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89-593: Halifax City Hall is the home of municipal government in Halifax , Nova Scotia , Canada . Designed by architect Edward Elliot , and constructed for the City of Halifax between 1887 and 1890, it is one of the oldest and largest public buildings in Nova Scotia. The property was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1997. Halifax City Hall was opened for municipal business, and for public access, in 1890 replacing offices in

178-404: A humid continental climate ( Köppen Dfb ), with warm summers and relatively mild winters, which is due to Gulf Stream moderation. The weather is usually milder in the winter or cooler in the summer than areas at similar latitudes inland, with the temperature remaining (with occasional notable exceptions) between about −8 and 28 °C (18 and 82 °F). January is the coldest month, being

267-435: A blank wall to the street, but instead maintained continuous shop frontage. Park Lane opened in 1988. City Centre Atlantic, a mixed-use development on Spring Garden Road, was developed by Halifax company Ryco Developments Limited in the late 1980s. Spring Garden Place expanded in 1992. The street sees some of the highest foot traffic in the city, and hosts several popular public gathering places. The Lord Nelson Hotel , at

356-483: A new, full size elevator. Interior upgrades were undertaken to bring the public and office spaces up to modern standards while respecting and maintaining character defining heritage elements. Council Chambers underwent a major upgrade in 2012. The renovation was driven in part to accommodate the newly downsized 16 member Regional Council, reduced from 23. It also allowed for modern wiring, communications, data and video systems to be installed. An open horseshoe configuration

445-441: A number of radio and television programs are made in the region for national broadcast. In 2020, filming began on the series Pub Crawl, which explores the historically significant bars of Halifax. The new Halifax Central Library on Spring Garden Road has received accolades for its architecture and has been described as a new cultural locus, offering many community facilities including a 300-seat auditorium. Halifax's urban core

534-677: A part of the new Halifax Memorial Library on Spring Garden Road at Grafton Street in 1950, though the collection moved in 2014 to Halifax Central Library . The space formerly occupied by the library is now split between the office of the Mayor and the CAO. The Halifax Police moved into the Market Building on Brunswick Street in 1953 from its cramped quarters in City Hall. The police department remained on Brunswick Street until moving to their current location in

623-415: A public outcry among heritage advocates. In 2011 a major multi-year restoration of the building began. The original cornerstone of the building and several other stone facade features were painstakingly restored, while up to 80% of the exterior stone was replaced with new sandstone. The roof was replaced, heating and cooling systems upgraded and the 110-year-old elevator shaft decommissioned and replaced with

712-459: A riot broke out in downtown Halifax following the arrest of an unruly and drunken sailor. Besides a besieged City Hall, the damage included a couple of turned over cars, and a police wagon and police motorcycle being thrown in the harbour. The Citizens' Free Library was moved from place to place in the city for many years until 1890 when it was given a permanent home on the second floor of the then new City Hall. The Library closed in 1949 reopening as

801-416: A scenic wilderness in close proximity to the urban communities. Halifax's tourism industry showcases Nova Scotia's culture, scenery and coastline. There are several museums and art galleries in downtown Halifax. The Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 , an immigrant entry point prominent throughout the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s, was opened to the public as a National Historic Site of Canada in 1999 and

890-650: A sloop of war on June 21, 1749. By unilaterally establishing Halifax, the British were violating earlier treaties with the Mi'kmaq (1726), which were signed after Father Rale's War . Cornwallis brought along 1,176 settlers and their families. To guard against Mi'kmaq, Acadian and French attacks on the new Protestant settlements, British fortifications were erected in Halifax (Citadel Hill) (1749), Bedford ( Fort Sackville ) (1749), Dartmouth (1750), and Lawrencetown (1754), all areas within

979-514: A space variously described as a ball room, a gallery, and a museum, though the space may simply not have been completed when the building was opened. In 1907 stables were constructed under the north-east corner of the Grand Parade, at Barrington Street next to the dry moat. This involved the installation of one regular size door and a larger door for horses and carts in the two northernmost granite arched bays, opening onto Barrington Street . After

