HRM Planners Present to GANS

HRM Planners Present to GANS

The Planning & Development department is working to implement a Regional Plan that will not only encourage residential and employment growth in the Regional Centre, but also shift the demand in mobility towards transit and active transportation and away from single-occupant vehicle trips. The goals of the Regional Plan are joined by a desire to ensure that access to housing and access to nature remain strong features of our market. Bob Bjerke, Chief Planner, and Jacob Ritchie, Urban Design Program Manager, will speak to how the integrated Mobility Plan and the Centre Plan will use data and strong future forecasting to help ensure alignment and provide direction for all arms of the municipality.

Bob Bjerke, Chief Planner and Director, Planning and Development, HRM

Bob Bjerke, MCIP CPP is the Chief Planner and Director of Planning and Development for Halifax Regional Municipality. In the year and a half Bob has held this role he has made and continues to make significant changes through a successful department renewal process. 

He is responsible for Regional and Community Planning, Urban Design, Regional Transportation, Municipal Compliance, Licencing, Building Standards and Development review.  With over15 years’ experience in municipal leadership and professional planning positions, he has worked in the private sector, Federal and now municipal government. Bob holds a Masters Degree in Planning from York University and MA in Political Studies from the University of Saskatchewan. He has lived and worked across Canada, in Regina as the Director of Planning, and as Director of Housing for the City of Edmonton until his move to Nova Scotia. Bob has served on the CIP National Council, the Canadian Housing and Renewal Association Board and is a past President of the Saskatchewan Professional Planners.

Jacob Ritchie, Manager, Urban Design, Planning and Development, HRM

Jacob Ritchie is the Urban Design Manager for Halifax Regional Municipality. His work focuses on creating comprehensive planning and design policy in Halifax and leading the Urban Design portfolio for the Municipality.

Working throughout his career in a broad cross section of design environments Jacob has had the opportunity to manage and deploy projects around the world and throughout the Maritimes. His training and experience as Engineer provides a bridge to help cross interprofessional gaps in the design community.

Location: Halifax Central Library (Spring Garden Road), Lindsay Children’s Room

Schedule:

• Doors open at 6:30pm, drinks and snacks will be provided
  
• Presentation begins at 6:45.
  
• Optional tours of the Library will be offered at 5:30pm and 7:45pm. The tour is approximately 1 hour long and is limited to 15people, so please RSVP if you would like to participate in a tour which will highlight the features of each floor and the features of the building which make it a LEED Gold certified green building.
  

Cost:

• $10 for GANS members
• $15 for non members
• Free for GANS Student Members
• $10 for students who are not GANS Student Members (sign up for GANS Student Membership required)

Space is Limited so please RSVP To register for the event please use the registration button on the left hand side of page (For the library tour, please send an email to [email protected] to reserve your spot)