Councillors reject staff recommendation, support proposed Dartmouth development

It's not something you see often, but five Halifax regional councillors have chosen to go against a recommendation by city staff and support a proposed Dartmouth development.

The councillors, Sam Austin, David Hendsbee, Becky Kent, Tony Mancini and Trish Purdy make up the Harbour East-Marine Drive Community Council.

All of them have put their support behind the development that would see two 12-storey apartment buildings built near Lake Banook, with one of the buildings having frontage on Prince Albert Road.

"For me, it's the first time I can remember going against a staff recommendation in my five years here on council," said Austin, whose Dartmouth Centre district is where the new buildings would go.

"The feedback on this proposal from the community has been overwhelmingly positive."

The development for the residential structures was first pitched 15 years ago.

Twin Lakes Development Ltd., wants to construct one of the buildings fronting on Prince Albert Road near the Atlantic Superstore. The other would be built right behind it on Bartlin Road.

"You just have to look at this location — it's got lakes, Shubie Park, schools and access to the downtown core and close to shopping," said Mancini, the councillor for Harbourview-Burnside-Dartmouth East.

"It's a perfect location and that's why I support this."

Austin said there could be other developments in the same area.

There is already a 16-storey hotel under construction on Prince Albert Road.

"There is a lot of development interest in this area and that's for good reason because it's a good spot for development," said Austin.

"We're going to see a lot more interest in this little part of Dartmouth going forward."

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