SMG Release President’s Report
June 26th, 2024
SMG held it's Annual General Meeting and released the President’s Report - 23-24
Shape Mumford Growth Society 2024 Annual Report
Shape Mumford Growth Society (SMG) is a grassroots community group registered with the Joint Registry of Stocks (April 2023). Our Primary goal is to advocate for a complete community design - a place where people can and want to live, work and play on the West End (WE) mall Future Growth Node (FGN). We are advocating for Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) to follow their own vision and objectives for FGNs as identified in the HRM Centre Plan.
An eight-member board and a few additional dedicated volunteers have been navigating the twists and turns in housing and development by Federal, Provincial and Municipal governments, and the WE mall FGN primary property owner, all of which have a stake in solving and impact on the housing crisis and urban design in HRM.
SMG knocked on 500+ doors, to speak with people in our surrounding communities about the proposed development on the WE mall FGN in advance of the first HRM hosted public information session on April 12, 2023. SMG Board members participated in all three HRM consultation sessions on May 25, 2023.
SMG launched a web-site in July 2023 designed to be a resource and inspiration for citizens to get involved in advocacy for a complete community design on WE mall FGN https://www.shapemumfordgrowth.ca; as well we established an email account: shapemumfordgrowth@gmail.com.
We presented and participated at the 2023 national urban planning conference (in Halifax) where a design exercise involving urban planners from across the country generated three innovative designs for the WE mall FGN.
SMG hosted a public engagement session in September 2023 as a means to update citizens and learn their ideas and concerns. HRM planners attended the session and answered questions from participants.
SMG Board members have met several times with the district 9 HRM Councillor, HRM urban planners, and planners from across Canada, the new major property owner of WE mall, the Joint Regional Transportation Agency, the provincial Executive Deputy of Housing, our MP for Halifax West and more people that we can learn from and potentially influence.
SMG closes out the 2023-24 year and presents our very first annual report having developed key strategic relationships and put in place SMG Society infrastructure. We enter 2024-25 better equipped to achieve our mission in what promises to be an eventful year. We are actively looking for members and volunteers to join us (contact information above)!