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Saunders Park (Nova Scotia)

AC with 0 elementsDefunct airports in Nova ScotiaParks in Halifax, Nova Scotia
Saunders Park
Saunders Park

Saunders Park is an urban park in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. It is located in West End, Halifax on Chebucto Road at the site of the now defunct Halifax Civic Airport (on west side of Connaught Avenue between Bayers Road and Chebucto Road), the city's first aerodrome built on the former Bluebell Farm in 1931. The airfield had two grass airstrips, initially at 1800 x 600 feet and 2000 x 600 feet and extended by 200 and 250 respectively in 1938. It operated until 1941 when the land was converted to an army base and civil airport operations were moved to Dartmouth Airport (now CFB Shearwater) and then to Halifax International Airport in 1960. The hangars and terminal building were located near the present day park along Connaught Avenue. The park serves the neighbourhood of Westmount. The park is named after Donald Saunders whose contribution to aviation in Halifax is explained on a plaque under the memorial sculpture in the park: "This park was created for the citizens of Halifax and is named Saunders Park to commemorate the life work of a pioneer in Canadian aviation. Wing Commander Donald W. Saunders was associated with the development of aviation in the Halifax area for many years. He was instructor to the Halifax Flying Club from 1928 to 1937, served with the Royal Flying Corps in the War of 1914-1918 and with the Royal Canadian Air Force in World War II. From 1931-1937 Wing Commander Saunders was Manager of the Halifax Municipal Airport. This park is located on a portion of the old airport. During the War of 1939-1945 this area was occupied by Military District Number Six Depot, Canadian Army."

Excerpt from the Wikipedia article Saunders Park (Nova Scotia) (License: CC BY-SA 3.0, Authors, Images).

Saunders Park (Nova Scotia)
Chebucto Road, Halifax

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Geographical coordinates (GPS)

Latitude Longitude
N 44.645888888889 ° E -63.611111111111 °
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Address

Chebucto Road 6760
B3L 1M2 Halifax
Nova Scotia, Canada
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Saunders Park
Saunders Park
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Melville Island (Nova Scotia)
Melville Island (Nova Scotia)

Melville Island is a small peninsula in Nova Scotia, Canada, located in the Northwest Arm of Halifax Harbour, west of Deadman's Island. It is part of the Halifax Regional Municipality. The land is rocky, with thin, acidic soil, but supports a limited woodland habitat. The site was discovered by Europeans in the 17th century, though it was likely earlier explored by Indigenous peoples. It was initially used for storehouses before being purchased by the British, who built a prisoner-of-war camp to hold captives from the Napoleonic Wars and later the War of 1812. The burial ground for prisoners was on the adjacent Deadman's Island. Later, Melville Island was used as a receiving depot for Black refugees escaping slavery in the United States, then as a quarantine hospital for immigrants arriving from Europe (particularly Ireland). It briefly served as a recruitment centre for the British Foreign Legion during the Crimean War, and was then sold to the British for use as a military prison. In 1907 the land was granted to the Canadian government, which used it to detain German and Austro-Hungarian nationals during the First World War. During the Second World War, prisoners were sent to McNabs Island instead, and ammunition depots were kept on Melville Island. The peninsula now houses the clubhouse and marina of the Armdale Yacht Club. Melville Island has been the subject of a number of cultural works, most of which concern its use as a prison.