TAA Spring Speaker/Panel: Integrating Regional and Local Transit

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The Transport Action Atlantic logo, a green maple leaf with a right facing arrow

Transport Action Atlantic is excited to be hosting a Spring speaker & panel event, with the topic of “Integrating Regional and Local Transportation”. Our primary speaker will be Susan Williams, General Manager, Eastern Canada for VIA Rail. After her discussion of VIA’s plans for the near future in the Maritimes, we will have a 3-member panel discussing the integration of regional transportation with local transportation both in our region and more generally.

Woman with dark hair, in a winter dress coat, standing next to a VIA Rail traincar.
Susan Williams will be the featured guest speaker for this event.

The event is a continuation of the Nova Scotia Members’ Rendezvous, the participants of which will be returning on the afternoon train from Truro at around 6pm.

You are invited to join us for this event regardless of whether you participate in our day’s excursion to Truro or not. The event is free.

 

 

Date: March 18, 2017

Time: 7:30pm

Location: Westin Nova Scotian, Harbour Suite B

For more information and to RSVP, see our Facebook event here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1548356251859654/

For those unable to join us in person, we’re looking into the possibility of a live stream via our Facebook page, so keep an eye on that page for updates!

Thanks to everyone who has registered to join us for our exciting Members Rendez-vous bus/train excursion earlier in the day on Saturday. If you missed the deadline to register (or just heard about this now!) and still want to join us, there’s still a chance! Contact us right away (via the email address at the top of the page) and we’ll do our best to make it happen. For more info, check out the Facebook event page here: https://www.facebook.com/events/221182718348484/

Sad news: Nelson Amiro, long time board member and former membership secretary of TAA, passes away

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Nelson Amiro

We are sad to announce that Nelson Amiro, long time board member and former membership secretary of TAA, passed away on Feb. 24, 2017, at the age of 95, after a brief illness.

Born in Middle East Pubnico he was the son of the late Irene (Amirault) and Mark Augustin Amiro. Beginning at age nine Nelson travelled weekly from his home to the N.S. School for the Blind in Halifax using CN mixed passenger trains, and thus a railfan was born. His time at the School for the Blind opened his world to opportunities including music, gymnastics, and education. He then completed grade 12 in the public school system and went on to Dalhousie University. After graduating, he began a long career as a teacher and principal of schools in Clarke’s Harbour, Liverpool, Chester Basin, Chester, and Herring Cove. While in Chester Basin he met Irene Louise McClare who became his wife of 57 years (died 2005).

Upon retirement he operated a tutoring service in Halifax. Nelson was a very accomplished organist and pianist and had a taste for classical music. A Christmas Eve tradition was a family gathering to play songs. One of his great passions was train travel. This led him to an involvement in Transport Action Atlantic. Lasting friendships resulted from this association. Nelson joined TAA (then Transport 2000) in 1981, and served as membership secretary for more than a decade. His dedication to that role was well recognized both within TAA, and at the national levels of Transport Action.

He and Irene enjoyed many trips throughout North America by train. In later years, he continued his train travel, often with family, one highlight being an Amtrak trip from Boston to New York to celebrate his 90th birthday. John Pearce (TAA President Emeritus) recalls that in retirement, Nelson and his wife Irene would take the Ocean overnight to Montreal, staying just 9 hours in the Queen Elizabeth Hotel and returning to Halifax by the next train.

He is survived by his son Gerard (Tona Hennigar), daughter Charlotte Penney (Stephen), son Michael (Elaine Keller), grandchildren Matthew and Daniel Penney, and Claire and Fae Amiro. Besides his wife, Nelson was predeceased by his brother Gilbert, sister Evelyn and granddaughter Jillian Penney.

Visitation will be held at J A Snow Funeral Home, 339 Lacewood Drive, Halifax, on Wednesday, March 1, from 7 – 9 pm. A Memorial Service will be held at the same venue on Thursday, March 2, at 10 am, with reception to follow. At a later date, burial of ashes will be in South Rawdon Baptist Church Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Transport Action Atlantic, The Canadian Cancer Society or the CNIB.

Nelson’s support for passenger rail will live on long after his departure this past week, and the whole organization will owe a debt of support through his work and enthusiasm.   

Adapted from published obituary, with comments from John Pearce, TAA President Emeritus.

Halifax: Carmichael Lecture on urban transportation and transit conference

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The Downtown Halifax Business Commission (DHBC) will be hosting the 15th annual Carmichael Lecture this week, in partnership with the Dalhousie University School of Planning and Waterfront Development.

This year’s speaker will be Andreas Røhl.

According to the DHBC, Mr. Røhl “works with Jan Gehl and associates based in Copenhagen, Denmark. Andreas has broad experience creating efficient urban transport systems, with a focus on transport as a means to create livable cities. He has worked at both national and city levels and has acted as advisor for cities such as Vancouver, Vienna, and Berlin. His seven-year position as director of the Bicycle Programme at the City of Copenhagen, has provided Andreas with unique insights into delivering on high profile political agendas, as well as promoting cycling in urban areas via both hard and soft infrastructure.”

The Lecture will be held on Thursday, March 2, 2017, from 6-8pm in the Schooner Room at Casino Nova Scotia.

More details can be found HERE.

 

This will also serve as the kickoff to the Dalhousie School of Planning Conference, Shift17 (Shift in Transit 2017) – a free conference dedicated to the discussion and action to transform transit in Nova Scotia.

The conference runs March 2 to 4th, and will be held in the Halifax Central Library on Spring Garden Rd., and the Dalhousie School of Planning (Medjuck Building, Spring Garden Rd.).

More information about the conference can be found HERE.

 

If you’re in the Halifax area, both events may be well worth checking out!