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1068-717: A wide array of world cuisines. There are also more than 60 sidewalk cafes that open in the summer months. The nightlife is made up of bars and small music venues as well as Casino Nova Scotia , a large facility built partially over the water. Cruise ships visit the province frequently. In 2015, the Port of Halifax welcomed 141 vessel calls with 222,309 passengers. Halifax is the Atlantic region's central point for radio broadcast and press media. CBC Television , CTV Television Network (CTV), and Global Television Network and other broadcasters all have important regional television concentrators in

1157-471: Is a major cultural centre within the Atlantic provinces . The municipality has maintained many of its maritime and military traditions, while opening itself to a growing multicultural population. The municipality's urban core also benefits from a large population of post-secondary students who strongly influence the local cultural scene. Halifax has a number of art galleries, theatres and museums, as well as most of

1246-433: Is a popular site for concerts, political demonstrations, as well as the annual Remembrance Day ceremony at the central cenotaph . Another popular downtown public space is the timber Halifax Boardwalk , which stretches approximately 3 km (1.9 mi) and is integrated with several squares and monuments. The Halifax Common , granted for the use of citizens in 1763, is Canada's oldest public park. Centrally located on

1335-461: Is fixed at four minutes past nine to commemorate the Halifax Explosion of 1917. City Hall had five primary entrances in 1890. The grand entrance off of Grand Parade was the main public entrance and brought visitors onto the second floor. There were also entrances off of Argyle Street to the second floor, as well as three entrances to the first floor. One door allowed access to the building from

1424-642: Is heavy in winter, but snow cover is usually patchy owing to the frequent freeze-thaw cycles, which melt accumulated snow. Some winters feature colder temperatures and fewer freeze-thaw cycles; the most recent of which being the winter of 2014–2015, which was the coldest, snowiest and stormiest in about a century. Spring is often wet and cool and arrives much later than in areas of Canada at similar latitudes, due to cooler sea temperatures. Summers are mild and pleasant, with hot and humid conditions very infrequent. Warm, pleasant conditions often extend well into September, sometimes into mid-October. Average monthly precipitation

1513-539: Is highest from November to February due to intense late-fall to winter storms migrating from the Northeastern U.S., and lowest in summer, with August being the year's warmest and driest month on average. Halifax can sometimes receive hurricanes, mostly between August and October. An example is when Hurricane Juan , a category 2 storm, hit in September 2003 and caused considerable damage to the region. Hurricane Earl grazed

1602-663: Is home to a number of pubs, coffee shops and boutiques, making it busy both day and night. On Spring Garden one can also find the Main Branch of Halifax Public Libraries , the Halifax Provincial Court, the school of architecture and the Sexton Campus of Dalhousie University (the former Technical University of Nova Scotia ), the Halifax Public Gardens , and St. Mary's Basilica . The area is also in proximity to

1691-492: Is home to a number of regional landmark buildings and retains significant historic buildings and districts. Downtown office towers are overlooked by the fortress of Citadel Hill with its iconic Halifax Town Clock . The architecture of Halifax's South End is renowned for its grand Victorian houses while the West End and North End, Halifax have many blocks of well-preserved wooden residential houses with notable features such as

1780-551: Is housed in a 150-year-old building containing nearly 19,000 works of art. The Black Cultural Centre for Nova Scotia in Dartmouth reflects the region's rich ethnic heritage. Halifax has numerous National Historic Sites , most notably Citadel Hill (Fort George) . Just outside the urban area, the iconic Peggys Cove is internationally recognized and receives more than 600,000 visitors a year. The waterfront in Downtown Halifax

1869-864: Is represented by three professional sports teams, with teams in the National Lacrosse League (NLL), the Canadian Premier League (CPL), and the newest league, the Northern Super League (NSL), a planned Division I professional women's soccer league in Canada. Also, Halifax has a semi-professional sports team in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), which is part of the Canadian Hockey League (CHL). Spring Garden Road Spring Garden Road

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1958-442: Is the only national museum in the Atlantic provinces. The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic is a maritime museum containing extensive galleries including a large exhibit on the famous Titanic , over 70 small craft and a 200-foot (61 m) steamship CSS  Acadia . In summertime the preserved World War II corvette HMCS  Sackville operates as a museum ship and Canada's naval memorial. The Art Gallery of Nova Scotia

