Port Wallace as named after Michael Wallace, a Scottish-born lawyer and politician who was the President of the Shubenacadie Canal when construction was completed in 1861.  Soon after his death, the settlement changed the spelling of his name to Port Wallis, to honour Halifax's dashing native son, Provo Wallis, naval hero of the War of 1812.  After almost a century of debate, the name Port Wallis was officially adopted in 1953, then rejected when the original Port Wallace spelling was readopted in 1963.

And in the end, honoring Wallace seems proper.  After all, its the Shubenacadie Canal, or actually the park around the preserved canal, that give this area its heartbeat.  Forty acres of forest, fields and multi-use trails provide plenty of opportunities for running, cycling and even camping.  There's also a small beach, a canal interpretive centre, and even a field for dogs.

With such a treasure just at the bottom of the hill, it's no wonder that families have flocked to Montebello neighbourhood.  Homes here are no more than 25 years old - part of a mid-nineties construction boom.  You'll find lots of spacious two-story homes and split-levels, plus friendly bungalows and even some duplexes.  Kids can make use of the safe paths between streets and cul-de-sacs to Ian Forsyth or Michael Wallace Elementary schools.  And the French Immersion elementary and high schools are side-by-side in the Unia Estates subdivision, where construction of new tract houses are still under construction.

In nearby Keystone Village, you'll find homes with large, neighbourly lots - very generous by Dartmouth standards, and plenty of space for a garden or epic play set/trampoline installation... or a neighbourly game of bocce.  The community in these cul-de-sacs is remarkable.  You should expect invitations to cocktail hour and board game nights.

There are plenty of amenities in the nearby - Tim Hortons, pharmacies, friendly pubs and mechanics are all right on the Waverley Road.  There are a couple of pizza parlours, including one attached to the world-renowned holistic pet store, Planet Paws.

Father up the Waverley Road, aka the Portobello Road, you'll find a handful of neighbourhoods tucked right up against Lake Micmac and Lake Charles.  Each one is tiny, only one or two streets, but each is a tiny treasure of cedar hedges, cobblestone, and lovely houses, all with water views or access.

Port Wallace is a charming corner of Dartmouth that waiting for your discovery.  Let a Century 21 Trident Reatly REALTOR® show you what it has to offer!