HALIFAX, Canada's grand old city on the east coast

[niroohawaii]

isaidso, i had no idea you are a girl

I also had no idea Halifax is so green and beautiful, the infrastructure looks top notch, and the city is very very clean.

[Taller, Better]

LOL! He ain't no girl!

[niroohawaii]

What do you mean? (s)He said something regarding his/her boyfriend? It's weird mate

[niroohawaii]

Originally Posted by isaidso

Here's the Weldon Law Building, home to the prestigious Dalhousie Law School. My first boyfriend studied here. Nice German-Canadian boxer from Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. Lunenburg has World Heritage Site designation and is home of the Bluenose schooner which appears on the Canadian dime. No, my boyfriend wasn't a dog, but a real live person

I hope it removes all misunderstanding, (s)he is a girl going by this quote.

[Taller, Better]

I'll let isaidso explain!

[cormiermax]

LOL this should be good...

[Haligonian]

I don't come to SSC much anymore but I decided to have a look at this when I saw it in your sig line... excellent photo thread.

Both the Don Gaol and the Halifax courthouse were designed by William Thomas. There have been some additions and the materials are different but the central parts are very similar.

The armoury in Halifax (North Park Street) is also very similar in design to one that existed in Toronto (which was brick and I guess limestone instead of the dark sandstone that comes from Northern NS). I think the Toronto armoury was on University Avenue and was torn down in the 1960s or 70s.

Halifax really has an amazing set of historic buildings. They are not large but the building materials are unique and the designs tend to be very simple and elegant.

[Taller, Better]

Hey Haligonian, nice to see you! You were the person I learned most of what I knew about Halifax from, through your picture threads and explanations. Hopefully you will check out SSC a lot more!

[isaidso]

Cormiermax and Haligonian: I'm glad some people from Nova Scotia are taking an interest in this thread. Nice to have you with us.

Originally Posted by niroohawaii

I hope it removes all misunderstanding, (s)he is a girl going by this quote.

Not necessarily. Have you heard the term homosexual? I've been chasing after other boys since I was 5 years old. Women aren't the only people who date and marry men. Men do too. I think you'll find that a good third of the men on SSC are gay. I think there's even a poll on SSC on this very subject. Here's just one of them, posted in the Australia/New Zealand forum. Apparently 'Down Under', more than 50% are gay. http://www.skyscrapercity.com/poll.p...s&pollid=57313

I'm glad you're enjoying the photos and that this thread has been an eye opener. I'll be posting more soon, so I hope you like those too. Just to clear things up completely: I'm a guy and date men only. This thread is full of surprises.

[salvius]

We need the downtown pics. Pretty pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

[isaidso]

OK, I'll start posting the first ones later tonight. Promise. I've got a sausage in the kitchen that needs tending to.

[Taller, Better]

was worth waiting for!

[isaidso]

I begin the next stage of my journey across the harbour in Dartmouth. Here's an excellent map showing peninsula Halifax, Dartmouth, Point Pleasant Park, The Citadel, Dal, SMU, and the 2 bridges to Dartmouth.

http://www.exhibitionpark.com/site-t...outh%20Map.jpg

I start on the Dartmouth waterfront. Here we'll find part of the Halifax Naval facilities. The military presence in Halifax is everywhere, as you will see. I ask the guard whether I may photograph this sign. We are technically at war so security is very tight at military bases. The guard watches me closely, but seems bewildered that I want a photo of the sign.


I walk past the base and down to the water's edge to view the first battleship that comes into view. This one looks in rough shape, and shows the signs of decades of government neglect. It wasn't always this way.

From 13 ships in 1939, the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) had grown to 400 ships with a strength of 95750 officers, men and women by 1945. The RCN represented the third largest allied Navy in the Second World War. Only Britain and the United States had larger navies.


There are 2 suspension bridges that connect Dartmouth to Halifax across 'The Narrows'. At the mouth of the Bedford Basin is the newer bridge, the A. Murray MacKay Bridge. This is the older one, the Angus L. MacDonald Bridge.


The plaque at the entrance to the bridge. The Macdonald Bridge opened on April 2, 1955. Beyond this bridge is George's Island, McNab's Island, and the Atlantic Ocean. A 9 year modernization project culminated in 1999 which saw the 2 lane bridge and 1 sidewalk expanded to 3 lanes. New pedestrian and cycle lanes were built along the outside of the structure.


The bridge was designed by Phillip Pratley, one of Canada's foremost long-span bridge designers. He also designed the Lions Gate Bridge in Vancouver. The bridges have a similar design, which is most notable in the towers.

