Point Pleasant Park | |
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Type | Public park |
Location | Halifax, Nova Scotia |
Coordinates | 44°37′22″N 63°34′9″W / 44.62278°N 63.56917°W |
Area | 75 ha (190 acres) |
Created | 1866 |
Operated by | Halifax Regional Municipality (Land under lease from Government of Canada) |
Point Pleasant Park is a large, mainly forested municipal park at the southern tip of the Halifax peninsula. It once hosted several artillery batteries, and still contains the Prince of Wales Tower - the oldest Martello tower in North America (1796).[1] The park is a popular recreational spot for Haligonians, as it hosts forest walks and affords views across the harbour and out toward the Atlantic.
Plays are performed in the park every summer by a professional theatre company called Shakespeare by the Sea. The performances take place at Cambridge Battery, and include both Shakespearean productions and original musicals based on classic fairy tales for audiences of all ages. The company also operates the 80-seat Park Place Theatre in the lower parking lot of the park, which is used as a rain venue during the summer, and for fall/winter indoor productions.
Point Pleasant Park originally was owned by the British government[2] and was leased to the City of Halifax for a ceremonial 1 shilling per year. The original lease for the land was negotiated by Sir William Young in 1866. The park is now owned by the Government of Canada and is leased to the Halifax Regional Municipality. The lease for the park is administered on behalf of the Government of Canada by the Parks Canada Agency.[3]