Halifax officials are contemplating the construction of new roadways to link neighborhoods that were affected by a wildfire three years ago. However, some residents harbor doubts about the benefits and potential urbanization that these proposed routes may bring.
At a gathering on Wednesday evening at a community center in Upper Hammonds Plains, numerous individuals scrutinized maps and engaged with city personnel regarding the suggested routes. The meeting materials sought input on three potential pathways connecting Westwood Hills and Pockwock Road in Upper Hammonds Plains, as well as a route from Westwood Hills to Highland Park North.
Gina Jones-Wilson, the president of the Upper Hammonds Plains Community Development Association, expressed approval for the initiative as a positive step forward. She emphasized the importance of establishing an additional route out of her historically Black community, especially after the wildfire incident.
Municipal authorities highlighted that the primary aim of these routes is to facilitate movement between neighborhoods during emergencies and potentially alleviate congestion on the busy Hammonds Plains Road. The issue of limited egress became critical during the May 2023 wildfire, which resulted in the destruction of 150 homes in Upper Tantallon and Hammonds Plains, trapping hundreds of people in lengthy traffic queues.
Various road options were presented for feedback, including gated emergency-only egress routes, permanent paved roads funded solely by the city, or paved roads with some development costs shared with private developers. Jones-Wilson favored a permanent route from Pockwock Road to Westwood Hills along a power line, citing minimal impact on residents.
While Jones-Wilson expressed openness to limited new development, she stressed the necessity of setting a cap on the scale and nature of constructions to prevent overwhelming the existing road infrastructure. Conversely, some residents, like Sabrina Allison, opposed any new development in the area due to concerns about gentrification in the historic Black community.
Melinda Dollar-Thompson, a resident of White Hills, voiced frustration with the available options, emphasizing the urgent need to prioritize creating pathways for large-scale evacuation during emergencies.
A subsequent public event is scheduled for October 15 at the Tantallon Public Library, with an online survey also available for feedback on the connector routes. Furthermore, Halifax plans to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the entire Hammonds Plains Road network and neighboring areas like Indigo Shores in Middle Sackville, which has been identified as one of the least accessible communities in the municipality.
Additional public consultations are anticipated throughout the upcoming winter and into the spring of 2027 to address these infrastructure and community development concerns.