if ax ▁Pen ins ula , ▁which ▁lies ▁across ▁the ▁North west ▁Arm . ▁ ▁History ▁The ▁area ▁lies ▁west ▁of ▁the ▁North west ▁Arm ▁and ▁Bed ford ▁Bas in ▁and ▁extends ▁several ▁kilometres ▁in land , ▁en comp ass ing ▁an ▁area ▁of ▁Hal if ax ▁County ▁that ▁the ▁former ▁City ▁of ▁Hal if ax ▁had ▁an nex ed ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 9 . ▁This ▁includes ▁the ▁former ▁communities ▁of ▁Ar md ale , ▁Clay ton ▁Park , ▁Fair view , ▁Rock ingham , ▁Pur cell ' s ▁C ove ▁and ▁Spr y field . ▁ ▁The ▁term ▁" Main land ▁Hal if ax " ▁became ▁the ▁official ▁description ▁of ▁the ▁area ▁after ▁the ▁municipal ▁mer ger ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁which ▁saw ▁the ▁creation ▁of ▁the ▁Hal if ax ▁Regional ▁Municip ality , ▁or ▁H R M , ▁as ▁a ▁single - t ier ▁municipal ▁unit ▁within ▁Hal if ax ▁County , ▁resulting ▁in ▁the ▁dis in cor por ation ▁of ▁the ▁cities ▁of ▁Hal if ax ▁and ▁D art mouth , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁the ▁town ▁of ▁Bed ford ▁and ▁the ▁Municip ality ▁of ▁the ▁County ▁of ▁Hal if ax . ▁ ▁The ▁City ▁of ▁Hal if ax ▁became ▁a ▁provincial ▁metropol itan ▁area , ▁ ▁and ▁the ▁H R M ▁divided ▁the ▁former ▁city ▁into ▁two ▁separate ▁community ▁planning ▁areas , ▁Hal if ax ▁Pen ins ula ▁and ▁Main land ▁Hal if ax , ▁with ▁separate ▁community ▁coun c ils ▁inside ▁of ▁the ▁regional ▁government