Media Room

News Release

Mayor Kelly Launches Capital District Initiative

(Thursday, November 8/2001)-- Halifax Regional Municipality's new District Capital Task Force was officially launched by Mayor Peter Kelly during a brief ceremony at City Hall this morning.

Mayor Kelly said the Task Force will focus on issues related to the downtown core area, as well as other related business districts. It will serve as a single point of contact between the HRM administration and the business stakeholders.

The Capital District designated area will include the business districts of downtown Halifax, downtown Dartmouth, Spring Garden Road, Quinpool Road, and Gottingen Street. The Task Force will be headed by Carol Macomber, Capital District Manager

The Mayor said " The Capital District Task Force will acknowledge HRM's need, as the largest urban area in Atlantic Canada, to create and maintain a coordinated, economically attractive urban business core. We are trying to develop and maintain a healthy, vibrant, urban core for both residents and visitors. Also, we must reinforce our position as the "capital of Atlantic Canada."

Among the Task Force's first priorities will be development of a Capital District Vision, a Capital District Business Plan and a Communications Plan. They will address such issues as the preservation and enhancement of Capital District assets and the promotion of the Capital District area as a first-class destination for business, residents and tourists.

Mayor Kelly said "The Capital District Task Force will provide greater efficiencies and better coordination among the various levels of government and agencies in dealing with the key issues, such as land use planning, maintenance of public spaces, streetscaping, special events and marketing."

The ongoing mandate for the Capital District Task Force will be:

• to create opportunity for HRM's urban core stakeholders, together to achieve greater success
• to position/brand HRM as the "Capital of Atlantic Canada";
• to preserve and improve HRM's world-class quality of life;
• to provide a point of contact for operational service delivery re: day-to-day and longer term issues;
• to provide a "capital" context and opportunities for HRM's urban core, recognizing the Capital District as the financial, cultural, business, entertainment and governance center for the region.

Mayor Kelly said " Ultimately, the goal of the Capital District project is to position HRM as a capital city of note, not only within Atlantic Canada, but on a national scale as well."

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Mayor Peter Kelly
(902) 490-4010

Carol Macomber
Capital District Manager
( 902) 490-5908