Public Service Announcement

HRMbyDesign Picks Up Two Prestigious Awards

(October 20, 2010) On its first anniversary, the municipality’s HRMbyDesign Downtown Halifax plan is being recognized nationally for planning and design excellence - twice.

The National City Planning award was presented in Montreal on October 3 at the Canadian Institute of Planners conference in Montreal. The Royal Architectural Institute of Canada’s 2010 National Urban Design Award will be presented tomorrow at 6:30 pm (Oct. 21) at the Lord Nelson Hotel in Halifax.

HRM’s Manager of Urban Design, Andy Fillmore, is accepting the awards on behalf of the volunteer Urban Design Task Force, who, along with the input of thousands of HRM citizens, created HRMbyDesign.

HRMbyDesign is a key element of the Regional Plan adopted by Council in 2006. It is based on clear and predictable policies and regulations that govern building heights, design, building materials, heritage preservation, and overall public realm quality. HRMbyDesign ensures, for the first time, that development in downtown Halifax is subject to review by a citizen-based Design Review Committee to see that every new building makes a positive contribution to the overall look and feel of HRMs urban core.

Since the landmark planning process was set in motion last fall, the Barrington Street Heritage Conservation District Revitalization Plan was created to encourage conservation, restoration and commercial revitalization of Barrington Streets historic buildings, streetscapes and public spaces. The Barrington eSpace development for the former Sam the Record Man property is an example of a project that has progressed through this process for downtown revitalization. More projects will be working their way through the HRMbyDesign process soon.

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Contact:

Shaune MacKinlay
Public Affairs Manager
490-6531

Andy Fillmore
HRMbyDesign Project Manager
490-6495