Imagine Bloomfield breaks ties with Housing Nova Scotia

A community group dedicated to redeveloping Halifax's Bloomfield site says it has cut ties with Housing Nova Scotia.Imagine Bloomfield saysthe province's public housing organization is moving too slowly.

"We don't believe that anything substantive has happened in the last year and have just lost patience with both Housing Nova Scotia and the city," said Ron Skibbens, a board member of Imagine Bloomfield.

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Halifax regional council awarded the bid to redevelop the Bloomfield site to Housing Nova Scotia in 2012. Imagine Bloomfield was brought in to help the Crown agency plan how to use the property.

The site was going to include affordable housing, along with affordable space for community groups and creative industries.

Three years of waiting

Skibbens said the relationship between Imagine Bloomfield and Housing Nova Scotia broke down. He saidafter three years of waiting,it doesn't appear the agency is moving forward with development of the site.

The Bloomfield property in Halifax's north endis just over a hectare in size and was the site of a former school. There are three buildings on the land, two of which have historical value.

Skibbens hopes by breaking ties with Housing Nova Scotia, the agency will step away from the project.

"Or get the city to push them away from the project and say it's time to get somebody else on the job, somebody who will get it done," said Skibbens.

Housing NS still committed to Bloomfield

Dan Troke,president and CEO of Housing Nova Scotia, said the lines of communication with Imagine Bloomfield have always been open andthe project is moving ahead.

"We have to make sure that we're making good financial decisions and that we're mitigating whatever potential risks there could be, because this is government looking to make investments in affordable housing," said Troke.

He saidhammering out those kinds of details takes time.

"There is a lot of work that needs to be done to make sure this project is as successful as it can be."