Halifax Residents Weigh In on New Road Connections After 2023 Wildfire
Halifax is seeking public feedback on proposed road connections between neighbourhoods impacted by the May 2023 wildfire, which destroyed 150 homes and caused severe evacuation issues. Options range from gated emergency routes to paved roads shared with private developers, sparking debate over safety, gentrification, and infrastructure capacity.
Halifax residents are providing feedback on a municipal proposal to build new roads connecting neighbourhoods impacted by the May 2023 wildfire. The fire destroyed 150 homes in Upper Tantallon and Hammonds Plains, and hundreds of people were caught in long lines of traffic during the evacuation, with some forced to drive through smoke and flames due to a lack of egress routes.
On Wednesday evening, residents examined maps and discussed the proposed routes at a community centre in Upper Hammonds Plains. Materials presented at the meeting requested feedback on three possible routes between Westwood Hills and Pockwock Road in Upper Hammonds Plains, as well as one route from Westwood Hills to Highland Park North. Municipal staff stated that the goal of the routes is to help people move between neighbourhoods in emergencies and lessen traffic onto Hammonds Plains Road.
The city presented several options for the new connections: gated emergency-only egress routes, permanent paved roads paid for solely by the city, or paved roads accompanied by development to share costs with private developers.
Gina Jones-Wilson, president of the Upper Hammonds Plains Community Development Association, called the proposal a "good start" regarding a second route out of the historic Black community. She said she prefers a permanent route from Pockwock Road to Westwood Hills along a power line where land is already cleared.
Other residents raised concerns about the potential impacts of new development. Sabrina Allison, a resident who noted that Upper Hammonds Plains has a 30 per cent Black population, opposes any route that adds new development, citing concerns about gentrification in the historical Black community. Melinda Dollar-Thompson, a White Hills resident, argued that the priority should be creating roads to get large numbers of people out onto surrounding highways rather than moving them within the area.
A second open house will take place on Oct. 15 at the Tantallon Public Library from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Halifax is also planning a wider look at the entire Hammonds Plains Road system and surrounding neighbourhoods, including Indigo Shores in Middle Sackville.