West Hants council okays next phase of Cheverie salt marsh project

By Nadine Armstrong

The Hants Journal/NovaNewsNow.com

Plans to construct an interpretation center and walking trail along the salt marsh in Cheverie are moving right along. The Cheverie Crossway Salt Marsh Society met with West Hants municipal council last week to request permission to continue construction of the trail this summer.

The municipality owns the land in question and has been negotiating a lease agreement with the society, which would detail the responsibilities of both parties.

West Hants recreation director Kathy Kehoe has been working closely with the society. She said the lease agreement is in the process of approval by the society and told council there isn’t likely to be any delay that would affect construction.

“Right now we don’t have a legal relationship or lease with the municipality,” society president Don Aldous said. “I want to ask for a specific decision on the trail we’re planning to build.”

Aldous said the only issue of concern the society had with the draft lease was the five-year term. He said considering the societies investment in the project a 20-year term would be more appropriate.

Although there is a termination clause for both parties, some at council expressed concern regarding a 20-year lease.

Coun. Randy Matheson said, “we have a responsibility to future generations.” He said there is no way to predict how priorities of council and the society may change in that span. “We just want to make sure no one comes and tries to turn it into a Disney land.”

Aldous conceded the point saying,” we do need to think beyond the individuals that are involved right now when planning these things.”

Kehoe said, “I can’t see any council doing that on a whim.” She recommended a 10-year lease, which has been approved by council for similar projects.

In the meantime, council passed the motion to give the society permission to move forward with trail construction. “This group is fired up and going ahead,” Warden Richard Dauphinee noted. “We should approve their request, since the project was the reason council purchased the land in the first place.”