The first of two public engagement sessions on the Africville Visioning project took place on Saturday at the Africville Museum.
“We are working in partnership with the Halifax regional municipality to engage and hear from former residence descendants and the public around their vision for Africville,” says DeRico Symonds, president and co-founder of Ignite Consulting.
Symonds says participants have interest in development projects for the site that include an interpretive centre, potentially a marina as well as the overall economic plan.
Input from residents is paramount in the development process, he said.
“I would say that engaging with the public and specifically former residence and the descendants is very important because there are families who have some hurt and pain on this land, and to proceed without their input for development of this land would not be the way to go. So that’s really what the purpose of this is.”
Africville was settled in 1800s as a home for African-Nova Scotians in the north end of Halifax and grew to become a tightknit community before residents were evicted and it was demolished by the city in the 1960s.
The second engagement session will be held at the Halifax North Memorial Public Library from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday.
