With the summer season hitting Halifax, George’s Island Historic Site will soon open to visitors.
Starting June 2, Parks Canada will be offering guided tours of the island.
“I think the biggest piece of George’s Island that people are excited to see are the tunnels,” says Parks Canada Project Coordinator, Emily Sine.
Included in the price of a ticket is a tour of the tunnels, which run every 15 minutes, a brochure with some information and some time to independently explore the island.
Historical role of the island
The island has a rich military background; it’s one of five historic military sites in Halifax that make up what’s known as the Halifax Defense Complex. The other four sites are the Prince of Wales Tower in Point Pleasant Park, York Redoubt,
Between 1755 and 1763, during the expulsion of Nova Scotia’s Acadian population, known as the Le Grand Dérangement (The Great Upheaval), the island was used as an internment camp for the the French-speaking Nova Scotians.
It’s also home to one of Canada’s first fully automated lighthouses.
Park staff are hoping to add interpretive panel soon detailing the history of the island, from Mi’kmaq life in Kjipuktuk to the imprisonment of Acadians.
‘large percentage of people were local visitors’
The federal government spent $2 million in 2019 to build a wharf and floating docks to the historic island in the harbour.
When the island first opened to the public three years ago, Sine says they sold two batches of tickets, both selling out fast.
They’ve since changed how they sell tickets, making it easier for people to book same-day or next-day trips.
In 2021 alone, the island saw 16,500 visitors, says sine.
“It was amazing,” Sine says. “Quite a large percentage of people were local visitors, especially because of COVID and the restrictions on traveling.
It’s too early to forecast what kind of numbers they’ll see this year though, he says.
The island will be open for tours until Oct. 9.
From July through the end of September, tours will be offered on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. But June and October will only have weekend trips.
Trips will be weather dependent, sine says, noting that at times, the sea can be too rough to get boats to the island.
Sine encourages people to pack a picnic lunch and enjoy a meal with a view of downtown Halifax.
