What’s The Point? An Irreverent Guide to Point Pleasant Park by Steven Laffoley

“Every year, some two million visitors enter Point Pleasant Park, a unique 190-acre collection of paths, ponds, and port-o-potties; flora, fauna, and fungi; battlements, monuments, and burial mounds all situated at the far south end of Halifax, Nova Scotia. The number of visitors is astounding given the entire population of Halifax is presently about half a million people, a good many of whom believe that any aerobic exercise beyond reaching out the car window for a Tim Hortons double double is time poorly spent.”

As I read What’s the Point?, I couldn’t help but wonder what if Steven Laffoley had the chance to rewrite our local history and geography textbooks. Would there be as many students sleeping in the windows of the Saint Mary’s University Library as there were when I was going there? I am not confirming or denying that I was one of them; because as Steven repeatedly mentions “there was no coffee.”

“Navigating the ice-crusted rocks with all the grace of a nearsighted aardvark, I slipped and staggered my way along the beach, searching for life, but not a barnacle, starfish, or brave sea urchin made itself known to me.“

Stephen takes us on three winter strolls through Point Pleasant Park and talks about the history, geology, and geography of the park beginning “10,000 years ago, give or take a few weeks and taking into account leap years”. As he wanders, “with thoughts of a hot Tim Hortons coffee…dancing in his head,” he reflects on everything from the seasons to the birds, from Hurricane Juan to Shakespeare By The Sea, from the battlements and the long-horned beetle to “the most common mammal in the park…the Canis lupus familiaris, the domesticated dog“. I learned way more about the mating rituals of a woodpecker than I ever really wanted to know, but I learned about a duel fought between Joseph Howe and John C. Halliburton that I want to learn more about. There is something of interest for every visitor to the park, which makes this the perfect guide.

“Now maybe it’s just me, but erosion into a constantly churning North Atlantic seems one of those universal constants, like death, taxes, and bad Nickelback songs. Of course, to be fair, I am not a scientist, archeologist, or a member of Nickelback. So, really, who am I to say?”

Steven has a way of writing that keeps you engaged and not sleeping, even without that coffee. Everyone will learn and take home something different from this book, but they will all learn something about Halifax’s Point Pleasant Park, and in my opinion, that is the point.

As a side note: I would have loved to have seen a map of the park included in the book, with all three of Steven’s walks outlined. It would have been beneficial to those unfamiliar with the park and refreshed the memories for the people who are familiar with the park.

Steven Laffoley is an award-winning, Halifax, Nova Scotia-based author. He is the author of numerous books of fiction and creative nonfiction. His bestselling books have been shortlisted for the Evelyn Richardson Nonfiction Award (twice), the Atlantic Independent Booksellers’ Choice Award, and the Arthur Ellis Award for Best Crime Nonfiction. His book Shadowboxing won the 2013 Evelyn Richardson Award for Nonfiction. You can write him at stevenlaffoley@yahoo.ca.

Publisher: Pottersfield Press (September 14, 2024)
Paperback 8″ x 6″ | 186 pages
ISBN: 9781990770593

Sue Slade

Sue Slade has a Bachelor of Child Study from Mount St. Vincent University in Halifax. After working with children and adults with special needs, she now has her midlife dream job of working with books. Sue manages an independent, locally owned bookstore, Dartmouth Book Exchange. Through her charismatic sharing centred around books and community, Sue has created an engaging cornerstone for authors, customers, and book lovers of all ages. Sue is an avid reader and her reviews cross over many genres.