News Release

Restoration Work Resuming in Point Pleasant Park

(Thursday, March 6/08)-- With winter loosening its grip, visitors to Point Pleasant Park will begin to see restoration works resuming for another season.

There will be particular emphasis on improvements to the historic roads during this phase of the program. Point Pleasant has a myriad of roadways and paths, most about 150 years old but some date back to the founding of Halifax 250 years ago. Archeologists will be working to discover how these roads were built so that they might be repaired true to their original construction methods.

"Once you study the roads and paths there appears to be several types according to age, historic use and topography" said Peter Bigelow, Manager of Real Property Planning for HRM. "The roadways are a cultural asset within the park and we need to better understand how they were built so that they might be repaired and maintained properly. We might learn a thing or two about building park roads, because these roads have certainly have stood up well given their age and amount of use."

Most of the roads were built by the British Garrison either for military or park purposes; however, there is very little information as to how they were constructed. Contractor crews will also be in the park this season, carrying out repairs to the dry-laid walls which hold up some roadways. Visitors may find some paths closed as the work is carried out.

A survey of regenerating tree stands will be carried out over the coming weeks. This is necessary to help plan the spring planting and thinning operations, as well as to continue monitoring the overall health of the forest.

District 13 Councillor Sue Uteck said "I am pleased to see that work is continuing. There is much to be done over the next number of years and I am pleased that the federal government, who owns the land, is participating in the restoration of Point Pleasant."

Much of the current work is funded by a contribution announced by Defence and ACOA Minister Peter MacKay in the spring of 20007.

Dog walkers are asked to leash their pets when travelling through work areas for the safety of both workers and dogs. For further information on ongoing works or the park visit the website at pointpleasantpark.ca

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Councillor Sue Uteck
221-7651

Peter Bigelow
Manager, Real Property Planning
476-4016