Evening Grace by Geoffrey Grantham
It’s time! Time for an update on the city’s plans toward building a greenbelt – a greenbelt that we believe should include the Backlands.
The revised Regional government plan, passed in June 2014, contained a provision for the establishment of a greenbelt. The Halifax planning department has been working with a consulting firm to create the Halifax Green Network: An Open Space and Greenbelting Priorities Plan for the Region. http://www.halifax.ca/HalifaxGreenNetwork/
Many of you may remember a session in June 2015 at the Captain William Spry Centre. Following this and sessions in other areas of the municipality, two reports were produced in October 2015:
• What We Heard Report – Phase 1: Foundations, and
• State of the Landscape Report: Issues and Opportunities.
Attendance at the next public session on March 31 is very important. It is our last chance to ensure that the Backlands is identified as a vital area that should be included in the Halifax Green Network. This will bring protection ensuring that development does not occur.
Specifically, feedback from Phase 1 of the Green Network plan and a workshop with stakeholders has been used to “create a refined regional open space network learning scenario,” which will be presented at a series of engagement events throughout the municipality from March 30 to April 7. A formal presentation will take place at each event, followed by a Q&A and open house session.
Please come out and make your thoughts and desires known!
Public consultation for the Halifax area:
Thursday, March 31 from 6 – 9 p.m.
Atlantica Hotel, 1980 Robie Street, Halifax
The Backlands is a special place featuring coastal wetlands as well as flora that is nationally unique and globally significant. Hiking and swimming are but a few activities that are so very close to our city. It is important that the consultants hear this information.
We strongly urge you to attend this very important event.
Sincerely,
Kathleen Hall and Marla Cranston
on behalf of the Backlands Coalition
Backlands background
Please visit our website at backlandscoalition.ca for more details about the Backlands’ ecosystems, landscapes, trails, recreation, bird species and other fauna, nearby communities and more. Ongoing updates on this near-urban wilderness are also available on the Backlands Coalition Facebook page.
Evening Grace
Many thanks to Purcell’s Cove artist Geoffrey Grantham for allowing us to share this image of his painting. Evening Grace, Oil on Panel, 9×12″, Spring 2014, available at Pavia Gallery, Herring Cove.
Geoffrey has a solo exhibition coming up at Pavia in April: www.paviagallery.com/upcoming/.
An 
On January 22, 2016, a resident observed a moose which came up from the shore of Williams Lake and into the backyard. It was a male with antler stubs. 
We have added a new section on the website listing documents that describe the cultural landscape of the Backlands, several of them available on this website.
This first Interim Report on the Green Network Plan will be discussed at a meeting of the 