[Empire]

Originally Posted by Empire

The Public Gardens should be open 365 days a year. HRM continually hides behind the excuse that damage would occur to fragile flora and fauna if stampedes of people were to frequent the Gardens between Nov. and April.

This is simply incorrect. HRM is merely saving money by locking the gates. The Gardens are in deplorable condition. There is no maintenance during the winter and there is no concise plan to protect the plant life. Leaves are not raked, dead branches are strewn everywhere, garbage is stuck in every corner, and there is an unsightly branch, gravel and topsoil storage area in plain view of the main gate on Summer St.

The main stock of vegetation is native and poorly maintained. Dead branches are not pruned, shrubs have brown patches, the grass is pieced together and filled with weeds and pathways are uneven and washed out.

A few weeks ago vandals knocked over a concrete statue dating back to the 1800's and broke the arm and base. A few urns were knocked over as well.

Incredibly the statue and urns are still lying on the ground in their broken state. Only in Halifax!

Here are some photos depicting the total neglect of the Public Gardens during the winter. This neglect does far more damage than a few people walking through on the pathways. Clearly there needs to be a new maintenance strategy that respects the park and what it means to the city in general.

All photos by Empire: