|  Hammonds
Plains is located between 25 and 30 Kms from downtown Halifax. It is
a an area of large lots, trees and many lakes surrounded by beautiful
homes. Lots that are typically an acre or bigger so there is a great
feeling of space.The area is a mixture of residents who have lived there
for many years and those who have just discovered Hammonds Plains. Houses
range from smaller older homes to rambling executive homes. The area
is probably the fastest growing area in the outskirts of Halifax. The
population of Hammonds Plains has doubled over the past few years .Kingswood,
the largest subdivision in Hammonds Plains, now has almost 1000 homes
and is possibly the fastest subdivision to ever sell on the outskirts
of the city. The Hammonds Plains area is popular so resale is excellent.
Prices have risen steadily over the last number of years so the area
is a safe investment.
There is no municipal sewer anywhere in the area. All homes in the area
have septic systems. Most houses have no municipal water with the exception
of Kingswood where much of the subdivision, but not all, has municipal
water.
Hammonds Plains has some amenities but not many. There are two main
shopping areas. There is small strip mall
at the entrance to Kingswood which has a Tim Horton's, a small grocery
store, a pizza shop and about 6 other businesses. At the far end of
Hammonds Plains,closer in Tantallon, there is much larger shopping center
called Hubley Center
Shopping Center that has several stores and services as well as
a library.
Schooling in Hammonds Plains can best be described as ever changing.
There are currently 6schools in the area. A new elementary school (grade
primary to grade 6)opened in September of 2005 in Kingswood behind Brenda
Drive. A new Sir John A MacDonald High School (grade 10-12) opened in
Sept 2006 at the corner of Hammonds Plains Rd and exit Hwy #103 near
Haliburton Hills and Westwood subdivisions. At this point only the children
in Westwood Hills and Haliburton Hills will go to Sir John A MacDonald
High School. Children in the other areas will continue to go to CP Allen
in Bedford. Keep in mind that boundaries are always subject to change
so you should check with the either the school directly or the school
board office. One of great features of the Hammonds Plains school system
is the availability of french immersion. Early immersion, grades primary
to 6, is available in all elementary schools in the area. Late immersion
is offered at all junior and senior high schoola. For more detailed
info on schools in the area go to my Hammonds
Plains Schools page.
There is limited bus service in Hammonds Plains. There is a few busses
in the peak morning times and in the late afternoon, during the week.
These busses do go from one end of Hammonds Plains to the other but
only go to downtown Halifax. Most people drive their cars to commute
to work. Getting to Halifax by car from Hammonds Plains is a breeze.
The city is about 15 miles away and will take 20-25 minutes on off peak
times and 30-45 on peak traffic times.
There are several options to travel to Halifax. Residents who live closer
to Bedford in Kingswood, White Hills, Glen Arbour and Voyageur Estates
usually take the Hammonds Plains Road, which is a two lane secondary
highway, to the Kearney Lake Road which has an exit to the Hwy#102 about
3 miles in and also connects to a more scenic drive along the Bedford
Basin along the Bedford Highway to Halifax. A second option for residents
on this end of Hammonds Plains is to travel the Hammonds Plains Road
towards Bedford to Hwy.#102 (or the Bi-centennial as it is called here)
which is a divided four lane highway that takes you to Halifax. If you
live on the far end of Hammonds Plains in Highland Park, Haliburton
Hills or Westwood Hills you would take the Hwy#103 to Halifax. There
is an exit very close to Haliburton Hills and Westwood and about 3 miles
from Highland Park. With three options to get to Halifax you have choices
in the case of an accident or problem on one of the routes.
There are three golf courses in Hammonds Plains. Glen Arbour Golf Course
is rated by many as the best 18 hole golf course in Nova Scotia. It
is the most expensive to play. Green fees are as high as $150 in summer.
To become a member of the course you must buy a house in Glen Arbour
Subdivision. When you buy a home you will receive one or two memberships
to the golf course. When you sell the memberships stay with the house.
Glen Arbour also has an public executive par 3 course which has short
but high quality holes. Pin Hi par 3 golf course is also located in
Hammonds Plains.
If you move to Hammonds Plains you must be prepared to deal with bugs.
From early May to mid June black flies, which are small flies that bite,
are plentiful. When the black flies are gone the mosquito's come out.
This is not limited to Hammonds Plains. Most areas in the outskirts
that have lakes and lots of trees have the same problem. There are definitely
many more flies in the outlying areas than are in the urban core.
If you you want space and the feeling of being in the country you should
consider Hammonds Plains. It is a wonderful place to live and is not
far from Halifax. For more information email me at sandy@sandyhines.com
or phone 902-489-4663.
|
