Municipality wants input on Cogswell Interchange redevelopment plan

Halifax Regional Municipality is looking for input on their Cogswell District Redevelopment Project.

They'll be holding public engagement sessions on their “60 per cent Concept Plan” starting this week.

The municipality is planning to start demolishing the Cogswell Interchange in early 2019.

Halifax West Armdale councillor Shawn Cleary said this will be a historic opportunity to design a large chunk of Halifax's core.

“Most cities don't get this chance, this is going to be completely virgin bare land once we're done, so what are we going to do with it? How do we want it to look and function?” he asked on NEWS 95.7's The Rick Howe Show.

Some of the plan highlights include a paved multi-use trail, a separated bi-directional bikeway and two roundabouts to slow traffic heading into the downtown.

“What we're really doing here is we're reconnecting the north end to the downtown again, because Cogswell Interchange physically separated those spaces” explained Cleary. “If you've ever tried to walk up those narrow sidewalks with all those six lanes of traffic, it is awful.”

Cleary said the plan also calls for mixed use development, with both retail and residential.

HRM will be setting up the following engagement booths:

• Wednesday, April 11 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Scotia Square, Centre Court, 5201 Duke St.
• Thursday, April 12 from noon to 2 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. at Halifax North Memorial Library, 2285 Gottingen St.
• Tuesday, April 17 from noon to 2 p.m. and 4 to 6 p.m. at Dartmouth Ferry Terminal, 88 Alderney Dr.

There will also be a public open house next week: