The Quinpool District refers to a
commercial district of
Halifax,
Nova Scotia, encompassing the eastern portion of Quinpool Road as well as the streets directly north and south of it. Prominent landmarks on Quinpool Road include the Atlantica Hotel, the Oxford Theatre, and an eclectic variety of local businesses, including many popular Chinese and Greek restaurants.
Quinpool Road runs from the Armdale Rotary through Connaught Avenue, terminating at what is known as the ''Willow Tree'', on
Robie Street
Robie Street is a north-south artery that runs for 7 km in the Halifax Peninsula area of the Halifax Regional Municipality, from Memorial Drive in the North End Halifax, to Gorsebrook Avenue in the South End.
The street and provincial road has i ...
- an unusual five-way intersection named for the prominent tree that once grew in the median. The street is commercialised from Connaught Ave to the Willow Tree and comprises a popular shopping and dining centre for the local community. It is also part of the Nova Scotia provincial road system, meaning that the Province of Nova Scotia pays the
Halifax Regional Municipality in part for snow clearing and maintenance.
While the street is an important commercial district in Halifax, it also forms a major boundary between the city's working class
North End and wealthier
South End, both physically and socially. Quinpool is also the heart of the city's middle class
West End
West End most commonly refers to:
* West End of London, an area of central London, England
* West End theatre, a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London, England
West End may also refer to:
Pl ...
neighbourhood. The area was also home to two longtime rival high schools,
Queen Elizabeth High School and
St. Patrick's High School until their merger as
Citadel High School
Citadel High School is a high school in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
The school opened in September 2007 on the site of the former Bell Road Campus of the Nova Scotia Community College. Its location bordering Bell Road, Trollope Street, and Ahe ...
in September 2007. St. Patrick's High School was since renamed the Quinpool Education Centre, and hosted a number of educational programs and social services. The city declared the school building surplus and it was demolished.
The name Quinpool dates from at least 1808 and is believed to come from an Irish widow named Quinn who lived by a stretch of water in the
Northwest Arm known as 'Quinn's Pool'.
['Quinpool Road', Cyril Burne, ''Halifax Street Names: An Illustrated Guide'', Shelagh MacKenzie editor, Formac Publishing Halifax, 2004, , page 129.]
Notable places
*
Deadman's Island Park
Deadman's Island is a small peninsula containing a cemetery and park located in the Northwest Arm of Halifax Harbour in Nova Scotia, Canada. The area was first used as a training grounds for the British military, and later became a burial ground f ...
* Oxford Theatre (closed; converted into commercial use)
* East Coast Bakery ("Bagel Bagel Bagel")
* ProSkates
* Dilly Dally Cafe
* Ben's Bakery (closed, some buildings demolished)
* Quinpool Centre
* The Trail Shop (50+ year old outdoor store)
* The Other Bean
*
Saint Patrick's High School (demolished)
* Atlantica Hotel
*
Queen Elizabeth High School (demolished)
* Ardmore Tea Room
*
Shaar Shalom Synagogue
See also
* ''
Life'' – a 1968 sculpture on Quinpool Road
References
External links
Official website
{{Roads in the Halifax Regional Municipality
Communities in Halifax, Nova Scotia
Roads in Halifax, Nova Scotia