Choosing where to live is without a doubt one of the most important decisions a person can make. The location of the place we choose to call home plays a large role in shaping our day to day lives. How much time will you spend getting to work every day? How long will it take to get to the grocery store, the gym, the lake..? Will you have to get in a car to grab a coffee or go for a run in the park? The answer to all of these questions depends on where you live. With that in mind, this month we’ll be exploring life in Long Lake Village. Long Lake Village is best known for being a master planned neighborhood just outside of peninsular Halifax (photo 1). As the neighborhood begins to take shape, it’s starting to take on a physical and social identity. People are choosing Long Lake Village as a place to build their lives. What is life like for these people? How does the neighborhood they live in influence the day to day? Let’s have a look.
Photo 1. “Long Lake Village is best known for being a master planned neighborhood just outside of peninsular Halifax”
When the residents of Long Lake Village wake up, it’s either a weekday or a weekend. In either case, Downtown Halifax (the employment hub of the entire province) is only ten minutes away. This means that a lot of employment centres on the peninsula, like the hospital, are actually even closer than that. So right away, Long Lake Village = short commute. For those interested in biking to work, that ride can be made in 20 minutes.
It’s safe to say that all homes in Long Lake Village come equipped with amazing kitchens (photo 2). But for those who don’t feel like cooking after work, Station Six is located right around the corner from the development. This restaurant is quickly becoming a local favorite. The design of the restaurant is modern yet comfortable, and the menu is packed with tasty options.
Short commutes leave plenty of time before and after work. That means that even during the week, there’s time for some exercise and exploring. Long Lake Village happens to have the perfect place for that. Long Lake Provincial Park, the park from which the community takes its name, is a 5000 acre park, and it’s right across the street. It would be almost impossible to explore every corner of Long Lake Provincial Park, but I won’t go into that too much since it was covered extensively in September’s blog.
Photo 2. “It’s safe to say that all homes in Long Lake Village come equipped with amazing kitchens”
For those who prefer the ocean, a 12 minute jog can take you from Long Lake Village to the border of Fleming Park. This park, better known as The Dingle, is named for Sir Sandford Fleming. Fun fact, Fleming invented time zones; This can be seen in the sun dials and information plaques located around the park. While the park doesn’t exactly qualify as a “hidden” gem in Halifax, it is absolutely a gem, and is vastly underappreciated. The views of the Northwest Arm from the shoreline of the park are spectacular. The views from the top of the Dingle Tower are even better. (Photo 3),
Photo 3. “The views of the Northwest Arm from the shoreline of the park are spectacular. The views from the top of the Dingle Tower are even better”
In the summer months, Long Lake Provincial Park is the perfect place for swimmers. The deep, warm, lake water is the perfect place to get an early morning swim in before work, or relax by the water’s edge on a Saturday afternoon. For swimmers looking for a place to swim year round, the Captain William Spry Community Centre is a stone’s throw from Long lake Village. With a lap pool and fitness centre, it’s a great place to work out year round. The wave pool, graduated beach area, slide and climbing wall also make it a great place for little ones to learn to swim. This community centre also has a public library with regular programming and events for adults and youngsters.
Having the city so close by means that everything there is to do in Halifax is very accessible for those who live in Long Lake Village. In addition to the gyms, restaurants and parks, there are plans for a local coffee shop within the neighborhood. It’s the things that are available within walking, running and cycling distance that help make a place special, and Long Lake Village definitely has a lot of those.