January 2026
The Downtown Dartmouth Waterfront Revitalization Project has successfully completed its first major milestone, and is now advancing through early stages of concept development. The project is multi-phased, and will include a planning and public consultation process that will culminate in a Conceptual Development Plan to guide the long-term revitalization of the Downtown Dartmouth waterfront.
What has been accomplished to date:
- Project team established: In February 2025, Fathom Studio, O2 Planning and Design, CBCL Limited, and Cultural Resource Management Group were retained to lead the planning, design, engineering, and cultural heritage components of the work.
- Phase 1 (Existing Conditions Review and Visioning) completed: Phase 1 ran from March to June, 2025, focusing on understanding current conditions and establishing a shared vision for the waterfront.
- Public engagement delivered and documented: Phase 1 engagement was completed in July 2025, resulting in a What We Heard report that clearly documents community values, priorities, and concerns.
- Strong community value established: Engagement confirmed the Downtown Dartmouth waterfront is viewed as a cherished community asset, valued for its natural beauty, scenic trails, and direct access to Halifax Harbour.
- Key challenges clearly identified: Community input consistently highlighted gaps in trail connectivity, accessibility and safety issues, limited amenities and activities, and the need to balance growth with environmental protection, cultural heritage, and climate resilience.
- Shared future vision articulated: A strong and consistent vision emerged through engagement, emphasizing a waterfront that is safe, accessible, green, inclusive, welcoming, connected, vibrant, and reflective of Dartmouth’s culture and natural setting.
- Program and experience ideas gathered: Community members provided detailed ideas to support this vision, including green spaces and parks, passive leisure areas, multi-use paths, food and beverage offerings, arts and cultural installations, heritage interpretation, and year-round programming.
Status and next steps:
- Phase 2 (Concept Design) underway: The project is now into Phase 2 (August 2025 to February 2026), where the vision and engagement findings are being translated into concept design options.
- Future phases defined: Phase 3 (March to May 2026) will focus on functional design development and evaluation, followed by Phase 4 (June to October 2026), which will deliver the final Conceptual Development Plan and implementation recommendations.
This work establishes a strong, community-informed foundation for revitalizing the Downtown Dartmouth waterfront and positions the project to move confidently into detailed concept development and evaluation.