2047-529: Is the site of the Halifax Harbourwalk , a 3-kilometre (2 mi) boardwalk popular among tourists and locals alike. Many mid-sized ships dock here at one of the many wharfs. The harbourwalk is home to a Halifax Transit ferry terminal, hundreds of stores, Historic Properties , several office buildings, the Casino Nova Scotia , and several public squares where buskers perform, most prominently at

2136-501: The 2016 Canadian Census and the 2021 Canadian Census . Before the 2021 Canadian Census , Metropolitan Halifax covered 549,631 hectares (5,496.31 square kilometres; 2,122.14 square miles) After the addition of the Municipality of East Hants , the metropolitan area's land area expanded by 177,991 hectares (1,779.91 km ) to its current land area. Halifax has two distinct areas: its rural area and its urban area. Since 1 April 1996,

2225-636: The British Colonist newspaper as "the grandest object amongst all our displays, in or around the city, outside of the Province Building.... It is the most splendid thing of the kind we have ever seen, here or elsewhere, and evinces on the part of its designer, not only much taste but real genius." Other arches and monuments were set up outside the gardens and the Convent of the Sacred Heart. An area in

2314-544: The Citadel and the Scotiabank Centre , and several major hotels are located nearby. Spring Garden Road runs to Robie Street, where it becomes Coburg Road, a largely residential thoroughfare. It is served by numerous Halifax Transit routes. Routes 1, 4, 8, 9, and 10 provide service from 6:00 am until around midnight daily. Spring Garden Road has been the site of several significant events and has undergone many changes over

2403-616: The Court House . In commemoration of these treaties, Nova Scotians annually celebrate Treaty Day on October 1. Prince Edward, Prince of Wales arrived in Halifax in July 1860, making this city his first stop on the first tour of North America by an heir to the British throne. Numerous arches were erected around the city to commemorate the occasion. The day after arriving, the Prince's procession traveled from Government House up Spring Garden Road toward

2492-606: The Department of National Defence , Dalhousie University , Nova Scotia Health Authority , Saint Mary's University , the Halifax Shipyard , various levels of government, and the Port of Halifax . Resource industries found in rural areas of the municipality include agriculture, fishing, mining, forestry, and natural gas extraction. The Mi'kmaq name for Halifax is Kjipuktuk , pronounced "che-book-took". The name means "Great Harbour" in

2581-709: The Halifax Explosion , Deputy Mayor Colwell, five aldermen, and twelve citizens, including Lieutenant-Governor MacCallum Grant and Justice Harris, assembled in the City Collector's Office, which was the only room still serviceable after the explosion. An emergency joint meeting of the Members of the City Council present and Citizens in attendance was chaired by the Lieutenant-Governor, and would continue to meet there from December 1917 to late February 1918. On May 25, 1918

2670-563: The Halifax Explosion , devastated the Richmond District in the North End of Halifax, killing approximately 2,000 people and injuring nearly 9,000 others. The blast was the largest artificial explosion before the development of nuclear weapons. Significant aid came from Boston , strengthening the bond between the two coastal cities . The four municipalities in the Halifax urban area had been coordinating delivery of some services through

2759-538: The Halifax Harbour . This has resulted in some modern high rises being built at unusual angles or locations. The Halifax area has a variety of public spaces, ranging from urban gardens, public squares, expansive forested parks, and historic sites. The original grid plan devised when Halifax was founded in 1749 included a central military parade square, the Grand Parade . The square hosts the City Hall at one end, and

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2848-717: The Halifax Pop Explosion , periodic Tall Ship events, the Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo , and Shakespeare by the Sea—to name a few. Halifax Pride is the largest LGBT event in Atlantic Canada and one of the largest in the country. Many of Halifax's festivals and annual events have become world-renowned over the past several years. Halifax is home to many performance venues, namely the Music Room,

2937-665: The Halifax Transit ferry service. There are smaller performance venues at the Halifax Central Library , Citadel High School (Spatz Theatre), and Halifax West High School ( Bella Rose Arts Centre ). Halifax has also become a significant film production centre, with many American and Canadian filmmakers using the streetscapes, often to stand in for other cities that are more expensive to work in. The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation has its Atlantic Canada production centres (radio and television) based in Halifax, and quite

