Halifax Citadel, Point Pleasant Park tower to get upgrades this summer

Parks Canada is making good on $20 million worth of repairs to two federal historic sites in Halifax, a year before the country's 150th birthday.

In a statement released Thursday, the agency announced both the Halifax Citadel site and the Prince of Wales Tower in Point Pleasant Park will undergo upgrades some time this spring and summer.

The $20-million investment was announced last year, according to the statement.

Roads will be renewed, visitor and pedestrian access will be improved, field drainage upgraded, and roofs and windows will be replaced.

The clock faces on the Town Clock located at the base of Citadel Hill will also be restored.

On Thursday, Parks Canada was not able to comment on how much of the $20 million will be spent between the two sites or why they were selected for upgrades.

Fortifying fortifications

In January, work tenders valued at over $729,000 were issued to replace the masts that stand atop Citadel Hill. It's not clear if those tenders are part of Thursday's announcement.

The Citadel sees about a half-million visitors a year. In November, the federal government awarded a $4-million contract to retrofit a major attraction at the Halifax Citadel National Historic Site to a Toronto-based exhibit space designer.

The Prince of Wales Tower can be found in the heart of Point Pleasant Park in the city's south end.

Its construction was completed on New Year's Day in 1799. It was built to fortify British defences against the threat of possible French and American invasions.

Parks Canada said the $20 million is part of a $3-billion project to upgrade sites across the country.