Cambridge/ Coldbrook trail: officially open for use, closed to ATVs

BY NANCY KELLY

Kings County Register

A six-kilometre stretch of trail from East Cambridge to Kentville is the province’s first joint Active Transportation/ Active Living and Designated Snowmobile Trail.

A ribbon cutting ceremony was held November 3. Kings South MLA David Morse, Minister of Natural Resources, was on hand to celebrate with community volunteers as the Cornwallis River Pathways Society (CRPS) marked the official opening of the trail at the rebuilt Sharpe Brook bridge, east of Cambridge Road.

The new trail, built on the former DAR railway bed, runs between the Sharpe Brook Bridge and the Kentville town line. After consulting with communities, local service groups, schools and adjacent landowners, CRPS was granted a letter of authority to develop and manage the section of trail as an active transportation route, to be shared with the Annapolis Valley Lake and Ridge Runners Snowmobile Club, by the Department of Natural Resources in February, 2008. The trail is off limits to all-terrain vehicle users.

“What we have today is what the community wanted,” said CRPS president Bob Connell.

Since being granted the letter of authority, the CPRS has replaced three bridges, installed numerous drainage culverts and graded the trail in preparation for a crushed shale, hard-packed surface for walkers, cyclists, wheelchairs, horseback riders and cross-country skiers and snowmobiles during the winter.

Morse, joined by CPRS volunteers and representatives from corporate and community sponsors who contributed to the development of the trail, congratulated stakeholders for “achieving this milestone that will serve as a wonderful example for other communities in Nova Scotia.”

Connell thanked Michelin Tire, the Royal Bank branch in Coldbrook, the provincial Department of Health Protection and Promotion, the Municipality of the County of Kings, the Coldbrook Community Association and the Annapolis Valley Lake and Ridge Runners Snowmobile Club for helping make the trail a reality. He also thanked Rick Jacques, coordinator of the Annapolis Valley Trails Coalition, for providing much of the technical expertise and on-site support for projects completed to date.

He reiterated CRPS’s goal is to establish, manage and maintain a year-round trail on the abandoned railbed and encourage and promote the five core activities - walking, cycling, horseback riding, cross country skiing and snowmobiling - as advocated by the Trans Canada Trail Foundation; and join with others advocating active transportation and active living choices in the Annapolis Valley.

“Our work certainly isn’t done,” said Connell, who added there is great potential to develop more outdoor opportunities along the trail.