- Aspotogan Peninsula
The Aspotogan Peninsula is a
peninsula in the eastern part of Lunenburg County,Nova Scotia .It protrudes from the South Shore into the
Atlantic Ocean and separates St. Margarets Bay in the east fromMahone Bay in the west; the Aspotogan Peninsula is connected to the much largerNova Scotia peninsula to the north.Communities
The coast of the Aspotogan Peninsula is dotted with a number of small fishing and tourist-related communities; Hubbards in the northeast being the largest. Other communities on the peninsula are Fox Point, Mill Cove, The Lodge, Northwest Cove, Southwest Cove, Aspotogan, Bayswater, New Harbour, Blandford, Upper Blandford, Deep Cove, and East River.
Route 329 circles the peninsula along the coast while Trunk 3 and Highway 103 pass to the north.
Economy
Traditionally fishing was a major industry around the bay, but farming, shipping, and lumbering were also important. During the 1800s tourism increased and Hubbards became a regular stopping place for the stagecoach.
The
Halifax and Southwestern Railway between Halifax and Yarmouth, completed in 1905, carried both passengers and freight and crossed the base of the peninsula. This provided easy rail access for visitors to the scenic splendor and beaches of the area and made the Aspotogan Peninsula a popular tourist destination.Many hotels and cottages were established during this period, including The Gainsborough. It was sold to the federal government in 1944 and was used as part of the St. Margaret’s Bay Training School for the
Canadian Merchant Navy . In 1969, the J.D. Shatford Library was built on the site.In 1967, Canadian Forces Station Mill Cove (CFS Mill Cove) was opened to provide a naval radio communications receiving station for
Maritime Forces Atlantic . The radio station consisted of approximately 4,000 acres of land, private married quarters, and administration buildings. The complex was a major employer and contributor to the local economy until it was automated in the late 1990s.In 1969, Highway 103 was completed linking Hubbards to Halifax with a 2-lane controlled-access highway. With a driving time of only 45 minutes, more residents began to commute to Halifax for work. Reasonable land prices and the opportunity to live in a rural setting also encouraged many city dwellers to move to the area.
In 1994, the Aspotogan Heritage Trust was created to oversee the renovation and re-population of the land and buildings that were decommissioned at CFS Mill Cove following the automation of the receiver station. The Trust markets these assets as Mill Cove Park and includes the province’s first dedicated
sound stage (established in 1996) in the former administration and gymnasium buildings. More than $40 million of film and TV production took place at this sound stage over a 5-year period, including filming for the CBC Television series "Black Harbour " and "Made in Canada ".Tourism continues to be an important contributor to the local economy, drawing people from all over the world. Local bed and breakfast operators and inns, restaurants, and campgrounds are busy during the summer months. The Shore Club, which recently celebrated it's 50th Anniversary, remains one of the last great dance halls in the area and is well-known for its Saturday night dances and
lobster suppers.External links
* [http://www.aspotoganpeninsula.com/ Aspotoganpeninsula.com]
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
