The View from Citadel Hill in Halifax Should Not Be Sacrificed for a Convention Centre

Transcription

1 The View from Citadel Hill in Halifax Should Not Be Sacrificed for a Convention Centre A Brief to the Government of Canada February 15, 2010 Executive Summary The view from Citadel Hill has been important to Nova Scotians for 250 years. The City of Halifax and Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) have passed policies, viewplanes, and height limits to protect views between viewplanes. The federal government owns and operates Citadel Hill, and has policies to protect the view and a tradition of acting to protect the view. Buildings of modest height have been profitably constructed near Citadel Hill. 800,000 people visit Citadel Hill and take in the view each year. The Citadel is the most important tourist attraction in Nova Scotia. In June, 2009, HRM Council amended a by-law to allow towers of 14 and 18 storeys on the former Halifax Herald and Midtown sites, only if a government funds a convention centre on the sites. The fate of the view is now in the hands of the federal government. If the government funds the convention centre proposed for this site, two towers would be allowed to dominate the Citadel and block the view. A survey indicates that 91% of downtown pedestrians do not want these towers. Eight times more people visit Citadel Hill than visit the present World Trade and Convention Centre. There are 17 alternative places in downtown Halifax to put a convention centre, where it would not block the view. To fund a convention centre and allow these towers would be contrary to the national interest. The federal government should not fund a convention centre on the Herald and Midtown sites.

2 2 The Importance of the View through the Years In 1749 the original town site of Halifax was chosen because of the proximity of Citadel Hill and the harbour. A fort was constructed on the hill, where it commanded excellent views over the town and the harbour. As soon as the town was built, Citadel Hill was also used for recreation. In 1759, Richard Short sketched the view from the Hill, with George s Island in the centre and an early parade of sail in the harbour. In the foreground, men in three-cornered hats chat with a woman in a long dress, and below, a town is emerging, with church steeples and little houses arranged in rows. The view from Citadel Hill has continued to be a favourite for artists and photographers for 250 years. Particularly popular is the view of George s Island. Television news clips and advertisements often feature this view when they want to say, This is Halifax! Richard Short s engraving of George s Island and sailing ships from Citadel Hill, 1759 Halifax Protects Views and Viewplanes In the 1960s, tall buildings were constructed and started to block the view. The public rallied to protect the view. The Government of Canada supported this effort. In 1974, Halifax Council adopted 10 triangular viewplanes to protect view corridors from specific spots on Citadel Hill. Even before the viewplanes were adopted, Council recognized that, if tall buildings were permitted near the Citadel, between the narrow ends of viewplanes, the buildings could wall off the view and dominate the Citadel. The map at the

3 3 right highlights in orange the areas near the Citadel between viewplanes. Of the perimeter of Citadel Hill to the south, east and north, fully 70% is between viewplanes and only 30% is protected by viewplanes. If tall buildings were permitted between viewplanes, the harbour would be visible only in narrow gaps between buildings, resulting in a picket fence effect. Each viewplane only protects the view from one point on Citadel Hill. If tall buildings were permitted between viewplanes, close to the Citadel, a person a few feet to the left or right of the official viewing position would find that even the protected view would be partly cut off by the nearby buildings. In 1978, Halifax Council adopted Policy 6.2 to protect views between viewplanes. Based on this policy, City Council and the provincial review board in 1984 rejected two towers between viewplanes. The federal government, on behalf of Parks Canada, intervened in this case and in other cases, acting to protect views between viewplanes. In 1985, Halifax Council, with the support of the Government of Canada, adopted more policies to control heights in the vicinity of Citadel Hill, to avoid walling off the view between viewplanes. The City shall maintain or recreate a sensitive and complimentary setting for Citadel Hill by controlling the height of new development in its vicinity to reflect the historic and traditional scale of development... Halifax Municipal Planning Strategy City-wide Policy 6.3. Based on these policies, municipal staff, the provincial review board and the Court of Appeal rejected a tower on the very site of one of the towers proposed today. In 2006, Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) Council adopted Policy CH-5 in the new Regional Municipal Planning Strategy: HRM shall support views and viewplane policies These shall not be relaxed by way of any land use regulation or development agreement process. It has never been enough simply to obey the viewplanes. These policies have worked. The Prince George Hotel, the Cambridge Suites, Barrington Gate, the Molson Building and the Marriott Residence Hotel have all been constructed profitably with heights between five and seven storeys. The View from Citadel Hill Is an Asset Today Now, 800,000 people visit Citadel Hill each year. Of these, 84% enjoy the view from the roadway without entering the fortress. People go to Citadel Hill to see the view. 93% of HRM residents surveyed in 2007 said they go to Citadel Hill and see the view. The Citadel was voted the top Wonder of Halifax in 2007.

