VOICE OF THE PEOPLE

HRM COUNCIL MUST ACT TO HANDLE RAPID GROWTH

Re: Development of the Exhibition Park property (5,000 housing units proposed for Halifax’s Exhibition Park lands, April 1).

It’s time for Halifax regional council to realize we have a housing problem and that metro Halifax is growing at a very fast pace.

When a developer comes along and is willing to take the risk and investment, as is outlined by the plan for the Exhibition Park site, council should be supportive and assist in any way possible.

If they are concerned about infrastructure, such as water, sewer and roads, it is incumbent upon council to make these improvements to accommodate the rapid growth of the city, rather than just complain and put up roadblocks to stall the development.

Change your thinking and be proactive, not negative.

R.M. Nelson, Black Point

NEED FOR SCHOOL MEALS SHOWS STRESS ON FAMILIES

Gail Lethbridge’s column dealt with an important and timely topic (The appetite for a national school food program, April 6).

It is disturbing that school meals should be a necessity today and calls into question our status as a “developed” economy. It is a peculiar kind of development, to say the least.

Lethbridge questioned whether the government in Ottawa should be praised for bringing in a meals program or criticized for taking so long. I think governments here should be criticized for allowing the situation to develop at all.

How do we hope to have an efficient, cost-effective health service without working to ensure adequate nutrition in the population? How do we hope to maintain people’s trust in our democracy if families cannot feed their children? What sort of skimpy approach is it to address poverty and poor nutrition by providing school meals?

Are we trying to avoid the big issue, that families across the population are inadequately waged and that people can afford neither adequate housing nor nutritious food?

Dermot Monaghan, Kingston

HALIFAX BUDGET DESERVED CLOSER INSPECTION

The Halifax Regional Municipality 2024-25 budget approves an increase in transit fares at a time when HRM aims to increase ridership (HRM property tax bill increase nailed down to 6.3 per cent, April 2). Why punish the dedicated riders?

The budget also includes the hiring of an additional supervisor in Parks and Grounds to maintain our fields and pathways. How did they get behind?

The budget does not address the issue of a high number of employees in all departments on PTSD or sick leave, affecting performance.

HRM should have taken this budget and said no to the transit fee increases, no to Parks and Grounds, no to the new Public Safety Office (which is not needed at this juncture) and kept the budget increase at a lower rate than six per cent for the next three years.

Jim Hoskins, Halifax

NO GETTING AROUND NEED FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

I simply can't believe the lack of forethought when it comes to rail transportation for business and passenger travel in this country.

I have been here for 35 years (after moving from New Jersey) and am really stunned about the lack of rail improvement in this country.

I’m not saying the U.S. is any better, but many other forward-thinking countries in the world are well aware of the necessity of train transportation.

It just seems like cars and road construction is the way to go.

Wish we’d wake up and see that is not the way to go. Public transportation is the way to go.