Halifax Board of Control and City Council

Summary of Halifax City Council and Board of Control discussions related to Africville

This page contains City of Halifax Council minutes (102-1A) and submissions (102-1B) relating to Africville, as well as Board of Control minutes (102-2A) and submissions (102-2B). The Board of Control acted as the executive committee of Council from 1913-1918.

Minutes are presented in date-order. Each meeting date is hyperlinked to a PDF containing digitized minutes of that session, along with relevant submissions.  You may need to scroll down in the PDF to find the relevant minute or submission.  PDFs of complete Board of Control and City Council minutes can be found here.

April 16 1860

  • Resolution  to change of name of Africville to Ashley.

June 26 1885

  • Petition from Reverend E Dixon & number of residents of Africville asking that the illicit sale of liquor in their district be stopped

May 9 1894

  • Tenders for sewer trenching, including for Campbell Road

May 8 1895

  • Petition for water service to Campbell Road

May 14 1895

  • Water service, Campbell Road

June 11 1895

  • Discussion of crematory and recommendation to construct one near Africville on city-owned land

September 12 1895

  • Read report re: crematory

January 23 1896

  • Update on report regarding water extension to Campbell Road

March 9 1897

  • Read letter from H.C. Tully offering to sell the city land east of Campbell Road

July 14 1898

  • Report from City Engineer regarding repairs to Campbell Road

October 11 1906

  • Letter from Nova Scotia Fertilizer Co. offering to purchase a water lot owned by the City on Bedford Basin and applying for permission to operate a factory on a new site

April 30 1907

  • Appraisal of properties at Africville by appraiser working on behalf of the City

July 4 1907

  • Expropriation of land - Africville; report from appraiser on value of properties in Africville

September 23 1909

  • Reports read from Committee on Works and City Engineer regarding well at Africville, including petition from residents

August 13 1913 - Board of Control

  • Matter of expropriation of the properties at Africville and the use of same for industrial purposes 

June 9 1915 - Board of Control

  • Read petition from residents of Africville complaining of the condition of Campbell Road, asking that the road be repaired and that they be employed in the work.

June 30 1915 - Board of Control

  • Read report City Engineer on petition from residents of Africville re condition of Campbell Road.

July 28 1915 - Board of Control

  • Storage of Oil - Imperial Oil Co. Plant Africville.

August 2 1915 - Board of Control

  • Storage of Oil - Imperial Oil Co. Plant Africville.

August 4 1915 - Board of Control

  • Read telegram S.S. Shatford requesting postponement of visit of Board of Control to property at Africville until his return to the City.

August 9 1915 - Board of Control

  • Proposition of the Imperial Oil Co. for the acquisition of land at Africville as a site for the storage
    of oil and requesting certain concessions from the City

August 20 1915 - Board of Control

  • Read letter S.S. Shatford of the Imperial Oil Co. covering a letter showing the advantages Halifax would
    derive by the acceptance of their proposition to establish an Asphalt and Fuel oil Refinery in the portion of the City known as Africville.

August 25 1915 - Board of Control

  • E. A. Saunders Secretary of the Board of Trade appeared before and addressed the Board on the matter of proposed oil refining plant of the Imperial Oil Co, at Africville

September 1 1915 - Board of Control

  • The proposition recently submitted by the Imperial Oil Company re Africville properties was discussed

September 8 1915 - Board of Control

  • Letters regarding abattoir at Africville

September 9 1915 - Board of Control

  • Letter to Imperial Oil from Board regarding needing more information on Africville development proposal

September 9 1915

  • Application from Imperial Oil Co. re: property at Africville; Storage of oils - Imperial Oil Co. at Africville.

September 20 1915 - Board of Control

  • Letter from Imperial Oil stating a representative would be happy to talk to the Board when in Halifax next

September 20 1915

  • Imperial Oil Co. at Africville and municipal concessions

October 7 1915

  • Imperial Oil Co. at Africville and municipal concessions

October 15 1915 - Board of Control

  • Fire Department report - loss of ship at Africville wharf

October 18 1915 - Board of Control

  • Letter from Imperial Oil Co. deferred

October 20 1915 - Board of Control

  • Same letter as above read; request for draft of report to be submitted to Board by 2 Controllers

October 22 1915 - Board of Control

  • Different Controller assigned above report

October 29 1915 - Board of Control

  • Draft report submitted; sent back with amendments

November 1 1915 - Board of Control

  • Imperial Oil Company Proposition re property at Africville and municipal concessions 

November 5 1915 - Board of Control

  • Further discussion of the Imperial Oil Company re property at Africvllle and municipal concessions

November 10 1915 - Board of Control

  • Letter from Imperial Oil Co - Because of difficulties, decision to locate oil refinery elsewhere

