Our Story
The New Roots Community Land Trust was formed to ensure the African Nova Scotian community can benefit from the redevelopment of the Cogswell Interchange.
Our goal is to acquire a land parcel in the Cogswell project for the stewardship and benefit of the African Nova Scotian North End Community. Our vision is to build a mixed-use, mixed-market development with community spaces, a Black cultural and recreational centre, and commercial spaces for Black-owned businesses.
Jacob Street in 1953. (Halifax Municipal Archives)The Cogswell Interchange was a long-standing symbol of displacement for African Nova Scotians.
The interchange is now being torn down again and will be rebuilt into a new community.
The planned redevelopment brings opportunities to address harms of the past and ensure that these lands reflect the diverse and rich tapestry of the entire Halifax community.
Over 60 years ago, 10 blocks of homes and local businesses were demolished to build the Cogswell Interchange—on the land where our community once stood.
Many African Nova Scotians who were displaced by this development settled in the North End. Today, our community faces further displacement through gentrification.
The Cogswell Interchange. (Ben MacLeod / Wikimedia Commons)We are committed to securing the economic and cultural legacy of the
North End African Nova Scotian Community.
Conceptual rendering of a proposed development by the New Roots Land Trust (Illustration: Happy Cities)