Halifax New Years Eve celebrations moved to Emera Oval

Halifax's annual New Year's Eve celebration is moving to the Emera Oval at the Halifax Common.

This year marks the first time themunicipal New Year's Eve concert and national broadcast will take place there. For those who can't make it in person, there will be a livebroadcast on Eastlink Community TV.

The event is usually held at Grand Parade in front of city hall, but that site is being used as an encampment area for people experiencing homelessness amid the city's housing crisis.

CBC News has put in a request for comment to the municipality.

Other events usually held at Grand Parade have been moved to other locations because of the encampment site.That includes this year's Remembrance Day ceremony, which was folded into the ceremony at Sullivans Pond in Dartmouth, and part of the annual tree-lighting eventthis year was held at Peace and Friendship Park.

In its news release regarding New Year's Eve, the municipality noted that Music Nova Scotia 2023 Entertainer of the Year winner and multi-instrumentalist Rankin MacInnis will headline the main stage. The event will conclude with a fireworks show.

The Oval will be open for skating on New Year's Eve, with an evening family skate from 10 p.m. to midnight.There will be an additional skate from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., and a countdown and fireworks display at 9 p.m. for families with young children, the news release said.