3026-594: The Mi'kmaq language . The first permanent European settlement in the region was on the Halifax Peninsula . The establishment of the Town of Halifax , named after the 2nd Earl of Halifax , in 1749 led to the colonial capital being transferred from Annapolis Royal . The establishment of Halifax marked the beginning of Father Le Loutre's War . The war began when Edward Cornwallis arrived to establish Halifax with 13 transports and

3115-608: The Musquodoboit Valley to rocky and heavily forested rolling hills. It includes a number of islands and peninsulas, among them McNabs Island , Beaver Island , Melville Island , Deadman's Island and Sable Island . The Halifax Regional Centre includes the Halifax Peninsula , and Dartmouth inside the Circumferential Highway. The new inner urban area covers 3,300 hectares (33 square kilometres; 13 square miles) and houses 96,619 people in 55,332 dwelling units as of

3204-589: The Neptune Theatre , and Rebecca Cohn Auditorium . The Neptune Theatre, a 43-year-old establishment located on Argyle Street, is Halifax's largest theatre. It performs an assortment of professionally produced plays year-round. The Shakespeare by the Sea theatre company performs at nearby Point Pleasant Park . Eastern Front Theatre performs at Alderney Landing in Downtown Dartmouth which can easily be accessed via

3293-636: The North British Society , as well as a fountain. In contrast to the urban parks, the expansive Point Pleasant Park at the southern tip of the peninsula is heavily forested and contains the remains of numerous British fortifications. Located on the opposite side of the harbour, the Dartmouth Commons is a large park next to Downtown Dartmouth laid out in the 1700s. It is home to the Leighton Dillman gardens and various sports grounds. Nearby,

3382-457: The amalgamation of Halifax in 1996 , and since its restructure as a municipality , the growth of Halifax has gradually increased. Many of the present day communities within the conurbation have morphed from being primarily rural in the recent past, to now primarily urban. With the demographic change and growth of many communities within urban Halifax, their function and role within the conurbation has changed. With this continuous growth, many of

3471-530: The "Halifax Porch". Dalhousie University 's campus is often featured in films and documentaries. Surrounding areas of the municipality, including Dartmouth and Bedford, also possess their share of historic neighbourhoods and properties. The urban core is home to several blocks of typical North American high-rise office buildings; however, segments of the downtown are governed by height restrictions, known as "view planes legislation", which prevent buildings from obstructing certain sight lines between Citadel Hill and

3560-519: The 2016 Census. The Regional Centre has many public services within its boundaries, and it hosts large entertainment venues ( Scotiabank Centre ), and major hospitals ( Dartmouth General Hospital , the QEII Health Sciences Centre , and IWK Health Centre ). Halifax is geographically large, and there are over 200 official communities and neighbourhoods within the municipality. They vary from rural to urban. The former town of Bedford , and

3649-435: The Dartmouth waterfront trail stretches from Downtown Dartmouth to Woodside. Among residents of central Dartmouth, the area around Sullivan's Pond and Lake Banook is popular for strolling and paddling. The forested Shubie Park , through which the historic Shubenacadie Canal runs, is a major park in suburban Dartmouth. Mainland Halifax is home to several significant parks, including Sir Sandford Fleming Park , gifted to

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3738-449: The David R. McKinnon Building on Gottingen Street in the 1970s. A citizen committee was convened to lead a substantial renovation of the building in the 1980s. Halifax Hall, a large public meeting room, was created out of a number of offices in the east wing of the second floor. A damaging coating was applied to the sandstone in the 1990s. Repairs were successfully completed in 2013. City Hall

3827-477: The Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM), although "Halifax" has remained in common usage for brevity. On April 15, 2014, regional council approved the implementation of a new branding campaign for the municipality. The campaign would see the region referred to in promotional materials simply as "Halifax", although "Halifax Regional Municipality" would remain the region's official name. Halifax has

3916-417: The Halifax peninsula, the wide fields are a popular location for sports. The slopes of Citadel Hill , overlooking downtown, are favoured by sunbathers and kite-flyers. The Halifax Public Gardens , a short walk away, are Victorian era public gardens formally established in 1867 and designated a National Historic Site in 1984. Victoria Park , across the street, contains various monuments and statues erected by

