Dingle Canteen

Dingle Canteen once a thriving business

By Iris V. Shea

For years the city of Halifax called for tenders to operate the canteen at the Dingle in

Fleming Park. The building sat empty for a few years because no interest was shown

by food vendors. A number of visitors still enjoy Fleming Park and the historic Memorial Tower

but not the numbers who visited the park in its early years.

Fleming Park came into being just after the opening of the Memorial Tower in August

1912, but it was not until 1919, following the hiring of Superintendent William Topple, that

significant improvements were made to the park. In 1919, Mr. Lorne Morash, operator of the

Woodcock Inn at the head of the Northwest Arm, was given “refreshment privileges” for

Fleming Park. He built a small structure at his own expense which he called Fleming Park Tea

Room. He paid an annual fee to the City of $50. His three year term was renewed throughout

the 1920s. Mr. W.C. Annand took over the Tea Room in 1930. In addition to paying the annual

fee of $150, Mr. Annand made extensive repairs to the existing Tea Room, at his own expense.

During the 1920s Fleming Park attracted thousands of people each summer. Climbing

the steps of the Memorial Tower was a popular past time. The creation of a sandy beach at

Fairy Cove, just below the newly constructed bandstand, was another reason for the increase in

visitors to the park. Access to the Dingle was readily available by way of Robinson’s Ferry at the

foot of South Street, Adam Marr’s Ferry at the foot of Coburg Road, and Joe Boutilier’s Ferry at

the foot of Oakland Road. Band concerts at the Dingle were popular with Halifax residents as

were canoe and row boat rentals from Boutilier’s Boathouse. Halifax Natal Day was celebrated

on June 21 st each year and the Northwest Arm became the focal point with boating regattas and

swimming races. A canteen at the Dingle was considered a valuable asset by City Council.

The popularity of Fleming Park and the Dingle Canteen continued into the 1930s, 1940s

and 1950s. Ken Chaddock of Jollimore established a canteen on Mr. Boutilier’s land (close to

where the playground is today). Ken’s Canteen was famous for its steamed hot dogs and ice

cream and their popularity created lengthy lineups.

The long lineups at the Dingle Canteen for hot dogs, hamburgers, fries, ice cream, and

cold non-alcoholic beverages were common. In 1935 Venetian Night became an annual event,

followed by fireworks from Horseshoe Island. Interrupted by World War II, the event resumed

for a few years after the war. Ferry service from Oakland Road to the Dingle continued until the

early 1960s. The South Street and Coburg Road ferries were no longer in service but the City of

Halifax leased the landing that was formerly the Stoneman property on Quinpool Road to Mr.

Joseph Mont who, during the 1930s and 1940s, operated the Armdale Ferry to the Dingle. An

annual $10 fee was charged for rental of all city-owned ferry landings. Mr. Arnold Burns took

over the operation of the Armdale Ferry in 1948.

The Dingle Canteen was leased in 1936 to Mr. Joe Reardon, followed by Mrs. Margaret

Martin in 1939. Mrs. Martin, wife of George Martin, was awarded three more one-year terms

and, finally, a three year term in 1944. In January 1945 Mrs. Martin sent a letter to City Council

requesting permission to show outdoor movies at the Dingle, stating it would be “of great

advantage at Fleming Park”. Late night movies during the summer of 1945 brought more

people to Fleming Park and the lineups at the Dingle Canteen were greater than ever.

In August 1946, the Dingle Canteen burned to the ground. This caused some discussion

by Council as to what the City of Halifax should do regarding a new canteen. Council voted to

build a structure and an amount of money, $17,500, would be borrowed to do this. In 1947 it

was decided that Mr. A.F. Myra would operate a canteen for one year from his own portable

“prefabricated wooden canteen” and pay a fee of $350. It was estimated that a new building

would be completed and ready for operation in early 1949. For the next 10 years, the Minutes

of Halifax City Council made no mention of a canteen being built. Mr. Fred Grant, with his own

portable canteen, was given “refreshment privileges” for Fleming Park. Finally, in 1957, Council

began discussions once more about the need to build a permanent structure. The City of Halifax

may have owned Fleming Park but it was located in Halifax County and certain standards were

required in order to obtain a permit for a food establishment: (1) access to fresh, clean drinking

water and (2) sanitation facilities. An artesian well was dug and a septic bed was made. One

councillor suggested that it might be less costly if water from Frog Pond could be treated with

chlorine and used at the canteen. Mr. Grant continued to operate the canteen from his

portable structure until a new canteen was completed in 1961. Tenders were called and Mr.

George Hotzigeogiou won the bid at $6,676 for the next three years.

In 1967 Mr. Ken Chaddock, the operator of the former Ken’s Canteen, was awarded a

three year lease for the Dingle Canteen with his bid of $7,160. That same year Mr. Chaddock

opened on May 1 st . On June 25 th , 1967, Mr. Chaddock died. He was 59 years old. Mr. William D.

Hartlen of Halifax took over the lease of the canteen.

The Dingle Canteen continued well into the first decade of 21 st century but activities on

the Northwest Arm and at Fleming Park began to decline much earlier. The ferries to Fleming

Park stopped running in the 1960s when automobiles became the popular mode of

transportation. In later years the canteen at the Dingle had to compete with other canteens

and fast food restaurants in the surrounding communities. It seems that operating a profitable

food business today at Fleming Park is a thing of the past.