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Canadian Urbanism Uncovered

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Streets at your feet

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HALIFAX – As soon as I moved to Halifax from Toronto, I immediately noticed how street names are often carved into the sidewalks of intersections.

It makes the city seem more pedestrian-oriented. People in cars wouldn’t be able to read the foot-level signage.

Some of the sidewalk names even have dates next to them. I haven’t noticed any recent dates – I saw a few from the late 70s to the mid-90s. I’d be disappointed to learn that the etchings have fallen out of practice. The names add charm to unlikely spaces.

photos by Monika Warzecha

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4 comments

  1. I always enjoyed the intersection at Jubilee and Preston, where the “J” is backwards and says “Lubilee”.

  2. Not a helpful wayfinding device in the dark and snow.

  3. Maybe not, but such a simple and easy addition to an otherwise blank sidewalk is a nice touch for pedestrians, who’re used to relying on street signs and traffic signals often designed and placed to be best seen from behind a windshield.