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Grawood pushes rebrand, unveils new menu

Toni Kleiner
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Grawood pushes rebrand, unveils new menu

When looking for a spot on campus to grab a coffee or pastry and get some studying done, many Dalhousie University students wouldn’t think to go to the Grawood, Dal’s student bar. Through a continuing rebrand that has started recently and will be fully rolled out in September, Lenka Tomlinson wants to change that. 

Meeting students where they’re at

Recent additions to the Grawood’s menu include breakfast items that are served until noon, espresso drinks and halal certified chicken. 

“It has a better breadth of foods to suit different student desires,” says Tomlinson, the bar manager at the Grawood. 

Although those looking to drink, socialize and play games are still welcome at the Grawood, Tomlinson also wants to make the space inclusive for those looking for something different as well. 

“We’re just trying to diversify,” says Tomlinson. 

Plans for September include more adaptable furniture, art, plants and books. Tomlinson thinks that the large space is under-utilized and unsuitable for student needs. 

“You guys are paying for it,” says Tomlinson. “So you might as well have a nice space that you actually want to show up at and get affordable food and coffee.” 

Is it worth it? A review

The Gazette visited the Grawood to sample items off their menu, both new and old. The menu emphasizes affordability and diversity of options.

Specials

Turkey brie melt (served with fries or salad)

Price: $14

Rating: 4.5/5

The turkey brie melt is one of Tomlinson’s favourites on the Grawood’s menu. Complete with crispy bread, gooey brie cheese and a generous amount of sliced turkey, it’s easy to see why. 

Although it seems easy enough to make a grilled cheese sandwich, many restaurants struggle to do it well. Luckily, the Grawood is not one of them. The ratio of cheese to meat to bread is perfect, and the sandwich is sizable. It’s enough to keep someone tied over through study sessions or late night hang outs, especially when paired with the included side.

Though a bit of buttery goodness is a good thing, the sandwich could have held back on the oiliness, which would make it sit lighter in the stomach. 

Veggie sandwich (served with fries or salad)

Price: $12

Rating: 2.5/5

Tomlinson emphasized that the Grawood is making more of an effort to include vegetarian and vegan options on their menu.

The veggie sandwich consists of lettuce, tomatoes and red peppers, along with hummus and a balsamic glaze between two pieces of untoasted bread. The ratio was good and the vegetables were fresh. It wasn’t as oily as the turkey brie melt, making for a lighter, healthier option. 

However, the bread was soggy, due to its lack of toasting and the amount of damp vegetables and sauces on the sandwich. It also could have had more flavour, and perhaps a more creative vegan sauce other than hummus. 

$9 menu

Dip mix

Price: $9

Rating: 4/5

Pickle lovers will be happy to see this on the menu. Flavourful and filling, the dip mix consists of a large bowl of hummus and olive oil, topped with olives and pickles, and surrounded by slices of pita bread. The flavours pair nicely together and the dish is generous with the offerings of pickles and olives. Moreover, the pickles are delicious and crunchy. (For hardcore pickle lovers, Grawood-goers are also welcome to order a whole cup of pickles, according to Tomlinson.)

The dip mix is a good option to share with friends as a light appetizer, or to have to yourself as a light meal. As a part of the $9 menu, the price is affordable for what you get. 

Other dipping options other than the pita would have elevated this dish — perhaps a variety of veggies, to add an extra crunch. 

Drinks

Hot caramel latte

Price: $4.50

Rating: 5/5

Most students on campus in need of a midday pick-me-up head to Tim Hortons or Second Cup. But if you’re a coffee lover, you’re sleeping on the Grawood. Creamy, with a deep flavour and the perfect amount of syrup, a latte from the Grawood hits the spot. Even better, the line is short and the service is quick. 

Students in search of a free or discounted coffee are also in luck: if you bring in a mug to donate to the Grawood, you get a free coffee. 

