Halifax has more than 20 community recreation centres and various YMCAs – as well as a YWCA – to help you stay active.
“The place to start with any recreational activity is through the municipality itself,” says Jan LaPierre, a recreation programer who works at St. Mary’s Boat Club. “We have programes ranging from basket weaving, to yoga, to swimming lessons, to kayaking, to walking guided tours in various parks around town.”
Jan adds that you can look at the programs offered every season by checking out the city’s website www.halifax.ca, and looking under “recreation.” There’s also a catalogue circulated through schools, libraries, and centres that lists all the programs available.
If you’re worried about the cost, take a deep, relaxing breath. Jan says each of the city’s programs’ costs is kept at an absolute minimum – Halifax isn’t trying to make money from them, and the programes are normally government funded. Ranging from preschool programs to those for adults, you can find 10-week adult belly dancing courses for $40, or preschool dance classes for $27 for 10-weeks – and much, much more.
Recreation programes are for everyone.
“It’s a mandate through HRM’s recreation programs: Recreation is for all,” says Jan. He says programmers will make every effort they can to make the programming accessible to people who speak only a bit of English (or none at all), including getting a translator.
And what if you don’t like the programs HRM has to offer?
“That’s one of the real beautifies of the system we have here in Halifax,” says Jan. “Every recreation centre has a recreation programer, and they’re all looking for new ideas.” So if there’s something you want to try but can’t find it – just ask. Odds are, you aren’t the only one looking for the program!
Following is a list of Halifax Regional Municipality recreation centres, contact information and how to get there without a car:
Halifax
Adventure Earth Centre
69 Parkhill Road, Fleming Park
902-490-4539 (P); 902-490-4509 (F)
Bus route 15
Fins it on Google Maps.
Bloomfield Centre
2786 Agricola Street
902-490-4629 (P)
Bus routes 7 & 80
Find it on Google Maps.
Springvale to Sambro
Captain William Spry Community Centre/Spryfield Wave Pool
10 Kidston Road, Halifax
902-477-7665 (P)
Bus route 20
Find it on Google Maps.
Citadel High Community Centre
1955 Trollope Street
902-490-3895 (P); 902-490-3896 (F)
Bus routes 20, 21, 23, 31, 32, 33, 34, 53, 59, 68, 84, 85, 86, 87 (takes you to Spring Garden Road, and walk over to Trollope Street from there).
Find it on Google Maps.
Chocolate Lake Centre
14 Purcell’s Cove Road, Halifax
902-490-4607 (P); 902-490-4504 (F)
Bus routes 14, 15, 20
Find it on Google Maps.
George Dixon Centre
2501 Gottingen Street, Halifax
902-490-4550/4616; 902-490-4570 (F)
Bus routes 1, 7, 10, 61 (53, 58, 59, 68, 87 during the p.m. peak only)
Find it on Google Maps.
Needham Centre/Pool
3372 Devonshire Avenue, Halifax
902-490-4633 (P); 902-490-4579 (F)
Bus routes 7 (on Novalea), 9 (on Barrington)
Find it on Google Maps.
Northcliffe Centre/Pool
111 Clayton Park Drive, Halifax
902-490-4690 (P); 902-457-3881 (F)
Bus routes 2, 4, 17, 18, 52
Find it on Google Maps.
St. Andrew’s Centre
6955 Bayers Road, Halifax
902-490-4693 (P); 902-490-4641 (F)
Bus routes 2, 3, 17, 80
Find it on Google Maps.
St. Mary’s Boat Club
1641 Fairfield Road, Halifax
902-490-4688 (P); 902-490-6935 (F)
Bus routes 1, 14, 58
Find it on Google Maps.
Dartmouth
Dartmouth North Community Centre/HRM Recreation Office
134 Pinecrest Drive, Dartmouth
902-490-4730 (P); 902-490-5905 (F)
Bus routes 72 and 66
Find it on Google Maps.
Findlay Community Centre
26 Elliot Street, Dartmouth
902-490-4728 (P); 902-490-4742 (F)
Bus route 62 (on Prince Albert Road)
Find it on Google Maps.
Bedford
LeBrun Community Centre
36 Holland Drive, Bedford
902-490-4665 (P); 902-490-4680
Bus route 80 (82 at peak hours only)
Find it on Google Maps.