4 4 The Citadel is the single most important tourist attraction in Halifax (and in fact the Province), according to a Gardner Pinfold economic study. Tourists spend $1,400,000,000 annually in Nova Scotia Places to See Before You Die starts its section on Halifax by stating that the Citadel ramparts are impressive and equally impressive are the views over Halifax and the second largest natural harbour in the world. The view is a major attractor of business, employment and employees to downtown Halifax today. Real estate consultants Turner Drake & Partners said recently, A key driver of demand for all types of space in Downtown Halifax is its unique character which in turn is defined in large part by the heritage buildings and their relationship with the harbour. The environment thus created is Downtown Halifax s major competitive advantage, which, once destroyed will never be reincarnated. The view is a major benefit and creator of jobs. The Events of 2009 Early in 2009, the municipal Urban Design Task Force completed work on a new Downtown Halifax Secondary Planning Strategy. The area just east of Citadel Hill was defined as Precinct 6, Upper Central Downtown. New, low to mid-rise buildings will be designed to ensure proportional relationships to the shallow depths of the blocks and narrow widths of the streets. This precinct includes the former Halifax Herald and Midtown blocks. Specifically, the Strategy proposed a maximum pre-bonus height for the area in yellow at the right of 22 metres (72 feet), which would allow a six-storey office building or a seven-storey hotel or apartment building. This area includes the former Halifax Herald and Midtown blocks. If a developer spends extra money to provide specific public benefits in excess of the minimum development requirements, the developer would be able to buy an extra six metres of height, enough for an extra two storeys. The Task Force also recommended limiting the heights of buildings at the street line, and setting back any higher portions. This provision was designed to provide for attractive streetscapes, to allow light to reach the sidewalks, and to avoid unpleasant wind effects. In the Upper Central Downtown, this limit was 15.5 metres, or about four storeys. No tall buildings were to be allowed in the Upper Central Downtown. Elsewhere, tall buildings were limited to a maximum width of 38 metres, to avoid slab blocks and again to allow sunlight to penetrate.

5 5 The Last Minute Amendment In the meantime, HRM Council held in camera discussions about a proposal by Rank Group for a convention centre, Nova Centre, on the former Halifax Herald and Midtown Tavern sites in the Upper Central Downtown. When the Task Force s proposed new Planning Strategy came before Council, the majority on Council amended the Strategy to increase heights on the Herald and Midtown blocks to 18 and 14 storeys, if, and only if, a government funds a convention centre on the site. The amendment exempts the convention centre towers from the height, set back and maximum width provisions of the Strategy. The text of the amendment follows: Publically-Sponsored Convention Centre (15A) Notwithstanding any provision of this By-law except subsections (14) through (17) of section 8, a publically-sponsored convention centre together with retail, hotel, residential or office, and underground parking space, may be developed on the two blocks bounded by Argyle Street, Prince Street, Market Street and Sackville Street in accordance with the drawings attached as Appendix "B" to this By-law. For the purposes of this subsection, publically-sponsored convention centre means an establishment funded or otherwise financially supported by any or all levels of government which is used for the holding of conventions, seminars, workshops, trade shows, meetings or similar activities, and which may include dining and lodging facilities for the use of the participants as well as other compatible accessory facilities. (Subsections 8(14)-8(17) refer to the viewplanes, not the views.) Appendix B

6 6 What Is at Stake? The centre harbour view of George s Island from the roadway on Citadel Hill today. The viewing position is to the southwest of the Town Clock. This image shows the same view with the outline of the convention centre towers shown in grey. The image has been checked with an image generated by a municipal computer.

7 7 If the federal government funds a convention centre on the former Herald and Midtown sites, the convention centre towers would block four times as much view as the Aliant tower, and would almost totally hide George s Island. Most of this view would be walled off, except where there is a viewplane between the proposed office tower and the Aliant Building. The convention centre towers would be higher than Citadel Hill itself and taller and wider than the tower that was rejected by the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal. The project would dominate the central downtown skyline. It would break the tradition of low-rise buildings in this area. The 18-storey hotel would be a slab block, 71 metres wide, almost twice the width allowed elsewhere downtown. It would rise straight up from Argyle Street across from the sidewalk cafes and diagonally across from St. Paul s Church. The 14-storey office tower would rise straight up from Market Street with no set back. To accommodate the 60,000-square-foot floor plates of the convention centre, the building would span Grafton Street, creating a super-block. Pedestrians would have to navigate around five loading docks. The public would have no further say about the scale or massing of this development. The work of the Urban Design Task Force would be bypassed. For 250 years, the public has had the right and the ability to see George s Island from the roadway on Citadel Hill. If the federal government provides funds to this development, it will be impossible to have a clear view of George s Island from the roadway. For 250 years the view has been free for the enjoyment of all citizens and visitors. The view is public. Taxpayers funds should not be used to help one developer at the expense of the public view. The Public Does Not Want these Towers On May 31, 2009, the opinions of downtown pedestrians were surveyed. Of three images of the view from Citadel Hill, 91 % of pedestrians expressed opposition to the image with the convention centre towers included. The survey is accurate to within 7 %, 95 times out of 100. At the Halifax Farmers Market on October 31, people lined up to sign a petition against these towers. The people are strongly attached to the view from Citadel Hill. This view belongs to the people. The government should not proceed with a project that the community does not support.

