On May 2 and 3 you have 17 different walk opportunities. SEVENTEEN wonderful tours! So no need to read any further, go to the Jane’s Walk website and plan your weekend.
The Jane is Jane Jacobs (1916-2006) an urbanist and activist whose writings championed a fresh, community-based approach to city building. Don’t let the kindly, old lady photo fool you. Her story is here.
The free, citizen-led walking tours inspired by Jane Jacobs happen in many cities. The walks get people to tell stories about their communities, explore their cities, and connect with neighbours (cut and pasted that).
All the walks look like fun and many deal with topics in the news; like daylighting Sawmill River and Schmidtville. Two walks deal with Public Art and Street Art in Halifax and Dartmouth. There are many opportunities to explore Dartmouth; check out the walks led by the big D’s cheerleader, Kate Watson, and the coordinator of all the walks, Sam Austin.
In Halifax, our favourite planner, Andy Fillmore, will walk the waterfront. Tristan Cleveland has a provocatively titled “Space Walk” in the north end.
And my Halifax Bloggers colleagues Peter Ziobrowski and Ben Wedge have walks that are right up my alley. Peter is doing an introduction to the architectural history of the town. This is the sort of walk that many cities offer every week. He starts in the Grand Parade where you will still find a couple of buildings pictured in this c1816 illustration.
NSARM 1979-147 no178 / neg: N-0328
Ben Wedge will trace the route of Freshwater Brook and you will be amazed at how it shaped a large section of our city. Ben uses a photo of children boating on the Egg Pond in the Commons. My photo of people skating on the Pond in the 60s is more appropriate for our weather.
And of course you are welcome to come on my walk to look at some special concrete buildings on the Dalhousie Campus. I used to be unimpressed by some of these buildings but now each time I look at them I’m more enchanted. Go figure.
Post Script
I will not be able to take in walks on Saturday afternoon because I’m helping to set up for one of the most amazing meals of the year: the Slow Food Spring Supper. Each year this is the tasty, fun event, prepared by many of the top chefs in the province . Check out the menu. And here is the ticket info. Did I mention it takes place in Dartmouth. Does everything happen in DARTMOUTH now!
