Some of the gates designed to restrict motor vehicles from accessing the Great Trail are missing, damaged, or simply not working.
That’s a concern for Tantramar Outdoor Club member and organizer, Dr. Ross Thomas, who spoke at Sackville town council’s community budget meeting last Monday. “That is essentially putting up a big sign saying ‘open for ATV use’,” said Thomas. “And this has resulted in, I think, marked increased use by ATVs, and also deterioration of the trail surface.”
Thomas was concerned at the time that the gates had been removed by the people in charge of the rail trail, the provincial Department of Natural Resources (DNR). But as it turns out, the department did not remove the gates.
Spokesperson Nick Brown said in an emailed statement that DNR is aware of the removal of two gates from the former railway line, but that this was the result of vandalism and theft. Brown says DNR is currently reviewing options to replace the gates.
CHMA reached out to the local RCMP to find out if the thefts and vandalism have been reported and are being investigated, but we have not heard back.
Thomas was presenting at Monday’s council meeting on behalf of the Tantramar Outdoor Club, and raised a number of issues pertaining to “people powered locomotion” including a call for traffic calming and even pedestrianizing some town streets, and the need to make sure that new developments include corridors for pedestrians and other modes of transport.
“I think we all know the benefits of exercise,” said Thomas, “physical benefits, emotional, psychological. And this is strongly reinforced during COVID when you saw huge increases in trail use and people trying to exercise outside, which is really the only safe place to do it.”
Thomas is hoping the gates protecting the rail trail from motorized traffic will be returned, and repairs made to the already damaged trail, but he acknowledges the issue has been a jurisdictional problem.
“I would like to see the rail trail preserved for people-powered activities,” says Thomas. “The problem historically has been that because it’s under provincial control, the town can’t do anything. I know the staff have tried repeatedly to reach agreements and they haven’t been able to.”
Thomas urged council to put the rail trails, and the negotiation of an understanding with DNR, on its agenda.
DNR spokesperson Nick Brown says the department encourages the public to report vandalism and illegal ATV use of public trail infrastructure to the Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement Unit of the Department of Justice and Public Safety:
Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement Unit
1-877-449-2244
OffRoadVehicle@gnb.ca
