Trail Update

The cleanup of the section from Island View to Ingramport will be started next week

We are doing this as we have the other sections, to re-establish the ditches, sight-lines and address other drainage issues. The amount of unseen damage from the July 2023 flood is severe and we are working to upgrade the trail to better withstand extreme weather events that are becoming more common.

We are aware that it looks unsightly during this time, but it will be nice when done and grass comes in as well as other plantings by nature. While mulching at the start looks bad, it is the best for the environment as it promotes regrowth.

There seems to be a lot of misinformation on different sites and we wanted to clear up some of those.

1. We are not paving the trail
2. We are not widening the trail surface, we are clearing and creating ditches
3. The work is being managed by the trail group who holds the Letter of Authority from DNR
4. We have worked with HRM Emergency Address system as to place 911 signage at certain points along the trail in the event of an emergency.
5. The system last year saw over 130,000 trail users and we are by far the busiest multi use trail in Nova Scotia.
6. Side by sides are now legal at 66 inches in width to use the the rail corridor and are a user of the system like all other users.
7. We are not a nature trail. We are a multi use trail and as such require things like sight-lines, easement sight lines etc.
8. While we have some crossover with a couple of volunteers from SMATVA Group the trail is managed by St. Margaret’s Bay Area Rails to Trails and as such any trail specific issues or concerns need to be sent to us at mail@stmargaretsbaytrails.com

Please be patient, we are sure that users will be happy with the results of the work being done. We are a volunteer group, and as such please be kind and respectful of the work areas and the workers on the trail making the system for the benefit of your use.

Thank you
Smbrta Board