Leg 155 CYHZ - Halifax (Canada) to CYYG - Charlottetown (Canada)
CYHZ - Airport Info
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ICAO code: CYHZ
Airport name: Halifax Intl. Airport
Location: Halifax
Useful information
Airport elevation: '
Time zone: UTC-
Lighted runways : Yes
Maximum runway length: '
Runway surface : Asphalt
Instrument approach (ILS, LOC, LDA, and SDF):
Halifax Info
Halifax (Nova Scotia), city, capital of the province of Nova Scotia, Canada. Halifax is built around Halifax Harbour, the world’s second largest natural harbor, which offers a protected, deepwater, ice-free anchorage for international shipping. Halifax Harbour is one of Canada’s busiest ports. In 1996 Halifax merged with the former city of Dartmouth and other neighboring municipalities to form the Halifax Regional Municipality. This merger made it the largest urban center in Canada’s Atlantic provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador. Halifax is a regional center for trade, industry, government, and cultural activity. The city also has a strong military presence, largely as a result of being home port for Canada’s east coast navy and coast guard. Halifax possesses a relatively mild but damp climate, with an average daily temperature range from 0° C (32° F) to -9° C (16° F) in January and from 23° C (74° F) to 13° C (56° F) in July. Typically it rains or snows 170 days of the year, and in spring the city is frequently blanketed in fog.
The Halifax Regional Municipality had a population of 359,111 at the 2001 census. The census metropolitan area (CMA) of Halifax was home to 359,183 people in 2001, up from 320,501 in 1991. The Halifax CMA is home to more than 1 in 3 of all Nova Scotians. About half of the Halifax CMA’s residents live in the urban core; another one-third reside in the suburbs while the remainder are rural. The 5-year growth rate of the city’s population was 4.7 percent from 1996 to 2001, with most of that increase taking place in the suburbs. There has been little foreign immigration; most residents of Halifax are Canadian-born and of British descent. A major exception is the city’s small (under 3 percent) but historically significant black community; its roots go back to the early 19th century.
The Halifax Regional Municipality covers a land area of 5,577 sq km (2,153 sq mi). The CMA covers a land area of 2,503 sq km (966 sq mi). Halifax began as a fortified village located on the eastern shore of a hilly peninsula, which juts into the surrounding harbor. That site, originally selected because it offered shelter against storms and enemy attack, today contains a modern high-rise city, along with many reminders of a lively past. Overlooking the downtown core is the Citadel, a mid-19th century fortification. The Citadel sits on a hill and is topped by towering flagpoles, which were once used to signal the approach of merchant and naval ships.
Just below the Citadel’s ramparts sits Halifax’s most famous landmark, the Old Town Clock, built in 1803. Nearby are a series of historic buildings. These include St. Paul’s, the oldest Protestant church in Canada; St. George’s, the first round church in North America; Government House, the oldest executive residence in North America; and Province House, the longest-serving parliament building in Canada.
Along the waterfront are a series of wooden and stone warehouses and shops put up during Halifax’s 19th-century age of sail, when Halifax merchants owned many wooden sailing ships. Artifacts from this era are found in the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, located on the waterfront. This museum also houses a modern warship, which chased submarines during World War II (1939-1945). A short distance away are other interesting sites, such as the Old Burying Ground, with gravestones from the 1750s; the Public Gardens, laid out in formal Victorian style; and Point Pleasant Park, which contains Canada’s oldest martello tower, a circular fortification whose massive stone walls could defy bombardment.
Leading cultural institutions in metropolitan Halifax include the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, the Nova Scotian Symphony, Neptune Theatre, the Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History, the Public Archives of Nova Scotia, the Dartmouth Heritage Museum, and the Black Cultural Centre for Nova Scotia.
Major institutions of higher education and research include the University of King’s College (1789), Dalhousie University (1818), Saint Mary’s University (1841), Mount Saint Vincent University (1925), and the Bedford Institute of Oceanography (1962).
Every year the city hosts a series of cultural events. Particularly well known are the Scotia Festival of Music, Shakespeare by the Sea, the Atlantic Jazz Festival, the Halifax International Busker Festival, and the Atlantic Winter Fair.
Halifax’s workforce is concentrated in public administration, commerce, and personal services. Despite recent cutbacks, the government remains the single largest employer. A large percentage of workers in Halifax are employed at the two military bases in the area, Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Halifax and CFB Shearwater. Important industries are food processing, printing and publishing, petroleum refining, ship repair, motor-vehicle assembly, and tourism. In addition, electronic equipment, plastic goods, clothing, cordage, and furniture are manufactured in the area.