The MacDonald Bridge is 1.3 km long and costs 75 cents to cross by car. There is no charge for pedestrians or cyclists. Both bridges are heavily used; almost 40,000 cars cross this one each day.


As I walk across the bridge I look over towards downtown Dartmouth. I have no idea what they've built there, but Dartmouth is finally showing signs of growth. There are big plans for the waterfront's redevelopment. Further down the coast in Eastern Passage is a very quaint fishing community called Fisherman's Cove. It's picture postcard, but I don't have photos. Sorry!


I reach the first super structure.


That's the MacKay Bridge over there. Beyond that is the Bedford Basin. Both bridges look almost identical except that the MacKay Bridge is 4 lanes wide and doesn't accommodate pedestrians or cyclists.

What a gloomy day! In July 2007, suicide barriers were installed along 22% of the pedestrian lane on the MacDonald Bridge to prevent suicide attempts and protect navy personnel at HMC Dockyard below. Too late to save my friend Bobby. This is my first time back since that happened, so I pause for reflection.


Downtown Halifax in the background, part of Canada's East Coast Navy in the foreground.


Cripes its dreary today! To the right of downtown you can see the Halifax Citadel. It's military value is obvious from this vantage point. In the harbour you can see 2 islands. The first is George's Island, to the left of that, McNab's.


I keep wondering if I'm going to arouse suspicion. I'll keep snapping away till I'm done, or I get 'taken out'.




Canadian Forces Base Halifax is the largest military base in Canada in terms of personnel. The largest in area in Canada, and in fact, all of NATO, is CFB Gagetown. CFB Gagetown is one province over in New Bruswick, and a base I've served on. CFB Halifax comprises many installations all around Halifax harbour and is home to the Atlantic Fleet. Not very pretty, but here is some of it.








I approach downtown Halifax. This is Casino Nova Scotia. The only interesting feature seemed to be the ceiling of the entrance in the second photo.




Finally, downtown Halifax. Anyone for a spot of tea? This is where the Halifax Historic Properties start. As you will begin to realize, Halifax used to be a very important city in Canada. Some locals even say that Halifax's glory days were pre-Confederation. Halifax really should have developed into a big east coast metropolis in much the same fashion as Boston and New York did in the United States. Many here still point to Confederation in 1867 as the beginning of Nova Scotia's loss of power and prestige.


This is a Federal Government building. It's yet another of Halifax's grand old buildings from the past, and thankfully, getting some 'TLC'.


I decide to walk a few blocks away from the waterfront and take some photos of the Halifax Grand Parade. This is the original site of Dalhousie College, precursor to Dalhousie University. The site is now home to Halifax City Hall. Completed in 1890, it is a National Historic Site of Canada.


The Grand Parade is a historical military parade square dating to the founding of Halifax in 1749. It is shaped like a rectangle; City Hall at one end, St. Paul's Church at the other, and in the middle, a cenotaph.


This cenotaph honours Canada's war dead from WW1, WW2, and the Korean War. The church in the background is of great historic significance. It's name is St. Paul's, and has the distinction of being the first Anglican Church built outside of Great Britain. The second photo is a shot of a plaque that states so.


Sorry, Taller, I thought I had much better photos of this one. I know you were waiting patiently for it. Shoot! As you can see, it isn't as grand as many of the Anglican churches that have been built in Canada since, but it's certainly a national treasure.


From here, you can peer up towards Citadel Hill, and the famous Halifax Town Clock. Sometimes referred to as the Citadel Clock Tower, it was built for the British Army and Royal Navy garrison. It began keeping time on October 20, 1803. The original clock mechanism remains intact and in use; chiming on the hour and quarterly. It is one of the oldest clocks of its kind in existence.


Argyle Street, the main nightclub and pub street in the city. They used to pack 50,000 people on this street for Halifax Mardi Gras, but I believe the event was cancelled due to security concerns. On the corner is The Five Fishermen. Definitely, dine on the local seafood. It's as fresh as it can be and not overly expensive. I didn't go here, but a lobster sandwich with fries can be had for $9 in a number of establisments.

In Nova Scotia, you are never more than 56 km from the sea. They don't call Nova Scotia, Canada's Ocean Playground, for nothing. It's even written on their license plates. A likeness of the famous schooner, The Bluenose, is there as well.


I like these two.
image hosted on flickr

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/198/4...a46c89.jpg?v=0

http://www.plateshack.com/y2k/Nova_S...2004vanity.jpg

Here's a look back towards City Hall. The clock tower has clock faces on the north and here, on the south side. The northern face is fixed at four minutes past nine to commemorate the Halifax Explosion of 1917.


