join our mailing list!
Residents angry HRM took their lawn signs
November 27th, 2005Official says signs were close to street, thus on city property
By JENNIFER STEWART and MICHAEL LIGHTSTONE Staff Reporter
A community group devoted to building the "right" Mainland North Recreation Centre is shocked that the city removed its signs protesting current development plans.
Clayton Park resident Michael McDonald, a member of the group, says a city employee went around Friday and collected all the signs, which were posted on people’s front lawns.
Each sign read: "Build it right."
"I can’t believe it, I’m just totally flabbergasted," Mr. McDonald said in an interview Friday.
"Obviously we’ve spilt milk on somebody’s cookies."
He said he thinks the city overstepped its boundaries by taking the signs down, but HRM staff disagrees.
On Saturday, Halifax city hall spokesman John O’Brien told The Sunday Herald that the municipality was acting on complaints from property owners who he said wanted the signs purged from their land.
He said any signs that were pulled from properties where homeowners wanted them were on Halifax Regional Municipality land — close to the street, which is not private property.
Mr. O’Brien said the city does the same thing during election campaigns, if candidates’ signs are improperly placed around metro.
He said people who want to erect signs should check with the municipality first.
"That’s bull," Mr. McDonald said Saturday night when he heard the city’s reasoning.
He said volunteers from the community group went door-to-door to get permission before putting up any of the signs.
He argued that his sign at least was well within his property.
"It was right there by my lilac bush," he said, referring to his sign. "Physically, these guys can’t do this. This is my property."
In June, the city announced its intention to replace the dilapidated Northcliffe pool on Clayton Park Drive with a new recreation centre for all of Mainland North. No work has begun yet.
The project is to be completed in two phases. The first is to feature an $8-million recreational pool complete with waterslides and a pool with a current to provide resistance for swimming.
Phase 2, which is to include a 25-metre pool with lanes and a diving platform, as well as a walking track, dance studio, classrooms and meeting spaces, would come at a later date. The price tag for the second phase is $10.4 million.
Mr. McDonald said residents are speaking out because the plans don’t reflect what the community wants in a centre.
"We’re saying, ‘Don’t put in a wading pool,’ " he said, adding that the pool planned for phase 1 will be only about a metre deep.
"It’s just moms and dads together saying if we’re going to put a facility up here, let’s put something in that can meet the needs of everybody. Give us a Cole Harbour Place type of thing."
Mr. McDonald said his group paid about $700 for 250 signs.
When asked about the money lost in the signs collected by municipal staff, Mr. O’Brien said: "That’s their problem, frankly."
"We pick up signs from garage sales to real estate signs and things like that," he said.
"You just can’t plunk a sign down in front of somebody’s property."
Debbie Hum, councillor for the area, did not return calls for comment Friday or Saturday.
