Achi news desk-
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 about their vision for Africville,” said DeRico Symonds, president and co-founder of Ignite Consulting.
Symonds says participants are interested in development projects for the site that include an interpretive centre, possibly a marina as well as the overall economic plan.
Input from residents is crucial 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 it would not be possible to proceed without their input to develop” this country is the way to go. So that’s really what this is all about.”
Africville was settled in the 1800s as a home for African-Nova Scots in the north end of Halifax and grew into a tight-knit community before residents were evicted and it was demolished by the city in the 1960s.
The second engagement session will be held at the North Halifax Memorial Public Library from 6 pm to 8 pm on Monday.
