Mic Mac Mall could be renamed through M District development

After years of calls for Mic Mac Mall to change its name from a mispronunciation of Mi'kmaq, plans have begun for a major development that would bring in thousands of residents and could prompt a rebrand for the mall.

"It's kind of like a 'finally,'" said Rebecca Thomas, a Mi'kmaw author and Halifax's former poet laureate who has long pushed for a name change.

Having the incorrect spelling for Mi'kmaq (pronounced mig-uh-maw) still be used to this day perpetuates an "uneven hierarchy" about what the real name is, not to mention disrespect, Thomas said.

But Thomas said while the name change of the mall — and eventually the nearby Micmac Boulevard — would be a necessary step, the upcoming project offers much better opportunities to support Indigenous people by including affordable and co-operative housing.

"If we renamed [the street] … after Rita Joe, and then we build a bunch of condos that cost a minimum of $300,000 on Rita Joe Boulevard and not a single person from the Mi'kmaw community here can afford to live there, then that is just as insulting as leaving the name as is," Thomas said.

"What is helpful is helping Mi'kmaw people attain … safe, dignified housing and not having to choose between whether or not their kid gets breakfast or their kids stays warm at night. That's far more meaningful."

Since a 2020 report, the city has been working toward renaming various city assets named for Halifax's controversial founder Edward Cornwallis and other anglicized Mi'kmaw words like Micmac.

Developer Joe Ramia told CBC Thursday that while the M District is the name of the development, consultations are ongoing with the Mi'kmaw community on the mall's name and no final decision has been made.

Anything neutral is "less detrimental" and could work, Thomas said, suggesting the Dartmouth Shopping Centre or Lake City Shopping District.

Last week, Halifax regional council approved the start of master neighbourhood planning for the "M District" that would see a development application move along in tandem with any changes to land-use bylaws, parks, or transit hubs.

WM Fares Architects will handle the project on behalf of Ramia's Rank Inc., according to a staff report.

The current plan is a phased project that would develop the mall parking lots and Chapters building into seven 30 to 36-storey residential towers (about 1,660 units), and five nine-storey residential buildings with ground-floor retail (about 240 units).

There would also be a 12-storey retirement facility (about 400 units) and an addition of six to 14 stories to the west face of the mall that would include parking, office and entertainment space. Underground parking is also planned.

Area councillor Sam Austin said he's heard mixed reviews, but he knows a huge development will naturally bring "shock factor."

But the area already has transit, schools, nearby parks and services that make it ideal for more density, Austin said. That's a sentiment echoed around the council table last Tuesday.

"Really the question now is like 'OK, so it's suitable for large development. What does that exactly look like? What's the scale, what's the public spaces like, you know how does it all fit together?" Austin said in an interview.

The development is in its preliminary stages and there will be lots of opportunity for public consultation in 2023, Austin said, but added he was pleased to see a pedestrian bridge included that would span the Circumferential Highway and connect to walking trails.

However, Austin said he'd like to see the mall's exterior better designed and integrated into the new residential areas so it doesn't result in "just some buildings scattered around the mall."

Consultation in 2 phases

"If we're gonna add a neighbourhood basically the size of a small town around the edge of it, suddenly that exterior of the mall becomes pretty important," Austin said.

"I'm hoping that we can think a little bit bigger."

Rank Inc. owns five of the six plots of land within the M District area, including the mall, while J.D. Irving Limited owns the final parcel. It has not yet submitted plans for its land, where an office building now sits.

The staff report said public consultation on the M District will roll out in two phases.

There will be mail-outs to neighbours, the project will be added to the Shape Your City website and there will be a public meeting to explain the upcoming process.

After a draft master plan is put together, that will then go back to the public for a second phase.