“I’m sure that everyone has a free mug kicking around their apartment,” says Tomlinson. 

Those who bring in a reusable mug also will receive 50 cents off their order. 

Sides

Salad

Price: $12

Rating: 4/5

This salad is nothing special, but it does the trick. Lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers and onion are topped with a balsamic vinaigrette to complete this light side. The dressing was tangy and the vegetables were nice. 

Fries

Price: $5

Rating: 5/5

Wonderfully crisp, the Grawood fries are cooked the perfect amount of time — each bite is a perfect salty crunch. Normalize getting fries as an in-between class snack.

Neptune play explores life, legacy of Viola Desmond

Toni Kleiner
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Neptune play explores life, legacy of Viola Desmond

Controlled Damage starts with an explosion — the Halifax explosion. It’s an appropriate start. The play, which opened at Neptune Theatre on Jan. 14 and will run until Feb. 2, is itself an eruption. Written by Andrea Scott and directed by Cherissa Richards, it follows the life of Halifax civil rights activist and businesswoman Viola Desmond (Deborah Castrilli) from age three, when Desmond survived the Halifax explosion, to her death in New York City at 50. 

The first half of the play explores the lead up to the moment in 1946 when Desmond refused to leave the main floor of a movie theatre in New Glasgow, N.S., which was unofficially reserved for white people. Despite offering to pay the difference in ticket price, Desmond was denied the opportunity to stay and was ultimately arrested after refusing to leave. She spent a night in jail and faced a future of legal battles.

In the first half, the audience is introduced to Desmond’s strong-willed personality. She starts out as a passionate schoolteacher, and being fired by her racist and sexist boss does little to sway her. Desmond persists and enrolls in beauty school in Montreal, eventually opening her own salon and beauty school in Halifax. Despite dissuasions from her husband Jack (Matthew G. Brown) that she should focus on staying home and look after the house, Desmond is not deterred from her passions.

It’s when she’s travelling through New Glasgow, on her way to a business trip to Sydney, that the pivotal theatre moment occurs. The remainder of the play dramatizes the fallout of the event.

Desmond is not viewed as a hero by all. While some friends rally to help her fight the charges, others question her motives, suggesting she may see herself as superior, for wanting to sit with the white patrons instead of in the designated area for Black individuals. Some don’t think she appreciates how far Black people have come — they believe she should be grateful that she is able to sit in the theatre at all. All of this is complicated by the fact that Desmond is of mixed race, with a white mother and a Black father. Desmond’s husband chides her for calling attention to herself, and their marriage eventually crumbles. Desmond moves to New York City, unsure of her decisions. The play ends as Desmond clutches her stomach, dying, as the moment in the movie theatre haunts her, sounds from the day echoing around. 

Controlled Damage is not afraid to tell things as they are. It doesn’t tell a picture perfect story of Desmond’s life; the simplified version that we’ve been fed. It does not try to make Desmond’s life something it is not. And it does not end up wrapped in a neat, perfect bow. Instead, at the end of her life cut short, Desmond is still haunted by her decisions and unsure if she made the right choice. 

Though the play isn’t a musical, it incorporates music powerfully: a lone fiddler moves across the stage throughout, playing stirring, jagged music. Sometimes the cast sings together, blending their strong powerful voices in unified song —- initially disjointed, but coming together in harmony.

However, the scenes, though emotive and powerful, sometimes drag on too long and begin to feel static. This isn’t helped by acting that at times feels forced and plastic, or the palpable lack of chemistry between Castrilli and Brown. This awkwardness is made worse by moments of actors stumbling over words, taking the audience out of what is otherwise an immersive experience. 

But what the show lacked in chemistry, it made up for in other areas. The play does not let the physical space of Neptune’s Scotiabank Stage go unused. The theatre, conducive to the setting of a movie theatre the pivotal scene takes place in, allows for Castrilli to be seated in the audience for the scene of her arrest. The effect is one of complicity, with playgoers truly immersed in the scene as the barrier between the stage and the audience fades away.