From the 1960s to the 1980s, economic growth came primarily from investment in business parks located in the suburbs. Since then, plans for growth have been focused more and more on the port of Halifax and on making it capable of handling ever larger ocean-going container ships. To this end, administration of the port was put under the control of the newly created Halifax Port Corporation in 1984, which is responsible for all Halifax port facilities and is constantly enlarging and upgrading them. In addition to shipping, electronics technology and ocean-based research, including the continued exploitation of offshore gas and oil deposits begun in the early 1990s, are also gaining importance in the economy of the region.
The Halifax area is served by nearby Halifax International Airport and is the Atlantic terminus of the Canadian National Railways. The Angus L. Macdonald Bridge and the A. Murray MacKay Bridge span Halifax Harbour and provide a link to Dartmouth.
When the Halifax Regional Municipality was established, a new Halifax Regional Council was created. This council is made up of a mayor and 23 councilors who are popularly elected to two-year terms. The city of Halifax is also the site of the provincial governing bodies for the province of Nova Scotia.
Called Chebucto (“at the great harbor”) by the indigenous Mi’kmaq (Mi'kmaq) nation, this part of Nova Scotia’s coast remained unoccupied by Europeans until 1749. In that year, British colonel Edward Cornwallis established a settlement and military base on the harbor and named it in honor of the earl of Halifax, a British official who had planned the enterprise. The base was created primarily to defend the area against potential attacks by the French, who had a fortress at Louisbourg on Isle Royale (now Cape Breton Island in eastern Nova Scotia). In 1752 the first newspaper in Canada was established in Halifax, and in 1758 Halifax became the site of the first elected legislature in what is now Canada. During the 19th century, the port emerged as a major center for trade. Halifax was incorporated as a city in 1841.
During World War I (1914-1918) Halifax again became a military bastion. Huge convoys of ships assembled at the inner harbor (Bedford Basin) to prepare for sailing through the submarine-infested North Atlantic. On December 6, 1917, a munitions ship arriving to join a convoy collided with another vessel at the Narrows leading into the Basin. A massive explosion resulted, killing nearly 2000 people and devastating the whole north end of the city.
In World War II Halifax played a vital role in the Allied effort. Many of the supplies and ordnance going to Europe from the Americas were shipped through its port facilities. For both its modern military presence and for its important role during both world wars, Halifax has earned the nickname “Warden of the North.”
CYYG - Airport Info
ICAO code: CYYG
Airport name: Charlottetown Airport
Location: Charlottetown
Useful information
Airport elevation: '
Time zone: UTC-
Lighted runways : Yes
Maximum runway length: '
Runway surface : Asphalt
Instrument approach (ILS, LOC, LDA, and SDF):
Charlottetown Info
Charlottetown, city, capital of Prince Edward Island, Canada. Charlottetown is the province’s largest city, and Canada’s smallest provincial capital. It is the main administrative, service, financial, and commercial center for the province, and is also its cultural and educational capital. The city was the site of the 1864 Charlottetown Conference, which set the stage for the union of the British North American colonies into the Dominion of Canada. This union is known to Canadians as Confederation. Because of this role, the Canadian Parliament has designated Charlottetown the “Birthplace of Confederation,” and it has become a major tourist destination.
Charlottetown is the seat of Queens County and is situated at approximately the midpoint along the south coast of the island, where the Hillsborough and North rivers empty into Charlottetown Harbour. Despite its northerly location, Charlottetown has a mild climate, with an average daily temperature range of -10° to -3° C (10° to 26° F) in January, and 14 ° to 23° C (57° to 74° F) in July.
In 1981 the population of Charlottetown was 15,282, but by the 2001 census the city had incorporated the adjoining communities of Parkdale, Sherwood, East Royalty, West Royalty, Winsloe, and Hillborough Park, and the population had grown to 32,245 . Early settlers in Charlottetown were mainly English, but gradually the population mix changed as Irish and Scots people immigrated to the area between 1770 and the 1860s. The city also has a number of Acadian residents, who are descendants of the original French colonists of the region, and a small Lebanese community.
Charlottetown covers a land area of 42.6 sq km (16.5 sq mi). One of the most famous buildings in the city is Province House, site of the 1864 Charlottetown Conference and home to the provincial legislature of Prince Edward Island. Province House has been declared a national historic site.
Near Charlottetown Harbour and next to Province House is the Confederation Centre of the Arts, which was built in 1963 to commemorate the Charlottetown Conference. The arts center was financed by gifts from all the provinces of Canada and a grant from the federal government. It houses a theater, museum, art gallery, and library. It is also the site of the Charlottetown Summer Festival, which each year produces a musical, Anne of Green Gables, based on the novel by local author Lucy Maud Montgomery, as well as other Canadian plays. The festival began in 1965.
Nearby is Confederation Landing Park, which opened in 1996. Located on the waterfront, it marks the landing place of the Fathers of Confederation in 1864. In 1984 a large, modern hotel and convention complex was opened on the waterfront. Its facilities, and the many hotels and motels in the area, allow the city to host large conventions and entertainment events.
