District 11 is made up of suburban residential neighborhoods, small coastal communities, and a growing urban mainstreet in the heart of Spryfield. The boundaries of the district encompass communities along the Spryfield loop from Halifax to Sambro Creek. The District population is approximately 29,700 residents.
Spryfield is the most densely populated and fastest growing area of the district, located just a few kilometres from Halifax City Centre. It is a busy commercial district along Herring Cove Road and is surrounded by parks, lakes, and wilderness areas including the Shaw Wilderness Park, Kidston Lake Park, McIntosh Run Regional Park, Long Lake Provincial Park, Herring Cove Look-off, York Redoubt, Graves-Oakley Memorial Park, Roaches Pond, Rockingstone Heights School Park, and more. Spryfield also has a number of schools and recreation facilities, including JL Ilsley High School, the Captain William Spry Community Centre, the Spryfield Lions Rink and Rec Centre, and the new TARS Rugby Club. Founded in 1770 by Captain Spry, Spryfield is one of the fastest growing suburban centres in Halifax, with a long rich history and many newcomers. Supported by many local community organizations, like Chebucto Connections and the Spryfield Community Association, Spryfield is an amazing place to live in the Halifax Regional Municipality, with the convenience of living in close proximity to downtown and with easy access to natural lakes and wilderness areas. It's one of Halifax’s best kept secrets.
Sambro Loop encompasses the Chebucto Peninsula, from Herring Cove to Sambro to Harrietsfield. It includes the communities of Portuguese Cove, Duncan’s Cove, Ketch Harbour, East and West Pennant, and Williamswood. These communities are served by active local community organizations like the Ketch Harbour Area Rate Association (KHARA) and the Sambro and Area Community Association (SACA).
Sir Sandford Fleming Park is a beautiful, 95-acre park featuring wooded and open areas as well as hilly terrain, walking trails, a playground, small sandy beach, a wharf and a boat launch. It was donated to Halifax in 1908 by Sir Sandford Fleming, the creator of Standard Time Zones. The iconic Dingle Tower sits on the park lands, and was dedicated in 1912 to commemorate 150 years of representative government.
Melville Island and Deadman’s Island are situated nearby, and carry particular historic importance for both Halifax and Canada. The islands’ served as both a prison and medical facility for prisoners of war early in the city’s history, and today offers a rare glimpse of both prison conditions and military detention from the late 1700s to late 1930s. Today, Melville Island is the site of the Armdale Yacht Club, established in 1947.
The Halifax Regional Municipality provides several recreational opportunities in the area, including Herring Cove Jr High and William King School Parks, Portuguese Cove Park, Sambro Elementary School Park, Sambro Ball Field, Williamswood Recreation Park, and Harrietsfield Williamswood Community Centre. Crystal Crescent Beach, with its three white sand beaches, is one of the crown jewels of this area and the gateway to a 10.6 km roundtrip hike around Pennant Point.
For more information about the District, check out these local organizations: