Parks of Halifax

[Musquodoboit County]

Could someone give their opinion on the top five parks in Halifax.

I personally feel that with our blooming population, there is very little talk about creating new parks or expanding/enhancing parks.
Obviously point pleasant park is a beautiful park but we now have an expanding population to the west. That being spryfield, timberlea and west Bedford. Where is a park that rivals point pleasant for the west population?

[IanWatson]

Blue Mountain Birch Cove is becoming an Urban National Park. Spryfield is getting the Shaw Urban Wilderness Park.

[LikesBikes]

The Halifax Common and Citadel have tons of unrealized potential. Both are incredibly centrally located greenspaces that are just grass and sports fields right now but with proper landscaping and could be made into a Central Park/Parc LaFontaine of Halifax. As it is now though I feel like our parks system is lacking compared to other cities.

[Drybrain]

Originally Posted by LikesBikes

The Halifax Common and Citadel have tons of unrealized potential. Both are incredibly centrally located greenspaces that are just grass and sports fields right now but with proper landscaping and could be made into a Central Park/Parc LaFontaine of Halifax. As it is now though I feel like our parks system is lacking compared to other cities.

I often hear the idea that we have lacking park system, but I honestly disagree with it. I also disagree with the idea, which seems mostly taken for granted, that we need to significantly expand green space given population growth. Halifax is already one of the most park-abundant cities in the country, according to this data. Part of that is no doubt due to the fact that the CMA is so huge and occupies so much undeveloped land, but I still have never remotely felt the city to be lacking in park space.

My list of top five would be a mix of wooded parks and more urban ones:

Point Pleasant Park
Frog Pond Park
Fort Needham
Shubie Park
Dartmouth Common

I'm not including Birch Cove or anything like that because I consider it more a wilderness area. Long Lake is borderline but I'd say the same. Hemlock Ravine is another favourite but it just got squeezed out of the top five.

The Halifax Common is definitely not on my list, though, because as mentioned it just sucks. Despite the big improvements in the past few years, including the Oval and quite-wonderful new pool, it's still a mediocre place to just hang out and lounge, which a central urban park should be. It's mostly a bunch of muddy softball fields and dirt paths that is absolutely not fitting for its role in the city. The new master plan will hopefully be a dramatic transformation, but for now, the Dartmouth Common is 100x better, and a much better example of a well-rounded central park.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by Drybrain

The Halifax Common is definitely not on my list, though, because as mentioned it just sucks. Despite the big improvements in the past few years, including the Oval and quite-wonderful new pool, it's still a mediocre place to just hang out and lounge, which a central urban park should be. It's mostly a bunch of muddy softball fields and dirt paths that is absolutely not fitting for its role in the city. The new master plan will hopefully be a dramatic transformation, but for now, the Dartmouth Common is 100x better, and a much better example of a well-rounded central park.

Look at the bright side. They could still be using the Common as a communal pasture, like back in the early 1800s. At least you don't have to keep an eye out for cow patties......

[Musquodoboit County]

Wow I totally had fort Needham off my radar! I like the washrooms there! Very handy for taking the kids to that playground with public indoor washrooms there. The hilltop style park makes it very picnicy too! Excellent!

[Musquodoboit County]

Maybe I'm sensing spring is in the air and got parks on my brain but if the south end has point pleasant park and the north end has fort Needham park, what does the west end have? I was looking at Flynn park and just think there is huge potential there. Only a few walking/biking bridges and the lower side of rail would be connected and also the water edge park across quinpool Rd. Just a bit of landscaping and connections and the west end would have a beautiful park

[Musquodoboit County]

The more I look at Flinn park the better the potential! Flinn park could connect to horseshoe Island park and with another bridge it could cross to the regatta point walkway which can connect to the chocolate lake recreation center grounds and and connect to the chocolate lake park and beach. One connected park! For the west end and Armadale area. With the increase in height and density in this area I think it's worthy

[someone123]

Originally Posted by Drybrain

The Halifax Common is definitely not on my list, though, because as mentioned it just sucks. Despite the big improvements in the past few years, including the Oval and quite-wonderful new pool, it's still a mediocre place to just hang out and lounge, which a central urban park should be. It's mostly a bunch of muddy softball fields and dirt paths that is absolutely not fitting for its role in the city. The new master plan will hopefully be a dramatic transformation, but for now, the Dartmouth Common is 100x better, and a much better example of a well-rounded central park.

I have noticed that civic debates in Halifax tend to focus on greenspace in terms of amount of land set aside for the public, while the quality of the spaces gets less attention. The Common plans have been kicking around for decades and there have been some improvements but nothing dramatic.

The Citadel site is not well used. If it were in some forward-looking similar-sized European city it would have some grander public spaces around, like a big staircase up on the town clock side, there wouldn't be so many roads, and there would be some modern architecture that somehow uses the hill. For example maybe the central library would have gone into the hillside with a green roof. As it is it looks like a rural historic site that just happens to be in the middle of a city.

[coastalkid]

To answer the original question, I think that DeWolf Park in Bedford is underrated. It's rarely discussed but I think it's certainly one of the most scenic and well-kept parks in HRM. Beautiful boardwalk, clean public bathrooms, new playgrounds, and beach volleyball courts. I often wished there was a cafe down there or something though - there are offices and lots of residential but no retail.

Will be interesting to see how the new ferry terminal and library connects to the rest of the park.

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by coastalkid

To answer the original question, I think that DeWolf Park in Bedford is underrated. It's rarely discussed but I think it's certainly one of the most scenic and well-kept parks in HRM. Beautiful boardwalk, clean public bathrooms, new playgrounds, and beach volleyball courts. I often wished there was a cafe down there or something though - there are offices and lots of residential but no retail.

Will be interesting to see how the new ferry terminal and library connects to the rest of the park.

Agreed on all points. It can be quite busy on nice weekends, especially with families in the playground area. Lots of people walking, jogging, taking their dogs out for a stroll, etc., plus you can stretch out the walk or jog by continuing through to Shore Dr.

The new ferry terminal will surely attract amenities and expanded facilities to the area, I suspect.

Also, the Leighton Dillman Park (in the Dartmouth Common) has always been a nice place to walkabout. It's been a while since I've been through there, but I recall that it was well kept with nice flowers and vegetation, and has great views of the harbour along the upper pathways. One of my favourite city parks, actually.

[new2halifax]

To add to the list here, Conrose Park albeit small is one that I like because it tends to be very quiet. It would be nice to some day (if it's even possible) the Halifax Urban Greenway connect The Oaks Gazebo, Conrose Park and Flinn Park.