Infrastructure projects at Parks Canada national historic sites in Halifax
Backgrounder
The Government of Canada announced an investment of more than $20 million for infrastructure work at Halifax Citadel National Historic Site and Prince of Wales National Historic Site in summer 2015. Parks Canada is planning several projects to preserve these treasured places, with construction starting this spring and summer.
Halifax Citadel National Historic Site, one of the most-visited national historic sites in the country and a Halifax tourism icon, will benefit from this major investment. Work to the site includes stabilizing the masonry walls on the south front of the site, renewing roads, improving pedestrian access and visitor entrance infrastructure, replacing the roof and windows and restoring the clock faces on the iconic Town Clock. In addition, work will be conducted to improve field drainage infrastructure on the site’s Garrison Grounds. Work will begin this spring and should be completed this fall.
Work will also commence at Prince of Wales Tower National Historic Site, located at nearby Point Pleasant Park. The investment will provide for the installation of a protective roof and window replacement. Construction is expected to begin in the coming months and will continue through the summer.
Parks Canada’s goal is to minimize inconveniences to visitors as a result of these infrastructure improvement projects. Updates will be provided regularly as the projects progress, through information bulletins and information on our website (pc.gc.ca) as well as through our social media channel on Twitter.
Halifax Citadel National Historic Site
The present Halifax Citadel was completed in 1856 and is the fourth in a series of British forts on this site. Today, the restored Citadel is a national landmark, commemorating Halifax’s role as a key naval station in the British Empire and bringing history to life in Atlantic Canada’s largest urban centre.
The Old Town Clock, as it is now known, was installed in October 1803. It has since become one of the city’s most beloved and familiar landmarks. Nestled in the protective shadow of the Halifax Citadel, it has seen some alterations over the years and was largely reconstructed by Parks Canada in the early 1960s, yet the original clockworks are still intact and in use.
Prince of Wales National Historic Site
The forts and batteries erected around Point Pleasant Park were primarily intended to prevent enemy ships from getting into the Halifax Harbour or into the North West Arm, which runs behind the west side of the city. In 1792, the threat of an immediate French attack alerted the British military in Halifax to the possibility of a landing in the harbour and, that summer, batteries were built on the point.
In 1796-97, Edward, Duke of Kent, ordered construction of a Martello tower to be built on high ground behind the point, a location capable of defending the point batteries. The 200-year-old Prince of Wales Tower National Historic Site was named after Edward's eldest brother and stands today as a silent reminder of this important part of the area’s military history.
-30-
Search for related information by keyword