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.