Hacketts Cove residents fight with Eleanor McCain over beach access

Lines are being drawn in the beach sand in the small community of Hacketts Cove in Nova Scotia's St. Margarets Bay. 

Locals are at loggerheads with a member of New Brunswick's prominent McCain family over access to a public beach. 

"It's not so much the blocking of the access that really frustrates people … it's a big concern, the fact that she's going this far as to harassing people at the beach," said Amy Johnson, who has been using the beach for years.

Her parents have been threatened with legal action if they continue to cross a tract of land used to access what's known as Barneys Beach.

The land is owned by Eleanor McCain, a professional singer and daughter of Wallace McCain, the co-founder of New Brunswick french fries giant McCain Foods. 

Johnson claims McCain and her security guards harass people when they're at the beach, which is Crown land. 

"There's other ways to access the beach, the shoreline, and when we're there that is when the community is being filmed or harassed or followed."  

Property being damaged, says McCain

In a statement to CBC, McCain said people are trespassing, vandalizing her property, and walking through "at all times of the day without regard." 

"Our property has been damaged on a number of occasions," she said in the statement. "This includes garbage being left on our property, damage to plants and trees, and evidence of unsafe fires."  

She said the property's former owner also took similar measures to prevent unlawful access. 

"We had hoped that by raising the issue in a reasonable manner with those trespassing, they would understand and respect our concerns. But unfortunately, the trespassing and incidents of vandalism have continued," said McCain. 

Since the trespassing didn't stop, McCain said she had no choice but to ask local police for help. She further states that police have started issuing formal warnings.  

Lawyer's letter

One of the people McCain said was trespassing was Johnson's mother, Sandra, who walks her dogs on the property. 

Johnson's parents received a letter about four weeks ago from McCain's lawyer stating they are not allowed to trespass on the property, and legal action will be taken if they continue to do so. 

The lawyer's letter claims Johnson's mother has been told numerous times to stay off the property. 

"There had been no signs and the community had no idea that we weren't allowed to use the old path or the woods to access the beach anymore," said Johnson.  

She said private property signs only went up in the area about two weeks ago. 

Community on eggshells

Johnson said McCain has changed her quiet community into a place people are uncomfortable living in. 

"Everyone's on their toes, they're walking on eggshells, there's strange men, strange cars driving up and down the streets. People feel like their privacy has been invaded." 

As for the dispute over the beach, Johnson said she will still go there, she just won't cross McCain's land to do it. 

"It is Crown land and I'm allowed to be there," said Johnson. "I just hope when I'm at the beach that I can avoid being harassed, interrogated, or followed or filmed."