8 8 The Proposed Towers Conflict with the National Interest The Government of Canada has owned Citadel Hill for a century. For 50 years the Hill has been operated by Parks Canada. Recreation and historic commemoration are the primary roles of the Hill. In May 1951, the National Historic Sites and Monuments Board recommended that Halifax Citadel Hill be declared of national historic significance. In 1965 the Board gave the following reasons: The Halifax Citadel is of national historic significance because of its role in the development of Halifax as one of four principal naval stations of the British empire during the 18th and 19 th centuries and because it is an important element in the uniquely complete conspectus of shore defences (known collectively as the Halifax Defence Complex) that developed at Halifax between the 18th century and World War II. To understand the role of Citadel Hill, it is essential that it continue to be visually linked to the harbour and to the shore defences, such as George s Island. The 1998 Commemorative Integrity Statement includes the objectives that historic scale of the fort and assets are not compromised by future developments, topography (e.g. glacis) is respected by future development plans. Parks Canada has always supported protection of the view between viewplanes, twice formally intervening in cases before the provincial review board, and providing expert testimony to the board and oral and written representations to the municipal council. Testifying on behalf of Parks Canada, Dr. Ron McDonald, Cultural Resource Manager, Atlantic Service Centre, said Views and viewplanes facing the water contribute in two ways to the value of the national historic site. They illustrate the relationship between the Citadel and the harbour and town below and they also explain how the Citadel relates to other components of the Halifax Defence Complex. The views and viewplanes provide visible links between the Citadel and components of the harbour defences on George s Island, on McNab s Island, and on the Dartmouth shore. The Commemorative Integrity Statement states that the historic place as a whole is of national historic significance in part because of the views and viewplanes, which have strategic value to the military by providing visible links with both the elements of defence and the elements being defended, he continued. The Cultural Resource Management Policy starts from the premise that an activity that compromises the commemorative integrity of a national historic site will not be permitted. The federal Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada recommend preserving viewscapes such as vistas, views, aspects, visual axes and sight lines that may (or may not) be framed by vertical features or terminate in a focal point that are important in defining the overall heritage value of the landscape. The Standards recommend against removing or radically changing viewscapes that are important in defining the overall character of the landscape. Allowing viewscapes to be altered, obscured or lost through incompatible development or

9 9 neglect. Failing to take adequate measures to protect viewscapes. The Standards also say that related new construction should be physically and visually compatible with, subordinate to and distinguishable from the historic place. In 2009, Hon. Jim Prentice, Minister of the Environment, signed the Management Plan for the Citadel and other elements of the Halifax Defence Complex. This Plan promises that Parks Canada will where appropriate, participate in public processes and work with others to ensure development of lands in the vicinity of the national historic sites of the Halifax Defence Complex does not significantly impact their commemorative integrity; work with stakeholders, responsible authorities and owners of properties in the vicinity regarding complementary land uses and legislatively protected views and viewplanes from specific points at the Halifax Citadel; in the event that Halifax Regional Municipality reviews the municipal planning strategy for the central business district or other areas in the vicinity of the Citadel, become involved in the review especially to ensure ongoing protection of views and viewplanes; and seek to be involved or consulted in development decisions for properties in the vicinity. View protection is central to this Plan, with the words views and viewplanes appearing 51 times in the document. Thus the federal government has a clear policy to protect views from Citadel Hill and to act to provide that future developments respect the scale of the Citadel and the topography of the Hill. Parks Canada has been consistent over the last 35 years in its concerns about the impact of downtown development on Citadel Hill. The commemorative integrity of Citadel Hill would be impaired through this development. Historically important views would be blocked. The legibility of the topographical relationship between the fort, the hill, the historic town and the harbour would be obscured. The towers would overwhelm the historic scale of the fort, and would reduce appreciation for its strategic location in the harbour defence system. The Nova Centre proposal does not meet the tests in the Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada. It would be inappropriate for any department or agency of the federal government to act contrary to the well established policy of Parks Canada. It would be inappropriate for any department or agency to fund a convention centre supporting towers that would block the view and dominate the Citadel. The World is Watching The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in 1976 adopted its Recommendation concerning the Safeguarding and Contemporary Role of Historic Areas, which states: Historic areas and their surroundings should be regarded as forming an irreplaceable universal heritage. Authorities should be answerable for their performance of this duty in the interests of all citizens and of the international community. There is a real danger that newly-developed areas can ruin the environment and character of adjoining historic areas. Architects and town planners should be careful to ensure that views from and to monuments and historic areas are not spoilt.

