Friends of the Halifax Common are set to celebrate a significant milestone for the public space in the heart of Halifax. The land was donated to the city 250 years ago by King George III.

“We should be celebrating because it’s a great gift to our city,” said Peggy Cameron of Friends of Halifax Common. “We need to honour it as the heart and lungs of our city.”

But the centrepiece is much smaller than it was in 1763. Initially, it sprawled across 240 acres all the way to South Street. The land that now houses the IWK Health Centre and the Victoria General Hospital was once a part of the common.

In 1994, the city promised to keep the space at its current size - 30 acres.

Activities to celebrate the anniversary will run through the weekend.