Cole Harbour
Cole Harbour
1216 Cole Harbour Road, Dartmouth
902-490-4711 (P); 902-490-4299 (F)
Bus route 59
Find it on Google Maps.
Eastern Passage
Tallahassee Recreation Centre
168 Redoubt Way, Eastern Passage
902-465-5267 (P); 902-465-8730 (F)
Bus route route 60
Find it on Google Maps.
Fall River
Gordon R. Snow Community Centre
3182 Highway 2 (during the fall)
1359 Fall River Road (during the winter)
902-860-4570 (P); 902-860-4576 (F)
**Not accessible by bus.
Find it on Google Maps.
Beechville/Lakeside/Timberlea
Hubbards Recreation Centre
9856 St. Margaret’s Bay Road
902-876-8812 (P)
**Not accessible by bus
Find it on Google Maps.
Lakeside Community Centre
1492 St. Margaret’s Bay Road
902-876-8812 (P); 902-876-0818 (F)
Bus route 2
Find it on Google Maps.
Musquodoboit
Middle Musquodoboit
12046 Highway 224, Middle Musquodoboit
902-384-3008 (P); 902-384-2047 (F)
**Not accessible by bus.
Find it on Google Maps.
Musquodoboit Harbour
7900 Highway 7, Musquodoboit Harbour
902-889-4050 (P); 902-889-4054 (F); Toll Free: 1-866-522-2422
**Not accessible by bus.
Find it on Google Maps.
North Preston
North Preston Community Centre
44 Simmonds Road, North Preston
902-462-4161 (P); 902-462-4370 (F)
Bus route 14, changes to the 61 and brings you straight there
Find it on Google Maps.
Sackville
Acadia School
636 Sackville Drive, Lower Sackville
902-869-4200 (P); 902-869-4219 (F)
Bus route 80
Find it on Google Maps.
Sheet Harbour
Sheet Harbour
Blue Water Building, 22756 Highway 7, Sheet Harbour
902-885-2988 (P); 902-885-3554 (F)
**Not accessible by bus.
Find it on Google Maps.
Halifax has more than 20 community recreation centres and various YMCAs – as well as a YWCA – to help you stay active.
“The place to start with any recreational activity is through the municipality itself,” says Jan LaPierre, a recreation programer who works at St. Mary’s Boat Club. “We have programes ranging from basket weaving, to yoga, to swimming lessons, to kayaking, to walking guided tours in various parks around town.”
Jan adds that you can look at the programs offered every season by checking out the city’s website www.halifax.ca, and looking under “recreation.” There’s also a catalogue circulated through schools, libraries, and centres that lists all the programs available.
If you’re worried about the cost, take a deep, relaxing breath. Jan says each of the city’s programs’ costs is kept at an absolute minimum – Halifax isn’t trying to make money from them, and the programes are normally government funded. Ranging from preschool programs to those for adults, you can find 10-week adult belly dancing courses for $40, or preschool dance classes for $27 for 10-weeks – and much, much more.
Recreation programes are for everyone.
“It’s a mandate through HRM’s recreation programs: Recreation is for all,” says Jan. He says programmers will make every effort they can to make the programming accessible to people who speak only a bit of English (or none at all), including getting a translator.
And what if you don’t like the programs HRM has to offer?
“That’s one of the real beautifies of the system we have here in Halifax,” says Jan. “Every recreation centre has a recreation programer, and they’re all looking for new ideas.” So if there’s something you want to try but can’t find it – just ask. Odds are, you aren’t the only one looking for the program!
Following is a list of Halifax Regional Municipality recreation centres, contact information and how to get there without a car:
Halifax
Adventure Earth Centre
69 Parkhill Road, Fleming Park
902-490-4539 (P); 902-490-4509 (F)
Bus route 15
Fins it on Google Maps.
Bloomfield Centre
2786 Agricola Street
902-490-4629 (P)
Bus routes 7 & 80
Find it on Google Maps.
Springvale to Sambro
Captain William Spry Community Centre/Spryfield Wave Pool
10 Kidston Road, Halifax
902-477-7665 (P)
Bus route 20
Find it on Google Maps.
