Enough Is enough

Dear Editor:

We who live in Paradise learned from the July 24 Spectator that the government and off-highway vehicle interests are combining forces to impose upon us a "Facilitated consultation."

Why? We already had our consultation, sponsored by the Annapolis County Trails Society, on April 15, 2004. The Annapolis County Trails Society was required to "invite comment and participation," according to the Trail Planning and Development Procedures, and to document landowner support and public support.

At the public meeting properly held and widely advertised, Paradise said "No" to a motorized trail, in a thorough presentation and landowners’ comments. Some who could not attend sent letters later on. One year and eight months later, a DNR representative said in this paper that he had "not heard anyone from Paradise speak in favour of motorized use of the corridor" and that he was satisfied that those of us who spoke out of concern for our neighbours, homes, and the health and safety of our residents, were stating the general feelings of our community. A Health Promotion representative noted that our concerns were valid.

The OHV community responded with various attempts to persuade us that we would be very happy with a finished trail bringing increased traffic through from the South Shore, and a wider trail, bringing it even closer to front and back doors! Clearly we were not being heard, so in April of 2005 we took our concerns to Council, reminding them of their sensible 2002 bylaw which specifically forbids OHVs within 30 metres of homes. We have a number of homes well within that limit, which means sleepless nights, danger to children, noisy, stressful and dusty days, emission fumes, and disruption of livelihood. In New Brunswick, a provincial law bans OHVs within 25 metres of homes for all these reasons. In Quebec, a legal decision based on sound and emission measurements by World Health Organization standards noted damage to health at 100 metres.

Our Council agreed with us, and the Letter of Authority issued to ACTS rightly excluded Paradise. OHV interests were given two generous years to find an alternate route. We offered then (2005) and often since, through DNR and HPP, to assist with that. In January 2008 Minister Hurlburt’s 2005 decision was finalized with the common practice of placing barriers.

As you can see, our process was democratic and our only "agenda" the health and safety of a community we all work hard in and love very much, and the right of homeowners near the trail to enjoy their own homes in health and peace.

We are well aware that in this province, each time there is a trail conflict, this type of "facilitated meeting" with DNR results in motorized use, simply by requiring "compromise" from landowners, and by diluting their input with other "Stakeholders." Enough is enough. Our trust level at this point is zero, and so some in Paradise will simply refuse to attend.

We understand why those who enjoy riding OHVs want opportunity to do that. What we cannot understand is why our government is so determined at this point in its term to yield to the clearly unreasonable wishes of the OHV interests. We are the only province that permits motorized use of trails in built-up areas. It would seem more sensible to admit that this policy is a failure in our civic life, and to redeem what they can

Barbara Bishop

For the Paradise Active Healthy Living Society