Halifax City Hall focuses on Wanderers Block at Wednesday meeting

A report regarding the possible future of the space will be presented to the Community Planning Committee Wednesday morning.

The future of the so-called ‘Wanderers Block’ on the Halifax Common was the focus of a meeting at Halifax City Hall Wednesday.

The space between Bell Road, Sackville Street, and Summer Street is home to the Wanderers Grounds, a lawn bowling club, a horse-riding school, the Power House Youth Centre, a parks depot and horticultural greenhouses.

The Halifax Wanderers want a permanent stadium, the Halifax Lancers want to expand, and the Halifax Public Gardens want a botanical conservatory.

“We are asking for a second indoor riding arena similar to what we currently have so that we can run multiple programs concurrently because we’ve currently maxed out all the time and space available in a day,” said Angie Holt, executive director of the Lancers.

However, there’s only so much room, and the report makes it clear not every tenant can get what they want, adding any change to one tenant impacts another.

The functional plan presented on Wednesday at the Community Planning Committee documents how much space is available on the Wanderers Block, competing interests, trade-offs and design options, but stops short of making a recommendation.

Councillor Patty Cuttell said that while she doesn’t want a stadium in the space, she supports a new multi-use facility.

“I see the need for a proper stadium and I also see the opportunity that a new stadium can create in the city in terms of new economic development, new place-making opportunities,” Cuttell said.

The staff report and development options will now go before regional council.

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