The Halifax Explosion was caused by the detonation of wartime explosives aboard a French cargo ship that accidentally collided with a ship set for Belgium in "The Narrows" section of the Halifax Harbour. Approximately 2,000 people were killed by debris, fires, or collapsed buildings, and over 9,000 people were injured.

Local myth has it that a man survived the blast in quite a miraculous way. He was blown 2 km and landed in a tree. I am under the impression that this myth, is in fact true. The blast flattened the entire city and relief efforts began flooding in from Boston. Nova Scotia sends a massive Christmas Tree to the City of Boston every year in gratitude for its kindness on those darkest of days. A very strong bond still exists between Halifax and Boston. This is Boston Red Sox territory.

To this day, the Halifax Explosion is the world's largest non-nucleur man-made explosion in history.


Flanking the other side of the Grand Parade is one of the main thorougfares of Halifax, Barrington Street.


I decide to leave Grand Parade and walk over to Barrington Street. This used to be the main shopping street in Halifax. Quinpool Road later became the principal shopping destination, and even that eventually gave way to Spring Garden Road. Spring Garden Road starts 5 blocks down from here. It is still Halifax's 'Main Street'.


One last look back. The building in the distance is Emera, the local power company. To the left is the Halifax World Trade and Convention Centre. Between it and the Citadel Hill sits the Halifax Metro Centre. It's the largest arena in Atlantic Canada and home to hockey and college basketball. Go Tigers!


I head towards Granville Street and the waterfront. I'm not sure what this building is, but I've always liked it. The old heart of the CBD is Hollis Street, another block down.


This is Province House. The Nova Scotia House of Assembly has met every year since 1819. The building is Canada's oldest seat of government and is considered one of the finest examples of Palladian architecture in America.

Atop Province House flies the flag of Nova Scotia, The Maple Leaf, and the Union Jack.


Province House was the site for the first form of responsible government in the British Empire outside the United Kingdom. This is where Canadian democracy was born.

During the recent Canadian Federal election, the city was blanketed with banners emblazoned with the logo D250. You can see the black D250 banners hanging from lamp posts in many of the previous photos. The photo of the Clock Tower is the best one to flip to: it's 9 photos back! D250 is in reference to a celebration of 250 years of Canadian democracy. The campaign tried to encourage high voter turn out.


On the grounds of Province House sits a statue of Joseph Howe, 5th Premier of Nova Scotia. I mentioned him earlier, but his place in Nova Scotia is front and centre. A great orator and journalist, he is also considered Nova Scotia's greatest politician. He was instrumental in winning Responsible Government for Nova Scotia.


I had quite a few photos of downtown so I decided to break them into two installments. I hope you enjoy these, and stay tuned for the rest.

[Taller, Better]

St Paul's is beautiful! Thanks for posting!

[Svartmetall]

Loving the more gritty and industrial feel to the beginning of this latest set, great stuff! Keep posting mate!

[Penhorn]

Fantastic photos and tour, nice work!!

I haven't been home in many months, nice to see. My mum and many of my friends' parents worked for the provincial government, so I have strong childhood memories of the cubicle farms you'd find in those office buildings that surround Province House. They used to have (probably still do) Christmas parties for children of employees that worked at the Trade Centre, so you could go see Santa downtown in the basement of the WTCC

Originally Posted by isaidso

Next to the Citadel is more evidence of the massive military presence in this province. Halifax was considered impregnable and was never taken. This cannon is much newer and probably from WW2. Halifax was a vital life line for Britain during both WW1 and WW2. It is through Halifax, that the bulk of Canada's war effort was funneled. Halifax was integral in keeping the north Atlantic open for safe passage of food, munitions, and troops to fuel Allied forces.

I had a schoolmate that lived in that white house when I was younger (his dad was in the military), we used to all play a nighttime version of cops and robbers on the grounds

[christos-greece]

Nice updated pics

[isaidso]

Taller: I'm glad you liked the photos of St. Paul's.

Svartmetall: Not too many people see any beauty in the landscape provided by heavy industry or a shipyard, but I do. Obviously, I wouldn't want everything to look like that, but it provides stark contrast and a fascinating glimpse into the marvels of modern engineering.

Penhorn: I haven't heard that name in a decade. You were a lucky kid to have those grounds as a boyhood playground. My mum worked briefly in an office building next to Province House as well. Department of Health. Maybe they know each other.

christos-greece: thanks for your continued support.

[Shezan]

interesting place to visit

[salvius]

Very, very nice! Can't wait for the second part.