The Halifax Public Gardens are the oldest and finest Victorian public gardens surviving outside of the United Kingdom. This is the authoritative visual account of their history and a portrait as they are today. The breadth and complexity of the Gardens’ botanical and architectural beauty is in full view with historical and contemporary full-colour visuals drawn from archival sources.
The book offers an account of how the Gardens came to be, how they were designed, and how they have been maintained over the decades. Authors Robert Pace, Robert Salah and Peter Twohig share little-known stories about the many notable and popular Gardens features like the bandstand, memorial fountains, stone bridges, water features and wildlife.
The future of the Public Gardens was suddenly in doubt as a result of devastating damage caused by a storm, Hurricane Juan, that hit Halifax in 2003. Robert Pace and Robert Salah were intimately involved in the complex restoration and conservation effort that followed, and their account is illustrated with images of the hurricane’s damage and a portfolio of contemporary photos that show the restoration project’s breathtaking results.
This beautiful book documents an important cultural treasure and explains how public engagement and support over the decades have ensured the preservation of this valued public park.
PETER TWOHIG is an historian of the Atlantic region. He began his career in Dalhousie University’s Faculty of Medicine, before taking up a Canada Research Chair in history at Saint Mary’s University, which he held from 2003 to 2013. He teaches in the Department of History at Saint Mary’s University. Peter lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
ROBERT PACE is Chair of the Board of the Public Gardens Foundation. He is the president and CEO of The Pace Group Ltd (MBS Radio, construction and commercial real estate). After MBS Radio held a one-day radiothon one week after Hurricane Juan in 2003 which raised $1 million, he led a $2 million restoration that resulted in the re-opening of the Gardens on July 1, 2005. Robert lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
ROBERT SALAH, a lifelong resident of Halifax, has held many senior positions in both the public and private sectors. An entrepreneur at heart he is involved in many successful business ventures and developments. He has headed several historic restoration projects, including the Halifax Public Gardens, St. Mary’s Basilica and St. Mary’s Rectory, as well as the Old Burying Ground. He lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Email to a colleague
