5 Places to Get Work Done in Halifax

[originally published on the Volta blog]

It’s not always easy to find the perfect place to work. It has to be the right mix of quiet, comfortable, and exciting. Lucky for you, Halifax has a few pretty great spots you should check out.

If you’re scrolling through right now, you’re likely one of three people:

1. A local freelancer/entrepreneur/go-getter with a mile long to-do list
2. A non-local in town for a week every now and then
3. An unsatisfied student fed up with your tiny school library cubby

Bottom line, you have work you need to get done, and you want to actually enjoy doing it if possible. Something as simple as the chair you decide to sit in can work wonders for your production and happiness level.

So where do you go? Starbucks can get pretty boring. Working from home isn’t always the best for focus. There must be a better spot.

Introducing, the co-working space.

If you’ve never heard of a co-working space, you need to crawl out from under that rock and do a quick google search. co-working spaces help you do better work and enjoy the work you’re doing. If you’re skeptical, just ask Harvard.

So where are all these great co-working spaces you ask?

1. Shft

First up is Shft. They’re a dedicated co-working space created for you to escape the traditional office space setup. Their signup process is pretty straightforward. Just choose the hours you want to hang around for and you’re good to go. It’s not free, so it may not be a long-term solution for you, but it’s definitely worth checking out.

Their signup process is pretty straightforward. Just choose the hours you want to hang around for and you’re good to go. They’re just a quick ferry ride from the Halifax waterfront.

2. Halifax Central Library

If you’ve never been, you need to go. It’s not your typical library. The architecture is next level, the couches are extra comfortable and there’s coffee on multiple floors. Overlook downtown Halifax on the container shaped top floor, and take a stroll onto the balcony for some fresh air. If you walk down Spring Garden Road, you can’t miss it.

Sometimes it’s good to get out of the office and head somewhere new for an afternoon. They even have meeting and conference rooms you can book if you’re looking for a place to collaborate and brainstorm with some friends, coworkers or a client.

3. Dalhousie Collider

This one is a little more student focused. It’s Dalhousie University’s own in-house entrepreneurial co-working space. They call it The Collider, and you can find it just up a flight of stairs in the Killam Memorial Library.

Along with the LaunchDal program, they focus on connecting startup-minded students with fellow founders, creators and innovators looking to build something awesome.

4. The Old Apothecary

Not your traditional entrepreneurial co-working space, but definitely a good east coast vibe and a great place to relax and write. They’re a coffee shop down on Barrington Street, close to pretty much anywhere you’ll need to go downtown.

Grab your favourite cup of joe, head upstairs, take in the hand-painted art on the walls and start crossing to-do’s like there’s no tomorrow.

There’s plenty of fantastic local coffee shops in the city to check out. They all have something unique about them that you definitely need to check out at least once or twice. Keep your eyes peeled for a coffee shop feature in future.

5. Volta Labs

Of course, there’s Volta. If you’re an entrepreneur, tech genius, or just a student with an idea, our doors are wide open for you. You can find us right down on the corner of Barrington and Spring Garden, with a pretty fantastic waterfront view.

The co-working space is always vibrant and full of entrepreneurial go-getters just like you. We just brought in a fresh shipment of fancy new office chairs too. If you’re more of a couch worker, we have some of the best in town.

We have board rooms and meeting rooms open for you as well. Just take a peek at what times are available and sign yourself up.

There’s something happening here almost everyday. Networking, founder chats, pitch competitions, hackathons, info sessions—pretty much anything you’re looking for. We even bring in some industry experts to talk on everything from marketing and sales to funding and accounting at what we call Lunch & Learns. Catch Greg Poirier from CloudKettle talking growth hacking at one right here.

So do I just show up?

Pretty much. All you have to do is fill out a quick application form to let us know what you’re working on and how far along you are. Don’t worry, we won’t spill the beans to anyone.

In case you’re wondering, it’s all free.

We’re not looking for anything other than community success. We want to help current and future entrepreneurs create whatever it is they’re looking to create, and we want to knock down as many walls and barriers as possible.

Ready to get started? Let’s do it.