Brightening up your January: Chicken curry

Bryce Goodyear
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Brightening up your January: Chicken curry

We’re finally getting back into our daily routines; the lectures, homework, studying and monotony. It’s not exactly thrilling — but hey, we’re in this together. As we settle into our classes, hopefully before the boredom hits and lectures start to feel skippable, I’m bringing you a recipe that could bring some colour into the dreary grey colour palette of Halifax Januaries. This chicken curry recipe, originally from my friend who definitely knows her way around the kitchen, has the perfect amount of heat to warm you up in the cold temperatures.

This dish is rich, hearty and bursting with spices, but don’t let that intimidate you — it’s easier to make than you’d think. Whether you want to impress your roommates or just treat yourself, this curry has you covered. Serve it with rice or naan, and you’ve got a meal that’s worth slowing down for.

This recipe is ready to spice up your week. All you need to do is make it.

Recipe ingredients

  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp garam masala
  • 1 tbsp curry powder
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp ground coriander
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 1 (14-ounce) can of diced tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Chopped fresh cilantro for garnish

Preparation instructions

1. Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add chopped onions, and cook until softened. Stir in minced garlic and garam masala, cooking until fragrant.

2. Add chicken pieces to the pan, cook until browned on all sides. Sprinkle in curry powder, cumin, coriander and cayenne pepper, then stir to coat the chicken evenly.

3. Pour in chicken broth and diced tomatoes with the juice. Bring to a boil, and reduce the heat to simmer for 20 minutes.

4. Stir in the heavy cream, and let it cook for another five minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

5. Serve with rice or naan, and garnish with fresh cilantro. Enjoy!

Dalhousie University’s women’s curling team brings home AUS championship

Katherine Weissent
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Dalhousie University’s women’s curling team brings home AUS championship

Riding high from a bronze medal finish at the Canadian University Sport championships in 2024, the Dalhousie University women’s curling team showed up ready to rock this year at the Atlantic University Sport championships (AUS), comfortably defeating St. Francis Xavier University (StFX) 7-2 in the final to claim gold. 

At the Halifax based curling club, Canadian Junior Champion Ally MacNutt skipped for the second year in a row and faced a lineup change going into the 2024-2025 season. A new addition at mate, two-time U18 provincial champion Rebecca Regan had her AUS debut, while the front end remained the same. At second was reigning 2024 Canadian junior champion Grace McCusker, and at lead 2022 Canadian junior champion, Cate Fitzgerald. Mary Mattatall remains the coach for her second season, with a new face in the alternate position — 2019 Canada Winter Games bronze medalist, Cally Moore. 

2025 AUS Championship

The Tigers started off strong in their first game with a 7-1 win over Mount Allison University, before an unfortunate 9-2 loss to St. Francis Xavier (StFX) in their second round robin game. They found their footing again and came out on top in their last two games, with a 10-4 win over Saint Mary’s University and a 6-5 victory over the University of New Brunswick (UNB).  

Their 3-1 record in the round robin play was enough to put them in second place going into playoffs. The team was set to face UNB in the semi-final, who they narrowly defeated in the last round robin game.

A strong semifinal game had them coming out on top, sending them to the final where they faced team StFX, who beat the Dal squad in the round robin. However Regan said the team was confident heading into the match.

“We knew when we had played them in the round robin, we hadn’t gone out and played our best,” Regan said. “We knew that going into the final, we had a few more games under our belts, we were playing well and just had to go on the ice and play like we had been in our last few games.”

Ready to win, the Tigers started off the final with a blank in the first and took a quick lead of three in the second. They were not able to force StFX to one in the fourth, giving up a two, meaning they were heading into the sixth up by two. They took over control of the game by stealing one in the next three consecutive ends, sending them into the eighth up five, ultimately forcing the other team to handshakes. 

