HALIFAX — Municipal workers in Halifax have removed an unauthorized sign that asked visitors to a local park to make sure their children “use their indoor voices.”

It’s unclear when the professional-looking sign and two others were attached to a post in Oathill Lake park that also holds a much larger official municipal sign.

The small park in Dartmouth, which is surrounded by nearby homes, features a shallow lake that is popular with swimmers.

One of the unofficial signs noted that “homes are very close by,” and another said, “Please respect our neighbours.”

Municipal spokesman Graeme Benjamin says the signs were removed on Tuesday, which was after photos appeared on an independent, AI-generated website that allows residents to flag problems with local infrastructure.

The photos sparked a spirited debate on social media, with one commenter asking: “Indoor voices are for indoors, no?”



Benjamin later confirmed that a resident raised questions about the legitimacy of the signs on July 9. He also said compliance officers confirmed they had not received any noise complaints related to Oathill Lake.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 6, 2026.

The Canadian Press