News Release
Hydrostone voted one of 10 “best neighborhoods” in Canada
(April 28, 2011) - The Canadian Institute of Planners (CIP) recently announced that Halifax’s Hydrostone district has been named as one of the top 10 finalists in its first annual “Great Places in Canada” program. The winners will be announced on May 16, 2011.
The finalists were chosen from nearly 6,000 nominations in three categories (Great Streets, Great Neighbourhoods, Great Public Spaces) through online voting and by a judging panel made up of renowned planning experts.
The Hydrostone was nominated in the neighbourhood category as a true mixed-use development with residential, retail commercial, office and public park spaces integrated in a way that reinforces and complements each other. Due in part to the density of the Hydrostone and to its location on Halifax’s peninsula, many residents of the Hydrostone support active transportation and transit which in turn promotes sustainability. In addition, Needham Park and the wide boulevards within the Hydrostone contribute to the urban forest.
“We know what a jewel we have in the Hydrostone neighbourhood,” said District 11 Councillor Jerry Blumenthal. “And now though this program, we have an opportunity to share it with the rest of the country.”
There were 10 finalists chosen for in the neighbourhood category. The other nominees were: Exchange District, Winnipeg, MB, Garrison Crossing, Chilliwack, BC, Harrington Harbour, Côte-Nord, QC, Le petit Champlain , Québec, QC, Osborne Village, Winnipeg, MB, Snaw-Naw-As (Nanoose First Nation), Lantzville, BC, St. John's Ecclesiastical District, St. John's, NL, The Old Town, Yellowknife, NWT and Victoria Park Neighbourhood Heritage Conservation District , Kitchener, ON.
Great Places in Canada is a national recognition program sponsored by the CIP to recognize the work of professional planners and to join with all Canadians in a celebration of the great places in this country. For more information on this program, visit www.greatplacesincanada.ca.
CIP was established in 1919 and has a membership of 7,800 professional planners. The Institute sets a Code of Professional Practice and national standards for training, certification and best practices. For more information on CIP visit www.cip-icu.ca.
For more information on the history of the Hysdrostone neighbourhood visit www.cip-icu.ca/greatplaces/en/place.asp?id=1009 or the Nova Scotia provincial archives website at www.gov.ns.ca/nsarm/virtual/explosion/.
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CONTACT:
Jerry Blumenthal
District 11 Councillor
431-7136 or 237-0720
