HRM hosts public consultation for first rural active transportation plan

HALIFAX - Residents in the Porters Lake area will have the opportunity Monday night to weigh in on the creation of Halifax’s first rural active transportation plan.

The Halifax Regional Municipality is hosting a public consultation session to gather community input for the development of the Porters Lake and Surrounding Communities Active Transportation Plan.

“Basically we want to hear from the local residents to make the community a safer place to walk and bike in,” said district councillor David Hendsbee.

“This is going to be setting the tone for other communities,” he said, adding that the plan is the first to be developed outside the urban service core boundary.

The aim of Monday’s gathering is to gather information for a proposal, which Hendsbee said will be presented to the community for consideration during a follow-up meeting scheduled for Oct. 28.

The HRM is collaborating with community-based Shore Active Transportation Commit- tee for the project, which will cover the area between Porters Lake and Musquodoboit Harbour.

The goal of the city’s active transportation plan is to encourage more walking, cycling and other human-powered modes of transportation, according to a municipal press release.

The public meeting is scheduled for Monday, Sept. 30, between 7 and 9 p.m. at the Lake & Shore Community Recreation Centre in Porters Lake.