A first for Dalhousie

The Wilderbeats performed such hits as The Yak Song and Gus, Gus, Gopher Tortoise, about the Museum of Natural History’s best-loved inhabitant, for the crowd of children, parents and caregivers. (Nick Pearce Photo)

Remember when Tropical Storm Christobel blew through? Torrential rain and wind didn’t deter more than 100 people who showed up for a rockin’ anniversary party at Peter Green Hall on Tuesday.

There were guest speakers and live musical performances—though sometimes hard to hear through the squeaks, giggles and gurgles of the  gathered throng. Of course, it’s difficult to contain your excitement when you haven’t yet hit double digits.

The Peter Green Hall Children’s Centre is marking 40 years as an integral part of student residence Peter Green Hall. Its establishment marked the first time a university residence in Maritime Canada provided students with childcare services.

Opened in the late ’60s, Peter Green Hall was created by a number of married students at Dalhousie University who saw the need for a family-oriented residence. They worked hard to meet this demand, and when it opened they had enough applications to fill not just one building, but four!

The residence was based off of a model at the University of Toronto. However, the Dal students made adjustments to that model, and while the U of T residence was forced to close within three years, Peter Green Hall lives on today.

Peter Green: proud.

Peter Green, now a retired lawyer, spoke at the ceremony about the hall’s beginnings, and about how proud he was to see the “vibrant population” of the residence today. 

“All children should have this kind of opportunity in life,” said Alexa McDonough, who also spoke at the celebration. She was a student at Dal when the hall was just getting started. In retrospect, she noted the remarkable creativity and advancements that came out of Dal at that time. She extolled the virtues of the children’s centre, describing it as a “jewel” and a “Canadian prize,” declaring that the care provided there should be used as an example of “what every family deserves.”

Throughout the festivities, well-deserved congratulations, thanks and watermelon were offered all around. As warm smiles welcomed all who wandered into the tent, it was easy to see how the Peter Green Hall Children’s Centre gained international recognition. “In every organization, it’s the people involved that make it a success,” commented a former head of the Halifax Student Housing Society, upon taking to the microphone. Looking around, it was impossible to disagree.