4005-542: The Metropolitan Authority since the late 1970s, but remained independent towns and cities until April 1, 1996, when the provincial government amalgamated all municipal governments within Halifax County to create the Halifax Regional Municipality. The municipal boundary thus now includes all of Halifax County except for several First Nation reserves. Since amalgamation, the region has officially been known as

4094-555: The Public Gardens. An arch was erected by the archbishop at the foot of Spring Garden Road emblazoned with the words "Welcome to the Land of the Mayflower" and festooned with wreathes and thousands of roses. Further up the road a large arch, sponsored by General Trollope, Commander-in-Chief of His Majesty's Forces in Nova Scotia, was erected in front of the courthouse. The archway was lauded by

4183-485: The annual Halifax International Busker Festival every August. Downtown Halifax, home to many small shops and vendors, is a major shopping area. It is also home to several shopping centres, including Scotia Square , Barrington Place Shops, and Maritime Mall . Numerous malls on Spring Garden Road , including the Park Lane Mall , are also located nearby. The area is home to approximately 200 restaurants and bars, offering

4272-898: The auditor's office, the Board of Works, the City Clerk, the office of the Mayor, the Collector, the City Engineer, and the Treasurer. The third floor was home to the Council Chamber and the Citizens Free Library, as well as the offices of the Inspector of Licenses, the Collector of Rents and Licenses, the Foreman of Streets, and the Foreman of Water Works. The fourth floor held a caretaker's apartment, and

4361-483: The boundaries of Taylor Head Provincial Park . The northeastern area of the municipality, centred on Sheet Harbour and the Musquodoboit Valley, is completely rural, with the area sharing more in common with the adjacent rural areas of neighbouring Guysborough , Pictou and Colchester counties. Most economic activity in the Musquodoboit Valley is based on agriculture, as it is the largest farming district in

4450-448: The buskers and purchase food from several vendors. The low wall around the garden is a very popular place to sit and rest. Victoria Park , with its memorials to Scottish writers, Walter Scott and Robert Burns , including the square surrounding the Burns statue at the corner of Spring Garden and South Park, is sometimes used for arts events, community gatherings, and demonstrations. In 2011,

4539-634: The centuries, transitioning from a pasture outside the town walls of 18th-century Halifax to a vibrant, mixed-use neighbourhood today. The seventy-five year period of war between the Mi'kmaq people and the British ended with the Burial of the Hatchet Ceremony . On June 25, 1761, a “Burying of the Hatchet Ceremony” was held at Governor Jonathan Belcher ’s garden on present-day Spring Garden Road in front of

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4628-495: The city to permit the university to expand. The university building was demolished to make way for the new structure and timbers from the old academic building were reportedly incorporated into the municipal building. Designed by Edward Elliot and constructed for the City of Halifax between 1887 and 1890; it is one of the oldest and largest public buildings in Nova Scotia and is a designated National Historic Site of Canada . In 1981, it

4717-538: The coast as a category 1 storm in 2010. In 2019, Hurricane Dorian made landfall just south of Halifax as a post-tropical storm with an intensity equivalent to a category 2 hurricane and caused significant damage across Nova Scotia. In 2021 Hurricane Ida hit the region with minor damage. In 2022, Hurricane Fiona hit as a category 2 storm, although damage was relatively minor in Halifax, with downed trees and widespread power outages for days. Atlantic sea surface temperatures have risen in recent years, making Halifax and

4806-418: The coast of Nova Scotia somewhat more susceptible to hurricanes than the area had been in the past. The highest temperature ever recorded in Halifax was 37.2 °C (99.0 °F) on July 10, 1912, and the lowest temperature recorded was −29.4 °C (−20.9 °F) on February 18, 1922. The March 2012 North American heat wave brought unusually high temperatures to the municipality of Halifax. On March 22,

4895-492: The corner of Spring Garden Road and South Park Street, is a Halifax landmark. During the 1960s its grounds were a popular hang-out for artists and hippies and inspired a novel, Lord Nelson Tavern by Ray Smith , but the wall outside upon which people sat was subsequently redeveloped into shops. The park outside the Spring Garden Memorial Library is a particularly popular place to stop and rest. Citizens can enjoy

