The Grand Parade/Province House Area Joint Public Lands Plan was funded by the Halifax Regional Municipality and the Province of Nova Scotia to provide urban design guidelines for the Grand Parade, the Truscan/Birk’s site between Barrington Street and Granville Street, and the grounds of Province House.
The project involved detailed historical research and intensive public consultation to provide innovative ideas to enhance the area creating a cohesive “Capital City Precinct”.
Proposals included conceptual designs for a number of landscapes including park development, an urban events plaza, building massing and form, and a potential linear park link along George and Carmichael Streets reinforcing the link between the waterfront and the Citadel.
The plan recommends enhancing Province House through park development, additional tree planting, and lighting to make the building a landmark in the downtown area. Urban design guidelines are provided for the Birk’s/Truscan site including the Dennis Building. Improvements to the south end of Grand Parade are recommended to create an improved forecourt for St. Paul’s Church and the Cenotaph, while upgrades are suggested for the north end to create a highly flexible four-season urban events plaza in front of City Hall. Street reconfigurations and a suite of parking alternatives are also provided to allow precedence for pedestrian movements and use in the study area.
The quality of this project has been recognized by a number of awards and was described by the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects awards jury as “brilliant and thorough.”
