Looking for info on Halifax
#1
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Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 102
Looking for info on Halifax
Hello BE friends, Husband has had an interview for a government job based in Halifax and although it early days I was hoping to get some insider information on the area. house prices look great! (we are renting in Vancouver) I was hoping for info on areas to stay away from? And as we have 2 young girls one almost school age any info on schools in that area?
Thanks in advance,
L
Thanks in advance,
L
#2
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Joined: Apr 2010
Location: NS, Canada 2007-2013. Now....England!
Posts: 2,211
Re: Looking for info on Halifax
Are you looking at downtown Halifax to live or further out in the suburbs?
Stay away from Fairview and the North end of Halifax. Some areas of Dartmouth are dodgy but others really nice. The Citadel High school hasn't got a great reputation.
Bedford is really nice and good for a commute downtown.
If you're looking at a big house & land then Hammonds Plains is the place to be. Not much there but a short drive from downtown.
Stay away from Fairview and the North end of Halifax. Some areas of Dartmouth are dodgy but others really nice. The Citadel High school hasn't got a great reputation.
Bedford is really nice and good for a commute downtown.
If you're looking at a big house & land then Hammonds Plains is the place to be. Not much there but a short drive from downtown.
Last edited by Lorry1; Jul 31st 2016 at 12:32 pm.
#3
PottsyJ
Joined: Jul 2014
Location: Nova Scotia
Posts: 254
Re: Looking for info on Halifax
Hello BE friends, Husband has had an interview for a government job based in Halifax and although it early days I was hoping to get some insider information on the area. house prices look great! (we are renting in Vancouver) I was hoping for info on areas to stay away from? And as we have 2 young girls one almost school age any info on schools in that area?
Thanks in advance,
L
Thanks in advance,
L
I have lived in Halifax for a year or so now. The area I live in is a great neighbourhood but it is the more expensive end of the city. The North end some people dont think is very safe in places. Dartmouth is decent but right now the bridge is closed a lot of the time so makes it more difficult to get to Halifax.
The only two schools I know of near my are citadel high school and sacred heart on spring garden road.
Halifax itself is kinda split into areas with Downtown Halifax, South End, North End, West end and then dartmouth on the other side of the harbour. Hope that helps a little.
#4
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Re: Looking for info on Halifax
Citadel High School ha superb teachers, but some kids are not interested in school ..... but then you wouldn't be interested in that for at least 8 more years.
Joe ............ which bridge is often closed?? There are two!!
My daughter lives in Dartmouth and works in Halifax, but has never mentioned any problem getting to or from work.
Anyway ................. there's always the ferry
Dartmouth is decent but right now the bridge is closed a lot of the time so makes it more difficult to get to Halifax.
My daughter lives in Dartmouth and works in Halifax, but has never mentioned any problem getting to or from work.
Anyway ................. there's always the ferry
#5
PottsyJ
Joined: Jul 2014
Location: Nova Scotia
Posts: 254
Re: Looking for info on Halifax
Citadel High School ha superb teachers, but some kids are not interested in school ..... but then you wouldn't be interested in that for at least 8 more years.
Joe ............ which bridge is often closed?? There are two!!
My daughter lives in Dartmouth and works in Halifax, but has never mentioned any problem getting to or from work.
Anyway ................. there's always the ferry
Joe ............ which bridge is often closed?? There are two!!
My daughter lives in Dartmouth and works in Halifax, but has never mentioned any problem getting to or from work.
Anyway ................. there's always the ferry
#6
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Joined: Feb 2013
Location: BC, Canada
Posts: 3,874
Re: Looking for info on Halifax
They did that same thing to Lions Gate Bridge some years ago.
#7
Re: Looking for info on Halifax
Yes I believe it's the same people repairing the Halifax bridge. That's what the taxi driver who took us into Halifax from the airport told us.
S
S
#8
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Re: Looking for info on Halifax
We will probably only have to take that bridge twice, if we are savvy ...............
once from the train station to the hotel in Dartmouth, and then once from Dartmouth to the hotel next to the train station for the night before we leave
There is always the other bridge, time our trips over the Macdonald Bridge, or drive around the Bedford Basin if we go to Wolfville as we sometimes do, or as I said earlier ............. walk or take a taxi to the ferry terminal, and have a ferry across the harbour.
I'm sure that our other friends in the Halifax area will be well up on the situation!