Citadel High Community Centre
1955 Trollope Street
902-490-3895 (P); 902-490-3896 (F)
Bus routes 20, 21, 23, 31, 32, 33, 34, 53, 59, 68, 84, 85, 86, 87 (takes you to Spring Garden Road, and walk over to Trollope Street from there).
Find it on Google Maps.
Chocolate Lake Centre
14 Purcell’s Cove Road, Halifax
902-490-4607 (P); 902-490-4504 (F)
Bus routes 14, 15, 20
Find it on Google Maps.
George Dixon Centre
2501 Gottingen Street, Halifax
902-490-4550/4616; 902-490-4570 (F)
Bus routes 1, 7, 10, 61 (53, 58, 59, 68, 87 during the p.m. peak only)
Find it on Google Maps.
Needham Centre/Pool
3372 Devonshire Avenue, Halifax
902-490-4633 (P); 902-490-4579 (F)
Bus routes 7 (on Novalea), 9 (on Barrington)
Find it on Google Maps.
Northcliffe Centre/Pool
111 Clayton Park Drive, Halifax
902-490-4690 (P); 902-457-3881 (F)
Bus routes 2, 4, 17, 18, 52
Find it on Google Maps.
St. Andrew’s Centre
6955 Bayers Road, Halifax
902-490-4693 (P); 902-490-4641 (F)
Bus routes 2, 3, 17, 80
Find it on Google Maps.
St. Mary’s Boat Club
1641 Fairfield Road, Halifax
902-490-4688 (P); 902-490-6935 (F)
Bus routes 1, 14, 58
Find it on Google Maps.
Dartmouth
Dartmouth North Community Centre/HRM Recreation Office
134 Pinecrest Drive, Dartmouth
902-490-4730 (P); 902-490-5905 (F)
Bus routes 72 and 66
Find it on Google Maps.
Findlay Community Centre
26 Elliot Street, Dartmouth
902-490-4728 (P); 902-490-4742 (F)
Bus route 62 (on Prince Albert Road)
Find it on Google Maps.
Bedford
LeBrun Community Centre
36 Holland Drive, Bedford
902-490-4665 (P); 902-490-4680
Bus route 80 (82 at peak hours only)
Find it on Google Maps.
Cole Harbour
Cole Harbour
1216 Cole Harbour Road, Dartmouth
902-490-4711 (P); 902-490-4299 (F)
Bus route 59
Find it on Google Maps.
Eastern Passage
Tallahassee Recreation Centre
168 Redoubt Way, Eastern Passage
902-465-5267 (P); 902-465-8730 (F)
Bus route route 60
Find it on Google Maps.
Fall River
Gordon R. Snow Community Centre
3182 Highway 2 (during the fall)
1359 Fall River Road (during the winter)
902-860-4570 (P); 902-860-4576 (F)
**Not accessible by bus.
Find it on Google Maps.
Beechville/Lakeside/Timberlea
Hubbards Recreation Centre
9856 St. Margaret’s Bay Road
902-876-8812 (P)
**Not accessible by bus
Find it on Google Maps.
Lakeside Community Centre
1492 St. Margaret’s Bay Road
902-876-8812 (P); 902-876-0818 (F)
Bus route 2
Find it on Google Maps.
Musquodoboit
Middle Musquodoboit
12046 Highway 224, Middle Musquodoboit
902-384-3008 (P); 902-384-2047 (F)
**Not accessible by bus.
Find it on Google Maps.
Musquodoboit Harbour
7900 Highway 7, Musquodoboit Harbour
902-889-4050 (P); 902-889-4054 (F); Toll Free: 1-866-522-2422
**Not accessible by bus.
Find it on Google Maps.
North Preston
North Preston Community Centre
44 Simmonds Road, North Preston
902-462-4161 (P); 902-462-4370 (F)
Bus route 14, changes to the 61 and brings you straight there
Find it on Google Maps.
Sackville
Acadia School
636 Sackville Drive, Lower Sackville
902-869-4200 (P); 902-869-4219 (F)
Bus route 80
Find it on Google Maps.
Sheet Harbour
Sheet Harbour
Blue Water Building, 22756 Highway 7, Sheet Harbour
902-885-2988 (P); 902-885-3554 (F)
**Not accessible by bus.
Find it on Google Maps.