The Backlands Coalition

The Halifax Adventure Seekers, an OUTDOOR social meetup group, gave the Purcell Cove Conservation Lands a high rating after hiking the area last Thursday.

Amongst the comments:

• A most enjoyable hike in an area that is truly unique. From the stark futuristic landscape to the beautiful contrasting wildflowers set amongst the many vistas, lakes and streams. It is now one of my favourite places to hike.
• It is a stunning natural area, a gem for Halifax nature lovers.
• A unique spot to explore and I hope to return again soon.
• What a beautiful area.
• This hike was absolutely incredible.
• Loved this magical place. I will return.

Continue reading →

There is meeting on Tuesday June 10, at 6.30 p.m. at Captain William Spry Community Centre (Spryfield) concerning a proposal to make a parking lot within Long Lake Provincial Park. The proposal has been made by a developer who has excess rock and needs to dispose of it. The parking lot would have an associated trail system. These do not conform fully with the official park management plan. The meeting has been called by DNR parks division and will determine whether this proposal goes ahead. The park management plan would need to be amended because this proposal will affect access to the park and the trail concept within the plan. View Poster for the meeting

Our native Azalea, Rhodora (Rhododendron canadense) is in full bloom at the edges of wetlands and in smaller wet spots in the Backlands. A recent visitor to the area described being transfixed by this species, about which Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote “beauty is its own excuse for Being”. View visitor’s blog

Panayoti Kelaidis, Senior Curator and Director of Denver Botanic Gardens Outreach, was enthralled by our Backlands on a recent visit to Halifax, and pleads for their preservation. Read Panayoti’s blog “Blueberries and crowberry make a groundcover that would be the envy of any designer!…More than anything, I kept thinking “Japanese Garden” as I looked around the area–the gnarly little jackpines and the rich texture of groundcover could easily be tweaked to create a heavenly Japanese garden if one wished to do so: why bother–I prefer what’s already here!”

A resident of Ferguson’s Cove forwarded this 2006 Bird’s eye view of the Backlands with this message” “I’ve recently received this 2006 bird’s eye view of the ‘big picture’ that includes the Backlands. A picture is worth a thousand words. Wonderful, wonderful work everyone!” Thanks!

 
 
 

Spring has sprung, finally!

From Metro News: “Tie vote ends development debate on contentious Purcell’s Cove backlands issue…City staff will lead a process examining the possibility of bringing the Purcell’s Cove backlands into public ownership after a vote defeated the prospect of opening the lands up for development.” More details in Halifax Media Co-op article. Also Catherine McKinnon on Rick Howe Show (Go to 16 min.)

An article in the Metro new today (May 19th) cites the Backlands as a key issue in the upcoming decisions related to RP+5. Read article

Halifax Councillors are expected to vote tomorrow on a controversial request by four developers to change the current Urban Reserve designation for a significant portion of the Purcell’s Cove/Williams Lake Backlands. The issue is on the agenda for the Committee of the Whole meeting, as part of the larger debate and vote on final revisions for the Regional Plan.

“We’re counting on our elected representatives to heed the wishes of their constituents, and also to follow the advice of City Planning Staff. Staff have been unwavering in their stance on this issue,” says Catherine McKinnon of the Backlands Coalition. Continue reading →

The Staff Report was released yesterday. Here are some comments from OurHRM Alliance:

Dear Alliance,
Our HRM Alliance fully endorses the staff report on the proposed amendments to the Regional Plan. It uses strong language to reject nearly all amendments. The report can be found here:
http://www.halifax.ca/council/agendasc/documents/140520cow3i.pdf
Here are the key points:
The report recommends against changing the Purcell’s Cove and Westphal Urban Reserve designations because there is already enough land prepared to be developed in those areas. Development there would also be “pre-mature” because more needs to be done to study the water and traffic impacts of development on those lands. Continue reading →