Plans to redevelop Bloomfield site back on Halifax council agenda

Plans to redevelop the Bloomfield site in north-end Halifax have been revived and will be discussed at Tuesday's regional council meeting after the previous effort collapsed a year ago.

"We're really happy that the city is once again moving ahead onthe plan," said Ron Skibbens, board member with the community group Imagine Bloomfield. "It's more than a dozen years in the making."

A former school sits on the 1.3-hectare site along with two other buildings on the property.

Imagine Bloomfield helped create a master plan for the site.It included space for artistic and cultural organizations and businesses, as well as open space and affordable housing.

A provincial agency, Housing Nova Scotia, was awarded the job of redeveloping Bloomfield, but walked away in April 2016, saying the project would expose taxpayers to risks that were higher than it could accept.

Halifax municipal planners then put the process on holdwhile new development rules were considered under the city's centre plan for development.

Call for fresh proposals

In a new report, staff suggest putting out a fresh request forproposals. Their report also says theconditions of sale shouldensure the redevelopment includesaffordable housing, open space andartistic and community space.

"We've always been an advocate that it be a family-friendly area 20 to 40 per cent affordable would be great," said Skibbens.

The city plans to demolish the main building and try to save at least elements of the Fielding and Common buildingsbecause of their heritage value.It costs the municipality$90,000 a year to maintain the property.

There is one other wrinkle. TheConseilscolaireacadienprovincialis interested in the Bloomfield property for a P-12 francophone school on the Halifax peninsula.Municipal officials met withrepresentatives of the school board, Francophone Centre, and Universit Sainte-Anne this spring and discussions are ongoing.

City plannerssay another level of government would be needed to acquire the municipal property on behalf of the school board.