4984-517: The current communities have developed de facto business districts where residents of their respective communities (and their respective environs) can access products and services without travelling long distances (e.g. to Downtown Dartmouth or to Downtown Halifax ). Currently, the municipality is divided into 21 community planning areas which are further divided into neighbourhoods. The regional municipality has taken steps to reduce duplicate street names for its 9-1-1 emergency dispatch services; at

5073-414: The district, just to the south of Spring Garden Road, is known as Schmidtville. This land was purchased by James Pedley in 1781 and was originally outside the Halifax town walls. As the threat of attack from natives diminished, the land was divided into building lots for new housing and new streets laid out including Birmingham Street, Dresden Row, and Rottenburg Street (now Clyde Street). Part of Schmidtville

5162-438: The dry moat between the building and Grand Parade. Two doors facing Duke Street provided access to the police station that was located in the first floor until the late 1940s. The first floor originally contained the police court, policemen's rooms, office of Chief of Police, and jail cells. It was from these jail cells that Harry Houdini escaped in 1896, just six years after City Hall opened. The main or second floor contained

5251-455: The entirety of the County of Halifax and all of its places (cities, suburbs, towns, and villages) were turned into communities of a larger single-tier municipality called Halifax Regional Municipality. As of 2021, the total surface area of the municipality is 5,475.57 km (2,114.13 sq mi). The Halifax Regional Municipality occupies an area comparable in size to the total land area of

5340-438: The former cities of Dartmouth and Halifax have maintained their original geographic names. Furthermore, communities that were suburban , or even rural before 1996, now have become more urban and have attained community status (e.g. Cole Harbour , Lower Sackville , Spryfield , et cetera). These community names are used on survey and mapping documents, for 9-1-1 service, municipal planning, and postal service. Before

5429-472: The free alternative arts weekly The Coast . Halifax has several online daily newspapers . allNovaScotia is a daily, subscriber-only outlet which focuses on business and political news from across the province. CityNews Halifax , associated with the CJNI-FM radio station, was created from a merger of the former News 95.7 and HalifaxToday (previously Local Xpress ) news websites. The Halifax Examiner

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5518-543: The frost-free period is 182 days, ranging from May 1 to October 31. As of the 2021 Canadian Census , the Halifax Census Metropolitan Area ( Metropolitan Halifax ) is coterminous with the Municipality of Halifax and the Municipality of East Hants . The total land area of Metropolitan Halifax is 727,622 hectares (7,276.22 square kilometres; 2,809.36 square miles) The metropolitan area grew between

5607-455: The majority of those residents commuting to and working in the urban core. Farther away, rural communities in the municipality function like any resource-based area in Nova Scotia, being sparsely populated and their local economies based on four major resource industries: agriculture , in the Musquodoboit Valley, fishing , along the coast, mining , in the Musquodoboit Valley and in Moose River Gold Mines and forestry , in most areas outside

5696-478: The mercury climbed to 28.2 °C (82.8 °F) at the Halifax Windsor Park weather station, and 27.2 °C (81.0 °F) at Halifax Stanfield International Airport . In spite of the possibility of high temperatures, in a normal year there are only three days that go above 30 °C (86 °F). Halifax also has a modest frost count by Canadian standards due to the maritime influence, averaging 131 air frosts and 49 full days below freezing annually. On average

5785-518: The modern-day Regional Municipality. St. Margaret's Bay was first settled by French-speaking Foreign Protestants at French Village, Nova Scotia who migrated from Lunenburg, Nova Scotia during the American Revolution. December 6, 1917 saw one of the great disasters in Canadian history, when the SS  Mont-Blanc , a French cargo ship carrying munitions, collided with the Belgian Relief vessel SS  Imo in "The Narrows" between upper Halifax Harbour and Bedford Basin. The resulting explosion,

5874-477: The most populous municipality in Atlantic Canada . As of 2023, it is estimated that the population of the Halifax CMA was 518,711, with 348,634 people in its urban area . The regional municipality consists of four former municipalities that were amalgamated in 1996: Halifax , Dartmouth , Bedford , and Halifax County . Halifax is an economic centre of Atlantic Canada, home to a concentration of government offices and private companies. Major employers include