April 5 1916 - Board of Control

  • Mayor informed the Board that Rev. A. Hagell, pastor of the Africville Church, had complained about the railways undermining the church

April 17 1916 - Board of Control

  • Africville Church - Report read from City Engineer

April 17 1916 

  • Read reports Board of Control and City Engineer re Africville Church

June 28 1917 - Board of Control

  • Wooden Ship Building Site -- land called Tulley Lot in Africville could be suitable (letter to Board); referred to City Engineer for report

July 10 1917 - Board of Control

  • Report from City Assessor and Acting City Engineer re: Tulley Lot and ship building; proposal to lease the land instead

July 17 1917 - Board of Control

  • Report from City Engineer re: Tulley Lot; decision deferred til conference between McKean (original letter-writer re: ship building) and Board

July 24 1917 - Board of Control

  • Read report Controller Murphy recommending that the City sell to W.K. McKean for 3,500.00 the portion of the Tully property at Africville which he desires to acquire for a ship building site.

August 7 1917 - Board of Control

  • McKean looking at other sites, no longer free to discuss Africville site

March 7 1918 - Board of Control

  • City Fuel Yard reports - 1917 coal supplied to schools, including Afrciville school

June 28 1918 - Board of Control

  • Board of School Commissioners report on damage done to schools in Halifax Explosion, including Africville school

June 19 1919 

  • Africville police protection

June 24 1919 

  • Africville police protection

January 16 1930 

  • Street Lighting Africville

June 11 1936 

Tag Day - Africville United Baptist Church

July 14 1938 

  • Sale of Tully property

August 11 1938 

  • Sale of property - Africville

September 15 1938 

  • Fire victims at Africville

November 17 1938

  • Assistance - Residents of Africville

March 15 1939 

  • Tully property
  • Assistance for families whose homes had been destroyed by fire

May 11 1939 

  • Sale of Tully property, Africville
  • Assistance for families whose homes had been destroyed by fire

August 11 1944 

  • Sewer and water proposed for Africville

October 12 1944 

  • Artesian well at Africville   [corresponding City Clerk's subject file on the artesian well: 102-5A.304]

November 15 1945 

  • Lease City Abattoir at Africville

January 15 1948 

  • Extension of water to Africville

February 12 1948

  • Africville Situation
  • Extension of water to Africville

March 11 1948 

  • Extension of water to Africville

May 17 1951 

  • A request has been received from Mr. David A. Dixon to lease a portion of City land in the Africville district.

July 16 1953 

  • Disposition - Africville school

October 15 1953 

  • Africville school
  • Taxes - Greenbank and Africville

January 21 1954 

  • Public Hearing re: Rezoning the area bounded by Charles, Gerrish Streets, rear of Gottingen and rear of Agricola Streets from 02 Zone to 03 Zone

September 17 1954 

  • Development of Forrester Street area - Africville

January 13 1955 

  • Development Bedford Basin shore

September 15 1955 

April 12 1956 

  • Discussion of removal of Africville school

July 27 1961 

  • Transportation of Africville children to and from playgrounds

October 25 1962 

  • Report submitted from the Committee of the Whole Council re: Africville, removing "blighted housing and dilapidated structures"

September 12 1963 

  • Borrowing Resolutions: Africville
  • Submission of the Halifax Advisory Committee on Human Rights re: Africville

November 28 1963 

  • Payment to Dr. Rose and to appraiser for Skinner property

January 2 1964 

  • Finance and Executive Committee - Africville Dr. Rose report

January 16 1964 

  • Report -  Dr. Albert Rose - Africville

February 27 1964 

  • Official Plan - Africville ( Plan No. TT-1-15899)

Note that all property numbers referenced below correspond with those on the  P500/46 map.

  • Appointment of Committee re: Africville

April 16 1964 

  • Appointment - Social Worker: A Relocation of Africville Residents

May 28 1964 

  • Alderman LeBlanc asked if a progress report could be made available respecting the Africville problem.

July 16 1964 

  • Africville property settlement - No 94 Mrs Iona Dixon

September 17 1964 

  • Settlement Africville - Buildings No 41, 42, 43

October 1 1964 

  • Permit application to operate business on the Lord's Day (grocer in Africville)

October 15 1964 

  • Property Acquisition at Africville - Buildings #110 & 111
  • Property acquisition at Africville - Building #49 50 89 90
  • Building #40

October 29 1964 

  • Africville Building #110 & #111

1964-65 Committees

  • Including Committee to Deal with Africville

November 12 1964 

  • Acquisitions: Buildings #97 and #98

December 17 1964 

  • Property Acquisition: Properties #130 and 131
  • Properties #125 and 126
  • Steede request for exchange of Africville property for property on Gottingen
  • Properties #105, 106, 107, 108
  • Provision for Legal Fees Africville Residents
  • Assistance Re: Housing & Purchase of Furniture for Africville Residents

