A federal investment of more than $545,000 is helping the Town of Antigonish move forward with the next phase of its Active Transportation Trail, improving accessibility and strengthening connections along one of the community’s busiest corridors.
The funding, announced by MP for Cape Breton-Canso-Antigonish Jaime Battiste, and Mayor Sean Cameron, will support the construction of a three-metre-wide multi-use pathway along Bay Street.
The project includes replacing things like the deteriorated sidewalk, changing the location of utility poles that currently get in the way of pedestrians and extending sidewalks to Marian Drive.
Mayor Sean Cameron said the federal funding provides an important boost to a larger infrastructure project already planned for Bay Street.
“This funding announcement brings fresh momentum to our planning, and we look forward to what’s to come,” Cameron said during the announcement.
In a statement to Acadia News, Cameron said the funding is new and will help the Town extend its Active Transportation Trail while continuing improvements along Bay Street.
“We had applied to extend the AT trail and we were hopeful but now we have received this extra $545,000 that will assist with the extension and improvements to this sidewalk as we plan ahead to finish the Bay Street project from the tracks past the hospital entrance.”
The project will create a nine-foot-wide shared-use pathway for pedestrians and cyclists, similar to the recently completed Active Transportation Trail on St. Ninian Street. Cameron said the asphalt surface will provide a significant improvement over conventional sidewalks.
“I think that when this trail system is completed, citizens will see a smooth continuous surface of asphalt, free of expansion cracks and bumps that typical concrete sidewalks present,” he said. “This will be smoother for cyclists, parents pushing carriages and especially for mobility restricted citizens who may require chairs or adaptive walking devices.”
The federal government says the project will improve safety and accessibility while enhancing connections to St. Martha’s Regional Hospital, making travel easier for patients, healthcare workers, visitors and residents using active transportation. The Town also expects the trail to connect seamlessly with the existing pathway network, creating a continuous route across the community.
Parliamentary Secretary Jaime Battiste said the investment reflects the federal government’s commitment to safer and more accessible transportation infrastructure.
“The Government of Canada 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.”
The project is being funded through the federal Active Transportation Fund, which supports the construction of pathways, sidewalks, bike lanes and trails that encourage walking, cycling and other forms of active transportation. According to the federal government, Antigonish will receive $547,400 through the program, while the Town will contribute $364,933 toward the project.
