N.S. coalition calls for development freeze in Hammonds Plains over safety concerns

Emily Roy and Patrick Wheaton with the Pockwock Corridor SAFE (Safety Access and Fire Egress) group are pictured. (Callum Smith/CTV News Atlantic)

A new coalition is calling for an immediate development freeze along the Pockwock Corridor in Hammonds Plains, N.S., citing safety concerns.

The Pockwock Corridor SAFE (Safety Access and Fire Egress) group says the Pockwock Corridor area is on track to double its population, which would put strain on Pockwock Road, the single evacuation route.

“We’re not against development, we’re against unplanned development,” says Patrick Wheaton, with the Pockwock Corridor SAFE.

“We need a connection from the 103 to the 101 yesterday.”

Councillor John Young agrees.

“We can’t kick this can down the road another three years. Something has to be done. Something has to be done right away,” he says.

Three years ago, the Upper Tantallon and Hammonds Plains wildfire forced 16,000 people to evacuate and destroyed 151 homes. The fire, which started on May 28, 2023, burned 969 hectares.

“Surrounded by remnants of the fire, the area’s most vulnerable populations, including children in schools and daycares, and senior facilities, are being left exposed as development continues to outpace critical infrastructure,” a news release from the group reads. “Residents warn that ongoing inaction regarding emergency egress has shifted from a public safety crisis to blatant negligence.”

The group says the community is scheduled to have more than 1,609 new multi-unit dwellings, which could double the local housing.

“With that 1,609 new units, that equates to almost 6,000 vehicles in the same area. Imagine trying to get 6,000 vehicles out during an emergency, one way in and one way out. That’s a recipe for disaster,” says Young.

The group is calling for a temporary freeze on new development approvals, exclude those done through community consultation by the Upper Hammonds Plains Community Land Trust.

They also want connector and emergency egress roads to alleviate the single evacuation route and a coordinated plan to implement traffic and infrastructure upgrades.

“The time for empty promises has passed,” says Emily Roy with the group. “We need an immediate emergency directive for connector roads and a comprehensive functional plan. We require commitment and urgency from our elected officials before history repeats itself.”

“What’s at risk is what happened three years ago. The writing’s on the wall. We can see this, it’s preventable. We don’t want this ever happening again to any other community. And at the end of the day, that’s what it’s all about,” added Wheaton.

In March, the province announced a connector between Hammonds Plains Road and Highway 1010 for congestion and emergencies. Last year, city hall approved a 500 metre egress from Westwood Boulevard to Highway 103.

Young says he hopes to have locals’ voices heard as a staff report on egresses is set to come to council in July, adding locals want action before it’s too late.

With files from CTV Atlantic’s Callum Smith.

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