, Halifax Needham MLA Lisa Roberts fell on the ice and broke her wrist, almost sliding onto the road in the process. “When I was picking myself up, I was virtually on the street,” she says. It was more than a single bad patch of […]
Posted inLifestyle
17 perfect mid-winter date ideas
Going for a hike or drive to a small town and walking around Tobogganing Snowball fight Skating on the Oval followed by hot toddies Skating on a Dartmouth lake followed by craft beer Outdoor hot tub Go see a show at our favourite pub “Feed me garlic fingers and hot chocolate” Fireplace. Wine. Snuggles. Popcorn. […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Shubenacadie sham!
The legend of Shubenacadie Sam is built on a wildlife park of lies. Officially the government maintains its beloved prognosticating groundhog is “ageless,” but a year-long The Coast investigation has learned several different rodents have been given the identity over the decades. The animal predicting spring’s arrival this week will be the fourth “Sam” since […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Resigned to isolation in an inaccessible city
As a person living with cerebral palsy, the concern of accessibility is always on my mind. I take the time to map out my routes and watch the weather, hoping that I will be able to take a bus and make that commitment I planned weeks ago. When winter arrives, I brace myself. It still […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Halifax shelters scramble to keep people warm during winter storm
UPDATE: Despite HRM’s press release listing 1223 Lower Water Street as one of the comfort centres open all night, NS Power has apparently shut it down for the evening. The lights are on at Out of the Cold—for now, anyway. Organizer Eric Jonsson says the power has already gone out twice today, which has left […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Snow storm cleanup dicking over Valentine’s Day plans
Getting dumped on Valentine’s Day sucks, but getting dumped on by the blizzard that shut down Atlantic Canada this week is making it difficult for couples that do want to celebrate their love. Brian George and his fiance had booked Halifax Transit’s Access-A-Bus for their dinner reservations tonight at enVie in the north end. But […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
The future of weather
[Image-2] “The trouble with weather forecasting is that it’s right too often for us to ignore it and wrong too often for us to rely on it.” —Patrick Young, American author Folks, a “cold front” isn’t just a between-the-sheets phenomenon, and thermocline isn’t just another fun word to spell with Alphagetti. And even the TV […]
Posted inFood + Drink
You make me wanna soup
Your toes and fingers are perma-cold, your throat is on the scratchy side and the idea of being swaddled at home on your couch beats just about anything else. Except maybe a piping hot, hand-warmer/meal hybrid. From chunk chilis to spicy phos and every butternut squash blend in between, Halifax’s menus have lots of hot […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Everything residents are calling 311 to complain about
[Image-1] SNOW Just how bad was last winter’s snow-clearing? Bad enough that 15 percent of all calls to 311 were requests for plowing, salting and sanding roads. That’s by far the largest segment of the roughly 95,000 calls 311‘s call centre received from HRM residents from January through to August last year. Residents also […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Why can’t Halifax Transit build more bus shelters?
[Image-1] Transit woes are a perennial problem, but Halifax Transit does seem to be working on that. The new Lacewood Terminal opened last year, and sometime in 2016 buses should finally start being tracked in real time. This year will also see schedules and routes rebuilt via the Moving Forward Together plan. While it’s looking […]
Posted inArts + Music
Heat up with the Cold Smoke festival
Just as the weather finally turns to winter, Halifax’s favourite reggae band, Dub Kartel, has lined up the third annual Cold Smoke festival. This kick-ass one-day fest will be setting fire to The Seahorse and the Marquee’s stages to keep you hot-hot-hot. Starting Saturday night, Cold Smoke will showcase some of the best bands from […]