Sullivan's Pond is an artificial

lake A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much large ...

and recreation area located in Dartmouth in

Halifax Regional Municipality Halifax is the capital and largest municipality of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Nova Scotia, and the largest municipality in Atlantic Canada. As of the 2021 Census, the municipal population was 439,819, with 348 ...

. It formed part of the

Shubenacadie Canal The Shubenacadie Canal is a canal in central Nova Scotia, Canada. It links Halifax Harbour with the Bay of Fundy by way of the Shubenacadie River and Shubenacadie Grand Lake. Begun in 1826, it was not completed until 1861 and was closed in 1871. ...

Shubenacadie Canal

The pond is located northeast of

Halifax Harbour Halifax Harbour is a large natural harbour on the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia, Canada, located in the Halifax Regional Municipality. Halifax largely owes its existence to the harbour, being one of the largest and deepest ice-free natural harbo ...

at Dartmouth Cove as part of the

system. It is the first water body in the canal system when heading from the harbour to the Bay of Fundy and was constructed as a holding pond for southbound vessels wishing to transit the remaining distance to the harbour. With an elevation several dozen metres (about 50 ft) higher than the harbour to the south, the pond was linked to the ocean by small inclined

marine railway The patent slip or marine railway is an inclined plane extending from shoreline into water, featuring a "cradle" onto which a ship is first floated, and a mechanism to haul the ship, attached to the cradle, out of the water onto a slip. The ...

which was used to haul boats to and from Dartmouth Cove. A

lock Lock(s) may refer to: Common meanings *Lock and key, a mechanical device used to secure items of importance *Lock (water navigation), a device for boats to transit between different levels of water, as in a canal Arts and entertainment * ''Lock ...

lifted boats from the pond into Lake Banook to the north. After the Shubenacadie Canal was abandoned due to unsustainable competition from the

Nova Scotia Railway The Nova Scotia Railway is a historic Canadian railway. It was composed of two lines, one connecting Richmond (immediately north of Halifax) with Windsor, the other connecting Richmond with Pictou Landing via Truro. The railway was incorpo ...

in the 1860s, Sullivan's Pond fell into disrepair and homes began to surround the pond. The area around Dartmouth Cove south of the pond became industrialized with construction of the Starr Manufacturing

ice skate Ice skates are metal blades attached underfoot and used to propel the bearer across a sheet of ice while ice skating. The first ice skates were made from leg bones of horse, ox or deer, and were attached to feet with leather straps. These skates ...

factory and the establishment of a shipyard. Although the pond was uphill and mostly insulated from being polluted by these developments, a general air of neglect surrounded the water body for many decades.

Redevelopment

During the 20th century, the City of Dartmouth, also known by its nickname "The City of Lakes", undertook to restore or clean up the various lakes used in the Shubenacadie Canal system. Today, Sullivan's Pond is part of a park which runs along the southern shores of Lake Banook, providing habitat for

water fowl The Anatidae are the biological family of water birds that includes ducks, geese, and swans. The family has a cosmopolitan distribution, occurring on all the world's continents except Antarctica. These birds are adapted for swimming, floating ...

. Since the 1950s, Dartmouth saw numerous residential developments, including several

subdivisions Subdivision may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Subdivision (metre), in music * ''Subdivision'' (film), 2009 * "Subdivision", an episode of ''Prison Break'' (season 2) * ''Subdivisions'' (EP), by Sinch, 2005 * "Subdivisions" (song), by Rush ...

in the area surrounding Lake Banook and Sullivan's Pond. To reestablish public access to the water, the city developed a plan to gradually recover lands adjacent to the lake by purchasing properties as they became available, which resulted in the current park area. Today, the pond features a small island with a

totem pole Totem poles ( hai, gyáaʼaang) are monumental carvings found in western Canada and the northwestern United States. They are a type of Northwest Coast art, consisting of poles, posts or pillars, carved with symbols or figures. They are usually ...

which was a gift to the city from the province of British Columbia for hosting the 1969

Canada Summer Games The Canada Games (french: Jeux du Canada) is a multi-sport event held every two years, alternating between the Canada Winter Games and the Canada Summer Games. They represent the highest level of national competition for Canadian athletes. Two ...

. There is also an open-air concert pavilion located near the pond constructed for the city by the Rotary Club of Dartmouth, and the cenotaph is located near the pond. In December 2006, a new fountain became operational. In 2018, city staff planted a cold-hardy palm tree in the park.

References

External links

* Sullivan's Pond watershe
limnology
{{authority control Lakes of Nova Scotia Parks in Halifax, Nova Scotia Landforms of Halifax, Nova Scotia

Shubenacadie Canal

Redevelopment

See also

References

External links