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After over a century of peripatetic existence, the Maritime Conservatory of Performing Arts came home to our own heritage building in the heart of peninsular Halifax. Since its inception in the late 1800s, the Conservatory has had 10 locations, but now it has a home! Ideally situated at 6199 Chebucto Road, the Conservatory is easily accessible from all parts of the municipality either by car or by public transit. The grand old building is currently serving the needs of the Conservatory's 1700 students and undergoes ongoing restoration. In fact, the acquisition of this heritage building from the City of Halifax was contingent upon the Conservatory's commitment to restore the building and its grounds. The proposed restoration of the building comprises complete exterior restoration, improvement, and enhancement of parking lot and walkways, installation of green areas and bench seating, surface landscaping and perimeter planting. The interior restoration will both restore and upgrade the building to accommodate its modern use as a music and dance school. This will involve maintaining the interior integrity while adding modern lighting, soundproofing, office space etc. as befits a modern performing arts school. Built in 1910 as Halifax's Chebucto Road School, the Conservatory's new home was designated a heritage building eight decades later because of the role it played in the aftermath of the Halifax Explosion of 1917. Twelve hundred victims of the disaster rested in a temporary morgue in the basement of the building. Thomas Raddall, who later wrote about the explosion in his memoirs, was a grade nine student in the school at the time. After many years as a public school, the building served as home to the Halifax City Schools Music Department until 1994. With 39,000 square feet, 9 classrooms and 17 music and dance studios, the building ideally suits the needs of the Conservatory's current and future programs. Please visit the Lilian Piercey Concert Hall page for more details of its restoration as an on-site performance centre. |
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