South End, Halifax
Encyclopedia
The South End is a region of Halifax Regional Municipality, located on the southern half of the Halifax Peninsula
in Halifax's urban centre. Quinpool Road
is increasingly considered to be an arbitrary border
between the South and North End
s, though Quinpool Road is also a part of the West End, and is home, for example, to the West End United Church.
The historic South End of colonial Halifax was originally bounded on the south by "South Street", that being the few blocks located south of Citadel Hill, just as the North End
comprised the area bounded on the north by "North Street". The areas south of South Street and west of the South Common was largely farmland and mixed forest which led to the development of large estates to take advantage of their proximity to the city and garrison.
Over time, neighbourhood
s began to develop outside the original city boundary and were amalgamated into the city proper. One of Halifax's largest megaprojects in history saw the completion in 1918 of a major railway line through a deep rock cut for several kilometres parallelling the shore of the Northwest Arm
to serve a new railway station at the south end of the city's business district. The new railway line had been under construction by the Intercolonial Railway
and later Canadian Government Railways
at the time of the Halifax Explosion
, which devastated the city's North Street station; the new railway line through the South End was rushed into completion to accommodate the unexpected disaster. One result of the building of this railway line has been to geographically isolate parts of the peninsula, creating opportunities for wealthy and exclusive neighbourhoods to develop. Another legacy of the blasting work created during the construction of the South End railway cut was the infilling of parts of Halifax Harbour
and Bedford Basin
to create railway yards and freight and passenger ship
dock
s.
The South End has become the most prosperous region of Halifax, with a primarily middle class demographic. There is also a high student population, owing to the presence of Dalhousie University
, Saint Mary's University, University of King's College
, and the Atlantic School of Theology
.
Areas of the South End include the downtown core
, Point Pleasant Park
, the Halifax Ocean Terminal and South End Container Terminal. It borders the eastern shore of the Northwest Arm
.
Halifax Peninsula
The Halifax Peninsula is a community and planning area located in the urban core of Halifax Regional Municipality in the province of Nova Scotia. Halifax Peninsula is home to Downtown Halifax, the financial and economic heart of the region, which was also the site of the original settlement and...
in Halifax's urban centre. Quinpool Road
Quinpool district
The Quinpool District refers to a commercial district of Halifax, Nova Scotia, encompassing the eastern portion of Quinpool Road as well as the streets directly north and south of it...
is increasingly considered to be an arbitrary border
Border
Borders define geographic boundaries of political entities or legal jurisdictions, such as governments, sovereign states, federated states and other subnational entities. Some borders—such as a state's internal administrative borders, or inter-state borders within the Schengen Area—are open and...
between the South and North End
North End, Halifax
The North End of Halifax is a neighbourhood located in the urban core of Nova Scotia's Halifax Regional Municipality, occupying the northern part of the Halifax Peninsula.-Geography:...
s, though Quinpool Road is also a part of the West End, and is home, for example, to the West End United Church.
The historic South End of colonial Halifax was originally bounded on the south by "South Street", that being the few blocks located south of Citadel Hill, just as the North End
North End, Halifax
The North End of Halifax is a neighbourhood located in the urban core of Nova Scotia's Halifax Regional Municipality, occupying the northern part of the Halifax Peninsula.-Geography:...
comprised the area bounded on the north by "North Street". The areas south of South Street and west of the South Common was largely farmland and mixed forest which led to the development of large estates to take advantage of their proximity to the city and garrison.
