7:00 pm
The Shubenacadie Canal was one of Nova Scotia’s greatest contributions to the Industrial Revolution of the 1800s. A marine waterway that spanned the province from the Dartmouth waterfront to the Bay of Fundy, the Canal is still in use today by small craft enthusiasts and its various walking trails welcome thousands of visitors each year.
More importantly, urban archaeology is still continuing along the Canal, especially at the site of the inclined plane marine railway, located in downtown Dartmouth. The marine railway the first part of the voyage through the Canal as barges were drawn up the inclined plane on rails thanks to an ingenious turbine-powered system fed off water flowing into a turbine chamber via an aqueduct running from Sullivan’s Pond. For years, many of the original features at the site were either buried or incorporated into the Starr Manufacturing Company’s building, Now, through the tireless work of the Shubenacadie Canal Commission and the generous support of the Halifax Regional Municipality, the story of the marine railway is once again being uncovered through a splendid combination of archaeological restoration, historical reconstruction and site interpretation. Work on the site is expected to be completed this fall.
Join Doug Brownrigg and Bernie Hart from the Shubenacadie Canal Commission for a fascinating look at the work that has taken place to date and the community partners who have helped bring the site back to life. Doug is a Professional Engineer and Senior Project Manager at CBCL Limited, Halifax’s leading engineering and environmental design firm. Bernie is the lead historian for the Shubenacadie Canal Commission and is the former Curator of education for the Nova Scotia Museum.
For additional information:
Richard MacMichael
902-424-8897
richard.macmichael@novascotia.ca