Our History

Permanent settlement in this area was first recorded in the mid-1700s in nearby Lawrencetown. Farming and fishing were a significant part of community livelihood for some time. Settlement in Lake Echo dates back to 1818, but the suburban development visible today came much later in the late 1960s with peak development in the early to mid-1970s.

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Before it was used for recreation, the Lake Echo District Park was formerly the location of a sawmill and lumber processing facility. The lake was essential in this process for the movement and storage of lumber.

The northernmost portion of the park property was acquired by the municipality from Irving Oil Company Limited in 1998. This land formerly housed a gas station that had been in operation since 1958. In the early 1990s, the former Municipality of Halifax County acquired the title from the Province conditional upon the property being used for recreation.

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The Lake Echo Community Centre was built in the 1980s with an addition in the late 1990s. Until 2011, the Lake Echo Community Centre was under the management of the Lake Echo Lions Club. Regional Council approved management take over of the facility and approved a lease between the Lions Club and HRM for the exclusive use of meeting space within the building. A community board of volunteers was established in 2012 to oversee program and building operations. The Lake Echo Community Recreation Society continues to oversee the management of the facility.