July 18, 2008
Weekly News (Dartmouth, Cole Harbour, NS)
Friday, July 18, 2008,p.5
Jon Tattrie
A packed council chambers applauded city hall's decision to approve a development on the former Dartmouth Marine Slips site close to Alderney Drive last week.
More than 50 members of the public spoke at the four-hour session, expressing their views on Environmental Design Management's $300-million proposal for the King's Wharf project. Almost all spoke in favour of the plans for a mainly residential area, including a 30-floor residential tower, a hotel, parks and retail space.
A few people raised concerns about "in-filling" and the height of the tower. Council voted unanimously to amend its planning strategies and land-use bylaw to allow the project to go ahead.
Downtown Dartmouth Business Commission executive director Tim Olive was "ecstatic" about the move.
"It was absolutely tremendous how the business community and residents came together on this project," he said. "It really puts Dartmouth into the 21st century. We had been stagnating for a number of years ... and a lot of it was because the businesses had a hard time justifying what their future would be. There's a huge light at the end of the tunnel."
Olive said the 2,500 new downtown residents would provide a major kick for Dartmouth's economy. With easy access to the ferry, the project will also attract lots of people who work in Halifax and who want to live in downtown Dartmouth.
Developer Francis Fares can proceed to Dartmouth's community council to seek a development agreement for his project. It will then return to council. The project will take years to build, but ground may be broken as soon as October.
Some residents spoke out against the plans.
Helen Foot, a Dartmouth businesswoman, said the project isn't the right scope or scale for the city.
"It does not meet the vision set out by council in 2000 for the downtown," she told city council. "It is not consistent with view planes and it has a massive piece of concrete which it proposes to put over lovely Alderney Drive."
Others thought the development would prove it is worth it in the big picture of Dartmouth's future.
Dave McDonald, who owns property, runs a business and lives downtown told council the view plane on his property is going to be affected.
"But I'm in favour of it. Anything to help downtown," he said.
Dartmouth Centre Coun. Gloria McClusky was relieved the vote went through.
"I think it will be a catalyst for downtown Dartmouth," said McClusky. "It'll really bring us back to having an active, vibrant downtown."