News Release
HRM Committed to Protecting Shearwater Base
(Tuesday, January 23/2001)-- Halifax Regional Council plans to voice its support to ensure that 12 Wing Shearwater will be the home for the replacement helicopter for the aging Sea Kings.
Mayor Peter Kelly says he will write a letter on behalf of Regional Council to the Minister of Defence, the Honourable Art Eggleton, urging the Government of Canada to commit publicly to making Shearwater the base for the replacement aircraft.
The Mayor said 12 Wing Shearwater pays a very important role in supporting Canada's military effort on the East Coast, as well as assisting Canada fulfil its commitment to NATO.
In addition, 12 Wing Shearwater provides more than 1,200 military and civilian jobs within HRM. Regional Council wants to see the base to continue, and even grow, once the contract for the Maritime Helicopter Project (MHP) is awarded.
Mayor Peter Kelly said Halifax Regional Council fully supports the municipality trying to purchase the surplus lands surrounding the military base to ensure that their future use will not conflict with, or do anything to diminish the importance of, the existing military establishment there.
He said "Our primary interest in trying to buy the Shearwater lands is to make sure there continues to be a military establishment at Shearwater, We want to ensure that any future development of the surplus lands will complement the military presence-- not be in conflict with it."
The Mayor said that Regional Council agreed that the surplus lands are vitally important to HRM's long-term growth strategy. However, the future use of the lands will not be decided until after there has been a public consultation process to allow citizen input.
Councillor for the Shearwater area, Bruce Hetherington (District 8-Woodside) said the surplus lands offer tremendous development potential.
Councillor Hetherington said construction of the proposed Shearwater Connector on the surplus lands will help to alleviate traffic congestion on Portland Street, as well as open up the remaining Portland Estates lands, lands on the Circumferential Highway and the Caldwell Road for future development.
The surplus lands site consists of 955 acres of land, with road access, partial services and zoning which now only permits DND activities. The lands are mostly flat, cleared of trees and are surrounded by military, industrial and vacant land uses.
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Mayor Peter Kelly
(902) 490-4010
Councillor Bruce Hetherington
(902) 488-4808
