According to a 1759 survey, the land now known as the Halifax Common was a swampy area at the base of the Citadel. Its original purpose was military defense, keeping the area around the Citadel clear in case of any enemy attack by land. In 1763,…

The Halifax Public Gardens is surely one of the City of Halifax’s most recognizable historic places. The stunning sixteen acres bordered by Spring Garden Road, South Park Street, Summer Street and Sackville Street are right in the middle of city…

The year was 1796, and Britain’s war with Revolutionary France continued to drag on. Fear of a French attack loomed large in Halifax. Driven by the need to defend the city, the garrison commander of Halifax, Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent, ordered…

Frost Park on Main Street is one of the best-known parks in Yarmouth County. The area was not always a place for picnics and quiet strolls, rather, it was originally for graves. The first settlers of Yarmouth used this site as a burial ground until…

Bravo, Straw Hat:In 1825, a Halifax Turf Club was established, and races were held on the Common the last week of every August for twenty years. In 1827, a cocked-hat sweepstakes for untrained horses was added to the programme, for which no handicap…

In 1862, the Halifax Skating Club was formed by a winter-hardy group of 'fancy skating' enthusiasts. They first took to the ice to perform the Lancers on Griffin's Pond in the Horticultural Society's Grounds, now commonly known as the Public…

Sir Sandford Fleming Park is named for the Scottish-Canadian engineer and businessman who, in 1908, gifted his property to Halifax to be used as a park. Fleming introduced international standard time to North America and was a driving force behind…

Just off Route 239, overlooking the south arm of Sydney Harbour, you can pull off the road and enjoy and picnic and a hike in Petersfield Provincial Park. The park gets its name from the Petersfield estate, the grand home built by industrialist and…