HRM released the official Request for Expressions of Interest (REOI) regarding the Halifax Memorial Library. Unfortunately, the current tender guidelines create barriers rather than fostering leadership for a world-class adaptive reuse project.
We need our community to speak up now. We are urging everyone to write HRM leadership and demand a revised REOI—one with a realistic timeline and a broader scope for creative community proposals.
How You Can Help Today: Send the template letter below to Mayor, CAO, and Council:
mayor@halifax.ca
marnie.cluckie@halifax.ca
clerks@halifax.ca
Let’s make sure HRM builds a space that honours our history while creating a modern, inspiring library and park for future generations.
Letter Template:
Dear Mayor, Council and Staff,
I am writing to express concerns regarding the recently issued Request for Expressions of Interest (REOI) for the adaptive reuse of the Halifax Memorial Library.
Following significant public interest and community advocacy to preserve and repurpose the building, Halifax Regional Municipality's decision to explore adaptive reuse options was welcomed by many residents. Unfortunately, several aspects of the current REOI raise questions about whether the process can realistically lead to a successful outcome.
The most significant concern relates to the terms of reference. As written, the REOI may be interpreted as limiting submissions to proposals involving only two potential uses for the property: a library or a park. This interpretation could discourage proponents from exploring innovative adaptive reuse concepts that might preserve the building while delivering meaningful community benefit.
While it is true that the original historic land grant contains provisions relating to these uses, it is equally true that the terms of the grant were previously amended to permit construction of the library itself. Given this precedent, it is difficult to understand why additional options could not also be considered, subject to discussions with and approval from the Province. Clarifying that proposals offering significant public benefit may be considered, where permitted through provincial agreement, would help reassure residents and prospective proponents that the municipality is genuinely open to exploring a broader range of adaptive reuse opportunities.
A second concern is the nature of the REOI itself. As written, it appears less like a procurement process and more like a solicitation of ideas or concepts, with no clear pathway toward implementation. Potential proponents are being asked to invest considerable time and resources in developing concepts without any meaningful assurance that successful proposals will advance to a substantive evaluation or negotiation stage. This uncertainty has discouraged some interested parties from participating, not because of concerns regarding the merits of particular proposals, but because the process offers little prospect of actual engagement or project realization.
Finally, the timeline established for the REOI is widely viewed as insufficient. To prepare a credible response, proponents must undertake work that closely resembles a comprehensive feasibility assessment, including building analysis, financial modelling, operational planning, governance considerations, and stakeholder engagement. For most serious proposals, this level of due diligence would require a minimum of six to eight months to complete. The current timeline makes it difficult for proponents to develop well-founded submissions and may inadvertently eliminate otherwise viable opportunities.
If Halifax Regional Municipality genuinely wishes to identify an alternative use for the Halifax Memorial Library, revisions to both the terms of reference and the submission timeline should be considered. In particular, greater clarity regarding the range of potentially acceptable uses, together with a more realistic timeframe for proposal development, would help strengthen confidence in the process and encourage broader participation.
The Halifax Memorial Library is an important civic and heritage asset. The community deserves a process that is transparent, credible, and genuinely open to creative solutions that preserve the building and deliver lasting public benefit.
Thank you for your consideration of these concerns. I respectfully request that the municipality review the current REOI and consider revisions that would provide a fair and meaningful opportunity for adaptive reuse proposals to be properly developed and evaluated.
Sincerely,