Now what?

Now with the U SPORTS championship ahead of them, MacNutt said it will be exciting to prepare for the national contest.

“We’re practicing a lot and bonding more as a team,” MacNutt said. “Each player is so talented individually so it was really amazing at AUS to learn how to play together and have some fun with it, and it felt so great to pull out the win.” 

Regan plays skip for her own club team where they have won the past two Nova Scotia U18  provincial championships and represented Nova Scotia twice at the Canadian U18 championships.

“Playing at any national championship can be nerve-racking,” Regan said. “I think having experience playing in pressure games will help in calming nerves and staying focused in big games. We all bring different experiences and ideas to the team that all contribute to our success together.”

MacNutt is excited to be heading to her third U SPORTS championship — second one as skip — and said the team has big goals which she hopes to check off in February.

“The atmosphere is completely different because you’re in an arena with a crowd, playing against teams you never see and the pressure is a little higher,” MacNutt said.

The Tigers have been working hard with their school team and their own club teams and will continue to work on their game leading up to their departure alongside StFX. Eight of the best Canadian teams will compete at the 2025 Canadian U SPORTS championships which will take place Feb. 24 to 28 at the Lethbridge Curling Club in Lethbridge, Alta.

No days off: Dalhousie rugby’s off-season training in full swing

Wyatt Carling
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No days off: Dalhousie rugby’s off-season training in full swing

With many of Dalhousie University’s winter sport teams just getting underway this semester, Dal men’s rugby is starting this winter term a little bit different. 

After the Dalhousie men’s final rugby game in November that capped off their impressive 2024 season, many looked forward to what next semester had to offer. And with classes in full swing and the season officially over, the players have not put down their cleats just yet. 

Ending last season with a record setting number of players, and a new set of coaching staff leading to an impressive record on the field, the team’s future is looking bright. 

With so much success behind them, and so long until the next home opener at Wickwire Field, what are these student athletes up to in the off season? 

Staying fit to stay in the game

No regular season games are set to take place until September 2025, so in the meantime rugby players follow a strict workout routine at the Dalplex. 

The importance of off-season training is not lost on the team’s newly elected president, Luke Van Dam. 

“The Dal men’s rugby team is staying fit this with in person fitness sessions in the Dalplex High Performance room twice a week,” says Van Dam. 

The Dalplex has been reserved for these students on Mondays from 7:30-9:00 p.m. and Wednesdays from 6:30-8:00 a.m. 

One challenge the team faces is how much time they get allocated at training facilities. With only two weekly sessions available for the club, other avenues for practice and discipline are in motion. Just two times a week is not enough for some players, who opt to go to greater lengths to stay in the game. So, in addition to group workouts, players use a fitness app to track each other’s gym time, shared with coaches to keep an eye on their progress. 

“Athletes also have another workout to complete on their own time and are encouraged to work on their cardio as well,” says Van Dam.

On the city stage

Halifax is home to several club rugby teams, many of which host these Dalhousie rugby players during the summer months. With training paused from May to September, this helps some members stay in the game. But with no winter semester games, these athletes must fill this void with other kinds of field time. 

The need for post-season games means weekend city tournaments are the norm for any who wish to sign up. 

Despite Dalhousie playing a type of rugby involving 15 players on the field, these tournaments often host sevens games, an alternative, shortened, faster pace match with seven players on each team. 

Not only do these games take up less time, but there is less contact, and more running. Keeping fit in the gym is one thing, but cardio is another, an important aspect of the sport echoed by Van Dam. 

Because of the gap in the game schedule, the importance of such training is vital to maintaining a strong team, both mentally and physically. 

Continuing, Van Dam says he sees the off-season not as a time for rest, rather as valuable practice time to stay on top of the competition.