January 14 1965 

  • Buildings #110 & 111
  • Buildings #63 & 64
  • Building #91
  • Purchase of Steede property

February 25 1965 

  • Acquisition of Building #58
  • Policy re: Household Furnishings - Africville Families and Supplementary Welfare Assistance - Africville Families 

April 15 1965 

  • Property Acquisition —Property #44, 45 & 46
  • Water System for Residents of Africville

April 29 1965 

  • Statement by Welfare Director Re: Africville
  • Report - Chief of Police Re: Dogs — Africville
  • Possible Acquisition — #47 and #48 Africville

May 27 1965 

  • Alderman LeBlanc asked if the discussion held a few weeks ago concerning the Welfare Officer and Africville had been resolved

June 17 1965 

  • Possible Acquisition — Building #14; Property #20
  • Possible Acquisition - Property #78. 87 and 88
  • Purchase - Property #104
  • Household Furnishings w Mr. Clarence Brown and His Mother, Hazel Cassidy

June 29 1965 

  • CBC program concerning Africville 

July 29 1965

  • Property Acquisition — Property #97 and 98
  • Furniture Settlement - Clarence Brown; Property #120 & 121

September 30 1965 

  • Acquisition -Property #92; Properties #72 and #74; Properties #65,#66, #67 and #68; Properties #141, #142 and #143
  • Furniture allowance

October 28 1965 

  • Building #127; Building #73

December 16 1965 

  • Human Rights Advisory Committee appointments
  • Additional Funds - Purchase of Household Items - Mr. & Mrs. Stanley Dixon
  • Acquisition of Property #116; #112 & 113
  • Salary - Social Worker on Loan from Province of Nova Scotia

December 30 1965 

  • Question - Alderman Connolly Re: Articles of Press Respecting Africville

March 17 1966 

  • Acquisition property #117 - Mr. and Mrs. Romeo Byers
  • Acquisition property #71 - Mr. and Mrs. WM Clayton 
  • Acquisitions #80, 81, 82, 83
  • Acquisitions #75 & 76
  • Repairs for Mr and Mrs Stanley Dixon
  • Assistance to Mr and Mrs H Carter
  • Additional borrowing: Africville relocation program
  • Brief to Provincial and Federal governments for financial assistance, Africville program 
  • Assistance to Clarence Brown

May 12 1966 

  • Acquisition Property #69 - Mr. & Mrs. Lloyd Farrell

June 30 1966 

  • Acquisition of interest of Mrs. Phyllis Oulton
  • Furniture allowance to Lawrence Brown Jr.
  • Acquisition of #55;
  • Acquisition of #58; #70; #118; #123 & 124
  • Information report from City Manager re: Africville relocation

September 15 1966 

  • Report - Sub-Committee on Africville  - Progress Report — Relocation Program
  • Acquisition — Property #119; Property #135;
  • Acquisition - Property #57A
  • Appointment of Reverend Mr. W. Bryant to the Africville Sub-Committee, replacing Reverend Mr. Coleman as representative of the Human Rights Advisory Committee, be approved.

October 13 1966 

  • Property Acquisition: #132 and 133

December 1 1966 

  • Additional Capital Funds - Africville Relocation Program
  • Possible Acquisitions - Property #59 and 60 — Owner Mr. Nolan Carvery; Property #105, 106, 107 and 108 - Owner, Mrs. Sarah A. Mantley; Property #57 — Owners, Heirs of Samuel Brown; Property #91 - Owner, Mrs. Theresa Dixon; Property Owned by Mrs. Frances Cain, not numerically identified on City Plan No. P500/46;  #16, 19, 21, 21A, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, & 38

December 15 1966 

  • Property acquisitions, Africville (#95, 96, 99, 109)
  • Furniture Allowance - Mr. Robert Cassidy
  • Report Finance and Executive Committee Re: Furniture Allowance for Certain Residents at Africville

March 2 1967 

  • Recommendations from Africville Committee

June 15 1967 

  • Possible Acquisition — Property #84 and 85, Owner - Mr. David A. Stewart; Property #51,52,53,54,56 and 128 - Owner Mrs. Ella Thomas; Property #12,13 and 15 - Owner William Welsh; Property  Mr. Joseph Skinner; Property — Miss Hattie Carvery; Mr. and Mrs. George (Rose) Grant as the owners of Property #100 and 101
  • Property Settlement Estate David Dixon

June 29 1967 

  • Property — Mr. Joseph Skinner, Africville Item deleted — Committee consideration.

