Family Fun on The NorthWest Arm
The Northwest Arm, originally named Sandwich River, is an inlet in eastern Canada off the Atlantic Ocean in Nova Scotia's Halifax Regional Municipality.
Part of Halifax Harbour, it measures approximately 3.5 km in length and 0.5 km in width and defines the western side of the Halifax Peninsula. The waterway is oriented along a bearing of 135º (southeast) and 315º (northwest).
The Northwest Arm contains several small islands including Melville Island, home of the Armdale Yacht Club, and Deadman's Island, at the north western end near Armdale.
The Mi'kmaq Nation called this water body "Waygwalteech" which translates to "salt water all the way up". Early English settlers called it the "Sandwich River" and also the "Hawkes River". The Waegwoltic Club keeps the Mi'Kmaq name alive
It was officially named the North West Arm on 1 March 1921 and it was changed to Northwest Arm on 4 April 1933.
Much of the shoreline of the Northwest Arm, referred to locally as "the Arm," is fronted by private residences.
The Northwest Arm is the location of several parks, notably Point Pleasant Park at the southern entrance to the Arm on the Halifax Peninsula. Sir Sandford Fleming Park on the western shoreline contains the Dingle Tower which commemorates the 150th anniversary in 1908 of the establishment of responsible government in Nova Scotia; the first location in the British Empire to do so. Deadman's Island Park commemorates American soldiers who died while imprisoned on the island during the War of 1812.