Upcoming dates for these, off-season sevens games are not yet set, however talks of Dal men’s rugby joining the Sweetheart 7’s tournament at the East Hants Sportsplex is underway. Taking place on Feb. 15, 2025, players and students alike are welcome to come out and support. 

To find these games, students and Dalhousie members alike are encouraged to keep an eye on the Dalhousie men’s rugby Instagram for any upcoming dates. Despite the location usually being off campus, Tigers spirit is something anyone can get behind. 

Halifax Thunderbirds downed by Knighthawks at home 10-9

Jake Piper
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Halifax Thunderbirds downed by Knighthawks at home 10-9

With a tight lacrosse game and a packed nest, Jan. 18 felt like just another ordinary day with the Thunderbirds. 

On Jan. 11 in Rochester, the Thunderbirds won against the Rochester Knighthawks 19-18; the final goal was a buzzer beater from Clarke Petterson. With a second left on the clock, Petterson shot over four players clogging the house, picking the bottom left corner clean and putting Halifax up by one. 

A week later, Rochester visited Halifax in the Thunderbirds’ barn. Riley Hutchcraft, the Knighthawks goalie, had the ball in his crease with 31.7 seconds left. He managed to put it past Jake Withers and to a Knighthawks defenseman streaking along the restraining line. But just as the defenseman turned 45 degrees to clear the zone, Halifax defender Colton Armstrong came flying from the other side of the floor and stripped the ball. Halifax quickly called a timeout. 

Just like in Rochester, it would be Halifax with the final possession of the game. But this time, they wouldn’t win.  Connor Fields got the best of Halifax as he put four goals in the back of their net along with 16 shots while Riley Hutchcraft stopped 43 shots. Randy Staats was hot on Fields’ tail all night as he made the Scotiabank Centre erupt three times as the Birds had an 8-5 lead after a four-goal third quarter. However, Rochester wouldn’t give up as they put five goals past Warren Hill in the fourth quarter. The Knighthawks were up 10-9; this possession would be to stay alive. 

The East Coast Kitchen Party theme at Scotiabank saw laid back Canadian heritage celebrated with classic East Coast dishes, live music at halftime and relaxed Celtic music rolling throughout the game. But with the end of the “The Night Pat Murphy Died” sing-along, the mood got serious, and eyes turned to the Thunderbirds taking their place on the floor. The whistle blew. 

The Thunderbirds had three good chances to score and couldn’t bury. There was no photo finish this time. The Thunderbirds lost. 

This dropped them to 2-4 on the season, though the Thunderbirds aren’t hitting the panic button. Armstrong admitted after the game that it’s been a “tough start.” As of Jan. 22 the T-Birds sit 11th in the NLL, ironically right behind the Knighthawks, and three spots above last-placed Toronto Rock.

Armstrong pointed to every loss, except against Colorado, being by one goal. He also says the defense is starting to be much less scattered.

 “We’re right there the whole time,” Armstrong said. “I think we’re ready for the rest of the season.”

In the fourth quarter the Thunderbirds offense scored no goals; the only point on the board came from Armstrong on a breakout turned breakaway. 

Thunderbirds captain Cody Jamieson said he thinks the offense was a little predictable but feels like they weren’t overly struggling, and said they had some bad bounces. 

The Thunderbirds’ next game is on Jan. 31 at the Scotiabank Centre against the Vancouver Warriors. East Coast Kitchen Nighy may be over, but the party isn’t. Pack your swimsuits and floaties Halifax…

Dalhousie intramurals: inspiring inclusion and fun among all students

Amanda Wright
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Dalhousie intramurals: inspiring inclusion and fun among all students

On a cold Wednesday night at 10 p.m. the Halifax Forum was alive with the sound of sticks clashing and skates cutting through the ice.  

Two teams, one clad in yellow and the other in bright pink, took to the rink as they started their seventh game of the season.  As the two teams warmed up it was obvious that The Pylons, an all girls team, were facing off against another predominantly much older male team in the university co-ed intramural league. 

