Lower Sackville is a suburban community of the Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia, Canada.

History

Before European colonization in 1749, the Mi'kmaq lived in this area for thousands of years. In August 1749, Captain John Gorham, acting on orders from Governor Edward Cornwallis to establish a military fort named Fort Sackville. (The community was named after George Germain, 1st Viscount Sackville. ). In the 1950s and 1960s it was a destination for Haligonians seeking entertainment at a drive-in cinema, a harness racing track (Sackville Downs), and an World War II bomber-plane ice cream parlour. Sackville Downs closed in 1986. Lower Sackville experienced intensive suburban development from the 1970s onward due to new highway connections as well as a major development scheme by the Nova Scotia Housing Commission, later the Nova Scotia Department of Housing. Suburbanization contributed to a decline in agriculture in the community. Before amalgamation into the Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996, Lower Sackville was an unincorporated part of Halifax County. On 1 April 1996, Halifax County was dissolved and all of its places (cities, suburbs, towns, and villages) became communities of a single-tier municipality named Halifax Regional Municipality. Today, Lower Sackville is a bedroom community of Halifax home to many established businesses, parks, and places of interest.

Geography

According to the 2013 Halifax Regional Municipality Urban Forest Master Plan, the community of Lower Sackville covers approximately 566 ha of land area. Lower Sackville is east of Lucasville; north--north-east of Bedford; south-east of Middle Sackville; and south-west of Windsor Junction. The community is located approximately 18 km from Downtown Dartmouth, approximately 27 km from Downtown Halifax, and approximately 25 km from Halifax Stanfield International Airport.

Districts of Lower Sackville

The following are the districts of Lower Sackville, their geographical location, and/or main road: Some neighbourhoods of Lower Sackville are also known by their tendency to use street names starting with the same letter: Other streets are named after the Fathers of Canadian confederation: Brown, Cartier, Chandler, Chapais, Cockburn, Coles, Dickie, Haviland, Howland, Johnson, Langevin, MacDougall, McGee, Mowat, Nelson, Pope, Shea, Steeves, Tache, Tilley, Tilloch, and Wilmot.

Parks and recreation

Arenas Community centres Library Museums Parks Pools Trails

Demographics

The only demographic information that pertains to Lower Sackville is provided by Halifax Regional Council, and pertains to District 15 (Lower Sackville). District 15 (Lower Sackville) has 21,379 people living within its boundaries. However, the community itself does not have any recent demographic information.

Economy

Lower Sackville has experienced ribbon/strip-style commercial development along Trunk 1 since the 1950s. Current retail chains include Canadian Tire, Cleve's Sporting Goods, Dollarama, Giant Tiger, Sobeys, and Real Atlantic Superstore. There are numerous independent restaurants-and-retailers located in this area as well. Most of the restaurants in the area are of the fast food variety, as well as other establishments that serve various cuisines.

Transportation

The community is located northwest of the Halifax-Dartmouth urban core. Highway 101, Highway 102, Route 354, and Trunk 1 (called Sackville Drive within Lower Sackville) are highways that connect the community to the rest of the urban area, or beyond. Lower Sackville is serviced by many Halifax Transit routes. The agency operates two transit terminals in the community: Cobequid Terminal in the south, and Sackville Terminal in the north. Halifax Transit routes

Education

Lower Sackville has nine schools including five elementary schools, three junior high schools, and one high school. They are all administered by the Halifax Regional Centre for Education. Elementary schools Junior high schools High schools

Notable people