Frequently Asked Questions

1) We encourage you to add your voice to our campaign by clicking here!

2) Call or write to your councillor to state your support for a community consultation for the future of Hackett’s Cove Park and why a park in this area is important to you.

3) Fill out this form to send a message directly to HRM parks requesting a public consultation for Hackett’s Cove Park.

4) Share this website and campaign with friends and neighbours and encourage them to add their voice.

Yes.

Hackett’s Cove Park is already a designated municipal community park.

No.

The park is densely forested and has no existing trails to traverse it.

Yes.

The land is a designated municipal park and the public is welcome to use it as long as they follow HRM’s park bylaws and avoid trespassing onto neighbouring private property.

However, it's important to note that the park doesn't have any trails and is densely forested, which makes it challenging to access and enjoy.

The Halifax Regional Municipality owns Hackett’s Cove Park . They have already designated it as a municipal park.

The park is located at 9280 Peggy’s Cove Road in the community of Hackett’s Cove. Closest neighbouring communities are Indian Harbour and Glen Margaret.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/qQm58HEbJzDDyRL97

Yes.

The park starts at the main road and extends about 300 meters to the ocean. The beach along the park's edge is sandy and rocky.

Click here for map.

No. Since it is a municipal park, you must abide by all HRM park bylaws .

This being said, you can make a footpath as long as no cutting occurs.

On our behalf, the St. Margaret’s Bay Stewardship Association completed an environmental assessment which can be read here . Based on their initial assessment, there are no major concerns for developing this public green-space for use by our community.

No. The shoulder is also pretty narrow so parking along the main road isn’t very safe or comfortable.

The park has no amenities.

Yes, residents of Hackett’s Cove and nearby communities are leading the effort for this.

In winter 2022, residents formed the Hackett’s Cove Park Working Group to advocate for the park’s development.

Last spring, the Hackett’s Cove Park Working Group sent a letter to HRM District 13 Councillor Pam Lovelace and other officials, with signatures from 260 residents, urging the HRM to commit to a public consultation and future community-led development of the 2.2-hectare park.

This sentiment also aligns with the 2022 HRM Planning Strategy, which emphasizes acquiring land for public recreation, especially on the east side of St. Margaret's Bay, as well as the HRM’s Rural Recreation Strategy.

We are a group of passionate Hackett’s Cove community members, working under the title of the Hackett’s Cove Park Working Group, who have come together to advocate for a much needed park in our community. We have been working together for over a year to push for the HRM to consult our community on the future of Hackett’s Cove Park.

Like all HRM parks in the municipality, the HRM would be responsible for it. Although it is also up to us as a community to take care of it.

The HRM has given it the official title of “Hackett’s Cove Park”.

The city would hold a series of in-person and online engagement sessions to gather community feedback and ideas from as many people and groups as possible.

Here is one example of a HRM public consultation for a park

When the surrounding area was initially divided into plots, this specific portion was earmarked for a park, as per the requirement. Subsequently, after amalgamation, the HRM designated it as a community park, a status it retains.

Despite residents advocating for the development of this park or simply a trail to the water for many years, the HRM has not given it priority.

In fact, our area has rarely been prioritized for capital project funding according to this HRM dataset showing all capital project developments since 2013. (* missing the newly developed playground at ESM).

With more community members advocating for this park, we will demonstrate that this park is a unique and important parcel of public land that we should all be able to enjoy.

This has been brought up many times since it is very much a need in our community.

Unfortunately, the size of the park, and shoreline, would not support this type of infrastructure.

Although, voicing the need for a boat launch at a public consultation or town hall would be a much needed contribution to the conversation surrounding rural recreation in our community.

A portion of our taxes is consistently allocated to parks and recreation, providing the funding for new park initiatives. However, because there's a finite amount of funding available for new parks, decisions on potential future parks are driven by community need. Consequently, this process often takes time.

Most parks in the HRM follow a similar development process, which can be lengthy. Here's how it typically unfolds:

1.Community members raise the need for Hackett’s Cove Park with their councillor. Support from our Councillor is crucial.

2. The park is added to a list for future consideration during HRM business plan discussions (we're currently at this stage).

3. If selected, funds are allocated for a series of public consultations to gather community input on the best use of the space. Since it's already designated as a municipal park, we're halfway there!

4. The final plan and cost estimate are presented for consideration in the annual capital project budget.

5. If approved, the park development commences.

Since the city sold the Glen Haven Community Centre and playground, there are now no municipal parks between Glen Haven and Peggy’s Cove, besides the East St.Margaret’s Elementary schoolyard.