There have been over 80 consultations regarding HRMbyDesign. The time has finally come for City Council to approve HRMbyDesign and begin looking to the future of our city. The Halifax Chamber of Commerce understands that while thousands of our members and members of the Halifax business community have shown their support of HRMbyDesign over the past few months through everything from wearing an HRMbyDesign button to attending the consultations, we recognize that many of those who have shown their support will not be able to make it to the final public hearing at City Council on May 5th, 2009. As the voice of business in Halifax, the Halifax Chamber of Commerce will be attending the public hearing on your behalf to show the unbelievable support that is behind HRMbyDesign in our city. It is too late in the process and this issue too important to mince words at this point so here it is, one more time: - Downtown Halifax is dying. Dying from neglect. It is not that there is not the interest or the money or the need to develop the downtown core we have just been tied up in this incessant debate of old vs. new, tall vs. short, and urban vs. suburban. - The unintended message from this process is that Halifax is not a place that looks to the future and does not welcome change or growth. - This prolonged process has also torn apart people and organizations who should be friends. We all knew the different positions years ago and yet insisted on pitting one side against the other in a battle to see who loves Halifax the most. - No plan will please all the people, all the time. This was true of the Economic Strategy in 2005, the Regional Plan in 2006 and will be true of HRMbyDesign. The fact that we don�t have absolute consensus should not be a reason to hold up this plan, which has already brought a new spirit of optimism, a feeling of pride and a continued belief that Halifax has the potential to be the greatest small city in the world. - Finally: We need to get this done because it is just the beginning! The importance of well designed urban areas, including the central business district, supported by well designed surrounding communities has become of monumental importance as we face a changing environmental picture and a rapidly deteriorating energy security situation. Please sign the petition below to show your support for HRMbyDesign. I AM ONE OF THE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WHO MAKE UP THE HALIFAX BUSINESS COMMUNITY RANKS WHO CANNOT ATTEND THE HRMBYDESIGN PUBLIC HEARING ON MAY 5TH, 2009. HOWEVER, I WANT TO EXPRESS MY FULL SUPPORT OF HRMBYDESIGN.

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