Stories Above All

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Richmond Yards Mural: Stories Above All

Completed in 2025, Stories Above All is a 110-foot (10-story) mural that rises along the side of one of the new towers at Richmond Yards in Halifax’s North End. Designed as a large-scale photo montage rather than a painted mural, it pays tribute to the industrial and cultural legacy of the neighbourhood—one defined by resilience, tight-knit community, and transformation.

Located on the former site of Acadian Bus Lines and visible from the historic Bloomfield School, the mural is a visual timeline of the North End. At its base, archival images from the 1800s showcase the Acadia Sugar Refinery and Dominion Textile Company. Moving upward, it traces the aftermath of the Halifax Explosion with images of 1918 temporary housing, the construction of the Hydrostone in the 1920s, tram routes, and the former Exhibition Grounds.

Midway through, the mural captures the pulse of community life in the 1940s and 50s—featuring trolley scenes, the Olympic Gardens Ballroom, and the Halifax Forum. The 1960s spotlight events at the Forum including curling and wrestling, along with Olympic Taxi and a thoughtful reflection on Africville—the once-thriving African Nova Scotian community whose legacy remains a vital part of the North End’s story.

The mural also features an image of Lone Cloud—a Mi’kmaq guide, performer, and spiritual leader—rendered by renowned Mi’kmaq artist Alan Syliboy, one of the most influential Indigenous artists in Canada. This inclusion serves as an important acknowledgment of the Mi’kmaq presence on these lands, past and present.

The final tiers highlight more recent history, from the 1980s to today, with visuals of Acadian Bus Lines and the Halifax Explosion Memorial Bell Tower.

Crowning the mural is its title: Stories Above All—a phrase that serves as both a literal reference to the mural’s height and a celebration of the layered human histories that continue to shape the North End.

The mural was concepted and designed by Halifax-based designer Adam MacKenzie of Sperry Design, whose work focuses on place-based storytelling and meaningful visual narratives that honour community, history, and identity.

Richmond Yards is a development by Westwood Developments, a company known for creating innovative, community-focused spaces that contribute to the urban and cultural fabric of Halifax. Their vision for Richmond Yards as a vibrant, mixed-use neighbourhood reflects a deep respect for the history of the North End while looking confidently toward the future.

Special Thanks to our Contributors

Junita Peters
Juanita Peters is a playwright, actor and film director. Peters has over 40 years of media experience. Her early career included radio and television host/reporter for various networks including CBC NB and AVR. She is a member of ACTRA, Writers Guild of Canada (WGC), Actors Equity (CAEA), Directors Guild of Canada (DGC), Playwrights Atlantic Resource Centre (PARC) and a founding member of Women In Film & Television Atlantic (WIFT-AT.) Juanita is also the Executive Director of the Africville Museum in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Stephen Archibald
Stephen Archibald’s working career was spent at the Nova Scotia Museum, engaged in projects as varied as the early development of Sherbooke Village, the planning of the Maritime Museum, and managing the Interpretation Program at the Museum of Natural History. In his lengthy retirement Stephen has embraced social media and blogging as a way to celebrate little treasures noticed in Nova Scotia’s natural and cultural landscapes. Today he is known as @Cove17 and from the Noticed in Nova Scotia blog on Halifax Bloggers.

Don and Devonna Edwards
Don is President and a Board Executive of the Fairview Historical Society. His wife Devonna is the Archivist for the Fairview Historical Society. Don and Devonna also co-authored “The Little Dutch Village” a fascinating account of the village through vintage photos that focuses on Historic Halifax West, Armdale & Fairview.

Don Artz
Don worked for the Halifax Transit Corporation (later Metro Transit), where he became chief inspector. His life-long love of Halifax’s tram cars led him to co-author of Halifax Street Railway 1866-1949. Don lives in Enfield, Nova Scotia.

Marilyn Davidson Elliott
Marilyn Davidson Elliott is an author and historian. Her book “The Blind Mechanic” is a tribute to her father, Eric Davidson, who was blinded in the 1917 Halifax Explosion, and overcame his handicap to have a successful career as an auto mechanic. Marilyn grew up in the Richmond neighbourhood of north end Halifax and advocates for the designation of Richmond as a Heritage Conservation District in Halifax. Marilyn was a member of the Halifax Explosion 100th Anniversary Advisory Committee. She liases with HRM Parks staff for maintenance of Fort Needham Memorial Park gardens and the mass graves of Halifax Explosion victims. 

David B. Flemming
David B. Flemming was a distinguished Canadian heritage advocate and historian, deeply rooted in Halifax’s North End, where he spent much of his life. His passion for history was sparked in childhood while living on Agricola Street, evolving into a lifelong dedication to preserving the city’s rich historical and maritime legacy.

A graduate of Saint Mary’s University, Flemming devoted his career to preserving and promoting Canadian history. He worked with National Historic Sites (Parks Canada) and later served as Director of the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic.

Flemming was a leading voice on the Halifax Explosion and Titanic history, contributing to exhibitions, publications, and conferences.

He also served as President of Heritage Ottawa for nine years and was a tireless advocate for heritage conservation. His efforts earned him the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal and the Louise & Eric Moore Award for Outstanding Volunteerism.

Andrew Blackburn
Andrew Blackburn, a resident of Clifton NS, has a life-long interest in the history of railways in Nova Scotia. He has collected images and railway artifacts to preserve the memories of another time. As well as being involved with various museums to create displays using some of his artifacts, he enjoys uncovering information to assist other collectors and the public to better understand how the railways were constructed and operated.

Alan Syliboy

Chris & Taso Fasoulis

Bill Linley

Halifax Municipal Archives

Nova Scotia Archives

Library Archives Canada