Downtown in Atlantic Canada's largest city - Page 4

haligonia · #61 Posted: **Dec 6, 2010, 4:01 PM**

I don't think I'll ever get bored of looking at photos of Halifax.

Awesome tour.

JustinMacD · #62 Posted: **Jan 8, 2011, 12:34 AM**

Nice! Great shots

boden · #63 Posted: **Jan 10, 2011, 12:30 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by someone123

It seems to me like Halifax is much more built up today than a place like Portland but probably would have been pretty similar in scale back in 1920 or so. Portland reminds me a little more of Saint John, NB, which also has more similar architecture.

Halifax is a little strange in that it was very successful in its early years (up until 1880 or so) and then growth slowed. In most North American cities, growth picked up around that time. Cities like Providence became a lot bigger as new industries developed, but the Maritimes lost industry to places like Ontario after they became a part of Canada. These days Halifax is doing well compared to places that still had a lot of manufacturing jobs.

It is also difficult to compare cities because no city in New England is directly comparable. Halifax is the biggest city within a day's drive whereas even Portland is quite close to Boston. In cases like that you get a lot of things concentrated in the city that wouldn't otherwise exist - major universities, hospitals, regional offices, media, and so on.

So true. The city feels MUCH bigger than it really is.
Beautiful photos flar.

Antigonish · #64 Posted: **Mar 8, 2011, 8:12 AM**

The deceiving thing about Halifax is the (former) City of Halifax is probably only ~125,000 people but Bedford/Sackville/Dartmouth/Cole Harbour areas really make Halifax a decent sized city population wise. For a city so compact near downtown the Metro is actually really spread out, almost like a horse-shoe completely around the harbour.

Halifax is a really interesting place to explore, I recomend it to anyone interested!

Andrewjm3D · #65 Posted: **Dec 31, 2011, 9:11 AM**

Amazing, summer of 2012 I will rent a car and come visit your awesome city. Can't wait.

Nouvellecosse · #66 Posted: **Jan 2, 2012, 12:08 AM**

^ Good to hear. It will be nice to meet you!

gatt · #67 Posted: **Apr 4, 2012, 6:26 PM**

the best thread of halifax i've seen so far.

someone123 · #68 Posted: **Apr 4, 2012, 8:12 PM**

It's interesting to look at these bumped threads and see some of the changes that have happened over the past year and a half or so. SekishikiMeikaiHa just posted a great construction update for the Morse's Teas block for example:

Original Thread

Most of the run-down looking buildings in this photo thread are development sites. The old Sam the Record Man buildings are becoming offices, the Morse's Teas has a ground-floor restaurant now, and next door an office building is going up. Some of these sites sat empty or half-demolished while developers waited for approval. Some of the fault lies with the city and some lies with the landlords (and, understandably, commercial tenants want long-term leases), but in any case the process is very wasteful. Another difference between Halifax and some other cities is that you often see ugly chain-link fence or nothing at all instead of hoardings and advertisements for the new buildings.

pEte fiSt iN Ur fAce · #69 Posted: **Apr 5, 2012, 2:44 PM**

Way more brick than I expected. Some of those buildings have a St John feel to them.

Thanks for bumpin'.

dewE · #70 Posted: **Apr 6, 2012, 10:27 PM**

Great shots of Halifax!!
I've haven't been there for awhile, but always had a ball when I visited. Friendly people, good looking women (several Universities/Colleges), great bars, lively waterfront, what's not to like?
As far as crime goes, I felt completely safe anytime I went out on the town (maybe the rep. can be blamed on the "Trailor Park Boys"...kidding of course).

One other thing that I don't think has been mentioned, Halifax just got a huge ship building contract which will probably have the city booming in the coming years.

Columbusite · #71 Posted: **Apr 7, 2012, 2:45 AM**

Just what I was expecting: some dense maritime goodness.

DetroitSky · #72 Posted: **Apr 8, 2012, 12:48 AM**

Great set of photos!

Cove17 · #73 Posted: **Apr 9, 2012, 4:05 PM**

"Way more brick than I expected. Some of those buildings have a St John feel to them."

After major fires in the 1850s the down town became a "brick district" and all new construction had to be of fireproof materials. The major fire in St John was bigger and a little later which accounts for a slightly different architectural mix.