ANTIGONISH – Cape Breton-Canso-Antigonish MP Jamie Battiste has announced a federal contribution of $545,000 to the next phase of the Town of Antigonish’s active transportation spine trail initiative, which officials said will provide pedestrians and cyclists with “improve accessibility and safer routes” along that stretch.
Battiste told a gathering at the Antigonish Heritage Museum on July 29 that his Liberal government “is proud to invest in active transportation infrastructure that will create safer, more accessible sidewalks and pathways for pedestrians and cyclists, which will improve the quality of life for residents and visitors in Antigonish.”
Mayor Sean Cameron said the project is “about creating better connections for our community and ensuring that residents can move safely and comfortably to one of our most important destinations, St. Martha’s Regional Hospital.”
In a news release, he explained, “By improving pedestrian access to the hospital, we are enhancing accessibility for patients, visitors, staff, and families, while encouraging healthier and more active ways of getting around. This new pathway is another important piece of our growing active transportation network.”
Cameron added, “It will connect the town’s recently completed active transportation trail on the east end of Main St. with the hospital’s existing pathway system, creating a seamless and accessible route for everyone who uses it.”
An outline explains that the project involves the construction of a three-metre-wide multi-use path on the right side of Bay St., replacing the existing deteriorated sidewalk. In addition, a number of utility poles obstructing the sidewalk will be relocated, eliminating accessibility issues and improving conditions for seasonal maintenance such as winter snow removal. And, at its conclusion, a landscaped buffer will be built, creating a safe separation from vehicle traffic for all users of the pathway.
On the left side of Bay St., after crossing the East End Bridge, the sidewalk will be rebuilt and extended an additional 30 metres to Marian Dr. where a new pedestrian crosswalk will be added, featuring curb ramps, tactile warning plates, high-visibility pavement markings, and pedestrian-activated beacon lights to improve visibility and driver awareness.
As part of a larger initiative that involves “significant upgrades” to municipal services and the streetscape on Bay St., this project will “significantly improve access to St. Martha’s Regional Hospital, providing safer, accessible routes for hospital patients, healthcare workers, and visitors, as well as improving overall connectivity for pedestrians and cyclists traveling to and from the town.”
“What residents and visitors will see from this investment of $545,000 is a wider multi-use pathway along one of our busiest corridors. The current sidewalk opposite St. Martha’s Regional Hospital has not been fully accessible for some time, and we are excited to make this upgrade. This added section of accessible pathway will connect existing routes to the hospital,” Cameron said in the announcement.
He added that the active transportation extension “will happen at the same time as other crucial infrastructure upgrades as part of the larger Bay Street Project. This funding announcement brings fresh momentum to our planning, and we look forward to what’s to come.”
As part of the announcement, Battiste visited a stretch of Bay St. with town council members, including a spot where one of the existing poles that obstruct the sidewalk will be relocated as part of the extended three-metre-wide trail.
The federal funding will come from the Active Transportation Fund which “supports projects that build new and expanded networks of pathways, sidewalks, bike lanes and trails to support affordable, greener, and healthier options for Canadians to access their communities by walking, cycling, and through the use of human-powered or hybrid mobility aids such as wheelchairs, scooters, e-bikes, rollerblades, snowshoes, cross-country skis, and more.”
Along with the federal government investment through the ATF, the?Town of Antigonish is contributing $364,933.
“Together, these investments are helping us build a more connected, accessible, and vibrant community – one that supports the well-being of our residents today and for years to come,” Cameron said.