We never fly into Halifax if we can possibly avoid it.
once from the train station to the hotel in Dartmouth, and then once from Dartmouth to the hotel next to the train station for the night before we leave
There is always the other bridge, time our trips over the Macdonald Bridge, or drive around the Bedford Basin if we go to Wolfville as we sometimes do, or as I said earlier ............. walk or take a taxi to the ferry terminal, and have a ferry across the harbour.
I'm sure that our other friends in the Halifax area will be well up on the situation!
We never fly into Halifax if we can possibly avoid it.
#9
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Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 102
Re: Looking for info on Halifax
We are looking into a house in Martins point near Mahone Bay. Does anyone have a realtor they want to recommend? Anyone have any info on that area? It looks beautiful!
#10
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Re: Looking for info on Halifax
Mahone Bay is stunning, as is Lunenburg, and about an hour from Halifax (not in winter) but it really is a summer tourist area which pretty much shuts down over winter, I think.
#11
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Re: Looking for info on Halifax
It is a lovely area, but it'll be a long and painful commute for your husband.
#12
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Re: Looking for info on Halifax
You really don't want to be doing that commute in the winter ................ and it will also be hard in tourist season as he will have to negotiate through all those tourists gawkin'.
It is 85 km from Halifax to Mahone Bay ....... but I don't know where the start point is in Halifax, it it might be from the centre, or from some other point. The references say just over 1 hour, but it has usually taken us longer than that to do the journey.
I have seen only one small grocery store, and 1 small pharmacy, plus a building supplies firm and a footwear shop .......... and no others are listed on the Business Directory, but there are lots of tourist-y shops!
We love to go to Mahone Bay ........... but it really is aimed at the tourists, and I think houses are over-priced because of that. I think most people who live there a) depend on tourists for their living (B&Bs, shops, pubs, etc) and thus have to make their money in the summer, and b) have to make regular trips to bigger towns to get supplies.
It is 85 km from Halifax to Mahone Bay ....... but I don't know where the start point is in Halifax, it it might be from the centre, or from some other point. The references say just over 1 hour, but it has usually taken us longer than that to do the journey.
I have seen only one small grocery store, and 1 small pharmacy, plus a building supplies firm and a footwear shop .......... and no others are listed on the Business Directory, but there are lots of tourist-y shops!
We love to go to Mahone Bay ........... but it really is aimed at the tourists, and I think houses are over-priced because of that. I think most people who live there a) depend on tourists for their living (B&Bs, shops, pubs, etc) and thus have to make their money in the summer, and b) have to make regular trips to bigger towns to get supplies.
#13
Re: Looking for info on Halifax
Hi
That commute to Mahone Bay will be long and the 103 is well known for its accidents as its twinned in some places and not in others. For some reason, drivers cant seem to stay on their own side of the road.
If you want proximity to the ocean then check out Head of St Margarets Bay and Tantallon. Both pretty close to Halifax and very nice.
Its the MacDonald bridge that's closed at night from 7pm and at weekends as they replace the deck.
We have lived here for 5 years now and love it. I recommend Doug Glasser as a realtor, hes with Hants Realty but covers everywhere. I will PM you his details although you can find him on Hants realty website. He went above and beyond for us.
That commute to Mahone Bay will be long and the 103 is well known for its accidents as its twinned in some places and not in others. For some reason, drivers cant seem to stay on their own side of the road.
If you want proximity to the ocean then check out Head of St Margarets Bay and Tantallon. Both pretty close to Halifax and very nice.
Its the MacDonald bridge that's closed at night from 7pm and at weekends as they replace the deck.
We have lived here for 5 years now and love it. I recommend Doug Glasser as a realtor, hes with Hants Realty but covers everywhere. I will PM you his details although you can find him on Hants realty website. He went above and beyond for us.
#14
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Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 331
Re: Looking for info on Halifax
Silly,
Why do you avoid Halifax airport, intrigued?
Where do you use?
Why do you avoid Halifax airport, intrigued?
Where do you use?
#15
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Re: Looking for info on Halifax
we don't fly across Canada in winter, period!
We take the train
Why do we avoid Halifax airport if possible ................... a) fog, common throughout the year b) blizzards and fog often happen in winter.
Nothing like getting stuck in Ottawa (preferable) or Toronto airport not knowing when you are going to complete the second half of your trip
Why is Ottawa airport preferable to Toronto (before you ask)?
a) they can handle snow in winter better than Toronto b) it is a much more pleasant place to have to spend what can be hours.
As you may guess ................ I speak from many years of experience of travelling across Canada.