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RELIEF COMMISSION'S PLANS FOR REBUILDING IN DEVASTATED AREA.

Chairman Rogers Announces That It Is the Commission's Ambition to Make the District One of the Best Residential Portions of the City for Person of Moderate Means

The scheme that the Halifax Relief Commission will adopt in the rebuilding of the devastated area was announced by Chairman T. S. Rogers, of the Commission at a special meeting of the City Council held yesterday afternoon at four o'clock. Not only was there a good attendance of members of the Council, but a large representation of citizens were also present to hear the plans of the Commission.
Mayor Hawkins in calling the meting to order stated that the meeting was held for the purpose of hearing Chairman Rogers, whom he then introduced, Mr. Rogers read the announcement of the Commission, following which Mayor Hawkins stated that the announcement was open for discussion, not only by the members of the Council but by any citizen that had any questions to ask. A number of questions were asked, all of which were on the question of the rebuilding of homes. The Chairman announced that individual cases would be decided on their merits.

Mr. Rogers Announcement.

Chairman Rogers' announcement was as follows:
For many reasons beyond the control of the Commission a general statement of its policy as to rebuilding the destroyed houses and the restoration of the affected district structurally has had to be deferred until the present moment. The Commission was delayed for many weeks awaiting settlement of its powers by the Legislature; it then had to submit its proposals to the Federal Government, which Government along with the Imperial Government made the large grants enabling a modern and progressive development possible; it had to await the reports and advice of its architects and engineers, the making of important contracts for essential reconstruction materials, and it felt bound, as far as it reasonably could, to ascertain the individual wishes of the home owners likely to be affected by its proposals. These matters though not fully overtaken have been sufficiently grappled with to enable us to take the public into our full confidence today. The Mayor has been conferred with on several occasions, and the Board of Control has been made aware of the main outline of our policies, and the Commission has every reason to hope for the widest co-operation with us of the civic and other authorities concerned as well as the public generally.
2. Under the provisions of the Act of Legislature recently passed, the Commission has defined the devastated district to include that portion of the city bounded westerly by Robie Street and Longard Road, easterly by Campbell Road, northerly by Leeds Street (running past the Rockhead property) and southerly by the Wellington Barracks property and Russell Street extension The area contains about three hundred and twenty-five acres.

The Richmond District.

3. That part of this district lying between North Creighton Street on the west and Campbell Road on the east is to be more particularly subject to the Commission's regulations as to rebuilding. This portion includes the Richmond district from Russell Street north and both sides of Gottington Street from East Yound Street north. It is the Commission's ambition to make this district one of the best residental portions of the city for persons of moderate means.

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HALIFAX DISASTER RECORD OFFICE
ARCHIBALD MACMECHAN, F.R.S.C.
DIRECTOR
HALIFAX, N.S.
June 5, 1918.

JOURNAL

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PUBLIC ARCHIVES OF NOVA SCOTIA
HALIFAX

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MG 1 vol 2124 number 109