5963-402: The municipal land area. The area surrounds Halifax Harbour and its main centres are Bedford , Dartmouth , and Halifax (and their respective environs). Between the 2016 Canadian Census and the 2021 Canadian Census , the built-up area of Halifax grew by 357 hectares (3.57 km ) from 23,472 hectares (234.72 km ) in 2016 to 23,829 hectares (238.29 km ) in 2021 . Halifax

6052-422: The municipality. CBC Radio has a major regional studio and there are also regional hubs for Rogers Radio and various private broadcast franchises, as well as a regional bureau for The Canadian Press / Broadcast News . Halifax's print media is centred on its single daily newspaper, the broadsheet Chronicle Herald as well as two free newspapers, the daily commuter-oriented edition of Metro International and

6141-413: The municipality. Most coastal communities are based on the fishing industry. Forestry is active in this area as well. It is also prevalent in the Musquodoboit Valley, but it takes a backseat to the more prominent agricultural industry. At 23,829 hectares (238.29 square kilometres; 92.00 square miles), Halifax's urban area (defined as population centre by Statistics Canada) is less than five percent of

6230-462: The neighbourhood one of the most vibrant and economically successful in the city. Until the mid-20th century, Spring Garden Road was served by a tram line. The street was considered fashionable by the 1970s, home to a number of specialty stores and fine clothing retailers. It continued to grow in stature during the 1980s, and several shopping centres were built. These innovated upon earlier shopping centres on Barrington Street in that they did not turn

6319-449: The northern boundary of the municipality usually being between 50 and 60 km (31 and 37 mi) inland. The coast is mostly rock with small isolated sand beaches in sheltered bays. The largest coastal features include St. Margarets Bay , Halifax Harbour / Bedford Basin , Cole Harbour , Musquodoboit Harbour , Jeddore Harbour, Ship Harbour, Sheet Harbour, and Ecum Secum Harbour. The municipality's topography spans from lush farmland in

6408-473: The old court house on the Halifax waterfront. City Hall was chosen to become the seat of the newly created Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996 and is now the base for the Halifax Regional Council . The building fronts Duke Street and is located at the north end of Grand Parade , an historic military parade square dating from the founding of Halifax in 1749. Dalhousie University was situated on

6497-479: The only month with a high that is slightly below freezing at −0.1 °C (31.8 °F), while August is the warmest. The sea heavily influences the climate of the area, causing significant seasonal lag in summer, with August being significantly warmer than June and with September being the third mildest month in terms of mean temperature. Precipitation is high year-round. Winter features a mix of rain, freezing rain and snow with frequent freeze-thaw cycles. Snowfall

6586-581: The people of Halifax by Sir Sandford Fleming . It houses the Dingle Tower, dedicated in 1912 by the Duke of Connaught to commemorate 150 years of representative government in Nova Scotia. The Mainland Common, in Clayton Park , is a modern park home to various sports and community facilities. Long Lake Provincial Park , comprising more than 2,000 hectares, was designated in 1984 and affords Halifax residents access to

6675-447: The present-day site of the building during the nineteenth century; for many years, the town and later city council argued for the public use of the site. A compromise was engineered by the premier, Sir William Young to facilitate a new use for the site. The provincial government provided funding for the university to relocate its facilities and the City of Halifax granted the university a 5-acre (20,000 m) parcel of land elsewhere in

6764-592: The province of Prince Edward Island , and measures approximately 165 km (103 mi) in length between its eastern and westernmost extremities, excluding Sable Island . The nearest point of land to Sable Island is not in HRM, but rather in adjacent Guysborough County . However, Sable Island is considered part of District 7 of the Halifax Regional Council. The coastline is heavily indented, accounting for its length of approximately 400 km (250 mi), with

6853-568: The region's national-quality sports and entertainment facilities. Halifax is also the home to many of the region's major cultural attractions, such as Halifax Pop Explosion , Symphony Nova Scotia , the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia , The Khyber , the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic and the Neptune Theatre. The region is noted for the strength of its music scene and nightlife, especially within

