Spring Garden Streetscape

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by Empire

Concrete planters should be faced with polished granite!

Also should have padded tops for the comfort and pleasure of the beggars who are ensconced on them.

[Dartguard]

Originally Posted by Empire

Concrete planters should be faced with polished granite!

Great Idea!

[eastcoastal]

Originally Posted by Empire

Concrete planters should be faced with polished granite!

I'm OK with the concrete - feel honest. If they were to be faced with granite, I'd prefer something not polished... I feel like Halifax is not a polished granite kind of place (if that's a way we categorize places now, LOL).

[someone123]

Originally Posted by eastcoastal

I'm OK with the concrete - feel honest. If they were to be faced with granite, I'd prefer something not polished... I feel like Halifax is not a polished granite kind of place (if that's a way we categorize places now, LOL).

Some of the older curbs and street furniture in the city were made out of granite. It has a pebbled look now due to weathering; not sure how it looked originally. There are a couple of interesting ones in Granville Mall, a horse trough and old fountain with dog bowls.

[OldDartmouthMark]

I recall noticing that there were still sections of granite curb remaining up into the 1980s and 90s. Can't remember exactly where, but Upper Water Street comes to mind. That's pretty good service life given that much of it was installed in the late 1800s. I recall most of it had settled and the sections didn't always line up very well by that point.

As far as finish goes, I think it was somewhat rough cut, given that it was just curb, and wouldn't justify the expense of bringing the finish up to polished level. If you browse through the Rogers' Photographic Advertising Album on the NS Archives site, you can see several examples of curbing that looks quite rough even when it would have been relatively new.

As far as SGR goes, it would be nice to see rough granite or even sandstone rather than bare concrete, but what is there is fine.

[Nouvellecosse]

Halifax is definitely not the kind of place I would take for granite.



No need to call security; I'll see myself out.

[q12]

• Video Link

[Dartguard]

Originally Posted by Nouvellecosse

Halifax is definitely not the kind of place I would take for granite.



No need to call security; I'll see myself out.

Yes please do ... and take the Bike!

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by Nouvellecosse

Halifax is definitely not the kind of place I would take for granite.



No need to call security; I'll see myself out.

FWIW, this very section of SGR once had granite curbs (photo from 1941):





https://archives.novascotia.ca/eastcoastport/archives/?ID=2156

So it does bring the idea of granite-faced planters back into context.

But... what is there is fine - concrete is so much cheaper and easier to create a permanent fixture in whatever shape you want it to be.

[MonctonRad]

Granite curbs and bicycles!!!

Oh my................

If that Dominion store is the one that used to exist up by the Lord Nelson, I actually remember it.

God I feel old.........

[OldDartmouthMark]

Yup... that's the one!



Source

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Granite curbs and bicycles!!!

Oh my................

Well, such velocipedes were popular in the Victorian era and have not changed much at all, so it is not surprising to see them in such an old picture. What is surprising is the lack of development in them and why they remain in use.

If that Dominion store is the one that used to exist up by the Lord Nelson, I actually remember it.

God I feel old.........

I remember it as well, though it is not a store our family frequented when I was a kid. I have a vague recollection of visiting it once with my mother.

[JET]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Granite curbs and bicycles!!!

Oh my................

If that Dominion store is the one that used to exist up by the Lord Nelson, I actually remember it.

God I feel old.........

I used to shop at that Dominion in the late 70s when in University and I had a room at at the Lord Nelson for $275/month. I was in line with Ravi Shankar and we were both buying fruit.

[Saul Goode]

Originally Posted by JET

I used to shop at that Dominion in the late 70s when in University and I had a room at at the Lord Nelson for $275/month. I was in line with Ravi Shankar and we were both buying fruit.

I have fond memories from that same era of buying hot dogs from the roller grill in the snack bar in that Dominion.

[Haliguy]

Is that where Park Lane is now?

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by Haliguy

Is that where Park Lane is now?

Yes, that's it. This is what it looked like in 1970:

Spring Garden Road, north side, south of the Lord Nelson Hotel by Halifax Municipal Archives, on Flickr

Spring Garden Road Shopping Centre

[Haliguy]

Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark

Yes, that's it. This is what it looked like in 1970:

Spring Garden Road, north side, south of the Lord Nelson Hotel by Halifax Municipal Archives, on Flickr

Spring Garden Road Shopping Centre

Great, thanks! I was wondered what it looked like before Park Lane was there.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by JET

I used to shop at that Dominion in the late 70s when in University and I had a room at at the Lord Nelson for $275/month. I was in line with Ravi Shankar and we were both buying fruit.

I started med school at Dalhousie in 1979. I think the Dominion was gone by 1981 or so. I shopped there maybe once or twice.

It must have been interesting to stay at the Lord Nelson going to university. I stayed in frat houses my first year in Halifax, first Phi Chi, then Phi Rho Sigma. I lasted at Phi Chi about a week. They modelled themselves after Animal House and the place was party central. I moved to the other medical frat (Phi Rho Sigma) as soon as I could. It was much more like Alpha House (but not as snooty).

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by Haliguy

Great, thanks! I was wondered what it looked like before Park Lane was there.

You're welcome. It fascinates me, actually, how much the street has changed physically over 50+ years whereas its vibrancy hasn't changed much, from the appearance of these photos (with all the people out walking on a sunny Thursday in late March).

Here's another view from down the street (taken in front of the IGA store - 2 grocery stores on SGR in 1970!).

Spring Garden Road, west of Dresden Row by Halifax Municipal Archives, on Flickr

If you look up the street in this photo, you can see the IGA sign just to the left of the power pole:
Spring Garden Road entrance to Dominion Store parking lot by Halifax Municipal Archives, on Flickr

[JET]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

I started med school at Dalhousie in 1979. I think the Dominion was gone by 1981 or so. I shopped there maybe once or twice.

It must have been interesting to stay at the Lord Nelson going to university. I stayed in frat houses my first year in Halifax, first Phi Chi, then Phi Rho Sigma. I lasted at Phi Chi about a week. They modelled themselves after Animal House and the place was party central. I moved to the other medical frat (Phi Rho Sigma) as soon as I could. It was much more like Alpha House (but not as snooty).

Yes, McGinty used to stay down the hall from me when they were playing at the LBR. From my room I could see Hugn MacLennan's house beside the YMCA.