From the start, it was clear that there were physical differences between the two teams as anyone enrolled in Dalhousie from first year undergraduate to postgraduate students can play.  

“Most of the teams are full of men. Like men, men. They’ve graduated university, or are in dentistry; all that stuff. They’re huge, and they’re strong; they’re fast, but I love that our team doesn’t give up, right?,” said Austin Thurlbeck, manager of The Pylons. “It’s a big challenge playing against guys that are faster than you and stronger than you and everything. Our team doesn’t give up, and it’s just amazing to see.”

Hockey is an intense sport that demands strength and speed; often male players have an edge in physical power and size compared to the female players. 

 “Obviously we are smaller girls and we are not as strong as the other guys and we don’t have as much experience as some of the guys who have been playing for a while,” said Abbey Tulk, a first-year student playing for The Pylons.  

First-year student Sarah Viau with four minutes remaining in the third period had the lone bright spot a 8-1 loss to Kings of Queens, showing it was clear physical differences play a huge role in intramural sports.  However, Thurlbeck remains confident the team has been and will continue to show improvement with each game.

“No matter how many games we may lose or how many goals we get scored on us, we keep trying and fighting to do well,” Thurlbeck said. “I love that our team never stops trying and we’re there not only to have fun but also fight.”  

“I thought it would be a really good opportunity to meet new people and to continue my passion for hockey, ” says Tulk. “It’s so much fun, and everyone is welcome on the Pylons, it’s really not as scary as you might think it is.”

Dalhousie doesn’t just offer hockey intramurals, but it has all kinds of sports for different kinds of students.  For example, first-year student Emily Lowthian is thinking of joining a intramural badminton league specifically for Dal’s marine biology students. 

 “I am very excited,” Lowthian said. “I don’t know much about badminton, but I think it will be a great way to get out of my shell and meet more people in my program.”  

Correctional officers rally for higher wages amid challenging working conditions

Emma Breton
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Correctional officers rally for higher wages amid challenging working conditions

Despite the cold winds and pouring rain, over 40 correctional officers from facilities across Nova Scotia protested in front of the Justice Department for better pay on Thursday, Dec. 5 2024. 

“They’re the lowest paid in the country and continue to be dealing with very high risk offenders in custody,” says Hugh Gillis, a correctional worker and the first vice-president of the Nova Scotia Government Employees Union, which represents over 400 correctional officers. 

According to Gillis, the salary for correctional officers in Nova Scotia tops out at $69,000, while officers continue to deal with high-stress physical incidents and people in custody with severe mental health problems. This is leading to a “revolving door” as the government attempts to hire new officers.

“When you as someone in the public are looking to get into corrections … would you choose to go to a province that is the lowest paid in the country? Who in their right mind would choose that as a job if you had your choice?” says Andrea Hancock, a veteran officer at the Central Nova Scotia Correctional Facility, known locally as Burnside.

Assaults at the Burnside facility increased by 125 per cent since 2021. According to a freedom of information request to the Justice Department, there were 112 offender on offender incidents and 36 offender on staff incidents from January to August. Six resulted in hospitalizations. 

“I think you’ll continue to see staff assaults if you have more inexperienced people working with less experienced people and less staff. You’re just outnumbered and outmaneuvered,” says Gillis.

In order to help those in custody, Gillis says the government must be willing to work towards fixing the retention and recruitment issues. 

Hancock echoed the statement, “We want to be respected, and money shows a sign of respect. But our goal overall is to meet the needs of the people in our custody. It’s that simple.” 

As a result of understaffing, there have been mass lockdowns at Burnside, since there is not enough staff to safely let those in custody out. 

Emma Halpern, the co-director of nonprofit law firm PATH Legal and executive director of the Elizabeth Fry Society of Mainland Nova Scotia, called Burnside a “powder keg” when asked about the rising assault statistics. 

