How old is the halifax forum

The heritage designation applies only to the original building. It has been used for exhibitions, athletic events, and concerts since its construction in It was erected on a lot between Young and Almon Streets, on the site of a covered yet temporary ice rink.

The Forum is recognized for having hosted the first hockey game on artificial ice east of Montreal. There have also been countless historical figures that have visited the building, participated in sports activities or spoke during important events. The Halifax Forum building continues today to serve as a public space, hosting various events including hockey games.

Cobb was a prolific and versatile architect who built churches, university buildings, industrial buildings and hospitals throughout Nova Scotia. Architecturally, his design of the Halifax Forum building was inspired by Georgian architectural style with its low pitched roof, balanced proportions and central doors on each wall.

The exterior is red brick, though wood and concrete were also used in the construction. Over the past twenty-five years there have been many renovations and alterations to the Halifax Forum building. The most notable is a particularly large addition at the north-west end of the building attached to the arena called the Civic Arena that was originally in the main portion of the building later moved to this newer addition on the building.

From Historic Places Canada. Halifax Forum - Halifax, NS. Quick Description: Storied in history, the Halifax Forum was, for many years, the home of the only professional hockey team in the Maritimes. Built in , on the ruined grounds of the Provincial Exhibition Building which was destroyed during the infamous Halifax Explosion, the Halifax Forum became the premier meeting place for sports, recreation, commerce and entertainment for decades to come.

The Halifax Forum opened its doors to the public December 26th, for a public skate on the 1st artificial ice surface East of Montreal. Many prosperous years followed for the Forum and the city. The future was uncertain. It was during these lean times that the management and Board of the HFCA accepted its new mandate to provide community service and try to generate revenue through many smaller diverse events as opposed to the large productions it hosted over the past 60 years.

I recall posting a large aerial of the Forum, showing the track, in that thread. I will see if I can find it when I have a little time. I love mysteries like this, and so when I get a chance, I'll join in and see what I can find to bring this to light.

My mistake, I posted it in this thread. Originally Posted by Keith P. Posted Oct 5, , AM. Originally Posted by ILoveHalifax. Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark. Hello K-man, first of all, I noticed your total number of posts so far is 2, so I'd like to say welcome to the forum. So, these aren't really related to the Forum Gates in question but I thought I would post them for the sake of interest.

The more I dig around the more rich history I'm uncovering about this piece of land. I'm sure this one has probably been posted before but this is what the view would have looked like from the Forum's grandstand seating in OldDartmouthMark's photo from above. Interesting to note the Piercey's smokestack in the upper left hand of the photo.

Most noteably though is that the race track is gone and replaced by the Wellington Court housing. If I'm correct the army used this during WW2 then it was used as residential housing until when it was demolished to make way for the current Canada Post office.

I found these one day on a visit to the NS Archives. You'll have to forgive the absolute atrocious quality of the photos though. I didn't have my USB drive with me so in a pinch I used the camera on my phone. The third picture is a note written by the photographer on the back of one of the photos that reads "2 views taken by first camera I owned.

Both taken at annual exhibition of Halifax. One shows girl making high dive, she is in the air - the other is taken from the Pavilion".

Photo Drawer: Hfx: Exhibition I found these photos particularly interesting because if you look closely you can see the back side of the Nova Scotia Cotton Manufacturing Company in the background.

The photos did not have a date on them but the Cotton Factory did not open until so they were taken sometime after that. I was also interested in what the "Pavilion" was that the photographer mentioned in his note.

I'm taking a guess here but I'm assuming that it was the original seating at the Exhibition Grounds before the Explosion and the construction of the new Grandstand seating at the Forum racetrack. Interesting to note that the fence along the front of the grandstands is drawn somewhat similar in the advertisement as it appears in the undated photos above. Same time frame I wonder?

Anyway, the search for the Forum Gates continues It is interesting to read that proposal for redevelopment and revival of the Forum. The renovated Forum looks wonderful though.

I am old enough to remember a couple of things not really related to the gates. I do recall being taken as a little kid to early editions of the Atlantic Winter Fair at the Forum site in the s.

My memory is that the livestock was on display in the Civic Arena then - the smell is something I would never forget - which impressed a city boy like me quite a bit as I had never seen farm animals up close before.

I also remember going to see the domestic displays of food, sewing projects, plants and the like in the Industrial Building. My recollection of that were the narrow, steep stairwells required to go from floor to floor, and the very bouncy, creaky wood floors themselves.

A few years later, late 60s or early 70s, I remember attending a carnival set up on the racetrack lands one summer day, probably the Bill Lynch shows. This was obviously prior to the construction of the Canada Post facility.

I cannot remember if the grandstand was still there then. My main memory was pumping nickels into one of the machines where there were various small prizes inside a glass case that you tried to pick up and drop into a chute using a crank-operated crane and bucket contraption also inside.

Of course it was set up in such a way as to make that nearly impossible. I remember a stack of 5 nickels wrapped in red cellophane was my main target, one which I could never obtain.

Posted Oct 5, , PM.