6942-501: The site was briefly home to the Occupy Nova Scotia movement, who agreed to relocate there after Mayor Peter J. Kelly requested they vacate the Grand Parade to make way for the annual Remembrance Day ceremonies. Unbeknownst to the protestors, the mayor controversially issued an order to have the site cleared by police on the morning of Remembrance Day, and several protesters were arrested. The new Halifax Central Library on

7031-404: The street. Over the 20th century the city continued to grow outward. Numerous apartment towers were built in the western, less commercial part of Spring Garden Road. Spring Garden Terrace, a 201-unit apartment building, was designed by Ian Martin of Montreal and opened in 1963. Embassy Towers opened in 1967. The high residential population of the district, coupled with its mixed-use nature, makes

7120-686: The third floor and the Office of the Councillors located on the fourth floor. Other municipal departments are located in adjacent commercial office space such as the Duke Tower (across the street), Alderney Gate on the Dartmouth waterfront, and various other sites around the region. Halifax, Nova Scotia Halifax is the capital and most populous municipality of the Canadian province of Nova Scotia , and

7209-425: The time of amalgamation, some street names were duplicated several times throughout the municipality. Current planning areas: Halifax is centred on the urban core and surrounded by areas of decreasing population density. Rural areas lie to the east, west and north of the urban core. The Atlantic Ocean lies to the south. Certain rural communities on the urban fringe function as suburban or exurban areas, with

7298-619: The urban communities; see List of musical groups from Halifax, Nova Scotia for a partial list. Halifax hosts a wide variety of festivals that take place throughout the year, including; the largest Canada Day celebration east of Ottawa, the Atlantic Film Festival , the Halifax International Busker Festival, Greekfest, Atlantic Jazz Festival, the Multicultural Festival, Natal Day , Nocturne Festival ,

7387-456: The urban core. Also, the tourism industry is beginning to change how some rural communities in Halifax function, particularly in communities such as Hubbards , Peggys Cove , with its notable lighthouse and Lawrencetown , with Lawrencetown Beach. There are two other large beaches along the coast, Martinique Beach, near Musquodoboit Harbour and Taylor Head Beach , located in Spry Bay , within

7476-426: Was also listed as a Municipally Registered Property under Nova Scotia's Heritage Property Act . Designed in an eclectic, monumental style, the building is of cream and red sandstone , laid in the freestone technique. It also features granite construction on the ground floor and in the tower. The seven-storey tower has clock faces on the north and south sides. The northern face (visible in the photograph above left),

7565-415: Was chosen to become the seat of the newly created Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996 and became home to Halifax Regional Council as well as various municipal offices. During the late 1990s, Halifax Regional Council attempted to have the building renamed from Halifax City Hall to Halifax Regional Hall, to reflect the fact that Nova Scotia no longer has any "cities". This proposal was promptly rejected after

7654-480: Was demolished in the 1950s and replaced with large surface parking lots. These lots are now being redeveloped into mid-size mixed-use developments. The rest of Schmidtville is home to some of the city's oldest houses. The land on which the Spring Garden Road Memorial Library sits has been known as Grafton Park for two centuries or more. This lot at the corner of Brunswick Street and Spring Garden

7743-617: Was founded by the former news editor of The Coast in 2014 and, like allNovaScotia , is supported through subscriptions. From 1974 to 2008, Halifax had a second daily newspaper, the tabloid The Daily News , which still publishes several neighbourhood weekly papers such as The Bedford-Sackville Weekly News , The Halifax West-Clayton Park Weekly News and the Dartmouth-Cole Harbour Weekly News . These weekly papers compete with The Chronicle-Herald' s weekly Community Heralds HRM West , HRM East , and HRM North . Halifax

7832-612: Was restored to the chamber that reflects the original layout from 1890. Halifax City Hall continues to house the offices of the Chief Administrative Officer , the Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, the Municipal Clerk , legislative assistants, and media relations offices. The offices and support staff for the municipality's elected officials are also located here, with the Office of the Mayor on

7921-553: Was used as a burial ground for paupers from the late 1700s to mid-1800s. It was listed as a "public park" in an 1895 insurance map. In the mid-20th century the library was built in Grafton Park, but sited back from the street to preserve a traditional walking path, running diagonally through the property, between Spring Garden and Grafton Street. The library was closed in 2014 and replaced by the Halifax Central Library across

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