Beautifying the Grand Parade

With the completion of the building, it was now possible to improve the Grand Parade and to enhance its place in civic life. Keating designed an entirely new plan, which had a carriage drive of twenty feet coming off Barrington Street. The drive then went around in circular form to the front of city hall and continued back to the entrance. Keating’s plans called for a fountain, fronting on George Street, but this project was not completed until 1905.

Similarly, Keating’s plan for the Parade also entailed a nine-foot walk along the Barrington Street wall and a narrower one on the Argyle Street side. As part of City Hall’s construction and of Keating’s plans, John Cawsey built the retaining wall along Barrington Street. For the first time, the Nova Scotian flag was hoisted on the new flagstaff on 5 September 1890.

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