Consultant calls for changes to Cogswell redevelopment plan

An internationalconsulting firm hired to review Halifax's plans for the redevelopment of the Cogswell Interchange recommends replacing one of the proposed roundabouts with an intersection.

Gehl's report said the roundabout closest to the Historic Properties needs to be more friendly to pedestrians.

The review was cost-shared by the municipality and a group of 27 organizations concerned about the Cogswell plans.

Paul MacKinnon, with the Downtown Halifax Business Commission and a spokesman for the group, said the "roundabout doesn't work well for transit or pedestrians."

"If you take it out it actually creates additional land for development," he said.

MacKinnon adds an intersection should also work better for the truck traffic that uses the route.

The consultants also suggestwidening the sidewalks along the section of Barrington Street that runs through the Cogswellareaand narrowing the lanes of traffic.

As for the height of any buildings that are proposed for development, the report suggests they should be lower than what is there now. That would mean going from a maximum of about 20 storeys to no more than 12 storeys.

Coun. Waye Mason, who represents downtown Halifax, said he thinks many of the ideas will be incorporated into the next design phase.

'All really exciting things'

"I think those are all really exciting things to explore and look at," he said."So we'll see what happens."

A report on the next stage of the Cogswellproject is expected to go to regional council by the end of the month.

In an email, a spokesman for the municipality said the staff report will contain details of the Gehl recommendations and which have been included in the design.

According to Brendan Elliott, there cannot be any further comment until the details are presented and debated by councillors.