“These are fixable problems, but what we’re doing is we’re creating environments where violence is inevitable because we are locking people up and taking away their humanity,” says Halpern. 

In March, PATH, alongside various advocacy groups across Nova Scotia, wrote four calls to action directed at the provincial government. This included demands for better healthcare and mental health programming, an end to the lockdowns and mandatory public inquiries into deaths in custody. 

The government has not responded, according to Halpern. 

Earlier this year, the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia ruled that lockdowns at Burnside on the basis of understaffing were “unlawful,” based on the experiences of Ryan Wilband and Durrell Diggs, who were in custody at Burnside awaiting trial. 

Diggs was locked in his cell for over 21 hours a day for 38 days, followed by a 22 hour lockdown for another eight days out of his 51 days at the facility. Wilband experienced the same, locked in his cell for three days straight. 

On December 10, the government of Nova Scotia appealed the Supreme Court ruling. 

“I think that’s the part that is so heartbreaking, is that if we cared as a society, and if our government cared, we could properly resource and properly support folks to actually have proper access to healthcare and we would see less people die,” says Halpern. 

Halifax’s worst pothole: the Jubilee and Oxford “monster” led in complaints

Marielle Godfrey
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Halifax’s worst pothole: the Jubilee and Oxford “monster” led in complaints

For Halifax commuters, dodging potholes is a daily challenge — but one particular pothole has made the biggest bang.

According to data obtained through a freedom of information request with the Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM), a pothole on the corner of Jubilee Road and Oxford Street has the highest number of complaints in the city. 

One of the complaints was made by Lauren Best-Janes, a Dalhousie University student who commutes to school every day.

“Oh, it was brutal,” says Best-Janes. “I always turn right onto Oxford from the lights at Jubilee to get to school, and one morning it just completely smoked my tire.”

The result? A flat tire and a damaged rim. Fortunately, Best-Janes was able to have the costs covered by the municipality. 

“I mean that’s just Halifax, isn’t it?” says Best-Janes. “You’re constantly trying to save your car from getting swallowed by a big hole. But this one was really bad and definitely the worst one I’ve hit.” 

Between Sept. 1, 2023, and Sept. 1, 2024, Halifax’s 311 municipal information service received 644 pothole complaints across the South End, North End and downtown areas. The Jubilee Road and Oxford Street pothole received 46 reports, the most in the area surveyed. A pothole at Barrington Street and South Streets followed behind with 35 complaints. 

The records from the freedom of information did not account for other parts of the HRM. Across the municipality, over 3,000 pothole repair requests have been logged since Jan. 1, 2024. 

Laura Wright, public affairs advisor for the HRM, says pothole repair priorities are determined by the pothole’s width and depth. 

“Priority one potholes are considered at least 25 centimetres in diameter and eight centimetres in depth, and all other potholes are considered priority two potholes.” 

Wright says road operation crews work year-round to identify and fix potholes, but the municipality relies heavily on residents to report ones they notice. In 2023, the municipality spent nearly $1.5 million on pothole repairs. 

Despite efforts to repair problem areas, new potholes continue to form, particularly during the winter months. Sarah Evans, a receptionist for the Coast Tire & Auto Service on Young Street, says they receive cars with pothole damages almost every day, no matter the season. 

“We see a lot of pothole-related repairs, and I mean a lot,” says Evans. “On average, probably two or three cars a day come in with damages caused by potholes.” 

Evans says the cost of fixing tires can range anywhere from $100 to $500, depending on how severe the damages are. Residents can file a claim for compensation if the pothole responsible is on a municipal or provincial road. 

The pothole on Jubilee Road and Oxford Street was repaired in September, causing additional frustration due to the construction.

“At least it was fixed! A month of sitting in construction is nothing compared to hitting that monster every single day and fearing for your tires,” says Best-Janes. 

In April, Hot Country 103.5 posted a series of videos on TikTok looking for Halifax’s biggest pothole. One of the contenders was the pothole on Jubilee Road and Oxford Street.

