News Release

Community Roundtables Seek Public Input for Mayor’’s Roundtable on Violence

(Sunday, October 21/07) –– Six Community Roundtables will be held over the next three weeks to gather community-specific views as part of the Mayor’’s Roundtable on Violence in HRM. The sessions will identify major challenges regarding violence and perceptions of violence as well as public safety in communities, and will be presented to the Mayor’’s Roundtable in November. The Community Roundtables mark another component of the public feedback process after 1200 phone surveys, a comprehensive mail-in survey of 5000 households, and in-depth focus groups held earlier this year.

“We have a great deal of information from surveys and focus groups, but community-based input is critical to ensure we identify all the challenges we’’re facing in our communities,”” says Mayor Peter Kelly. ““I strongly encourage those interested in this issue to attend the Community Roundtable in their own area, or in one of the others.””

Mayor Kelly, some members of Council and other community stakeholders will participate in the Community Roundtables. The facilitated sessions will provide an overview of work to date and will engage residents in identifying both challenges and potential solutions for violence in communities.

Information from the Community Roundtables, the phone surveys, mail-in surveys and focus groups will be presented to the Mayor’’s Roundtable on Violence panel when it convenes for final discussions over several days in November. The panel will also hear presentations from stakeholder organizations and will discuss strategies. Their work will culminate in a report to be delivered this winter that will include detailed recommendations to address violence and perceptions of violence in HRM.

““I will work diligently and passionately to see our recommendations turned into actions,”” says Mayor Kelly. ““I want to thank all residents for participating in the Roundtable process——together we can make a difference.””

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Mayor Peter Kelly
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Community Roundtables:

October 22

Sackville Heights Community Centre Gym, 45 Connolly Road, Sackville

October 25

Ward 5 Community Centre, 5540 Russell Street, Halifax

October 29 Bethany United Church Hall, 2669 Joseph Howe Drive, Halifax

November 1 Brookside Junior High School, 2239 Prospect Road, Hatchet Lake

November 5 Porter's Lake Community Centre, 4693 No. 7 Hwy, Porter’’s Lake

November 6 Dartmouth High School Cafeteria, 95 Victoria Road

All meetings will begin at 7 pm.