The neighbourhood surrounding the West End Mall has existed since the founding of Halifax. The transformation from a farming community to the urban area we recognize today began over 100 years ago and accelerated tremendously during and immediately following World War II.

And now the times call for yet another transformation, with new housing of all types again badly needed in HRM.

The West End Mumford Development process promises to bring yet another transformation of the landscape, with more residents and the potential to become an even more vibrant and welcoming neighbourhood. 

We are living in a housing crisis. Governments are under pressure to address the issue today. This is a challenging context in which to make sound decisions for the short and long term.

Decision makers find themselves making choices that they would otherwise not choose were it not for the crisis.

Development proposals offer relief from this pressure felt by decision makers to “do something” to address the very real problem.

But, in this multiple-interests, crisis planning context, the citizens’ voice is critical to the plan and development of a liveable, well-serviced, reasonably dense community on the West End mall FGN.

The challenge is to balance the interests of citizens and future citizens, HRM stated vision and objectives for Future Growth Nodes (FGNs) and the profit interest of developers and property owners.

Nowhere in HRM’s visioning for FGNs does it suggest that the proposal on the table would be appropriate or even considered.