Family relieved town will provide access road for home

They’re not sure when it will happen, but the Shakness family is happy they’re able to move forward with building their dream home.

On Wednesday night Stellarton council approved spending $15,000 to give the family access to the land where they plan to construct a home.

“It’s exciting. It was a long, nerve-wracking process,” said Kayla Shakness, who currently lives in Hopewell.

She and her husband Robert sat through a special meeting regarding the town’s budget and tax rate, hoping to hear the good news.

This spring the town began construction of a portion of The Great Trail, formerly known as the Trans Canada Trail, connecting the Pictou County Wellness Centre with Auburn Avenue near the Pioneer Coal Athletics Facility.

An unmaintained roadway known as St. Joseph Street was used as part of the trail, but when it was constructed, the only access to the land where the Shaknesses wanted to build their home was cut off.

The family was unaware that St. Joseph Street had been closed, and said it wasn’t done in accordance with government regulations. At one time, a house sat on the five-acre property off Auburn Avenue, and they camp at the site each summer.

At a council meeting in May, town planner Roland Burek had said he wouldn’t be able to issue a building permit unless the street was upgraded, and town engineer Bob Funke had said room exists to create a gravel roadway with the trail down the side.

Kayla said they were told the road will be wide enough for two vehicles, and for a school bus to turn around at the end.

It’s unknown when the work will take place, but Coun. Bryan Knight, who worked with the family to resolve the matter, is pleased that access will be restored.