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Crowd wants it built right the first time
May 29th, 2008
Protesters marched across the site of the Mainland Common last Saturday to demonstrate against what they call the secrecy of the plans.
Susan Kirkland, chairwoman of the lobby group Build It Right, expressed her frustration with the lack of political help her group is receiving.
"We're here today because we're very concerned about the lack of open communication around what this facility will be," she said. "There have been a number of plans put forward over the last five years, but HRM is not showing us those plans and we feel that as a community and as taxpayers, we have a right to know.
"We would like to send a message to our local councillors, and all of HRM, as well as provincial and federal government, that we believe in democracy and that working in a secret environment is unacceptable."
On the day, the only politician to show up was Liberal MLA Diana Whalen.
Emily Young, 13, and her friend Samantha Tinkler, 14, both of Bedford, joined the demonstration of about 50 people.
The girls play hockey and are hoping a rink will be part of the plan.
"My sister synchronize swims, so I'd like to see a pool," Emily added.
Eleanor Power, of Nightingale Drive, sees the Common as part of a wider effort to improve life in the area.
"I was just reading about a report on reducing crime, and it was saying that if we had more recreational facilities, open more to the public with reduced rates - especially for youth - you would see a decrease in crime," she said. "If they build it big enough, and right, the first time ... it would help the youth, and the community."
The placard-carrying protesters, ranging from strollers to seniors, marched to a gravel lot across from the Keshen Goodman library, where Kirkland stepped onto the back of a pickup truck.
"We're being silenced," Kirkland told the crowd. "As you can see, the land has been cleared and apparently there are plans - those plans are not being shared with the community. That's not right. We have a right to know what's going on here."
Kirkland specifically called for a bigger pool to replace aging Northcliffe, saying the growing area needs at least a 50-metre pool.
"We need the opportunity to have our children, and adults and seniors, take part in recreational activities."
The Build it Right group was formed following a public round table meeting organized by Liberal MLA Diana Whalen on Nov. 2, 2005 at Halifax West High School. It was during the meeting the community realized its own overwhelming disapproval of the direction the Mainland Common Recreation Centre. Attendees were largely unanimous in their opinion that the centre as proposed by HRM on Oct. 19 was completely inadequate.
The concept of a recreation facility located at the Mainland Common site to service the Halifax West region first emerged in 1992 when the former City of Halifax went through a visioning project to determine possible uses for the land.
