Former rail line in Hants County to become nature trail running nearly 60 km

The municipalities of East and West Hants have purchased about 60 kilometres of former railway bed that may soon be available to nature lovers. 

The 58.5 kilometre stretch of former rail line running from Mantua in West Hants to Maitland in East Hants was purchased from Landar Holdings Ltd., according to a news release from West Hants.

The municipalities paid a combined purchase price of about $430,000 for lands formerly used by the Dominion Atlantic Railway. Trains ran on the line for almost a century, ending in the 1980s.

The release said West Hants signed the purchase and sale agreement on Jan. 31, 2023 and East Hants approved the acquisition on Feb. 22. Just over 14 kilometres of the land is in West Hants with the majority of it falling under the jurisdiction of East Hants.

Promotes outdoor recreation

West Hants Mayor Abraham Zebian said negotiations have been taking place over three years and it made sense to partner with the neighbouring municipality as the land falls within both their boundaries. 

He said the purchase fits in with the objective of providing more outdoor recreational spaces for area residents.

"It's a great purchase by our two councils and you know, it will definitely be an exciting recreational opportunity in the future," Zebian said. "We're really happy about it."

Multipurpose trail

Zebian said the municipality plans to use the land as a multipurpose trail for ATVs, walking, skiing and biking.

Describing the acquisition as a "strategic purchase," Eleanor Roulston, the warden of East Hants, said the municipality is hoping to integrate the land into their long-term recreational goals. 

Roulston said there are no trails on the land now but over the years ATV drivers, hikers and bikers have all expressed interest in using it.

Calling it a "work in progress," she said there will be a lot of work involved to replace bridges that have been removed and the municipal council intends to hold consultations with interest groups and people who live near the land.

Personal significance

Roulston said there wasn't another piece of land like it available and if the municipality hadn't purchased it they would never have had another opportunity again to buy a corridor like it for recreational use.

The former train route has personal significance for Roulston.

She said she remembers the train station in Kennetcook, before passenger service was discontinued.

"We weren't that old, but it was a quite a big deal to us," she said. "I remember my mother taking us to Windsor on the train from Kennetcook just because she wanted to take us the train so we would have that experience before it was gone."

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