Power crews make progress; transit to resume on Sunday

Tree debris and safety

As tree damage and debris are expected with this storm, residents are reminded to not clear downed trees in the municipal-right-of-way or in municipal parks for safety reasons. If there is a downed tree on a street, park or in the right-of-way, residents are asked to call 311.  Staff will assess damage during and after the storm.

Residents should not remove or trim branches near a power line. If a tree or tree limbs have fallen on a power line or pulled it down, keep a safe distance from the line or the tree and contact Nova Scotia Power or call 911 in the event of an emergency.

Residents are also reminded to stay away from damaged areas and fallen power lines and watch out for debris such as sheet metal, glass or other sharp material.

Halifax Transit

Buses and ferry service will resume on Sunday, September 25.

Cancellations

One early casualty of the storm is the Trevor Noah show at Scotia Bank on Saturday night. It has been moved to October 14th.  All tickets will be honoured. As a precaution barricades are being put up at Peggy’s Cove. The McKay Bridge will be closed to traffic after 9pm tonight.

Parks & Recreation

All ball diamonds, sport fields and all-weather fields will be closed starting Friday, September 23, until end of the day on Sunday, September 25. Staff will be assessing field conditions as soon as it is safe to do so and determine if further closures are required.

Facilities will assess reopening on Sunday, September 25 for noon. As recreation centres may experience delays in reopening due to power outages or damage, residents are asked to call ahead to local recreation centres for updates.

Due to safety concerns, residents are strongly advised to avoid visiting municipal parks until the storm has passed and potential damage, including downed trees, has been addressed, which may take several days.

The Halifax Public Gardens will be closed over the weekend. An announcement on reopening will be made once an assessment has occurred once the storm has passed

Residents are advised to check for updates at halifax.ca and to call ahead to your respective facility for updates. Contact information for municipally-operated facilities is available online.

Evacuation centres are being opened at the following locations:

• Canada Games Centre, 26 Thomas Raddall Drive, Halifax
• Acadia Centre, 636 Sackville Drive, Lower Sackville
• St Margaret’s Centre, 12 Westwood Boulevard, Upper Tantallon
• Musquodoboit Harbour Recreation Centre & Library, 7900 Highway 7, Musquodoboit Harbour

These locations will be open starting at 8 p.m. tonight. They will remain open until the storm passes, or as needed. Further locations may be opened if necessary. Residents can self-evacuate to these centres anytime during the storm however, they are advised to travel only when it is safe to do so. If residents experience damage to their homes during the storm and cannot safely evacuate, they should call 911.

Comfort centres

Once the storm has passed and it is safe to do so, an assessment will be made by the municipality to determine when and where comfort centres should be set up.

Comfort centres provide food and water, as well as a place to recharge electronic devices and receive up-to-date information, when residents are impacted by prolonged power outages, extreme temperatures or other significant events.

The locations vary depending on which community/communities have been impacted. Comfort centres are generally located in municipal facilities where they exist. The hours vary depending on the type of impact on the community/communities.

Helping support those experiencing homelessness

In partnership with the Province of Nova Scotia, the East Dartmouth Community Centre is being opened as an emergency shelter for those experiencing homelessness starting at 4 p.m. on Friday, September 23. Staffing is being provided by 902 Man Up.

Another emergency shelter will be opened in Sackville, located at the St. Elizabeth Seton Church, with Beacon House as the service provider. Staffing and food costs at both locations will be funded by the province.

Street Outreach Navigators and outreach workers have been visiting encampment sites to advise people on the sheltering options are available. Transportation to these shelters is being organized through the municipality in coordination with the province.

The Halifax Ground Search and Rescue team will be doing wellness checks during the post-tropical storm to check on the safety of anyone who chooses not to leave an encampment or outdoor sheltering location.

Halifax Public Libraries

For the latest information on the status of all Halifax Public Library locations and services, please visit their website.

Please visit: halifax.ca/hurricanes or follow @hfxgov on Twitter for all storm-related updates.

The Premier shared this message on preparedness on Instagram today.

If you are a Bell Aliant customer and don’t have wifi access you won’t have to worry about going over on your data.