National Engineering Month Public Display

The very detailed and impressive Marine Railway Cradle model will be on public display at the Halifax Central Library (5440 Spring Garden Road) on Saturday March 25, 2017, between 9 am to 2 pm.

Once again, this is part of an annual National Engineering Month event featuring a student Popsicle stick bridge and other design competitions.

Shubenacadie Canal Commission representatives will be answering questions and providing insights on how 150 years ago, boats moved overland between the harbour and Sullivan’s Pond, without the use of oil, gas, steam, electricity, wind, engines, or horsepower.

This overland route includes the Dartmouth Greenway park area. A life sized replica of the Marine Railway Cradle and Flume House has been recreated and is now onsite.

National Engineering Month Public Display
March 25th at the Halifax Central Library
Displays – 1st floor, 9:30AM to 2:00PM

• Bridge competitions, High-school Ambassador Competition Displays – Paul O’Regan Hall, 12:00PM
• Junior High Design Challenge – Paul O’Regan Hall, Registration at 10:00 am

Cameron Ells and Mike Hughes talk to visitors last year at the public display.

ST PATRICK’S DAY AND THE SHUBENACADIE CANAL

“What in the world does the Shubenacadie Canal have to do with St. Patrick’s day?”  Well, at the very least, it is clear the Canal has a lot to do with the Irish.  It was in 1827, the year after the official sod turning which initiated the work on the Canal, that the ship Corsair arrived from Scotland with a number of Canal workers and their families.  “But what’s this got to do with Ireland”, you ask.  Well, the year before this there had been a strike of Canal workers in Scotland and it was only because men were brought from Ireland that work on the Forth and Clyde Canal in Scotland could continue. 

However, this project ended in 1827.  What were these Irish workers to do then?  Well several Nova Scotians who were in Scotland seeking experienced Canal workers had an answer to this question.  “Come aboard the ship Corsair which is bound for Nova Scotia and we will hire you to work on the Shubenacadie Canal”.   And come they did.   Once they arrived in Dartmouth they built crude homes of stone, wood and sod.  The remains of a few of these are still visible.  A number of families settled around the area we now call Sullivan’s Pond Park which was named after the man who oversaw the excavation of the Pond.

You have probably noticed that the name of the lower part of what was Pine St. is now, very appropriately, called Irishtown Rd. 

Irishtown can be seen in this historical photo of Sullivan's Pond. It is the area around the pond and South towards the harbour. 

Shubenacadie Canal Significant Dates

While there are no specific dates here is archaeological evidence for First Nations use of the Waterway for over 3,000 years. The earliest known settlement in the Province is in the Debert area approximately 11, 000 years ago. However, there is no evidence these people used the waterway.

1797 - Legislature voted L250 for a survey to assess the practicability of construction of “a navigation” from Halifax Harbour to Minas Basin.

1801, 1814, 1820 - Follow up surveys were conducted.

1824 - Michael Wallace, President of the Legislature contracts engineer, Francis Hall, to prepare plans for the canal.

1825 - July 25th Official Sod Turning in Port Wallace – Lord Dalhousie and James Kempt officiating.

1831 - Construction ceases.

1854 - Work on Canal resumes under the supervision of Engineer Charles William Fairbanks.

As sections of the Canal were completed boats began to make use of it – for example as early as 1857 boats were going from Portobello to Maitland.

1861 - Construction of Canal fully completed and in November Avery makes the first trip from the Harbour to Maitland thus satisfying the requirement placed on the Company by the Provincial Government.

1870 - Last recorded revenue from the Canal

1872 - Lock Keeper, Henry Findlay leaves his job..

Sketch of the Avery. The Avery was the first vessel to make the complete journey from the Dartmouth Cove to Maitland.

Travel back in time when you visit Shubie Park!

Garth Corigan, Pat Coriigan, P. Corigan Sr. and John Costly are all listed as Navvies or Labourers.  While we don’t know specifically the role each played, we do know there were a number of Navvies working on the excavation of the Channel or Cut between Lakes Micmac and Charles.  The channel is approximately 1390 meters long and it had to be deep enough to provide for a minimum depth of water of 8’.  While the excavation of the entire channel would be challenging, it is difficult to imagine the effort required to carve the channel through the bedrock which they encountered along what was referred to as the “Deep Cut”.   We can picture these men wearily making their way home each night to one of the stone huts along the “Cut”.  On some evenings they would gather at the “Work Camp” where they could share in a time of song and dance.  As you make your way along the trails which parallel the “Cut” you are following in the footsteps of the Navvies.

-Bernie Hart

In this photo you can see the remains of one of the buildings found along the trail in Shubie Park.

Visitors enjoying the "Deep Cut" from the water and the trail.