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There’s a forgotten treasure in the Halifax Harbour and those who care to visit remain unsuccessful. It’s been over a year since the general public was permitted on Georges Island and there’s been no indication of progress to reopen.
Tristan Cleveland, coordinator of Our HRM Alliance, says establishing visitor accessibility to historic sites should be a priority.
“Clearly our community has an opportunity here,” he says. “It’s intriguing to me—we have a natural historical site that’s right there. It’s so close yet so far away because the public has zero access.”
From the mid-18th century to World War II, Georges Island acted as a strategic defense component for Halifax Harbour. Now, the beloved drumlin is a national historic site and designated federal property that’s managed by Parks Canada.
In a statement made to CTV last summer, Parks Canada announced it was unable to provide consistent access to the island due to financial restraints.
However, last month Parks Canada received over $20 million for infrastructure investments for key project sites in Halifax.
Although a majority of the cash is ear-marked to repair the walls of the Citadel National Historic Site, none has been confirmed for Georges Island upgrades.
In an email, Parks Canada refused to comment on the matter: “Due to the ongoing federal election, it would be inappropriate to provide comments at this time.”
“The fundamental problem is Parks Canada has endured many cutbacks in the past, so unfortunately, $20 million doesn’t go as far as it used to,” says Elizabeth Pacey, chair of Heritage Trust.
Pacey says Georges Island is an integral landmark and wants to see it available to visitors regularly, but making it accessible for all takes a pretty penny.
“When you’re dealing with a federally-owned property, it requires a lot of money because it has to fit all needs,” she says. “It has to be wheelchair- and washroom-accessible, have bilingual signage available and be ready for safe usage.”
Pacey has hope Parks Canada will want to restore Georges Island, but for now believes the money is being used to maintain historic attractions that are already accessible.
“It’s difficult because it all depends on the government’s priorities,” says Pacey. “In terms of cultural and historic priorities, we haven’t had the best of times.”
Cleveland agrees with Pacey, lamenting the shuttered island.
“We need to stop seeing our connection to these historical sites as a secondary thing that we do bit by bit when we get around to it,” he says, “but a central and strategic must for our city.”
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This article appears in Aug 20-26, 2015.
Georges Island, part of the Halifax Defence Complex, received millions of dollars in funding in recent years, yet is still remains closed to the public! Fort Ives on McNabs Island was built at the same time and has similar technology to Fort Charlotte on Georges. McNabs is also home to Fort McNab National Historic Site and McNabs is OPEN to the public. Interested in learning more http://mcnabsisland.ca/getting_here
Parks Canada Agency paid $30 – $50,000 to a TORONTO consultancy to determine the viability of an outdoor skating rink at Citadel Hill and mess dinners for the public.
Interesting article.
I personally don’t think it’s anything to do with the money. If they wanted to spend the money they would.
It’s about the history behind George’s Island and what impact it might have on our reputation. Otherwise it would have been established a long time ago.
Read Nova Scotian history. Not just George’s Island, but it’s not a very clean history in general.
George’s Island was used as a concentration camp for Acadians in Nova Scotia.
Acadians were discriminated against and were rounded up and put on the Island, filled with disease, tortured and left to die.
If we look at this logic, imagine the impact that would carry on our reputation if tourists were to be allowed there and discover the atrocities that were committed on that Island against the Acadian population.
Parks Canada dumped money into that stupid Mother Monument in Cape Breton – something that hardly anybody wants. But they can’t spring any money for something that a whole lot of people want and that is historically significant.
A plaque stating the horrors against the Acadians would be helpful on the island, and possibly a Mi’kmaw Statue would be a positive thing.