One year later: Meet the neighbours

November 17, 2004

One year later: Meet the neighbours

by Mary Somers

It isn't just students who are facing tests this month. The University's community relations initiatives are up for review as Dalhousie President TomTraves hosts a Neighbourhood Meeting.

Neighbours and students in a wide area of peninsula Halifax are being invited by flyer to the Neighbourhood Meeting on Monday, Nov. 22. It begins at 7:30 p.m. in University Hall.

The meeting comes a year after frustration boiled over in the neighbourhoods about noise and unacceptable behaviour on the part of some students. President Traves announced the formation of the Dalhousie University Community Committee (DUCC) at a meeting held at the end of November, 2003.

The DUCC has a mandate to improve the relationship between the University and the surrounding neighbourhoods. It has met regularly since its members were appointed last winter.

There are eight neighbours and one community member at large. Five students are members, including the presidents of the student unions at Dalhousie and the University of King's College. In addition, the Dalhousie Board of Governors, the Halifax Regional Municipality, HRM District Councillors Sue Uteck and Shelia Fougere, the HRM Community Police, the HRM Community Response Initiative and the Spring Garden and Area Business Association are represented.

The DUCC works in collaboration with its partners on a number of initiatives, including the student guide, Living in the Halifax Community, and the police response, Operation FallBack.

About 4,000 Living in the Halifax Community booklets, along with a four-page report to the community, were delivered door-to-door in the surrounding neighbourhoods in late August and early September. HRM Police responded with increased police patrols and a zero tolerance to noise and parties.

The meeting will review these measures and ask to hear about the experiences of students and neighbours this past fall. Neighbours and students are also being encouraged to respond to an online questionnaire.