The downtown area, which makes up much of the older part of Charlottetown, contains St. Dunstan’s Basilica, the tallest structure in the city and the largest church in the province. It is the seat of the local Roman Catholic diocese and was designated a national historic site in 1996. Close by stands St. Paul’s Anglican Church. The present building, completed in 1868, stands on the site of the original church, which opened in 1803 and was the first church building on the island. Buildings and storefronts on several blocks in the downtown area have been restored to their original appearance, and examples of architecture reflecting various British styles of the 19th century can be seen in this part of the city.
Charlottetown is the center of Prince Edward Island’s thriving harness-racing industry. It has the best half-mile track in eastern Canada and is host to the annual Gold Cup and Saucer Race and Parade. The race is held during Old Home Week in August, an annual event featuring a week of trade, handicraft, and livestock exhibits, midway and vaudeville attractions, and horse racing.
Charlottetown is home to the University of Prince Edward Island, created in 1969 by consolidating Prince of Wales College and St. Dunstan’s University. The university has attracted several research facilities, including a regional agricultural laboratory and a food technology center. In 1986 the Atlantic Veterinary College was established at the university. Jointly financed by the Atlantic provinces, the college is one of only four veterinary colleges in Canada. Holland College (1969), the province’s only Technical Institute, is also within the city’s boundaries.
During the last half of the 19th century, the golden age of the wooden sailing ship, Charlottetown was one of the major shipbuilding centers of Prince Edward Island. It became home to various industries related to shipbuilding. Other industries, such as furniture and carriage factories, also flourished. The nearby rivers connected Charlottetown to the central and most populous area of the province, and it became the chief import-export center for the province.
Today, Charlottetown’s economy is based primarily on tourism, agriculture, fisheries, and business associated with the provincial government. The city has light industries and services. However, compared to the rest of the province, a lower percentage of the workforce is engaged in industry and manufacturing. Charlottetown, with its excellent harbor, is the chief port of Prince Edward Island. It also has a commercial airport.
Charlottetown is managed by an elected council and mayor. The city is divided into ten wards, with each ward electing one councilor. The mayor is elected by voters from all ten wards. Additionally, the 32-member provincial legislature of Prince Edward Island meets in Charlottetown.
Before European settlement of Prince Edward Island began in the early 18th century, the area around what is now Charlottetown was populated by the Mi'kmaq nation of indigenous peoples. The first European settlers were French explorers who founded the settlement of Port la Joie across the harbor to the south of modern Charlottetown in 1720. After the British took control of Prince Edward Island in 1763, Port la Joie became the site of Fort Amherst, built to protect the harbor on which Charlottetown is situated. The British surveyor-general, Captain Samuel Holland, located the new settlement across the harbor from Port la Joie and suggested the name Charlotte Town, after Charlotte, wife of King George III. In 1768 it was named the capital of the colony.
A detailed plan of city blocks was laid out in 1768 by Charles Morris, the chief surveyor for the colony of Nova Scotia. Changes and refinements were made in 1771 by surveyor Thomas Wright, acting on the instructions of the first colonial governor, Walter Patterson. The plan devoted 110 hectares (270 acres) to building lots and 230 hectares (565 acres) to a common area, reserved for later expansion. Beyond the common were over 2420 hectares (6000 acres) of pastureland, known as the Royalty.
In 1864 Charlottetown was the site of the Charlottetown Conference, a meeting between representatives of most of the British North American colonies to discuss Confederation. The meeting was a success, and led eventually to the establishment of the Dominion of Canada in 1867.
Charlottetown was incorporated in 1855, with a population of 6500. On July 16, 1866, the city experienced its worst of several fires. “The Great Fire” broke out in an old building near the waterfront. It was thought to be deliberately set, and before it was brought under control it had destroyed nearly four city blocks. One hundred buildings were lost, and 30 families were left homeless. The fire prompted the city government to promote brick construction, and the many brick buildings of the downtown area began to appear.
By 1921 the population had grown to 10,814, and in 1957 the neighboring municipality of Spring Park became part of Charlottetown. In 1983 the federal Department of Veteran’s Affairs was relocated to Charlottetown, the only federal department of government to be moved out of the Canadian national capital of Ottawa.
In 1992 Charlottetown was the site of the signing of the Charlottetown Accord, an agreement between Canadian federal and provincial governments designed to amend the Canadian constitution. Charlottetown was chosen for the signing because of its significance as the Birthplace of Confederation. The accord was defeated in a national vote on October 26, 1992.
The city’s economic future is expected to be enhanced by the Confederation Bridge, 13 km (8 mi) long, which was opened in June 1997 and is the first highway link between Prince Edward Island and the mainland. The world’s longest multispan bridge over salt water, it replaces a ferry service at the same site.