As we start to head into warmer weather, a local business owner is letting the public know that a well-used trail in HRM is soon going to need a fresh group of people to maintain it.
The B.L.T Rails to Trail has been around for 25 years, stretching for 13 kilometres through Beechville, Lakeside and Timberlea with an association that was responsible for its upkeep.
However, that ownership is about to be given back to the province.
In an interview with our newsroom, Andrew Feenstra with CycleSmith says he wants to flag this with its users.
“There’s the safety aspect making sure the actual trail, the facility, the actual material on the ground there is safe,” explains Feenstra. “There’s also things like trail maintenance, garbage, all that kind of stuff that has to get taken care of.”
He says all of this is done by volunteers and as more people use the trail, things degrade.
“The B.L.T is a beautiful section of trail, so clearly lots of volunteers have been taking care of it.”
Feenstra himself uses the trail every year for the BMO Ride for Cancer.
“There’s over 1,000 riders that are on it in one day. So, it is a well-used, well-loved piece of infrastructure,” explains Feenstra.
Association no longer in control
It was in November when the B.L.T. Rails to Trails Association announced they were no longer going to watch over the trail.
They had held a Letter of Authority (LOA) of the trail since 2004 but say the upkeep has now become too much due to climate change and not having enough volunteers.
What’s next
The trail ownership is officially back in the province’s hands on March 31.
According to the province, that means the B.L.T. Rails to Trail will then be designated as an Abandoned Rail Corridor.
They say if any volunteer associations want to assume responsibility for its operation and maintenance, they can apply for a LOA through the Department of Natural Resources.
Feenstra says numbers matter and if there is enough interest for a new group to be formed, then they can let people know to join.
“This is the situation that it’s in and here’s how to help out,” explains Feenstra. “There are going to be changes but we can control these changes and help these changes make sure that everyone still gets to use the trail.”
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