July 13 1967 

  • Acquisition — Property #130 and 131

July 31 1967 

  • Property Acquisitions - Mr. and Mrs. Reginald Stella Carvery, 3801 Macintosh Street; Property of Mrs. Tessie MacDonald, Property #140; Mr. and Mrs. Edward Carvery; Property #137, 139 and 139A, Mr. Herbert Carvery, Mr. Wilfred (Jack) Carvery, Miss Myrtle Carvery and Miss Cora Howe ; Estate of William Brown; Property #147, 148 and 149 - Owner, Mr. Joseph Skinner

September 14 1967 

  • Alderman Ivany asked if staff are considering the replacement of Mr. Peter MacDonald, the social worker who has been working on the Africville Relocation Programme
  • Report - Africville Committee
  • Africville Acquisitions: Property #37 — Owner, Mr. Edward Carvery, Sr.;  Property #136 and 138 - Owners: Miss Hattie Carvery and Mr. Milton Carvery ; Property #128 - Owners: Mrs. Ella Thomas, Mrs. Louise Izzard and Miss Irene Thomas; Property #86 - Owner - Mr. and Mrs. Stanley {Alice} Carvery; Property #137, 139 and 139A; Property #127;  #84 and 85 - Owner: Mr. David A. Stewart; Estate of David Dixon; Property #77 and 86 - Owner: Mr. Percy Almon Carvery

September 28 1967 

  • Possible Acquisition - Seaview United Baptist Church

October 12 1967 

  • Letter - Mr. Peter MacDonald, Social Worker re: Termination of employment with City (Africville Programme)
  • Disbanding of Africville Sub-Committee
  • Property Acquisition - Dwelling #30
  • Property Acquisition - Dwelling #25

October 26 1967 

  • Africville —-Additional Borrowing - $70,000.00
  • Disposition of Land Bounded by Leeds Street, Gottingen Street, Robie Street and Africville Area

November 16 1967 

  • Expropriation of Land — Africville Area
  • Expropriation of Land — Creighton Street Housing Project

November 30 1967 

  • Presentation to Peter MacDonald, Africville Social Worker
  • Question Alderman Ivany Re: Statement to MacLeans Magazine and Television Programme with with respect to Africville

April 11 1968 

  • Estate of David Dixon - Africville - Payment to Mr. Osborne Farrell

June 13 1968 

  • Property Acquisition — Properties #144, 145 and 146

October 31 1968 

  • Report — Social Planning Committee and Housing Committee: Assistance to Families Relocated from Africville

February 26 1969 

  • Question Alderman Ahern Re: Africville -- what to do with the land that has been cleared

March 12 1969 

  • Proposal for Africville Follow-Up

April 2 1969 

  • Loan fund for former Africville residents - Nova Scotia Credit Union Act Supplemental By-laws

July 2 1969 

  • Settlement - William Carvery Property — Africville

October 15 1969 

  • Settlement of Last Africville Resident — Mr. Aaron Carvery

October 29 1969 

  • Additional Requirement for Africville Land Acquisition

November 26 1969 

  • Staff report Expropriation - Carvery Property — Africville

January 29 1970 

  • Letter dated January 20, 1970 from the Nova Scotia Association for the Advancement of Coloured People re: Carvery
  • Response from Social Planner
  • Delegation — Board of Directors of the Black United Front of Nova Scotia - re: Carvery negotiations

January 25 1979 

  • Development of Park to be known as Seaview Memorial Park

March 15 1979 

  • Petition - Former Residents of Africville — the proposed North End community park be named "The Africville Memorial Park“. 

September 26 1985 

  • Question Deputy Mayor O'Malley Re: Seaview Park Monument

December 12 1985 

  • Question Alderman O'Malley Re: Monuments - Seaview Park

April 11 1991 

  • The Deputy Mayor submitted a letter received earlier in the evening from the Africville Genealogy Society (dated 11 April 1991) addressed to Halifax City Council and urging that a public hearing he held on the proposed road to Seaview Park.

November 17 1994 

  • Africville Genealogy Society - Council agrees to form a Committee to meet with the black community towards bringing healing and closure re. Africville, but not to consider individual compensation.

December 15 1994 

  • A report from His Worship Mayor Walter Fitzgerald, Chairman, Africville Council Committee, dated December 1, 1994, was submitted and passed to support an application for funding to reconstruct the Seaview United Baptist Church, donation of parkland, a $100,000 education fund for the descendants of Africville residents and access to relocation records .

March 2 1995 

  • His Worship Mayor Fitzgerald made reference to the revised copy of the proposed Ordinance which had been distributed to members of Council earlier in the evening, emphasizing that as a result of discussions with Africville Genealogical Society, a section has been added specifically authorizing the Society's annual picnic and reunion at Seaview Park.

March 30 1995 

  • Park and ordinances discussion regarding Africville Genealogical Society

April 1, 1996 - present

The City of Halifax was amalgamated into the Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996. Regional Council minutes continue to document the interactions between the municipal government and the community of Africville.  Their minutes and submissions are available on-line, but no summary of Africville related items has been created.

 

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