New Landscaping is Set to Transform Keshen Goodman

After 17 years, we’re planning for repairs—and taking the opportunity to turn our grey, paved spaces into a paradise.

Exterior renovations to Keshen Goodman

One of our busiest libraries, Keshen Goodman Public Library opened in 2001 and has not stopped growing.

Newcomers have discovered the Library to be a welcoming and helpful community gathering spot, and teens have been known to enjoy lounge spaces after school.

With the prospect of some repairs on the horizon, our imagination opened up. What other changes could be made beyond fixing sidewalks and entrance ways?

What the community had to say

Before construction began, our community members were asked, "What do you want to see in your outdoor space?"

The most common request was for more programming. For that we needed more space, like an outdoor library.

Landscaping draws you in

Nature is a compelling sight, especially in an urban setting. Plants, flowers, and other greenery have a way of relaxing our minds and opening our imaginations.

Seating along pathways, work stations in a café, and gardens for sampling vegetables and herbs are just a few, significant changes that will transform an everyday experience of going to the Library into one that promotes wellness and creative thinking.

Library activities can happen anywhere

The renovations at Keshen Goodman are one more opportunity for Halifax Public Libraries to think outside the box of traditional service.

Community members can expect their Library to continue imagining new ways to provide relevant and innovative service and public spaces.


Renovations to Keshen Goodman exterior will take place in phases until completion in 2019. Work has already begun on the sidewalks, and designs for the landscaping are underway. To follow our progress, check back here.


The article, "The New Science of the Creative Brain on Nature, comes from Outside, a magazine you can find in the Library’s E-Magazine collection, opens a new window