Sackville, Nova Scotia
First settled in August 1749 by Captain John Gorham, acting on orders from Governor Edward Cornwallis to establish a military fort named Fort Sackville (The community was named after George Germain, 1st Viscount Sackville. Lower Sackville is now one of the fastest growing communities in Nova Scotia, and contains a mix of residential and commercial development in the Sackville River valley, immediately north of the former town of Bedford.
Before amalgamation into the Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996, Lower Sackville was an unincorporated part of Halifax County. This area of HRM experienced a 7% population growth rate between 1996-2001. In the 1950s and 60s it was a popular destination for Haligonians seeking entertainment at the drive-in theater, WW2 bomber plane ice cream attraction and Sackville Downs harness racing track which provided entertainment until it closed in 1986.
The community’s growth reflects its central location, near both Halifax and Dartmouth, with easy access to Highway 102, Highway 101 and Halifax Stanfield International Airport. Proximity to downtown Halifax and Burnside and Bayers Lake Industrial Parks gives the suburbs of Lower Sackville the advantages of employment opportunities and services of a larger city, and is typical of most commuter communities experiencing growth in North America.
Lower Sackville has experienced ribbon/strip-style commercial development since the 1960s. Current retail chains include Sobeys, Atlantic Superstore, Canadian Tire, Dollarama and Giant Tiger. There are numerous independent retailers located in this area as well. Most of the restaurants in the area are of the fast food or family dining variety, in addition to others offering Chinese-Canadian food and pizza.Lower Sackville has always displayed an abundance of community spirit, and excelled within the HRM as a strong leader of excellence in sports as well as academics.
Recreational pursuits in the community revolve around sports fields at local schools and parks, as well as the Sackville Sports Stadium, which is equipped with two swimming pools, gymnasium, curling rink, and one of Lower Sackville’s two ice hockey arenas. The majority of Lower Sackville’s suburbs were built in the 1970s on the southern edge of First Lake which offers outdoor recreational opportunities. The Bedford-Sackville Connector Greenway is a crushed gravel covered trail running beside the Sackville River from the intersection of Cobequid Road and Sackville Drive to Bedford Place Mall.
Local Schools:
- Sackville High School
- Cavalier Drive Elementary School
- Millwood Elementary School
- Sackville Heights Junior High School
- Sackville Heights Elementary School