10 10 If the Towers Are Constructed, the Federal Government Will Be Blamed If the federal government funds a convention centre on these blocks, the federal government will also decide to allow the two towers and to allow the view to be blocked. The convention centre would only occupy two floors of this development. However, because of the peculiar wording of the new municipal by-law, the federal government is also responsible for deciding the height, width and set back of the development. It is not correct to say that the height of these buildings is a solely a municipal responsibility. The Nova Centre would be a symbol of exploitation. The federal government would share the blame. The View Is More Important than a Convention Centre Eight times more visitors from outside Nova Scotia to HRM visit national and provincial historic sites than attend conventions and conferences, according to the provincial exit survey in Specifically, eight times more people visit Citadel Hill than visit the present World Trade and Convention Centre. The view from Citadel Hill is a tourist attraction that helps bring in conventions. It makes no sense to block the view. There Are Better Locations for a Convention Centre There are better sites for a convention centre, sites that do not generate a right to construct tall buildings near the Citadel. There are 1,000,000 square feet of vacant land in downtown Halifax. Most of this land is owned by governments. Vacant sites in downtown Halifax are shown on the map. The Province owns sites 1 and 7, the Waterfront Development Corporation, a crown corporation funded by the federal and provincial governments, owns site 2 to 5, HRM owns sites 6 and 8 to 10 and has an agreement to purchase site 11, and private interests own the other sites. Sites 1, 4, 10, 11, 13, 16 and 17 are adjacent to existing hotels. The VIA station is between sites 16 and 17. To the right of site 16 are the federally-owned lands of the Port Authority. Here the federal government has recently constructed the Cunard Centre. This has a 45,000 square foot room, without columns and with ceiling heights of 20 to 28 feet. This space is larger than the ballroom proposed for the Herald and Midtown site. There are large parking lots here which could provide

11 11 space for other elements of a new convention centre. The Government Has Another Option: The federal government can tell Rank Group that the heights of the towers must be lowered to protect the view if they wish federal funding. The total height should not exceed 52 feet in the block between Market and Grafton Streets and 60 feet in the block between Argyle and Grafton. Please do not provide any federal funding for a convention centre in Halifax until there is an ironclad guarantee that there will be no damage to views from Citadel Hill. Federal funds should not be used to harm federal interests. References: Halifax, by Dusan Kadlec Halifax Regional Municipality, Halifax Municipal Planning Strategy with Amendments to October 11, Halifax Regional Municipality, Regional Municipal Planning Strategy, August, Dr. Ronald McDonald, transcript of testimony, Utility and Review Board, February, 2007.

12 12 Daily News, The Seven Wonders of Halifax, September 15, Gardner Pinfold Consulting Economists, MariNova, Cantwell and Company, Economic Potential of HRM and Halifax Harbour in Support of Regional Planning, Halifax, Patricia Schultz, 1000 Places to See in the USA and Canada Before You Die, Workman, New York, Turner Drake & Partners Ltd., Market Survey of Downtown Halifax (Demand, Capacity & Baseline Indicators), Halifax, Halifax Regional Municipality, Downtown Halifax Secondary Municipal Planning Strategy and Land Use By-law, October, Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal, General Design Requirements, 2007 Edition, Halifax, P1-S1-6, Building Design. Corporate Research Associates Inc., Nova Scotia Department of Tourism, Culture and Heritage, 2004 Visitor Exit Survey, Halifax, Trade Centre Limited, Annual Report, Halifax, Deloitte and Touche LLP and affiliated entities, RFP Stage 1, June, Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal, The New World Trade and Convention Centre, Stage 2RFP, October, Department of Canadian Heritage, Halifax Citadel National Historic Site Commemorative Integrity Statement, Ottawa, Parks Canada, Halifax Citadel, Georges Island, Fort McNab, Prince of Wales Tower and York Redoubt National Historic Sites of Canada Management Plan, Ottawa, Parks Canada, Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada, Ottawa, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, Recommendation concerning the Safeguarding and Contemporary Role of Historic Areas, Paris,