Halifax Municipal Airport/Westmount Subdivision

 

 

RCAF/National Archives of Canada/PA-126608

 

 

Some Facts About the Halifax Municipal Airport

 

  • Built in 1931

  • Pan American Airways operated a route between Halifax and Boston

  • Civilian flights ceased with the outbreak of World War II

  • Field was used to store military supplies during WWII (flight operations had been shifted to Shearwater)

  • Land was used for the Westmount subdivision (see below)

Saunders Park

 

 

 

Aside from Westmount subdivision, part of the former municipal airport land was used for Saunders Park, a small strip of land along Chebucto Road which most probably associate with the "metal airplane" .  The plate on the airplane's base bears the words below as a dedication to the park's namesake:

 

Saunders Park

This park was created for the citizens of Halifax and is named Saunders Park to commemorate the life work of a pioneer in Canadian aviation.

Wing Commander Donald W. Saunders was associated with the development of aviation in the Halifax area for many years.

He was instructor to the Halifax Flying Club from 1928 to 1937, served with the Royal Flying Corps in the War of 1914-1918 and with the Royal Canadian Air Force in World War II.

From 1931-1937 Wing Commander Saunders was Manager of the Halifax Municipal Airport. This park is located on a portion of the old airport.

During the War of 1939-1945 this area was occupied by Military District Number Six Depot, Canadian Army.

 

 

Some Facts and Trivia About Westmount Subdivision

 

 

Click the thumbnails below to view the full size photos

Photos above restored and scanned by Michael Almon

  • World War II veterans were given the first chance to purchase the homes

  • The property was turned over to the city by the army

  • The first sod on the 305 unit Westmount subdivision was turned in March 1948

  • An onsite factory was established in the former army drill hall for the pre-cutting of construction materials on a mass scale

  • All units were built from four basic designs

  • A unique feature of the subdivision was the layout of the houses - driving through the subdivision you are essentially looking at the back yard of the houses.  As described in the Halifax Mail at the time, "service streets wind along the rear lot lines and all houses will face on spacious park strips where children can play in safety, far removed from traffic lanes".

  • Wartime servicemen's' huts were demolished during the construction of the subdivision, and some material from the demolition was used in the construction

 

Some streets in the Westmount subdivision were named after Halifax Servicemen who lost their lives during World War II.  For an excellent article on this, check out this link to the The Atlantic Canada Aviation Museum Newsletter for Dec. 2001 / Jan. 2002.

 

 

 

Some Companies Involved in the Construction

 

Hagen & Co. Halifax Ltd. (Plumbing and Heating)

Mersey Woodworkers Limited (Millwork)

Salsman & Sons Limited (Painting, decorating, linoleum floors)

Brookfield Construction Co., Ltd. (Builders)

 

 

 

 

 

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