Halifax has more than 20 community recreation centres and various YMCAs – as well as a YWCA – to help you stay active.

“The place to start with any recreational activity is through the municipality itself,” says Jan LaPierre, a recreation programer who works at St. Mary’s Boat Club. “We have programes ranging from basket weaving, to yoga, to swimming lessons, to kayaking, to walking guided tours in various parks around town.”

Jan adds that you can look at the programs offered every season by checking out the city’s website www.halifax.ca, and looking under “recreation.” There’s also a catalogue circulated through schools, libraries, and centres that lists all the programs available.

If you’re worried about the cost, take a deep, relaxing breath. Jan says each of the city’s programs’ costs is kept at an absolute minimum – Halifax isn’t trying to make money from them, and the programes are normally government funded. Ranging from preschool programs to those for adults, you can find 10-week adult belly dancing courses for $40, or preschool dance classes for $27 for 10-weeks – and much, much more.

Recreation programes are for everyone

“It’s a mandate through HRM’s recreation programs: Recreation is for all,” says Jan. He says programmers will make every effort they can to make the programming accessible to people who speak only a bit of English (or none at all), including getting a translator.

And what if you don’t like the programs HRM has to offer?

“That’s one of the real beautifies of the system we have here in Halifax,” says Jan. “Every recreation centre has a recreation programer, and they’re all looking for new ideas.” So if there’s something you want to try but can’t find it – just ask. Odds are, you aren’t the only one looking for the program!

Following is a list of Halifax Regional Municipality recreation centres, contact information and how to get there without a car:

Halifax

Adventure  Earth Centre
69 Parkhill Road, Fleming Park
902-490-4539 (P); 902-490-4509 (F)
Bus route 15

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Bloomfield Centre
2786 Agricola Street
902-490-4629 (P)
Bus routes 7 & 80

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Canada Games Centre (formerly Mainland Common)
26 Thomas Raddall Drive
902-490-2400
Bus routes 52, 21, 4

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Citadel High Community Centre
1955 Trollope Street
902-490-3895 (P); 902-490-3896 (F)
Bus routes 20, 21, 23, 31, 32, 33, 34, 53, 59, 68, 84, 85, 86, 87 (takes you to Spring Garden Road, and walk over to Trollope Street from there).

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Chocolate Lake Centre
14 Purcell’s Cove Road, Halifax
902-490-4607 (P); 902-490-4504 (F)
Bus routes 14, 15, 20

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George Dixon Centre
2501 Gottingen Street, Halifax
902-490-4550/4616; 902-490-4570 (F)
Bus routes 1, 7, 10, 61 (53, 58, 59, 68, 87 during the p.m. peak only)

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Needham Centre/Pool
3372 Devonshire Avenue, Halifax
902-490-4633 (P); 902-490-4579 (F)
Bus routes 7 (on Novalea), 9 (on Barrington)

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Northcliffe Centre/Pool
111 Clayton Park Drive, Halifax
902-490-4690 (P); 902-457-3881 (F)
Bus routes 2, 4, 17, 18, 52

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St. Andrew’s Centre
6955 Bayers Road, Halifax
902-490-4693 (P); 902-490-4641 (F)
Bus routes 2, 3, 17, 80

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St. Mary’s Boat Club
1641 Fairfield Road, Halifax
902-490-4688 (P); 902-490-6935 (F)
Bus routes 1, 14, 58

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Springvale to Sambro

Captain William Spry Community Centre/Spryfield Wave Pool
10 Kidston Road, Halifax
902-477-7665 (P)
Bus route 20

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Dartmouth

Dartmouth North Community Centre/HRM Recreation Office
134 Pinecrest Drive, Dartmouth
902-490-4730 (P); 902-490-5905 (F)
Bus routes 72 and 66

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Findlay Community Centre
26 Elliot Street, Dartmouth
902-490-4728 (P); 902-490-4742 (F)
Bus route 62 (on Prince Albert Road)

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Bedford

LeBrun Community Centre
36 Holland Drive, Bedford
902-490-4665 (P); 902-490-4680
Bus route 80 (82 at peak hours only)

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Cole Harbour

Cole Harbour
1216 Cole Harbour Road, Dartmouth
902-490-4711 (P); 902-490-4299 (F)
Bus route 59

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Eastern Passage

Tallahassee Recreation Centre
168 Redoubt Way, Eastern Passage
902-465-5267 (P); 902-465-8730 (F)
Bus route route 60

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Fall River

Gordon R. Snow Community Centre
3182 Highway 2 (during the fall)
1359 Fall River Road (during the winter)
902-860-4570 (P); 902-860-4576 (F)
**Not accessible by bus.

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Beechville/Lakeside/Timberlea

Hubbards Recreation Centre
9856 St. Margaret’s Bay Road
902-876-8812 (P)
**Not accessible by bus

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Lakeside Community Centre
1492 St. Margaret’s Bay Road
902-876-8812 (P); 902-876-0818 (F)
Bus route 2

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Musquodoboit

Middle Musquodoboit
12046 Highway 224, Middle Musquodoboit
902-384-3008 (P); 902-384-2047 (F)
**Not accessible by bus.

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Musquodoboit Harbour
7900 Highway 7, Musquodoboit Harbour
902-889-4050 (P); 902-889-4054 (F); Toll Free: 1-866-522-2422
**Not accessible by bus.

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North Preston

North Preston Community Centre
44 Simmonds Road, North Preston
902-462-4161 (P); 902-462-4370 (F)
Bus route 14, changes to the 61 and brings you straight there

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Sackville

Acadia School
636 Sackville Drive, Lower Sackville
902-869-4200 (P); 902-869-4219 (F)
Bus route 80

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Sheet Harbour

Sheet Harbour
Blue Water Building, 22756 Highway 7, Sheet Harbour
902-885-2988 (P); 902-885-3554 (F)
**Not accessible by bus.

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For more information visit Halifax Recreation online.

Metro Transit bus routes can change occasionally. To confirm bus routes, contact the HRM call centre at 490-4000 between 7:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m., seven days a week.