Antigonish town, county residents call for trail project to be completed

Residents of the town and the County of Antigonish say they want council to complete a project to create a multi-use trail through the community.

The town's mayor, however, said he has concerns that rising costs could trickle down to residents.

The first phase of the trail in the town has been completed with a paved, multi-use pathway running from a roundabout on West Street to Highland Drive.

In January, council met to discuss the trail, including whether to complete the project, complete only one of the remaining parts, or cancel all remaining sections. The subsequent phases involve expanding the trail down St. Ninian Street, across Church Street, along Columbus Field then following East Main Street to Adam Street.

There is also the Bay Street project, a separate infrastructure upgrade that involves roadwork, accessibility changes and drainage enhancements. Municipal officials say since part of the trail route overlaps with Bay Street, completing both projects together would reduce disruptions and costs.

At a town hall meeting Tuesday evening, the project was discussed, specifically how residents felt about finishing the project in its entirety.

"This project is at the finish line," said Gina MacInnis, who attended the meeting. "The project was supposed to be finished this year … I just feel like if it is delayed another couple years, [council starts] thinking, 'Well, this isn't the best route.'"

MacInnis lives in Antigonish County. The mother of four said she and her family have an active lifestyle, and she works and volunteers in sports and recreation in the community.

"As a county resident who's in town often, my kids go to school in town … I was very excited to see [the trail]," she said. She added that most people at the town hall were in support of completing the trail.

Eric Gillis was also at the meeting and echoed the sentiment. Gillis, a three-time Olympian and the head cross-country track coach at St. Francis Xavier University, said most of the people who were in attendance were "passionate" about the project being completed. For himself, Gillis said the trail means more than just getting from one end of the town to another.

"It's not just where people live, but it's also where people are gathering, where people want to be," Gillis said. "It gives people an opportunity to get out of their vehicles and mingle and get exercise and families to go for a bike, a walk, a stroll, all at the same time."

The project has a total estimated cost of $4.6 million, with more than 73 per cent of funding coming from federal and provincial government grants. Despite the fact that only one section of the trail has been completed so far, town of Antigonish Mayor Sean Cameron said the project is already $300,000 over budget. He said any additional costs associated with the project will be "100 per cent on the taxpayers."

"We have priorities we have to wrestle with. What do we triage here? What's more important? That'll be a question for council," Cameron said. "We've only completed about 600 meters … [for] a little over $1 million."

When asked what was behind some of the costs, Cameron said creating the trail involves bridge work, moving hydro lines, water and sewer infrastructure, and narrowing road surfaces in some areas.

Cameron said the town is thinking of only completing the part of the trail that overlaps with the Bay Street project. He and chief administrative officer Randy Delorey previously signed off on a request to extend the project to the end of fiscal year 2027, which was approved by the province.

The creation of the trail is nearly two decades in the making, with the trail development study launching in 2007. The active transportation plan for the town and County of Antigonish was created in 2014 with a committee for active transportation forming in 2016. 

In 2021 and 2022, the town and the county received project approval, respectively.

Following the town hall, Cameron said the town is going to write up a report on what was heard at the meeting and the numbers associated with the project that will be made available to the public in the next two weeks or so.