“My boyfriend sent it to me immediately,” says Best-Janes. “The guy in the video was saying because it didn’t look that deep it couldn’t be bad, but I am here to attest it was definitely that bad.”

Feeling insecure about your 2024 Apple Music Replay/Spotify wrapped?

Maryn Rice
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Feeling insecure about your 2024 Apple Music Replay/Spotify wrapped?

I’ve always enjoyed curating a diverse ecosystem of music. The shining statistic of my annual Apple Music Replay is the number of artists listened to — about 1,500 this year. I liken this particular affection of mine to how gastrointestinal doctors talk about indicators of good mental and physical health. The higher the volume and variation of vegetables you consume, the more you develop rich complex bacteria in the lining of your intestines, helping you thrive holistically. If musicians were my vegetables, I’d be a pretty healthy individual. 

However, this December, during my regular inventory of the year’s content, I found myself shocked, even embarrassed at my year-defining artists, songs and albums. For the first time in a long time, pop music indisputably colonized my auditory microbiome. 

There is a lot to unpack here. Why were shock and shame my first responses to this observation of my listening habits spit out by an algorithm? Where is the empowering story that you’ll usually find in my column about a woman in my life helping me overcome a hurdle in young adulthood? The answers to these seemingly unrelated questions are surprisingly intertwined and converge around a group of women who shaped the cultural character of 2024. Yes, my friends, I’m talking about the pop girlies, and their victory against the relentless facet of human nature to reject popular brilliance in favour of something undiscovered by the masses. 

Chappell Roan, Sabrina Carpenter, Charli xcx and Taylor Swift dominated global music charts last year. They all released a 2025 Grammy-nominated pop album and appeared on my list of either my most listened-to songs or artists of the year. This may be shocking to readers who know me personally, as I was initially so embarrassed that I refrained from sharing my replay on social media; though it’s typically a source of pride for me. My music taste is and always has been an integral part of my identity and something I strive to make a unique reflection of myself. I think the root of my shame lies in the assumption I’ve held for so long that liking what is “popular” will abolish the individuality I’ve been constructing for the last 20 years. Ironically, I spent last summer teaching kids at my summer camp to reject this idea in the music curriculum I created for them. 

In the first lesson of each two-week-long music session, I aimed to deconstruct “pop” as a finite genre. Instead, I painted a picture of “popular music” as an ever-changing entity influenced by time and culture. Pop as we know it today is pink and neon green. Sparkly, catchy and light. But it used to be jazz. Or rock and roll. Or paradoxically, what we now call alternative! I would argue, that at the heart of pop in 2024 was Taylor Swift, a woman both adored and brutally hated all at once simply for existing at the centre of what is popular and thus, what is “simple” or “cheap.” We also discussed the misogyny coded in the rejection of pop music, and how female artists are often dismissed for writing lyrics just about love and relationships or simple but catchy hooks played so many times they drive us crazy. We forget that music is an industry and that simple, catchy writing is exactly what skyrockets these women to fame and commercial success. “That’s that me espresso” sounds like an easy phrase to whip up, but did you come up with it and market it brilliantly like Sabrina Carpenter did? I don’t think so. 

Though I’m incredibly aware of the deep-rooted problems with rejecting pop music, I still felt a visceral shame when Apple Music held up a mirror. Lots of us probably did.  

So what’s the takeaway? I’m going to hold your hand, and my own, when I say this, fellow Gen Zers: it’s okay to like what lots of people like! And it is especially okay to like what other people like when it results in women triumphing in a big and beautiful way. It’s okay to like whatever you want! Keep feeding your mind a diverse collection of sounds. My only ask is that you don’t avoid a whole collection of objectively well-written and well-produced music simply because the populous is in agreement. Don’t be that girl. Any kind of unification, especially in today’s political climate, is something to embrace.

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