Early in the spring (2003) the Maritime Provinces Higher Education
Commission approved the new BCD program to begin the following
fall. Our first class of 33 students began the adventure in September
2003. They come from far and wide: across Canada, and also from
the Caribbean and the US. Good luck to all of them!
Following last year’s review of the graduate program,
a revised masters program began in fall 2003 when we welcomed
23 students from across the globe. They have a wide range of backgrounds:
in the arts, sciences, and the professions. They are bound to
make a great addition to the School.
This is the last year that students from the NSCAD environmental
planning program will be in the School. Their graduation in April
2004 will mark the end of a fine program spanning more than 30
years and graduating over 250 students.
A student from the School, Mark TeKamp, was elected as national
student planning representative on CIP council in April of 2003.
The national student representative speaks for planning students
in schools across the country. This makes four years in a row
that our students have held this important position. His term
is ends in the winter 2004 term, and he encourages interested
students to apply for the position.
In the 2002-2003 academic year, our faculty and research units
won several prizes and awards.
In conjunction with the Joint Community Planning Committee, Frank
Palermo and the Cities & Environment Unit were awarded
a prestigious EDRA/Places Planning Award for Places by the Environmental
Design Research Association (EDRA) out of Berkeley, California
and the internationally circulated journal Places. This award
recognizes the continuing contribution that the Unit has made
with the First Nations Community Planning Project underway since
1998.
School director, Jill Grant, won the Canadian
Institute of Planners’ Award of Excellence for Impact on
the Profession, for her research on mixed use (published in the
Journal of the American Planning Association).
Frank Palermo was named a Fellow of the Canadian Institute of
Planners in July 2003 in recognition of his contribution to the
planning profession in Canada.
The API has pledged to donate $10,000 to the Faculty’s
capital campaign over a five year period. This gift exemplifies
the profession’s continuing commitment to planning education.
API has also increased its scholarship fund for planning students,
and agreed to help the School develop a mentoring program to link
professionals with graduate students. The School enjoys an excellent
relationship with the regional professional organizations.
Several students and faculty members participated in the CIP
conference held in Halifax in July 2003. Congratulations to the
students who presented papers: Michael Logan, Kirstin Maxwell,
Lindsey Mittelsteadt. Many others volunteered as session assistants
or registration helpers. It was a great learning experience for
all.
We had a number of successful thesis defences in spring and
summer of 2003. Congratulations to all!
NSCAD:
Heather Cannon, Chrissy Nickerson, Carla Slaunwhite, and Laura Walsh.
MURP:
Jason Thistle, Lindsey Mittelsteadt, Heather Ternoway, Jeff Daniels,
Mike Logan, Steffen Kaeubler, Dave Stewart, Ravi Singh, Brooke
Melles, and Sean Carter
Jill Grant continues her research on development
trends in residential neighbourhoods. This summer two graduate
students worked with her on the gated communities research project.
This examines the planning response to gated projects; the inventory
has identified over 240 gated enclaves in Canada. (Visit the web
site www.dal.ca/~gated ) She also continues to write about the
influence of new urbanism on Canadian planning practice. She was
heavily involved in organizing the July Canadian Institute of
Planner’s conference in Halifax: she presented a paper at
the conference, in a session with graduate students Kirstin Maxwell
and Lindsey Mittelsteadt. With colleagues at University of Toronto
and University of Tokyo she edited a book, Managing urban change,
which will appear from Ashgate UK in March 2004.
Susan Guppy’s interest in food in planning
has grown out of her work in urban ecology, as well as her experience
in a recent studio project with a rural community divided by the
prospect of a new supermarket. She presented a paper on her research
at the CIP conference in July. She has also been working with
a planning student, Leah Sturgess, on a pilot study of the potential
for time planning in a Canadian city. In association with the
CIP conference, Susan organized a workshop on rural decline and
urban growth for the Association of Canadian University Planning
Programs. This generated a lively discussion about the changing
dynamics of the country.
Patricia Manuel is working with colleagues at
Saint Mary’s and Dalhousie on a research proposal related
to community based watershed planning in Halifax Harbour. Her
wetlands research will be published this fall. Patricia presented
two papers at the CIP conference: one on the Eastern Chebucto
Peninsula community led planning charrette; the other on facilitating
the needs of children through community planning and design. Patricia
also developed the Maritimes field trip program, and a new course
in landscape analysis.
Mike Poulton returned from sabbatical leave
in fall 2003. He has been working on two research projects. His
research on public choice, economics, and planning theory has
involved examining the education that planners receive, and in
particular the typical content of economics as taught in planning
programs. He asks whether planners in their everyday activities
need much more than 'common sense' economics. His investigation
of “smart growth or just higher densities” explores
current and emerging patterns of development on the urban periphery.
His initial case studies involve Halifax and Cardiff. While the
smart growth literature promulgates integrated designs for compact
communities with a mix of services and housing types, he notes
that it is by no means certain that the industry will deliver.
Frank Palermo continues with his award-winning
work on the First Nations Community Planning project. He is on
sabbatical leave for 2003-04. The Cities and Environment Unit
released its First Nations Community Planning Workbook in September
2003. In the summer of 2003, the Unit had five regular staff and
four summer students engaged in project work. Frank is currently
involved in discussions with Indian Affairs in Ottawa about how
First Nations community planning may be done elsewhere in Canada.
This summer Frank gave a speech to the Building Owners and Managers
Association meeting on changing demographics. He has also been
consulted on the region’s capital district urban design
strategy.
John Zuck has been working in Trinidad with a
Mount Saint Vincent University project to help prepare teachers
for a new curriculum based on a design approach to learning. John
has also been working with other consultants on several projects
for Halifax Regional Municipality. These projects include the
Bayne Street Land Use Study, which consulted with residents to
identify redevelopment options for a site in the north end of
the Halifax peninsula; and the Barrington Street Study, which
looked at built heritage conservation as a tool for downtown revitalization.
John also co-authored a paper with Patricia Manuel and Marjorie
Willison that was presented at the 2003 CIP Conference.
In
2002, planning student Jaret Lang designed a new poster for the
School of Planning.
In fall 2003, BCD student Debbie Uloth helped us update the poster
for a second printing.
With its vivid blue colour and bold design, the poster is receiving
rave reviews.
