Halifax offers more details around impacts from provincial woods ban

The municipal government says it is in the process of putting up signage at parks impacted by the province’s restrictions on activities in the woods.

On Tuesday, Premier Tim Houston announced a ban on travel and activities on forested land, with violations punishable by a $25,000 fine. The restrictions came in response to extremely dry conditions across Nova Scotia and the accompanied heightened risk of wildfire.

Staff with the Halifax Regional Municipality say “woods” is described by the provincial Forests Act as “forested land, rock barren, brush land, dry marsh, bog or muskeg.”

The municipality says that means parks that are all woods will be fully closed, including Admiral Cove, Hemlock Ravine and Shaw Wilderness Park.

Parks with non-forested areas, like playgrounds, green spaces, sports fields or ball diamonds, will stay open. The city says examples include the Halifax Common and Sullivan’s Pond.

“For parks which have both woods and non-woods areas, the woods are closed and the non-wooded areas remain open,” reads a media release from the municipality. “An example of this would be Fort Needham Memorial Park where the monument, playground and sports field remain open but the woods are closed.”

Point Pleasant Park, where the Sailor’s Memorial Way remains open, but trails through the wooded areas are closed. Residents are advised
that the upper parking lot, from Point Pleasant Drive, is closed.

Shubie Park, where the campground, ballfield, Fairbanks Centre, pump track and supervised beach remain open. The trails, including the
off-leash trail system and off-leash beach area, are closed.

Supervised beaches in municipal parks will remain open as well.

Staff say the city is working to install signage at impacted spaces, but says that work will take several days. Sign or not, the municipality says people are required to adhere to these restrictions.