6 facts about Halifax's mega construction project

Downtown Halifax will one day be home to a new convention centre. But before the Nova Centre goes up, crews have been digging down – way down – creating a massive crater in the middle of the city’s busy core.

The Nova Centre is not scheduled to open until 2016. For now, people are gawking at the construction project.

Here are some facts about what’s happening:

1. The hole is seven stories deep in the back, three stories deep on the Argyle side.
2. So far, 25,000 truckloads have removed the dirt.
3. More than 300 blasts have gone off to break away the rock.
4. When complete, it will be 18 stories high.
5. The parking lot will include 500 spaces.
6. The estimated final price tag is over $500 million.