An ‘awful mess’: Halifax Common users cry foul over muddy concert aftermath

Three days after a large-scale Canada Day concert on the Halifax Common, a large portion of the park remains muddy and unsuitable for users.

Crews with the Halifax Regional Municipality have been working around the clock to get the area back in working condition after thousands attended this weekend’s Canada 150 concerts featuring deadmau5.

“I just hope that they fix the grass because everyone that lives around here, that’s their green space,” said Annik Gaudet, who was walking her dog near mud on Tuesday.

The city says they hope to have the area usable by the end of the week.

READ MORE: Over 20,000 people expected to fill Halifax Common for Canada 150 celebrations

“There’s crews there right now repairing the common. The most significant work needs to be done where the stage was. So there will be rolling and seeding in that area. But just minor maintenance for the rest of the common,” said Nick Ritcey, a spokesperson with the city.

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Halifax Common advocate group, Friends of the Common call the aftermath of the concert disappointing.

“Well it’s a shame so much destruction has to be done,” said member Judith Fingard.

Although the group gives the city credit for the quick cleanup, they say the whole event could have been planned better.

“Even disassembling the stage made it even worse. So taking it up and putting it down has made an awful mess,” said Fingard.

Concert a success

The final attendance numbers for the concert aren’t in. But despite that and the mud, the city is already calling the concert a success.

They are also leaving the door open for additional concerts of this scale on the Halifax Common.

“It’s too early to tell right now what concerts will be in the future but we do know the city considers it a really big success. So we hope that starts conversations for the future,” said Ritcey.