Halifax Common
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The Halifax Common, often referred to as the Halifax Commons, is a Canadian urban park in Nova Scotia's Halifax Regional Municipality in the community of Halifax. It is Canada's oldest urban park.
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[edit] History
The Halifax Common was created to serve three purposes. The first was to provide pasturage for horses and livestock, both by the military garrison and the citizens of Halifax. The second was to create a large area in which regiments stationed and in transit through Halifax could set up camps. The third and final reason was to provide clear fields of fire for the garrison of the Halifax Citadel, so that invading forces would have no cover in the event of an assault on the fort.
Originally, the Halifax Common stretched from Cunard Street, the current northern boundary of the North Common, south to the southern edge of the Saint Mary's University campus, with its eastern boundary at North Park, Ahern, Bell Road, and South Park, and Robie Street in to the west. During the 1800s, the city expanded in all directions, and some of this development encroached on the Common. Residential development spread up Spring Garden Road, cutting the Common in half. In addition, civic institutions were established on the Common, in keeping with its use as a public space. The Common became home to the Public Gardens, Camp Hill Cemetery and Camp Hill Hospital, Saint Mary's University, Dalhousie University, the Civic, Victoria General, IWK and Grace hospitals, Queen Elizabeth High, Gorsebrook Junior, and Inglis Street schools, as well as other parks, play sets, ball diamonds and fountains.
[edit] Facilities
The North Common contains several soft ball diamonds, and a large fountain near the centre. It is larger than the Central Common, and is much more empty and open, making it suitable for organized sporting and recreation events. A public washroom was recently built on Cunard St.
The Central Common has more large fields, tennis courts, a soccer field, an outdoor city-owned pool, skateboarding facilities, and a smaller fountain. It is also often used for physical education classes at Queen Elizabeth High School, which is located across the street.
Playgrounds were recently replaced on the Central Common, because of concerns due to toxicity levels in the soil beneath the playground [1]. Arsenic from playground wood that had been treated with chromated copper arsenate (CCA, which has since been discontinued in playground use in Halifax) had leached from the playground wood, into the soil.
Near the Cogswell street side of the Commons is The Pavilion. The Pavilion is an all ages venue that showcases many different genres of music.
[edit] Location
The Halifax Common is centrally located on the Halifax peninsula, about a 5-minute walk to and from Downtown Halifax.
The square-shaped North Common is bordered by Cunard Street to the north, North Park street to the east, Cogswell street to the south, and Robie Street to the west. The Central Common is triangle shaped and is bordered by Cogswell Street to the north, Bell Road to the south-west, and Trollope Street to the south-east.
[edit] Events
In 1983, Prince Charles and Princess Diana were greeted by a large crowd on the Common during a visit to Halifax.
In 1984, the Halifax Common 80,000 faithful attended a service by Pope John Paul II.
The Rolling Stones' A Bigger Bang Tour played on the Commons on September 23, 2006. It was the largest concert the city has ever undertaken, and a test-run for more concerts in the future. The opening acts were rapper Kanye West, Alice Cooper, and Canadian band Sloan. Organizers had issued 40 000 tickets originally, and later offered more tickets. They had planned for 60 000 people to attend while the actual attendance was around 50 000. The concert is notable due to the highly unusual amount of concern and debate this caused in the community, around usage of the park (a public space), and debates about direct taxpayer expense and subsidy.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- "Halifax Commons playground toxic: report" (January 15, 2003).