Over time, neighbourhood
Neighbourhood
A neighbourhood or neighborhood is a geographically localised community within a larger city, town or suburb. Neighbourhoods are often social communities with considerable face-to-face interaction among members. "Researchers have not agreed on an exact definition...
s began to develop outside the original city boundary and were amalgamated into the city proper. One of Halifax's largest megaprojects in history saw the completion in 1918 of a major railway line through a deep rock cut for several kilometres parallelling the shore of the Northwest Arm
Northwest Arm
The Northwest Arm, originally named Sandwich River, is an inlet in eastern Canada off the Atlantic Ocean in Nova Scotia's Halifax Regional Municipality.-Geography:...
to serve a new railway station at the south end of the city's business district. The new railway line had been under construction by the Intercolonial Railway
Intercolonial Railway of Canada
The Intercolonial Railway of Canada , also referred to as the Intercolonial Railway , was a historic Canadian railway that operated from 1872 to 1918, when it became part of Canadian National Railways...
and later Canadian Government Railways
Canadian Government Railways
Canadian Government Railways was the legal name used between 1915–1918 for all federal government-owned railways in Canada.The principal component companies were: the Intercolonial Railway of Canada , the National Transcontinental Railway , the Prince Edward Island Railway , and the Hudson...
at the time of the Halifax Explosion
Halifax Explosion
The Halifax Explosion occurred on Thursday, December 6, 1917, when the city of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, was devastated by the huge detonation of the SS Mont-Blanc, a French cargo ship, fully loaded with wartime explosives, which accidentally collided with the Norwegian SS Imo in "The Narrows"...
, which devastated the city's North Street station; the new railway line through the South End was rushed into completion to accommodate the unexpected disaster. One result of the building of this railway line has been to geographically isolate parts of the peninsula, creating opportunities for wealthy and exclusive neighbourhoods to develop. Another legacy of the blasting work created during the construction of the South End railway cut was the infilling of parts of Halifax Harbour
Halifax Harbour
Halifax Harbour is a large natural harbour on the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia, Canada, located in the Halifax Regional Municipality.-Harbour description:The harbour is called Jipugtug by the Mi'kmaq first nation, anglisized as Chebucto...
and Bedford Basin
Bedford Basin
Bedford Basin is a large enclosed bay, forming the northwestern end of Halifax Harbour on Canada's Atlantic coast.-Geography:Geographically, the basin is situated entirely within the Halifax Regional Municipality and is oriented northwest-southeast, measuring approximately 8 kilometres long and 5...
to create railway yards and freight and passenger ship
Passenger ship
A passenger ship is a ship whose primary function is to carry passengers. The category does not include cargo vessels which have accommodations for limited numbers of passengers, such as the ubiquitous twelve-passenger freighters once common on the seas in which the transport of passengers is...
dock
Dock (maritime)
A dock is a human-made structure or group of structures involved in the handling of boats or ships, usually on or close to a shore.However, the exact meaning varies among different variants of the English language...
s.
The South End has become the most prosperous region of Halifax, with a primarily middle class demographic. There is also a high student population, owing to the presence of Dalhousie University
Dalhousie University
Dalhousie University is a public research university located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The university comprises eleven faculties including Schulich School of Law and Dalhousie University Faculty of Medicine. It also includes the faculties of architecture, planning and engineering located at...
, Saint Mary's University, University of King's College
University of King's College
The University of King's College is a post-secondary institution in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. King's is a small liberal arts university offering mainly undergraduate programs....
, and the Atlantic School of Theology
Atlantic School of Theology
The Atlantic School of Theology is a Canadian ecumenical university which provides "graduate level theological education and research, and in formation for Christian ministries, lay and ordained, in church and society, primarily in Atlantic Canada". It is located in Halifax, Nova Scotia and its...
.
Areas of the South End include the downtown core
Downtown Halifax
Downtown Halifax is the city centre of the Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia. Located on the eastern-central portion of the Halifax Peninsula, on Halifax Harbour, it serves as the business, entertainment, and tourism hub of the region.- Municipal:...
, Point Pleasant Park
Point Pleasant Park
Point Pleasant Park is a large, partially forested municipal park at the southern tip of the Halifax peninsula. It once hosted several artillery batteries, and a well-preserved 18th century Martello tower can be found there...
, the Halifax Ocean Terminal and South End Container Terminal. It borders the eastern shore of the Northwest Arm
Northwest Arm
The Northwest Arm, originally named Sandwich River, is an inlet in eastern Canada off the Atlantic Ocean in Nova Scotia's Halifax Regional Municipality.-Geography:...
.