Shannon Park, along with the adjacent former national defence site of Wallis Heights, housed the families of personnel serving with the Royal Canadian Navy. It was built in the 1950s to remedy the shortage of housing which plagued sailors and their families in Halifax during World War Two. The community was named after HMS Shannon, the Halifax-based frigate which won a notable victory in the War of 1812. With defence cutbacks reducing the number of personnel serving in the navy and expanded housing available on the civilian market, Shannon Park and Wallis Heights were closed in 2004 and remaining residents were moved to military housing at Willow Park. The buildings have fallen into decay. Immediately north of the neighbourhood on the Bedford basin adjacent to the MacKay bridge lies the Bedford Institute of Oceanography, a Canadian Coast Guard communication centre, and a Canadian Food Inspection Agency laboratory. Until the HRM withdrew its bid for the 2014 Commonwealth Games, urban planners envisioned Shannon Park to be used for locating the proposed sports stadium, athletes' village and several additional venues. Disposal of the land is being negotiated between National Defence and the Canada Lands Company crown corporation. Mi'kmaq from the Millbrook Reserve near Truro have applied for a portion of the land. Shannon Park now has a French immersion school. Although unused, Shannon Park remains part of CFB Halifax. The Department of National Defence disposed of Shannon Park in three pieces.
Present
The Canada Lands Company bought 33 hectares,, including buildings and land on the site for redevelopment. The original Department of National Defence site was 39 hectares,. Another hectares was transferred to Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada. The Millbrook band has an outstanding land claim on a portion known as Turtle Cove, which it says was the site of a former Mi'kmaq settlement. The Canada Lands Company also bought an elementary school and 1.89 hectares of land for $313,000. Over the next year, it will try to negotiate a sale to the Halifax Regional School Board, which wants to acquire the school. Starting in the Fall of 2015, the abandoned military housing at Shannon Park will be demolished, however, the plan for what will be developed has yet to be determined. A stadium for the Atlantic Schooners, the proposed Canadian Football League franchise, has been discussed as a location.
