Source: Wikipedia

Fall River (2006 population: 3,798) is a Canadian suburban community in Nova Scotia’s Halifax Regional Municipality.

It is located north of the Bedford Basin, Northwest of Bedford, east of Lower Sackville and north and west of Waverley.

Fall River’s name is derived from a stream running between Miller Lake and Lake Thomas which had a waterfall. These falls supplied water power for several mills during the 19th century as well as a local electrical utility during the early 20th century. The waterfall was demolished in the late 1950s as a result of the construction of the Bicentennial Highway leading to Halifax; the waterfall was located where the 4-lane expressway currently runs up the hill from the crossing of Lake Thomas to the interchange with Highway 118 at Miller Lake. Hydro-electric power is now generated by an underground tunnel that carries the water from Miller Lake which once flowed through this stream and down the waterfall. Turbines produce electricity for the main grid, during peak periods.

Fall River has been expanding rapidly over the past 10 years with the construction of a Sobeys and surrounding shopping centre, McDonalds, Subway and Tim Hortons. Lockview High School opened its doors in 2000 to relieve strain on the aging Charles P. Allen High School in Bedford. Fall River also has two elementary schools, Holland Road Elementary School and Ash Lee Jefferson Elementary School as well as one Junior High; Georges P. Vanier. Due to the increased presence of schools and retail, Fall River serves as a hub for neighboring communities.

There are four major subdivisions in Fall River, the first being called The Schwarzwald (named after the famed Black Forest in Germany) and developed by the Miller family in the mid 1970s. Schwarzwald has in the past year started development of a new section called Schwarzwald Heights.

The second subdivision being Fall River Village. Fall River Village was established in 1973 with over 1000 acres (4 km²) of land and 200 acres (0.81 km2) yet to be developed.

Also Capilano is the third major subdivision, with the Ashburn golf course [1] just outside.

There are two new subdivisions, St. Andrews West and Kinloch Estates, which opened in February 2009. The subdivision itself is nestled between St. Andrews Lake and Kinsac Lake with extensive waterfrontage on both lakes.

An up-scale development is also located on Guildwood Drive on the eastern shore of Miller Lake, having large properties with extensive waterfrontage. Tillmann Brook, a nearby waterway to this development, runs from Soldier Lake and empties into Miller Lake. This waterway is also named for another older Fall River family by the name of Tillmann, who also originated in Germany, although coming later to the area just after World War II, around 1947.

A new Fire Station and Recreation/sports center for Fall River, the Gordon R. Snow Community Centre/Fire Station 45, opened in October 2008.[1] It is named after Gordon R. Snow, a former councillor and resident of the community.

The Skatepark at the Rec Center was opened in October,2008. And is a large concrete bowl style park, with a few handrails and ledges. The Rec Center itself opened in February 2009, which has a gym, offices, a fire hall and event room.