the Town of Truro

Victoria Park Brochure (4.79 MB)

Recreation Area Map (167.46 kB)

Victoria Park is one of Truro's greatest assets - a natural woodland park of roughly 400 acres in the center of town. Lepper Brook, with its two sets of waterfalls, flows through a steep tree covered rocky gorge. Several walking trails follow along the brook allowing a close view of this unique setting. The first set of falls are named after the distinguished Joseph Howe who admired them during a visit in 1830. The next are the Waddell Falls, named after Susan Waddell Stevens, who donated the first land in 1888 containing the falls and gorge, thus beginning this park for the enjoyment of Truro citizens.

Sir Adams G. Archibald, a Father of Confederation and a former Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia, was the first chairman of the Victoria Park Committee. Mr. James Ross, a local barrister at the turn of the century, is recognized by a monument for his many devoted years of enlarging and improving the park.

Just inside the entrance to the park off Brunswick Street are tennis courts, an outdoor swimming pool, a little league ball field, a playground and a water spray park, a band shell, picnic tables and a cook-out pavilion. The Lower Park is the focal point for many town gatherings and festivals.

A cool fresh water spring, known as the Brandy Spring, was also found in the Lower Park. The name originated from soldiers keeping their brandy bottles cool in the spring while training in the park for threatened Fenian raids. Many local citizens used to get their drinking water here. Unfortunately, recent concerns across Canada about water quality have led to the closure of the Spring and a popular community tradition.

Beyond this area is the natural parkland with its rustic walking paths along the top ridges of the gorge, all leading to the falls. Along the lower path on either side, wooden steps lead from the bottom to the top of the steep cliffs.

This ravine area also contains the Holy Well, a replica of a well in Bible Hill where early Acadian settlers baptized their infants, and a Wishing Well.

The park boasts interesting geological formations in the gorge and river bed area, and beautiful stands of hard and softwood trees, particularly hemlock, on the cliffs and uplands. All these natural features are in the heart of Truro's business and residential area. It offers walkers, joggers, photographers, birdwatchers and nature lovers a chance to enjoy a quiet retreat from the busy town.

The upland area beyond the gorge contains the Dr. Jim Vibert Trail. It is approximately 1.6 kilometers in length

A must for visitors to see, is the spectacular view of the lookout at the top of Wood Street. Here one can view the valleys of the Salmon and North Rivers around which Truro and surrounding villages were built. These two rivers join and then flow into the Cobequid Basin of the world famous Bay of Fundy. On a clear day the view extends down the bay to Five Islands, a distance of about 60 kilometers.

Parking is available in the main parking lot off of Park Road, at the Pool parking lot off of Adam Street and there is limited parking available at the Wood Street entry area.