Westmount Subdivision

Westmount was Halifax’s first postwar subdivision, and is located on the site of the Original Halifax Municipal airport.

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Opened in 1931, The Halifax Municipal Airport was owned by the city but was leased to the Halifax Aero Club until March 1932.  Improvements were made and Pan America showed interest in establishing daily flights.

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The airport  now consisted of two runways, a hanger, oil and storage shed and a terminal building for the office and  waiting room. The terminal building was 18’x20′ with a 6′ veranda. It had a phone and electric power but  the toilets were chemical as there was no running water

All the buildings were painted Pan Am colours.  Pan Am started a daily service between Halifax and  Boston (approximately 475 miles) at the end of July 1931 with stops in Bangor, Calais and St. John.

the airport was closed in 1941, and the land was used as an Army Depot. in 1946 the land was turned over to the city

Construction began in March 1948, and the 305 houses are of 4 designs. the Community was designed by Dumaresque and is based on Radburn New Jersey.

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Radburn was developed in 1929 based on Howard’s Garden city Principles. it was touted “a town for the motor age”. Radburn created the residential super block, and ensured pedestrians never had to cross a major road at grade.

In Westmount, The Fronts of houses all face pedestrian walking trails, the roads are located in the rear and are intended to be service

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