Note to Editors

Mayor Kelly says City Hall, is City Hall.

(Friday, January 4/2002)-- Whether or not City Hall should be renamed to reflect the amalgamated region is a subject that always sparks lively debate when it is raised publicly from time to time, but it is certainly not a priority in the day-to-day life of the Halifax Regional Municipality, Mayor Peter Kelly said today.

Mayor Kelly said although the issue was raised informally by a reporter during a recent interview, it was unfortunate that the subject was given such prominence on the front page of today's Chronicle-Herald.

The Mayor said " The reporter asked me if the issue had been discussed recently and I told that it had been talked about informally in some recent conversations that I had with one or two individuals. I am certainly not questioning what the reporter wrote, because I did discuss the issue with him, but I did not expect it to turn up on the front page of the newspaper. Besides, any decision to re-name City Hall would have to be a decision of Council."

Mayor Kelly said the City Hall naming issue has been raised periodically since the amalgamation took place in 1996--- sometimes, by a member of Council; other times, by citizens. It was raised in Regional Council several years ago and the move was defeated.

"I think in the big scheme of things, this issue probably has a very low priority. At a time when Council is considering major items, such as Regional Planning, the Harbour Solutions Project, transportation issues, HRM's relationship with the Province and continued sound fiscal management policies, we're not going to spend a lot of time talking about City Hall should, or should not, be called. It's really a non-issue, " he said.

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Mayor Peter Kelly
(902) 490-4010