Quote:
Originally Posted by RyeJay
The public gardens are Victorian, indeed, which may be feeding a bias in HRM. This category of garden came about upon the commercialisation of temperate and tropical trees and flowers in nothern latitudes. I suspect many people in this city believe this garden is simply unusable during the winter months, with only a minimal amount of evergreens to gaze upon.
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People in Halifax have a strange, almost colonial attitude about their city's climate. The winter is just considered a downside of living there and is something to be suffered through. I don't entirely disagree, but many other places have a different attitude.
Here in Vancouver the weather is definitely warmer for part of the year, but it is not actually that much warmer than Halifax. The average Vancouver December high is +6 and in Halifax it is +3. Many Vancouverites consider their city almost tropical (maybe because they are comparing winters to places like Edmonton or Winnipeg) and you see a lot of patios that are heated and open year-round. Vancouverites will sit outside when it is +5 and spitting rain. Meanwhile, Halifax is "closed for business" even though occasionally you can see +10 or +15 in the winter. Actually you see a lot of +3 or +5 and sunny in the winter in Halifax, which I would argue is better than +6 or +8 and rain in Vancouver.
You can also look at Quebec City. They have a much harsher climate but embrace it and have lots of winter events. Admittedly, part of that is because they have reliable snow and freezing temperatures whereas Halifax winters are frequently brown and damp. Still, if you can go outside in Quebec City in -10 you can go outside in Halifax in +1!
I guess this is changing a bit with the Oval, and hopefully the gardens will be opened in the winter. Another factor is that the city needs more population density so that there is demand even outside of the tourist season (realistically, Halifax is not going to get a lot of people visiting on cruise ships in January).
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