West End

For the first century and a half of Halifax's history, the area of the West End was occupied by small farms and country estates. It was developed in the 1870s as residential streets were laid out. The growth of streetcar lines accelerated development. Chebucto School was built in 1912 to serve the expanding neighbourhood and the building served as a morgue for the Halifax Explosion as it was close to the north end but relatively undamaged.

In the 1920s, Chebucto Field, the first airport in Halifax was built near Connaught and Chebucto Road. Simpson's built a large department store in the West end in the 1930s, the first retail centre outside the downtown. The large remaining open areas of the West End filled with housing after World War Two with many blocks of Victory Houses and 1950s suburban homes. The West End was severely affected by Hurricane Juan in 2003 as the high density of large, older trees in the neighbourhood resulted in many toppled trees, damaged houses, blocked streets and prolonged power outages. A major controversy in 2008 was a project to widen Chebucto Road. Supporters argued it would reduce commuting times and congestion while opponents argued it would increase traffic volume, noise and waste two million dollars better spent on public transit. Despite a widespread protest by environmentalists and West End residents, the widening went ahead.