City at a critical juncture : Halifax's Town Planning Board at the end of the Progressive Era, 1911-1924

Abstract

During its initial manifestation, from 1916 to 1922, Halifax's Town Planning Board reflected both a strong Progressive spirit, infused throughout much of the citizenry, and a desire to modernize and transform the city. The Town Planning Board enhanced regulations on property ownership, the construction and maintenance of structures, and the zoning of residential, commercial, and industrial properties while the Board sought to create and foster a city-wide plan to normalize and sustain the Halifax's physical growth over the twentieth century. Despite its altruistic mandate, the Board was hampered by an inability to collaborate effectively with other like-minded organizations in Halifax. Coupled with the effect of the 1917 Explosion, the end of the First World War, and a decline in the economy, the failure of the Board was a result of its incapability to effectively manage changing needs for planning and a larger reflection on the shifting attitudes of Progressives.