Phase I - Halifax Regional Municipality

Archaeological Resource Impact Assessment
Pre-development Assessment
Spring Garden Road/Queen Street Public Lands Plan
4.0 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The study areas have all been used, beginning from the late 18 th to early 19 th centuries,
for a number of cultural activities. Area A (the Old Infirmary property) remained pasture
from the founding of Halifax in 1749 until the late 18 th century, when the corner of
Spring Garden Road and Queen Street became military property and remained so until
the 1950s. The southern part of the property became residential shortly after 1800 and a
street – Dundonald Street - cut through the property. When Dundonald Street closed in
the 1960s to make way for the New Halifax Infirmary, all the houses were destroyed. The
buildings on the Old Infirmary property were demolished in 2005 and all cultural soils
beneath the building were extensively disturbed and/or removed from the site and
therefore, the likelihood of recovering in situ (undisturbed) archaeological resources in
that area which was excavated is negligible. However, in situ resources may exist
beneath the adjacent sidewalks, under standing buildings (such as the old nurses
residence on Morris Street), and beneath the pay parking lot at the north end of the
property where the Commandant’s Quarters once stood.
Area B (the Halifax Memorial Library property) was originally used as a cemetery
beginning in 1762, and as its origins faded in the eyes of the public, it later became the
grounds for a public library. As many as 4500 people may have been buried here in the
18 th and 19 th centuries. Burials undoubtedly remain on the Halifax Memorial Library
property. Due to the possibility that many of these burials, particularly in times of war
and epidemics, were shallow, some burials may have been disturbed during construction
of the wall around the property in the late 19 th century as well as during construction of
the pathways when the property was converted to Grafton Park. Although there have not
been confirmed reports, it is highly probable that burials were disturbed during
construction of the Library building and it is not known what was done with any remains
that may have been disturbed throughout the centuries. It is possible that disturbed
burials exist around the foundation of the library and, although disturbed, would require
the same level of care and attention as any in situ burials.
Area C (the Clyde Street parking lots) was also a pasture from the founding of Halifax
until development occurred in the early 19 th century. These buildings became part of an
area known as Schmidtville, and they were subsequently turned into parking lots after
1951. Previous excavation in the parking lot bounded by Clyde, Birmingham, and Queen
Streets revealed remnants of historic 19 th century occupation here.
5.0 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
While the construction of the Infirmary may have destroyed all archaeological resources
beneath it, historic mapping and documentation of 18 th , 19 th , and 20 th century land use for
the Clyde Street parking lots, the old Bellevue property, and the Memorial Library
property, suggests these areas are of high potential for archaeological resources.
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