"Old" Dalhousie and the Grand Parade - Halifax, NS
Posted by: Groundspeak Premium Member T0SHEA
N 44° 38.918 W 063° 34.524
20T E 454373 N 4944080
Partly as a Millennium Project, the Halifax Regional Municipality has sprinkled two dozen blue plaques throughout the Municipality recognizing historical achievements of the HRM.
Waymark Code: WMPMKK
Location: Nova Scotia, Canada
Date Posted: 09/21/2015
Published By:Groundspeak Premium Member bluesnote
Views: 12
Download this waymark:
.GPX File
.LOC File
.KML File (Google Earth)

One of 24 Markers of Distinction plaques placed throughout the Halifax Regional Municipality, this plaque was created in memory of the original Dalhousie University, which once occupied the site of the present Halifax City Hall, erected in 1887-90 following demolition of the old Dalhousie College building. It has been placed in the Grand Parade near the main entrance of city hall.

"OLD" DALHOUSIE AND THE GRAND PARADE

The year is 1821. You are looking south in the Grand Parade towards Saint Paul's, the oldest Anglican church in Canada. Turn and face north: the fine building you see is not City Hall, but "old" Dalhousie College.

In a long, often acrimonious, debate, Dalhousie pressed the town's, later (1841) city's, governors to relinquish claim to the Grand Parade. The governors, equally adamant, insisted that the Grand Parade continue to be the central gathering place it had been since 1749. Dalhousie could not develop into the great university it has become, and the city was forced to operate in unsatisfactory rented space.

Sir William Young, a former Premier of Nova Scotia, negotiated an amicable resolution: he provided a financial gift to Dalhousie, the city five acres of land at now University Avenue and Robie Street, and the College relinquished its building and claim to the Grand Parade. Thereupon, Dalhousie built the first of its fine new buildings, on the Forrest campus, and the city demolished "old" Dalhousie and incorporated some of its stone and timbers in the new City Hall.
From the Blue Plaque
Halifax Foundation Markers of Distinction
The Markers of Distinction program was active 1998-2000. It began as a project, coordinated by The Halifax Foundation in celebration of the new millennium, to commemorate the various historical achievements of the Halifax Regional Municipality, and based on this initial concept, partnering seemed a natural fit to both the Foundation and the HRM Millennium Committee. The program completed the installation of 24 individual Markers of Distinction erected around the Municipality.

On 28 June 2000, the Halifax Foundation hosted a day of remembrance, as four of seven special markers of distinction were unveiled in Dartmouth to serve as testimony to the historical significance of various Dartmouth events. During the morning Dr. Edmund Morris, Chair of the Halifax Foundation was joined by several others as the official unveilings took place. The markers were titled:
• How Dartmouth Has Grown
• William Roue and Bluenose
• Joseph Howe Lived Here
• Sullivan's Pond

The following is a complete list of the Markers of Distinction located throughout the Halifax Regional Municipality.

• Bedford, Convoy Quay, "Bedford Basin Place of History"
• Sheet Harbour, Tourist Bureau, "Saw Milling Industry"
• West Chezzetcook, Acadian Heritage Cottage
• Dartmouth, Alderney Landing, "How Dartmouth Has Grown"
• Dartmouth, Boardwalk North, "William Roue and Bluenose"
• Dartmouth, Windmill Road, "Mi’kmaq Memorial"
• Dartmouth, Victoria Park, "Joseph Howe Lived Here"
• Dartmouth, Sullivan’s Pond
• Dartmouth, Albro Lake Road, "Harbour Explosion"
• Dartmouth, Portland Street, "Ice-Skate Capital of the World"
• Dartmouth, Black Cultural Centre, "History of the Black Community"
• Eastern Passage, "Fisherman’s Cove"
• Peggy’s Cove, Lighthouse
• Terence Bay, S.S. Atlantic Heritage Park
• Halifax, Chebucto Landing, "Here We Began"
• Halifax, "Province House"
• Halifax, Grand Parade, "Old Dalhousie and City Hall"
• Halifax, Downtown, "Commercial Heart of the Maritimes"
• Halifax, "Public Gardens"
• Halifax, Brunswick Street, "Samuel Cunard, Great Haligonian"
• Halifax, George Dixon Centre, "Halifax Mosaic"
• Halifax, Almond Street, "Sir John S.D. Thompson"
• Halifax, "Fort Needham Explosion Memorial"
• Halifax, Fleming Park-Dingle, "Sir Sandford Fleming"
From HRM 2000
Blue Plaque managing agency: Halifax Regional Municipality Markers of Distinction program

Individual Recognized: "Old" Dalhousie

Physical Address:
1841 Argyle Street
Halifax, NS Canada
B3J 3S1

Web Address: [Web Link]
Visit Instructions:
To log an entry for a "Blue Plaque," please try to include a picture of you next to the plaque!
Search for...
Geocaching.com Google Map
Google Maps
MapQuest
Bing Maps
Nearest Waymarks
Nearest Blue Plaques
Nearest Geocaches
Create a scavenger hunt using this waymark as the center point
Recent Visits/Logs:
Date Logged Log User Rating  
DND.Fireman visited "Old" Dalhousie and the Grand Parade - Halifax, NS 09/12/2021 DND.Fireman visited it
Lynx Humble visited "Old" Dalhousie and the Grand Parade - Halifax, NS 09/23/2017 Lynx Humble visited it
petendot visited "Old" Dalhousie and the Grand Parade - Halifax, NS 10/28/2015 petendot visited it

View all visits/logs